charity – Page 81 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Let’s hear it for the girls!

Fresh Start honours volunteers’ community spirit

Hundreds of Edinburgh’s homeless households have been helped settle into their new homes thanks to generosity of local schoolchildren – who were recently honoured for their community spirit.

St George’s Lower School for Girls received a Community Volunteer Award from Edinburgh’s West pilton-based homelessness resettlement charity Fresh Start for its support in helping previously homeless families make a house a home.

Children from the school have collected items to go in Fresh Start’s Starter Packs for the last few years, providing invaluable support for the charity, which survives on donations to be able to make up the packs.

Every year, Fresh Start makes up and distributes around 9,000 packs, which provide the basics for new households to survive.

Keith Robertson, Managing Director, said: “The support of St George’s Lower School has meant hundreds of new households in Edinburgh have been able to make a house a home. These packs provide basics like bedding to keep warm at night, curtains to close the world out, crockery to eat dinner on. Without the kind of community spirit show by St George’s Lower School, we would struggle to continue to be able to provide the support we do.”

Head of Lower School Marjorie Hall said: “It’s been an honour to help provide goods for the packs – all the school children who have taken part have learnt a lot. They make houses to provide the goods in, which helps them to make the connection between being homeless and getting a house. It’s an important life lesson for them – that homelessness can happen to anyone.”

The school’s award was one of a number of awards, given out at the charity’s annual Volunteer Awards on Friday (November 8).

Every year Fresh Start volunteers, staff and directors nominate volunteers to get an award – Starter Pack Volunteer, Hit Squad Volunteer, Church Representative Volunteer, Community Volunteer and Corporate Volunteer.

Other award winners were:

Evelyn Scott from Colinton, who received an award for being an outstanding Starter Pack volunteer.
Tony Shephard from Abbeyhill, who received an award for being an outstanding Hit Squad volunteer. These volunteers help to decorate homes of Fresh Start clients.
Jack Simpson from Craiglockhart, who received an award for his work as a Church Representative.
The award for Corporate Volunteers went to Lloyds Banking Group.

Keith Robertson added: “At Fresh Start we depend on the support of our volunteers and the donations that come in, which is why we take a moment each year to honour those who help us so much.”

Mo! mo! mo! – hirsute runners hit Holyrood Park!

Over a thousand bewhiskered MoRunners from across the city converged on Holyrood Park for the Edinburgh MoRun on Saturday 9 Novemner, raising an estimated £30,000 for charity.

Weather held for most of the race with some showers but the cold temperature were quickly forgotten as the runners were tackling Arthur’s Seat hill.

The first male to cross the line was Danny White who completed the 5k course in an impressive 18.01 minutes, followed shortly after by the female winner Fionna Barrow who finished in 23:12 minutes.

For the 10k, Hedwig Ponjee finished it in 42:08 for the first female and Tom Wilson in an astonishing 36:50 minutes as first male.

Every runner who enters the run wears a moustache for the event, which raises for funds for Movember charity, and many dressed in fancy dress to take on the 5k or 10k route.

Dave Krangel, Edinburgh MoRun Race Director, said: “We were delighted at the success of the first ever Edinburgh MoRun, with thousands of MoRunners turning up to Holyrood Park in awesome fancy dress and comedy moustaches.

“MoRunning is about enjoying running with friends and family whilst raising funds for Movember to help fight men’s cancers. The atmosphere in Edinburgh was buzzing and we hope to have raised around £30 000 for charity”.

The Edinburgh MoRun is one of 11 MoRuns taking place in parks across Scotland and the rest of the UK and Republic of Ireland during Movember.

A full list of results and winners is available on the MoRunning website at http://edinburgh.mo-running.com

Runners can also follow @mo_running on Twitter or join the MoRunning Facebook group http://www.facebook.com/morunning

‘Anything is possible’: ‘crazy’ Georges to tackle Death Valley

Father and Son to cycle 500 miles through Death Valley for charity

An Edinburgh college employee and his 72-year-old dad plan to cycle from Las Vegas to Los Angeles via the Death Valley national park to raise money for Barnardo’s next Spring. George Stewart (38)j and his father, also called George, are keen cyclists and the pair hope to raise £6000 when they take on the gruelling challenge in March.

George senior is undertaking the challenge after surviving FIVE strokes and undergoing a triple heart bypass! Over a long period of recovery, George senior had to learn to speak, write and type again. His ordeal did not dampen his passion for cycling and he has undertaken many tours with his son, whom he is responsible for getting in to cycling and cycle racing. They recently completed a tour from Scotland to France together.

George junior, who works as a facilities assistant at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus, said: “Though the main aim of completing this challenge is to raise as much money as possible for Barnardo’s, we also aim to show that if a 72-year-old man who has had five strokes and a triple heart bypass can cycle 500 miles through some of the harshest land in the planet, then anything is possible.”

Death Valley (pictured above) is the lowest, hottest and driest area in North America. On their journey, George and his father will face temperatures as high as 39 degrees celsius, a climb to 5,550 feet above sea level followed by a drop to 136 feet below sea level, as well as cycling on roads dominated by traffic on the busy streets of Los Angeles. The journey is expected to take six days.

George senior will be cycling attached to a small portable heart monitor to ensure his wellbeing throughout the challenge. The rest of the Stewart family are very supportive, despite calling the pair “crazy”!

George junior said: “My fiancé is very worried about the reputation of the route we’ve chosen as it’s not just a national park we’re going to; it is called the Death Valley after all. She is very supportive though; she kicks me out on my bike every weekend and tells me to get going!”

The Georges have been training relentlessly, averaging 120 miles every weekend from Edinburgh to Loch Lomond and back. George senior does find it difficult to maintain speed when riding uphill but has an excellent recovery time. The pair have always been very close as George junior lost his mother a number of years ago to motor neurone disease. George junior says: “I think we’ll have a cracking laugh together when we’re doing the challenge. We spend a lot of time together in training and doing other cycle tours and we’ve always had a great relationship.”

They plan to post video blogs whilst on their journey through Death Valley relying on the various remote hotels they are staying in to have internet connection. The blogs will include the number of miles covered, how much water they have gone through, any problems they have encountered and how their bodies are dealing with the physical aspect of the challenge. Any current developments and their training regime can be tracked on their Facebook page.

The father and son duo are also running a couple of other events prior to the cycle challenge to promote their participation and attract more donations. They are holding a charity dinner with guest comedian Chris Purchase on 14 November at 6:15pm at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus. Tickets are just £15 and can be bought via email at:

George.stewart@edinburghcollege.ac.uk or telephone 07718 229530.

There will also be a silent auction on 27 February at the Apex City Hotel in the Grassmarket. Tickets will be £10 and include a glass of wine and canapés. For tickets and more information on this event please e-mail George junior on the above address.

The Stewarts’ Death Valley Cycle Challenge is due to take place in March 2014. To donate go to their Virgin Money Giving page.

3 – 2 – 1 MO!

LAST CHANCE TO ENTER THE EDINBURGH MORUN!

The countdown is on, with just one month to Mo until the 5km and 10km Edinburgh MoRun hits Holyrood Park on Saturday 9 November!

“We’re busy getting ready behind the scenes for the third Edinburgh MoRun says Dave Krangel, Edinburgh MoRun Race Director. “Most places have already been filled so if you want to join in the fun, I’d recommend entering online today at http://edinburgh.mo-running.com.”

MoRunning is a fun and friendly way to get fit whilst raising funds for Movember UK to help fight men’s cancers. Men, women and accompanied children of all ages and running abilities can take part.

Every MoRunner is encouraged to wear a moustache, whether stuck on, drawn on or lovingly cultivated for Movember and there are prizes for the best fancy dress. Everyone who enters receives a moustache medal, MoRunning headband, race chip timing plus Movember goodies.

Krangel adds: “If you’re not running, you can still support the runners to raise funds for men’s health charities by volunteering at the run. We’re keen to hear from MoRunners’ friends and family who can help.”

Volunteers will marshall the route, cheer MoRunners on and help with registrations, handing out medals and water at the finish line. Volunteers will need to be available from 8am-12 noon and will receive free drinks, snacks and MoRunning goodies. Full training will be given on the day.

The Edinburgh MoRun is one of 11 MoRuns taking place in parks across Scotland, the rest of the UK and Republic of Ireland during Movember, with the Glasgow MoRun taking place on Glasgow Green on the same day. Entries cost £15 for 5km and £22 for 10km plus booking fee.

Runners can enter online at http://edinburgh.mo-running.com.

Volunteers can apply at:

http://www.mo-running.com/about-morunning/volunteer-morunning/

Super Staffies seek loving homes

The Scottish SPCA is running a campaign to encourage locals to rehome one of the many gentle and affectionate Staffordshire bull terriers in its care.

Staffie Awareness Week begins today (21 October) and Scotland’s animal welfare charity hopes to change people’s perception of the breed, which has been unfairly labelled as aggressive and intimidating towards people.

Last year the Scottish SPCA conducted research which revealed that a staggering 75% of Scots who said they would rehome a dog were unlikely to give a Staffordshire bull terrier or staffie crossbreed a home, with many believing the breed is dangerous and can’t be trusted.

There are always Staffordshire bull terriers and staffie crossbreeds waiting for loving homes at the charity’s Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Balerno and people are being encouraged to go along and meet these dogs.

Centre manager Diane Stewart said, “The results of our research last year were very disappointing, but not surprising. While we have made great strides in recent years by changing attitudes towards staffies, we still have a long way to go. Sadly, many people visiting our centre have already discounted the breed before they even walk through the door.

“It’s heartbreaking that staffies have been labelled as dangerous and aggressive. In fact, staffies tend to be gentle, affectionate and loyal and it’s a tragedy so many are living in kennels when they should be in loving homes. We never put a healthy animal to sleep and the strain on our resources is incredible as it seems every time we find a staffie a home one or two
more arrive in our care in need of our help.

“Irresponsible dog ownership is the key issue, with over-breeding leading to huge numbers of unwanted staffies and far too many of the breed being owned by people who do not make sure their dogs are under control and well behaved in public. Staffie Awareness Week is a fantastic opportunity for us to highlight the staffie as a fantastic pet.

“Just like other dogs in our care, some of our staffies have been abused or neglected and they need particular homes, but we also have many who could happily live in a family home with children and other pets. Anyone thinking of taking on a dog is more than welcome to visit our
centre and meet some of our super staffies who are patiently waiting to be offered a fresh start.”

Anyone interested in offering a staffie a good home can visit the Scottish SPCA Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre at Mansfield, Balerno, Edinburgh. The centre is open seven days a week between 10am and 4pm.

Meet Buster! Pic: SSPCA — Meet Buster!
Pic: SSPCA

PYCP’s AGM is on Friday

Pilton Youth & Children’s Project (PYCP) are holsing their Annual General Meeting at The Greenhouse off West Pilton Place this Friday (25 October) from 2 – 4pm. All welcome!

PS: Congratulations to all at PYCP who raised £150 when they supported the MacMillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning last month!

First seal pup of the season rescued

A newborn grey seal pup has been rescued by the Scottish SPCA after he fell
into the sea at North Queensferry – and staff expect that young ‘Tiller’ will be the first of many during this pupping season.

Less than a week old and still fully furred, the male grey seal pup was spotted lying on rocks by men working on the new Forth Road crossing. As the men approached the pup he fell off the rocks and into the water.

Grey seal pups cannot swim well until they have lost all their fur so the workmen fished the pup out of the water and called the Scottish SPCA for help. Animal rescue officer Joanna McDaid took the seal to the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross, Alloa, where he is now receiving treatment and care.

Staff have named him Tiller.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said, “Tiller is our first grey seal pup of the season and he’s quite unusual in that he was found in an area that is not a known pupping ground. He could have been washed off the established pupping ground at nearby Inchkeith Island or his mother may have been young and inexperienced.

“It sounds as though he took fright when he was approached and slid off the rocks and into the water which is bad news for a newborn seal pup as their thick fur coats act like a sponge and absorb water so he’s unlikely to have survived on his own for long.

“Thankfully, the men scooped him out of the sea and called us for help. Tiller arrived weighing a healthy 13.5kg for a newborn pup and he’s continued to make good progress in our care. Normally the weight would dip but Tiller has remained steady and has even put on a few pounds recently so we’re feeling positive about his rehabilitation.

“He’s being tube-fed fish soup at the moment and that will continue for the next few weeks until he’s old enough and strong enough to feed himself. He’s currently our only grey seal pup but we’ve no doubt he’ll be joined by many more in the coming weeks and months.”

The SSPCA is urging members of the public to contact its animal helpline if they see a distressed seal pup lying on the shore this winter, adding that they could be doing more harm than good by approaching or picking it up.

Colin continued, “We often receive seal pups that are healthy but have been abandoned by their mothers because someone has disturbed them.

“The mother seal will leave her pup on land while she is out hunting in the water so it’s quite natural to see seal pups lying on the shore line for several hours at a time.

“Our message to the public is, if you see a seal pup and you are concerned for it’s welfare then call our animal helpline for advice or assistance on 03000 999 999 before approaching it.”

Tiller will be cared for at the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre until he is fully fit, feeding himself and at the right weight to be released.

Shelter urges ten year plan to tackle homelessness

A new 10-year action plan to address homelessness prevention and crisis services must be put in place if Scotland wants to remain a world leader on the issue, according to Shelter Scotland.

The housing charity believes that an action plan will help Scotland to maintain focus and deliver the ongoing commitment made through the country’s landmark 2012 homelessness legislation – which gave every unintentionally homeless person the right to settled accommodation.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “We now need to build a homelessness service that has the person at its heart and enables homeless people to make choices that are right for them”.

The call for a 10-year action plan comes ahead of Shelter Scotland’s annual conference: ‘Housing, homelessness, advice and prevention’, which will see experts focus on the impact of bad housing on health inequalities in Scotland, and other key priorities for the sector.

The charity believes the 10-year action plan must respond to current and future challenges for housing and homelessness advice services and set out the key objectives at national and local level. It should be built with the aim of delivering person-centred services which allow flexibility and choice, and lead to sustainable housing outcomes forall service users.

Last year there were 39,827 homelessness applications in Scotland with 10,471 families and individuals in temporary accommodation.

Graeme Brown said: “Scotland has the most progressive homelessness legislation in the world, but that doesn’t mean that homelessness has gone away. It still exists in all its various forms. Meeting the 2012 commitment was an important landmark but we now need to look forward to the next ten years to ensure that progress continues and we don’t take any backward steps.

“We now need to work in partnership and build a homelessness service that has the person at its heart and enables homeless people to make choices that are right for them. This is about people, not processes.”

He concluded: “We expect the coming years to be extremely challenging as a result of welfare reforms and the introduction of Universal Credit – which is set to bring even more disruption to people’s lives. While we hope there isn’t a rise in homelessness, we must be prepared for the challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead. A ten-year action plan would be the best place to start.”

See for yourself – ‘Hidden Art’ exhibition on show in Stockbridge

A unique exhibition of art and photography by groups whose members are blind or partially sighted opens in Stockbridge this Saturday [August 31]. The ‘Hidden Art’ exhibition can be seen at the Patriothall Gallery off Hamilton Place until 8 September.

“We aim to show people that art is possible for all to enjoy even if they are visually impaired,” said Mark Andrew Powell of the city’s Patriothall Gallery. “We are delighted to give these two groups the chance to display their creative talents to a wider audience.

“The theme of the exhibition, ‘Hidden Art’, has been interpreted by the participants in different ways. The photographic group has documented unseen or overlooked artworks around Edinburgh, things that are tucked away where nobody sees them or overlooked because they are so familiar. Beside each photograph we will have a tactile image of it on raised paper so that everybody, whether they have sight or not, can enjoy the photos.

“The art group’s members have a different take on the theme. Each has made a tile containing both tactile and visual elements which have been compiled into a single larger composition. In addition, their individual paintings and sculptures, seen from their own unique perception of a hidden world, will be displayed around the walls of the main gallery.”

Both groups regularly meet at the Edinburgh headquarters of sight loss charity RNIB Scotland to create and discuss their work, with some members participating in both.

Local artist Fiona Powell from Stockbridge, who has the sight loss condition retinitis pigmentosa, said: “As we all have sight loss of varying degrees, we rely on our weekly meetings to pursue our love of art with help from dedicated volunteers. We work with paint, clay, ‘sticky strings’, felt, silk, swell paper and photography. Though both groups are supported by RNIB Scotland, we are self-funded and it is up to us to raise money for any exhibitions that we put on.

“We want to promote awareness and confidence among visually impaired people that they have the ability to produce art. This exhibition gives an opportunity for the wider community to realise how much visually impaired people are capable of achieving.”

Alan McIntyre from Gorgie, who also has retinitis pigmentosa, said: “The photographic group has given me many hours of fun within a supportive and creative environment. It has enabled me to really learn more about how to take photographs. For me, being visually impaired means that I don’t need to follow the convention of having perfectly focused images.
I can have the freedom to experiment because what I see is far from perfect.”

The ‘Hidden Art’ exhibition is being sponsored by Capital Credit Union, which is also based in Stockbridge. A spokesperson said: “This is such a worthy cause showcasing the work of these very talented groups. We are hoping to attract visitors from all over to witness the creative gift and artistic flair projected in their art.”

To complement the ‘Hidden Art’ exhibition, Dr David Feeney, manager of Visual Impairment Scotland at Edinburgh University, and Seattle-based filmmaker Daniel Thornton have produced a short video following the photographic group around the city as they took photos, and the twelve-minute film will run throughout the exhibition.

As well as this, Dr Feeney has used computer software called Sight-Sim which filters the photos by mimicking different sight loss conditions to show how they appear to the blind and partially sighted photographers who took them.

The exhibition is being held in Patriothall Gallery in Hamilton Place,
Stockbridge, Edinburgh from 12 noon to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, and
then at the same times from next Thursday until Sunday [September 8].

Volunteer to help Scotland’s animals

Volunteer and help Scotland’s animals

The Scottish SPCA is appealing to kind hearted people in Edinburgh and the Lothians to help raise funds for abused, abandoned and injured animals by volunteering.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity is urging locals to get involved this Scottish Animal Week, which runs from 2-8 September, by shaking a collection tin in their area.

Diane Stewart, manager of the charity’s Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre said, “Last year our centre cared for a staggering 941 animals and 2013 is proving to be just as challenging.

“As an animal welfare charity, we receive no government or lottery funding and rely on the generosity of the public to continue our vital work.

“During Scottish Animal Week we have opportunities to fundraise throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians and we’d be very grateful if locals can get behind our appeal and help.

“Door-to-door fundraising can be carried out between Monday and Friday,
while people can hold street collections on the Saturday. Even if someone can only spare an hour or two to shake a collection tin, their time and efforts would be hugely appreciated.

“Every penny raised really does make a difference and gives animals in desperate need of our help a second chance in life.”

Anyone who would like to help fundraise for the Scottish SPCA can contact the fundraising team on 03000 999 999 or email
fundraising@scottishspca.org