Spartans FC Women’ Premier League side gathered at the Academy on Saturday night to celebrate the 2011 season. Finishing in runners up spot to worthy champions Glasgow City was a great achievement and full credit must go to the full squad of players, coaching staff and volunteers for their hard work and determination throughout the season.
Hayley Lauder collecting both awards. (Picture: www.spartanswfc.com)
It was time for the Spartan players to recognise there team mates contributions and the Players Player of the year awards were as follows: –
In 3rd place was central midfielder Kirsty McLaughlin who has really excelled in her first season at the club with terrific performances, 2nd Place went to striker Sarah Ewens who has blossomed as a player this season and is fulfilling the potential she displayed when she joined the club in 2009 scoring 21 goals in 2011.
Spartans Players Player of the year and also the Coaches Player of the Year was awarded to Hayley Lauder for a fantastic season for both Spartans and Scotland, the young midfielder played a huge part in Spartans success and all involved at the club are extremely proud of her individual achievements and we are all excited for her future.
To honour the contribution made to Spartans and acknowledge the achievement of scoring 100 goals during the 2011 season the final award of the evening was made to Diana Barry, a special award to a special player. Diana has now scored 118 goals in 94 games for the club and as she continues to score goals she will continue to set records that will be very difficult to match.
All the players receiving awards also received a generous gift from our fantastic sponsors Scott + Co and all pass on their gratitude for such a kind gesture.
Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses after a couple were assaulted and robbed in Davidsons Mains over the weekend.
Police are appealing for witnesses following the attack.
The incident happened around 2.10am on Sunday 18 December. A 71-year-old man and his 68-year-old wife had just left the Maitland Bowling Club in Davidsons Mains and were walking along the High Street when a man approached and grabbed at the woman’s bag.
A struggle ensued and the woman’s bag strap snapped causing her purse to fall out, which was then stolen by the suspect who made off from the area.
The victim’s husband tried to pursue the man and suffered minor facial injuries after being struck to the face.
Police are now urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.
The suspect is described as white, 20-25-years-old, 6ft 2ins tall with a slim build and wearing a patterned woolen hat with earflaps.
A police spokesman said: “This incident has left both victims incredibly shaken, although neither required treatment in hospital.
“Anyone who was in or around Davidson Mains High Street in the early hours of Sunday morning and witnessed the robbery or can help identify the suspect is asked to contact police immediately.”
Anyone with any information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.
Craigroyston Nursery and Primary 1 children are taking part in Lickety Leap – an exciting new interactive theatre project for Early years Children.
Licketyspit Theatre Company is based at North Edinburgh Arts and the group has performed shows including Molly Whuppie, Magic Spaghetti and Wee Witches at the arts centre. Lickety Leap is their first totally interactive show and is performed with small groups of children. It is a really memorable and enjoyable experience for the children and it has shown to have a big impact on their developing confidence, social skills, ability to work together and to problem solve.
Licketyspit has been funded to deliver Lickety Leap across Scotland and it’s all beginning here in North Edinburgh’s Craigroyston Primary School!
“This group was great for the kids. My daughter loved it and when we went to see everything the kids had done their faces showed just how much they loved it. It is really good how it gets the kid’s imagination going so well with the simplest of thing” – Caitlin’s mum
“Lickey Leap has been a fun-filled, exciting and entertaining project which children, parents and staff have enjoyed; it allows children to be actively involved in a fun adventure to find their ‘heart’s desire’” – (Craigroyston PS Staff)
The Festival staged by North Edinburgh Waterfront Community at The Hub in Edinburgh’s Telford College last night proved to be a real Christmas cracker. A bit like opening those Christmas presents you never know what you’re going to get next, and so it proved at Telford.
With songs by Granton Primary School and Pilrig Church choir, films, quizzes and international music from the Rongong family – and some truly awful Christmas cracker jokes too! – there was something for everyone. With free refreshments, face painting and Christmas crafts and decoration-making, laid on by members of local churches, the evening was the perfect antidote to the stresses and strains of last-minute Christmas shopping.
New Year, new community crèche for North Edinburgh? Local organisation Stepping Stones has held discussions with Community Learning and Development staff at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre to explore the possibility of setting up a new community crèche when the new Centre opens next year.
Stepping Stones’ Marilyn Keilloh explained: “The ‘new’ Royston Wardieburn Community Centre will be opening to the public in the New Year. Lydia Markham (Community Learning and Development) and I have had a very brief meeting about the possibility of developing a community crèche facility in the Centre. We have arranged a meeting for Thursday 12 January from 1 – 3pm in the new centre and would like to invite anyone who is interested in developing a facility like this in the area to come along”.
For further information call Marilyn at Stepping Stones North Edinburgh on 551 1632 or Lydia at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on 552 5700.
Alex Dale, Drylaw Telford Community Council’s representative on Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnersip’s Clean, Green and Safe Action Group, has reported that Easter DrylawPark has been uprated from ‘good’ to ‘very good’ in the city council’s latest 2011 Parks Survey.
This week, Muirhouse and Salvesen Community Council launched their campaign to stop the Council closing paths that lead from Muirhouse into Silverknowes Eastway. The petition was launched following a public meeting organised by the Davidsons Mains Silverknows Association last month where they have requested the Council look to close off these public footpaths.
This is one of the paths that would be closed if the plans get the go ahead. (Picture: Thomas Brown)
As well as closing off the footpaths the Council are also looking at installing up to twelve CCTV monitors in private houses, two of which will be linked to the City in View system which will allow the Police to monitor them at a cost of £4,800.00.
The public meeting which took place on 17th November was attended by over two hundred residents from Silverknowes following a spate of vandalisms and an increase in anti social behavior. Natalie Hoy, Neighbourhood Manager for the West of the City, was in attendance along with Ruth Stanley from the North Office, local Politicians and representatives from the Police.
It was agreed that the Closure of the access points from Muirhouse was the “most important consideration in trying to solve these problems” and according to the Davidsons Mains Silverknowes Association website “there was an assurance this would proceed as quickly as possible”
This is a move, which has angered the Muirhouse and Salvesen Community Council and their Chairperson, Roy Douglas said ” We are disgusted to learn that residents of Silverknowes (who are technically part of Forth Ward) want to close public access footpaths. These footpaths are part of Muirhouse and lead into a newish housing complex that is part of Muirhouse and the Forth Ward. No “Berlin Wall” should be allowed to be built between Communities in this day and age. These paths are used by our school children to get to school safely away from busy main roads and are used by people to access local shops and bus routes.”
Local Neighbourhood manager Peter Strong has been crticised for his handling of this issue by Muirhouse and Salvesen Community Council
We are also disgusted to learn what Police resources have been used and how much is being spent in response to the residents of Silverknowes Eastway complaints. According to a Police representative who attended our meeting said reports have been minor incidents, a smashed window, car keying. In other areas of the Forth Ward they happen every other day. We acknowledge that there is a youth issue in parts of Muirhouse but with the involvement of our local professional Youth Agencies which have great success in engaging with local youth in resolving such issues, and we feel that resources should be given to them.
If the Council allow such division in communities where does the Equality and Diversity policies for our city stand? Peter Strong did apologise that our Community Council was not informed but he should hang has head in shame for allowing another Neighbourhood Partnership to become involved in the affairs of the Forth Ward. We are heading up to a local election and councillors of an adjoining ward want to scare monger and get support to the splitting up of communities and get votes for their parties. Leave our Community alone, do not create more problems with a wall of division.
Our Community Council have circulated petitions for residents of Muirhouse to become aware of this and sign. All we all want for Christmas is Peace and Goodwill lets achieve a New Year with Communities living in Harmony not peering over a wall at each other.”
Inspector John Cooper from Lothian and Borders police said “The main issues are youths passing through Silverknowes to congregate in the Davidsons mains area and this has lead to a number of minor vandalism’s such as car windows being smashed and cars being scratched.
At this moment in time we have not been asked to provide any evidence to suggest that closing these paths will resolve the problems currently being experienced. Over the past few months we have had undertaken a variety of tasks to identify these youths and this has included increased patrols in the area as well as the use of the CCTV van which has been located in the are for the past few weeks.”
Natalie Hoy the West Neighbourhood manager said “To be very clear the Council and Police committed to commissioning a Environmental Survey of the area using Safer by Design which is an accredited and recognised tool for assessing environmental factors in a local area, this survey is carried out by colleagues in Lothian and Borders Police.
Natalie Hoy says a summit will be held within the next few weeks
I must stress that the council have not committed to closing the footpaths, this will be subject to further discussion and will involve communities from both West and North. A cross neighbourhood summit involving senior officials from the police and council, elected members and community representatives will be convened in the next few weeks.
The Council has committed to offering CCTV provision in domestic properties in the area affected and to explore the Silverknowes Community Representative’s idea that he would like to see further cameras purchased, no cameras have been purchased and these discussions have commenced this week.
Significant work is already underway with young people in both the North and West looking at positive engagement and diversion, action will be taken in cases where this is appropriate jointly in partnership with our Police colleagues however we recognise that the vast majority of young people themselves want to live in a safe community. Council and Police work hard to tailor responses to local community issues and this is part of our neighbourhood working on a day to day basis.”
Almond Councillor Kate Mackenzie said “There have been lots of issues in and around the Silverknowes area caused by young people passing through. These issues have been mainly vandalism and local people have had enough of it. I am unaware what, if any, work has done been to engage with the young people that are causing this problem.”
Local Councillor Cammy Day said “I was made aware of the issues in Silverknowes Eastway, and a public meeting held in Almond ward regarding a few incidents that had taken place. Silverknowes Eastway is in the Forth Ward, and I was surprised not be invited to attend.
It’s important that we take this in perspective, and we take appropriate action to respond positively to any acts of vandalism or anti social behaviour.
I would be keen to have our community safety team and youth street work teams engage with the young people involved for a positive resolution.
A meeting of local representatives is to be arranged later this week to agree a course of action.”
What are your views on building fences to separate communities?
The Drylaw Cookery group have just launched their first ever Cooking Recipe Calendar.
The Calendar was put together by the group and printing was sponsored by State Street Bank. (Picture: Thomas Brown)
Project worker Elizabeth graham said “The group has been running on Wednesday evening for approximately 2 years. The group is made up of men and woman, aged from 15 upwards, who come together to share recipes and learn cooking skills form one another. We have guests visiting regularly to show us their delicious dishes from around the world. Our cookery evenings are a fantastic way to meet new friends, help bring the community together and are a fun social event too.”
The group were awarded sponsorship from State Street Bank who very kindly printed 200 Calendars for the group to sell to raise money for the centre and Susan Paul from State Street said “State Street is delighted to support the Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre with the production of their 2012 calendar. Active engagement within our communities is one of State Streets fundamental values. ”
Calendars are priced £2.00 and can be bought directly from the centre.
If you would like more information on the Cookery Group or any other services at Drylaw call the centre on 315 4989.
Granton and District Community Council meets this Wednesday (14 December) from 7 – 9pm at Spartans Community Football Academy. For further information please telephone 07923 548159.
