We hope you’re as excited as we are for our opening next week!
Here’s what’s on in the new Muirhouse Library (!) next week – we hope to see lots of you there, for Bookbug, kids’ craft sessions after school, and coffee mornings.
See you soon!
On Saturday 24 August 2024 Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport hosted a free sporting event.
The leading charity for more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions hosted the free event for children aged under 18 living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.
Children came together from different parts of Scotland and had the opportunity to try different sporting activities, such as curling, powerchair football, boccia and swimming. The day was a success as they learnt new skills and could meet other children living with a muscle wasting and weakening condition.
Joe Moan, from Forth Valley, attended the charity event with his son who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Joe said: “It’s great to meet up with parents you haven’t seen since the last event.
“These events are confidence building for kids – they get to try new sports that they haven’t tried before. It’s great to watch my son interact with peers and children with a similar range of movement and shared experiences. I would recommend.”
Participants at Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport event 2024 Copyright @MuscularDystrophyUK © Julie Broadfoot
Jacqueline Munro, Head of Regional Support, Outreach, and Information, who attended on the day said: “We believe in the power of community and inspire collaboration across our whole muscle wasting and weakening community.
“Events like this are a brilliant way of bringing people together, from the children taking part in the activities to their parents or carers watching from the side lines. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and to Scottish Disability Sport for partnering with us.”
Scottish Disability Sport is the Scottish governing and co-coordinating body of all sports for people of all ages and abilities with a physical, sensory or learning disability.
Joshua Thomson, Events Manager for Scottish Disability Sport said: “The event was a brilliant opportunity to provide sport and physical activity to young people with muscle wasting conditions, allowing them to grow and develop a community.
“Seeing the development of friendships and the joy on the participants’ faces throughout the day has demonstrated the value that events like this can have.
“There were some fantastic skills on show throughout the boccia, curling and swimming sessions.
“Thank you to Muscular Dystrophy UK and to everyone who attended, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope to see these children back at more events in the future.”
Participants at Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport event 2024 Copyright @MuscularDystrophyUK © Julie Broadfoot
Special thanks to Scottish Boccia, Scottish Curling and representatives from the Scottish Swimming for their support on the day.
Find out more about Muscular Dystrophy UK and how the charity can provide support musculardystrophyuk.org/support
SPECIAL COMMUNITY EVENT TO MARK YOUTH PROJECT’S CENTENARY
National Galleries of Scotland announces a packed three months of events across the National, Modern and Portrait galleries in Edinburgh. Whether taking a deep dive into the exhibitions with talks, tours and music or being inspired to create your own art at the workshops, there is something for everyone to discover.
With summer blockbuster An Irish Impressionist: Lavery on Location open from 20 July, there are plenty of opportunities to delve further into the glamorous sun, sea and society of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Join talks live from the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre at the National or stream on YouTube as you take a trip through the extraordinary life of the Belfast-born artist, Sir John Lavery.
Be whisked away to the French artists’ colony of Grez-sur-Loing as co-curator Professor Frances Fowle explores Sir John Lavery’s time in France alongside the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson on Wednesday 31 July.
Or join assistant curator Freya Spoor on Tuesday 17 September to learn more of his connections to Scotland from schooldays in Ayrshire to his role in the pioneering group of artists known as the Glasgow Boys.
Dip your toes in the glamour of a lost era and explore the high fashion depicted in Lavery’s paintings with Dr Sally-Anne Huxtable (Associate Professor, London Metropolitan University and Chair, Design History Society) on Friday 4 October.
Be immersed in the sights and sounds of Lavery’s wonderful world with a specially commissioned music performance inspired by the artist’s work. Renowned musician and composer/arranger Martin Kershaw will premiere the music alongside Kershaw on saxophones, Paul Harrison (piano), Graeme Stephen (guitar) and David Bowden (bass) on Thursday 24 October.
Be inspired by stories of collaboration, creativity and rebellion in Women in Revolt! Art and Activism in the UK 1970-1990 at Modern Two.
Join curator and researcher Alice Correia as she chairs a discussion with featured Women in Revolt! artists Nina Edge and Pratibha Parmar. Women in Revolt! Representing South Asian Women in Britain can be watched via the livestream on YouTube or join in person at the Hawthornden at the National.
On 27 August Women in Revolt: From Matisse to Think Pink explores the work of Liz Rideal with the artist herself. Rideal will make connections between her own use of collage and Matisse’sJazz images.
Discover images and voices from Scotland’s mining communities with Before and After Coal at the Portrait and discover more about the history and lasting impact of coal through talks and music events.
Dr Ewan Gibbs (University of Glasgow) and Dr Catherine Mills (University of Stirling) will consider post-1980s shifts in coal production for electricity generation, and the creation of the mining landscapes eco-museum in Beyond Coal on 3 September.
Or in an exciting crossover between exhibitions artists Nicky Bird (Before & After Coal) and Rosy Martin (Women in Revolt!) discuss the significance of the early 1980s in It’s About Time on Tuesday 10 September. Looking at featured works in each of the shows, they dive into the themes of activism and visibility, notions of solidarity alongside the implications of becoming ‘living history’.
Or for something more musical celebrate the final day of the Before and After Coal exhibition on Sunday 15 September with a performance by the Newtongrange Silver Band founded in 1892 and is closely linked with the coal mining industry.
Explore the fascinating exhibitions at the National Galleries of Scotland across all four galleries. Learn about the inspiring 40-year career of Edinburgh-based artist Everlyn Nicodemus in an opening talk for her retrospective at Modern One on Friday 18 October.
Celebrate the incredible 40 years since National Galleries of Scotland began collecting photography, looking at the national photography collection in the context of the 1980s. Be inspired by the works of Bruce McLean and try your hand at creating your own art at The Drawing Room on 11 September.
Experience your national collection and learn more about the incredible art belonging to the people of Scotland.
Discover the latest acquisition to be added to the collection, The Lilac Sun Bonnet by Bessie MacNicol and discover more about this pioneering artist in a talk on Tuesday 8 October. Get to know the artworks and themes in the new Scottish galleries at the National in the Scottish Art in Focus tours which take place every month on Saturday afternoon.
Learn more about the changing landscape of Edinburgh and Scotland and the people who made it all happen. For those wanting a more detailed look into Edinburgh’s evolving cityscape and how it captivated the imagination of artists, join the Inside Out: Edinburgh Old and New Walking Tour.
Be immersed in the magical free live music events all while soaking up the beautiful art and surroundings of the Portrait and National gallery. With a performance from the award-winning trio Atelier Ensemble on Thursday 5 September, they will play timeless classics and uncover lesser-known compositions. On 3 October, Isla Ratcliff & Evie Waddell perform unique arrangements of Scottish traditional music, combining Scots and Gaelic songs, fiddle, piano, stepdance and BSL.
There are free family activities for all ages and stages to enjoy, as well accessible events for visitors with specific access needs. Weekly Family Friday events let your children’s imaginations run wild. With mornings dedicated to little ones expect interesting textures, lights, sounds and sensory art-fun.
Later in the afternoon older kids can get involved in the trails, new play activities and, of course, hands-on making with artists. Sensory-Friendly Sundays for families with children with additional support needs ensure a quiet, comfortable space is available at all times.
For adults, discover fascinating audio-described and deaf led British Sign Language tours for visitors with a visual impairment.
With events for exhibitions including Lavery on Location, Woman in Revolt!, Do Ho Suh, Vermeer. With the opportunity to meet other people, see artworks in the gallery and take part in creative activities. All with access to a comfortable quiet space.
To find events or discover more visit: What’s on | National Galleries of Scotland
THIS week Drumbrae library saw a lot of great gaming, including some cool creations like a powered beacon in Minecraft and a spectacular volcano!
Next week we have some crafty events which are so popular they’ve already been booked up, but our usual Friday Craft and Lego Time will still be on and open to everyone of suitable age.
Keep an eye out for our updates on food delivered to the sharing shelf and any extra news we’ve got to share.
The team from Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline enjoyed a week-long series of activities to celebrate the return of Prime Day.
Employees were treated to arcade games, sweets and treats and sports day themed activities as they picked, packed and shipped Prime Day products for customers in Dunfermline and around the UK. The celebrations were organised to say thank you to the team for delivering smiles to customers during the annual event.
Yolanda Lopez is an employee at Amazon in Dunfermline who took part in the activities on site. She said: “We love Prime Day at Amazon in Dunfermline. It’s a great day with a lot of buzz and excitement and the events organised to mark the event this year have been fantastic.”
Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, added: “One of the most significant dates in an Amazon team member’s calendar is Prime Day, and there was great excitement on site as we prepared for the big day.
“I am impressed at how we came together this year to make the event so successful – the celebrations were well-deserved, as they always are.”
Amazon employees receive competitive pay and comprehensive benefits. Pay starts between £12.30 and £13 per hour per hour depending on location and employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and an employee discount as well as a company pension plan.
Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields, up to £8,000 over four years, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.
Amazon also provides opportunities to improve existing skills or learn new ones through internal career progression opportunities such as cross-training, transferring to a different department and promotion into a managerial role.
To find out more about a career with Amazon, visit Amazon Jobs.
As Scotland’s official Team GB Fanzone, St James Quarter is hosting a Festival of Sport to celebrate the 2024 Olympics. From screenings to interactive fitness and competitive classes, the spirit of sport will be all around the Quarter.
Inspired by the Paris 2024 Olympics, St James Quarter will invite guests to ‘get active’ from 26 July—11 August, with a whole host of sporting festivities and special guests, as it launches its ‘Festival of Sport’ right in the heart of the city.
As the official Team GB Fanzone in Scotland, the Quarter will show all the live action from the Olympics in Paris on a giant screen, delivered in partnership with Ocean Outdoor.
Spectators can visit the Fanzone on Level 5 to cheer on their favourite athletes from the comfort of the Quarter’s rooftop bar, with captivating views of Edinburgh’s historic Calton Hill.
The official Team GB mascot Pride the Lion will join in the fun, heading to the Quarter to celebrate with sporting fans on 30th July.
Guests will also have the chance to meet and greet Olympic athletes, with Badminton player Kirsty Gilmour, who is competing in this year’s games, visiting the Fanzone on 7th August, and Joel Fearon, who competes in Athletics (Sprint) and Bobsleigh on 8th August.
As part of the two-week-long Festival of Sport, St James Quarter, in partnership with Edinburgh Leisure, is hosting a range of free fitness activities for all guests inspired by the UK’s success at the Olympics.
From Pilates to Body Combat, Hatton Boxing to Musical Theatre Fitness, there’s something for everyone to get into the spirit of the Games, including family-friendly classes.
In addition, with breakdancing making its Olympic debut, B-Boys will ‘pop and lock’ around the Quarter, rocking live battles on Register Square and offering guests the opportunity to give it a spin. There will also be football freestyling exhibitions to wow sporting fans.
During the two-week Festival of Sport, the St James Quarter team, along with invited guests will be gearing up and ‘cycling’ to Paris in the heart of the Galleria, to raise money for the Quarter’s charity partners Health in Mind and Edinburgh Women’s Aid.
Home to over 80 brands from luxury boutiques to high-street stores, plus an enticing mix of restaurants and bars, St James Quarter is the perfect place to shop, dine, play and stay this summer.
To keep up to date with events happening throughout the Quarter, visit the St James Quarter website or download the St James Quarter App.
EDINBURGH LEISURE – GO FOR GOLD
Tennis fever may be over but as the world hots up for the next big sporting occasion, Paris 2024, Edinburgh Leisure is encouraging kids to go for gold this summer with their own mini-games challenge.
Featuring a variety of kids and family summer activities including AquaDash, Clip n’ Climb, soft play, Come & Try Coaching sessions, Holiday Camp & Coaching programme, racquet sports and more, kids are being encouraged to try as many activities as possible to complete a Game Card, which will be entered into a prize draw for some amazing prizes.
Go for Gold Game cards can be picked up from any participating Edinburgh Leisure venue. Each game card has a 5 x 5 grid of activities. Once an activity is completed, children will receive a bespoke gold sticker to fill their card. After completing at least one activity from each column, the finished card can be submitted at any participating venue to enter a prize draw.
The prize draw will take place during the week commencing 19 August.
*There will be three winners who can choose from a choice of:
Angela McGowan, Edinburgh Leisure’s Coaching Programme Manager said: “Few of us will ever be Olympians, but we know that keeping active is good for everyone and our Go For Gold summer mini games is Edinburgh Leisure’s way of encouraging kids to get the active habit in a fun and sociable way during the summer holidays, while encouraging kids to achieve their own medal.”
The Go For Gold promotion will run at most Edinburgh Leisure venues from 15 July – 11 August 2024.
*Terms and conditions apply – check Edinburgh Leisure website for more information. www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/go-for-gold*
THE GREENHOUSE HOSTS A DAY TO REMEMBER
Over 300 children, parents, and fun-loving family members joined us for an unforgettable Open Day last week (Thursday 4 July). It was a day filled with laughter, joy, and a whole lot of fun!
In collaboration with our fantastic partners at Places for People Scotland, we transformed PY into a wonderland of activities:
From face painting that turned kids into their favourite superheroes, to glitter tattoos that sparkled brighter than the stars, we had it all!
And who could forget the bouncy castles and sumo wrestling? Not to mention the mouth-watering hot dogs, delicious cakes, and sweet treats that had everyone coming back for seconds (and thirds)!
But the fun didn’t stop there! We took creativity to a whole new level with our outdoor painting activity.
The children left their colourful handprints on our newly painted wall, turning it into a vibrant mural that will remind us of this special day for years to come.
A big shout-out to Police Scotland for joining in on the fun! And a massive thank you to everyone who donated prizes for the raffle.
Our event was made even more special with the presence of Fat Brestovci, the charismatic Capital Breakfast Show presenter who supports PYCP. He was there to hand out prizes and his energy was simply contagious!
We couldn’t have pulled off such a successful event without the unwavering support of our funders who have stood by us year after year.
A heartfelt thank you to all our dedicated staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event a hit.
And of course, a huge round of applause for all the families who joined us. You are the reason we host events like this and your participation means the world to us.
From all the PY Team xx
17 JULY FROM 12 – 4pm at AT MUIRHOUSE MILLENNIUM CENTRE
Liftfest was the idea of our fab volunteers Tyler, Stacey and Wendy – they organised everything from asking for donations, organising the band, wee singer, DJ, and food donations.
Everything will be priced cheaply and affordable.
There will be table sales in the hall and lots going on outside
We would like to be able to supply the kids with either free cartons of juice or free diluting juice so if any nice person wants to donate cartons of juice or diluting juice and cups we would really appreciate it.
This has al been organised on a very low budget as everyone knows money is tight but the volunteers wanted to have something in Muirhouse for the families, the kids and their community.
Well done everyone involved in planning this day
I’m dreading to see what they have planned for me but whatever it is I’m sure they will all enjoy taking the mick out off the CEO!
Look forward to seeing you all on the 17th July.
Pauline N Bowie MBE
