Education leader opens Royston Wardieburn

 

Cllr MacLaren unveils plaque while Joan Turner looks on

Councillor Marilyne MacLaren unveiled a plaque to formally open the new Royston Wardieburn Community Centre yesterday.  Cllr. MacLaren said the ‘fantastic new centre’ is a major achievement and she praised the efforts of the local community for creating a centre it can be proud of.

The Education, Children & Families leader said:  “This is a very exciting day.  As you all know a new community centre for Royston Wardieburn has been on the ‘to do’ list of the Council for many, many years and I am really pleased that despite the financial challenges we have faced we have delivered this fantastic new centre for the community”.

She went on:  “You will remember that original plans for the new centre were to build at Royston School, but when I came into post and talked to you it was clear that you didn’t want that – you really wanted the new centre to be built here, as this is ‘neutral ground’ that allows the people of the different neighbourhoods – particularly the young people – to come together.  That seemed to me to make perfect sense, so the opening of this new building today is a major achievement of the local community.  You told me what you wanted and we have made it happen, so well done to all of you for sticking with that commitment”.

The original Royston Wardieburn Community Centre opened in 1965 and, not unnaturally, the building in Pilton Drive North was showing it’s age after over forty-five years of constant use.  Over recent years the Centre’s management committee has campaigned tirelessly to get their building replaced and now at last – after a few false dawns and many ups and downs along the way – the superb new centre is open for business for the whole community to enjoy.

Royston Wardieburn is the first new centre to open in North Edinburgh since Muirhouse Millennium Centre opened in August 2000.  The new building has all that the old building had and much, much more – a sports hall, state of the art computer suite, games room, café area and meeting rooms large and small.  There’s also ample accommodation upstairs for centre staff, the Stepping Stones team and local Community Learning and Development workers.

The opening of the building is a dream come true for the centre’s chairperson Joan Turner.  After watching a short documentary about the history of Royston Wardieburn she said:  “Royston Wardieburn is a special place for so many people with a lot of happy memories.  If the new Centre is even half as successful as the old centre has been I think we will all be well pleased”.

It was certainly a day to remember at Royston Wardieburn and community activists, politicians, local workers, schoolchildren and centre members turned out in force to celebrate the occasion.  The afternoon was packed with activities – a Royal Scottish National Orchestra ensemble entertained guests and there was a presentation and short film (thirty hours edited down to five minutes!) presented by Roberta Blaikie of the Old Centre’s History Group.  Councillor MacLaren also presented certificates of achievement to local children and members of the management committee who have successfully completed their REHIS Food and Hygiene Training, enabling them to assist in the building’s café.  Guided tours of the building were also provided for guests to see the superb new facilities the centre has to offer.

Congratulations to everyone involved with the opening of Royston Wardieburn’s new community centre – and here’s to a successful 45 years!

 

Pictures:  Opening day images

Councillor MacLaren and RWCC chairperson Joan Turner

Roberta Blaikie with young achievers

 

More fun and games outside the Centre
RSNO musicians entertain guests
Certificates for management committee members

PEP seeks help

 

PEP manager Helen Tait

Local organisation Pilton Equalities Project is looking for help with an unusual request.  PEP is seeking … binoculars!  No, they haven’t lost one of their minibuses – the binoculars are needed for a project they are currently planning.

So if you have any binoculars tucked away somewhere – large or small, any condition – PEP would like to hear from you.  If you can help, call PEP on 315 4466 or email pepequalities@btconnect.com

 

Suttie’s talking Scots literature

Scotland has a proud history of producing internationally renowned writers, from Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson to contemporary talents like Hugh MacDairmid, Liz Lochhead and Irvine Welsh.  If you’d like to learn more about modern Scottish literature there’s a free course starting at The Prentice Centre later this month that’s just ‘write’ for you!

Starting on 23 January, ‘Modern Scottish Literature’ is a  8 – 10 week course that will run on Monday afternoons from 2.30 – 4.30pm in The Prentice Centre.  Supported by the Workers Education Association and Prentice Centre’s Adult Education Group, the course is free to all participants.

The course tutor is Derek Suttie (pictured), who is no stranger to The Prentice Centre.  Derek was formerly Senior Community Education worker based at the centre in Granton Mains Avenue until he retired last year.

For further information on ‘Modern Scottish Literature’ or to book your place on the course please contact The Prentice Centre on 552 0485 or WEA on 225 2580.

75 year old woman mugged in Drylaw

A seventy-five year old woman has been mugged at the entrance to Ferryhill Primary School on Groathill Road North. The incident happened at about 6pm on Sunday night.

Police cordon off the area around the entrance to Ferryhill primary School. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

A Police spokseperson said “A seventy-five year old female had her handbag snatched from her with such force it caused her to fall to the ground. As a result of this fall the elderly lady has sustained serious injuries which have resulted in her having to be admitted to Hospital.

Officers of Lothian and Borders Police are appealing to the public to help them identify the male responsible who is described as being in his early twenties, six feet tall with a skinny build, wearing dark clothing and a cream coloured hat.”

Officers were at the scene until about 10.30pm and carried out a thorough search of the area.

A Police search team search the area where the woman was mugged. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Police on 311-3131 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Call to Granton gardeners

The Granton Community Gardeners now have a Tuesday morning gardening club. We meet at 10.30 at the Salvation Army building on Wardieburn Drive for a cup of tea and to pick up tools. Then (weather permitting) we go to work on the community gardens at either end of Wardieburn Road. All very welcome! You don’t need to know anything about gardening to join in.  For more information and updates you can now follow us on Facebook at: http://tinyurl.com/grantoncommunitygardeners

Tom Kirby

Granton Community Gardeners

Governments clash over independence referendum

Who should choose the timing of the independence referendum?  Who should be allowed to vote, and what should the questions be?  A furious row has broken out between Holyrood and Westminster governments over Scotland’s future – the Scottish government says it has a mandate from the Scottish people, but Westminster argues that the Scottish Parliament does not have the constitutional powers to conduct the referendum, and cannot do so without it’s approval.

The row broke out last weekend when Prime Minister David Cameron made clear that he wanted to resolve the ‘legal uncertainty’ surrounding the vote and said:  “We want to work with the Scottish government to give the people of Scotland of a fair and more decisive question”.

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was quick to respond, accusing Mr Cameron of ‘a blatant attempt to interfere in a decision that should be for the Scottish government and Scottish people’.  She added:  “It’s the attachment of conditions that gives the game away – this is Westminster trying to interfere.  Perhaps I should be relaxed about that because the more a Tory government tries to interfere in Scottish democracy, then I suspect the greater the support for independence will be, but there is a key issue of democratic principle here”.

Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore weighed in to the debate on Tuesday when he outlined the Westminster government’s position, but he struck a more conciliatory note.  “I think the important point is that we would not want to carry out the whole referendum process, make the decision at the ballot box and then discover somebody somewhere wanted to challenge that.  Isn’t it better to resolve that potential, get rid of any risk – which I think is clear-cut risk?  Let’s get on with it”.

He went on:  “I am happy to work with Alex (Salmond) to sort out the legal issue and then let’s have a debate about whether or not Scotland should be part of the UK or not – that is the crux of this matter”.

Since it’s election victory in May the SNP government at Holyrood has said that the referendum will take place in the second half of the current parliament.  Last night, that position was firmed up when the First Minister announced that the referendum will be held in autumn 2014.

Mr Salmond said:  “The date for the referendum has to be the autumn of 2014.  That’s because this is the biggest decision that Scotland has made for 300 years.  If you are going to do things properly and have the debate in the way it must be had then that is the date we are going to move towards”.

The Scottish government plans to launch a consultation on the referendum later this month.

Westminster and Holyrood disagree over a number of issues.  The UK parliament favours a straight yes or no question on the ballot paper, while the Scottish government favours a third ‘devo-max’ option that would give more powers to Scotland short of absolute independence.  The Scottish government would also like 16 and 17 year olds to take part in the vote, but this is opposed by Westminster.  Also disputed is the timing of the referendum vote.  Westminster wants the ballot to take place as early as possible while the Scottish government believes the ballot should take place in autumn 2014.

Unless a consensus is reached, it’s likely that these constitutional issues could well end up being decided by the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land.  Scotland’s biggest decision for over 300 years may yet be delayed beyond 2014.

One in three local children living in poverty

A report published today says that nearly one in three children living in the Forth ward are living in poverty.  The report shows that 13 Scottish councils have wards where more than 30% of children live in pockets of severe poverty, and campaigners are urging  politicians to do much more to tackle this ‘shameful’ social problem.

The Campaign to End Child Poverty has produced a map of child poverty for every ward, council and constituency in the country.  Scottish members of the Campaign to End Child Poverty include Action for Children Scotland, Barnardo’s Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, Children 1st, the Church of Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Poverty Alliance and Save the Children.

The map classes children as living in poverty if they are in families on out of work benefits or work tax credits where income is less than 60% of median – before housing costs.  The Campaign to End Child Poverty said the latest official figures showed that overall in Scotland 20% of children live in poverty on this measure.

In Edinburgh, Sighthill/Gorgie shows the highest levels of poverty at 36%, followed by Forth (30%), Portobello/Craigmillar (30%), Leith (29%) and Liberton/Gilmerton at 28%.

Child Poverty Action Group’s John Dickie, speaking on behalf of Scottish members of the campaign, said: “It is shameful that in almost every part of our country there are children who are missing out and seeing their future life chances seriously harmed.  With public spending budgets under severe pressure the need to invest to prevent the numbers of children living in poverty spiralling is greater than ever.”

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: “We are determined to address the root causes of child poverty.  That’s why last year we launched Scotland’s first ever national strategy to tackle child poverty, which will see Scotland’s poorest families benefit from help to increase their household incomes and improve their children’s life chances.”

 

 

Attacks on fire crews up 25% in one year

ATTACKS on firefighters attending blazes in the Lothians are on the rise with crews reporting everything from assaults with beer cans to thugs trying to steal appliances.

David Lockhart, says attacks on crews are sensless. (Picture: Lothian and Borders Fire Service)

At least 46 violent attacks were launched against firefighters tackling blazes in the last year, a rise of more than 25 per cent since 2010 and the first increase in four years.

Crews have been attacked with bricks, eggs and even berries as they responded to emergency incidents. They have also been threatened with pool cues and have experienced youths stubbing out cigarettes on their uniforms, spitting at them and trying to cut up hoses.

Today fire bosses blasted the “senseless” attacks.

David Lockhart, community safety manager at Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, said chiefs would not hesitate to prosecute anyone who carried out such anti-social behaviour. He said: “Any attack on operational firefighters is totally senseless. They play a vital role in the community, protecting the public from fire and other emergencies.

“We now have added legislation in the form of the Emergency Workers Act, which has been used to successfully prosecute people who have impeded firefighters and other emergency service personnel from carrying out their duties.

“Although we have seen an increase in figures this year, over the longer term attacks are down and in part this is due to our continued efforts to educate the public about the need to respect firefighters and the risks of prosecution should they choose not to.”

He added: “We’re always alert to the possibility of these kind of incidents, and as alcohol can often play a part, this is something we are very aware of over the festive period. We get a lot of support from the police if we attend an incident.”

Throughout the course of 2011 firefighters endured dozens of call-outs where they were showered with rocks and bricks and abused in the street. During one incident, on Niddrie Mains Road, small children ambushed a fire crew.

It followed a previous incident when a large gang of children aged between six and 16 attacked firefighters, leaving one injured. They targeted six firefighters from Bathgate, pelting them with stones while their backs were turned, resulting in a leg injury.

Earlier this year, a 15-year-old schoolboy was charged with trying to steal a fire engine while up to 30 children pelted firefighters with eggs at West Pilton Children’s Centre.

In 2010 one home owner tried to attack crews with a pool cue. Children later attacked them with full beer cans, eggs and berries.

The number of attacks was at its highest in 2006, when nearly 80 incidents were recorded by the service. Firefighters were punched, kicked, spat on and dog excrement was thrown at them. There were around 50 attacks in 2007, 45 in 2008 and 45 in 2009.


Royal Yacht Britannia listing after leak in door

The Royal Yacht Britannia is tilting towards its starboard side

Emergency services are trying to pump water out of the Royal Yacht Britannia after it started listing while it was being moved to have its hull repainted.

The iconic yacht is tilting on its starboard side after developing a leak in a door seal.

The leak was discovered when officials noticed the boat was tilting and went to alter ballast levels.

The boat was due to be moved at 09:30 to a dry dock a few hundred metres across the harbour in Leith.

At least four fire engines are at the scene.

It is the first time it has been moved from its berth in Edinburgh in almost 14 years.

It is due to reopen to the public on 1 February.

Work began on the ship at John Brown’s shipyard in Clydebank in June 1952 and it was launched in April 1953.

Last year was one of the attraction’s busiest years with more than 275,000 visitors, a 12% increase on the previous year.

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