Co-director Jen Richards has left Pilton Community Health Project:
Today is a day of reflection for me as I am leaving PCHP after working here for 9 ½ years; I’ve had a couple of different jobs here and my last one has been that of Director for the last 7 years (writes JEN RICHARDS). Continue reading Jen Richards leaves Pilton Community Health Project
Tom Kitchin and Martin Wishart back Pilton Community Health Project crowdfunding campaign launched today.
Two of Edinburgh’s – and Scotland’s – top chefs have added their support to the campaign to keep the closure-threatened Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) open.
Martin Wishart and Tom Kitchin today helped launch a crowdfunding campaign that aims to raise at least £50,000 to help prevent PCHP having to close its doors to some of North Edinburgh’s most vulnerable residents.
PCHP, which is Scotland’s oldest community health project, was told in late December last year that its funding was being withdrawn by the new Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board for health and social care funding in the city.
In the 35 years it has been in existence, PCHP has transformed thousands of lives. The project provides a range of services to fight the often overwhelming results of health inequality in Edinburgh including mental health counselling, tackling food insecurity, cooking groups and community meals, tackling social isolation and loneliness, community crèche for local affordable childcare, and support for victims of domestic abuse.
By raising £50,000 the campaign will allow PCHP to continue to deliver a reduced level of its life changing services, for 12 months, until longer-term funding is secured again.
The 28 day crowdfunding campaign on
allows anyone to pledge a donation – large or small – to ensure the project can continue its lifeline services.
Both Tom Kitchin and Martin Wishart have offered incentives and rewards to boost the project’s 28 day #SavePCHP crowdfunding campaign, including Dinner for two Tasting menus and matching wines at their Michelin-starred Leith restaurants – The Kitchin and Restaurant Martin Wishart – for the first donors to pledge £1,000 or more.
Other generous donations have been made by the top chefs and these will be revealed at the Launch today, and throughout the campaign on www.savepchp.com and on social media.
Launching the crowd-funding campaign for PCHP, Tom Kitchin and Martin Wishart said: “We are delighted to add our support to this campaign.
“Leith and North Edinburgh have played a big part in our story so it’s great to be involved in saving the lifelines so many local people rely on.
“We are passionate about food, and about food education and food security, and PCHP plays a really important role in ensuring everyone can access and cook healthy, nutritious meals. It’s vital that these and other services continue.”
Between January and December 2018, PCHP has:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/PCHP
An Edinburgh based charity that has helped to transform the lives of children with disabilities and other complex needs by supporting their families for over 25 years has launched a major fundraising appeal to prevent its doors from closing. Led by parents of children with disabilities, Kindred delivers an invaluable service for families of severely ill and/or disabled children in Scotland, providing help, support and advocacy in stressful situations where parents often don’t know where to turn. Continue reading Closure-threatened Kindred launches fundraising appeal
Bike recycling charity The Bike Station are launching a crowdfunding campaign following the recent fire at their Causewayside base. The charity hopes to raise £10,000 through the campaign, which launches at midday today. Continue reading Support The Bike Station
Local MSP digs deep to support Leith CAB
Leith Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is appealing to the local community to help raise £20,000 for its new office on Dalmeny Street. Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP, Ben Macpherson, visited Leith CAB to pledge his support and made a personal donation of £1,000 to help the cause.
Leith CAB is an invaluable service for the local community and helps over 5,000 clients every year; with over 70 dedicated local volunteers offering their knowledge, skills and expertise free of charge, to help fellow citizens in need with essential, independent advice.
To help continue its vital service in Leith, Citizens Advice Edinburgh (CAE), a volunteer led independent charity, has launched a Crowdfunding campaign to fund Leith CAB’s move from its current office on Bernard Street to new premises on Dalmeny Street. Also supported by local musicians The Proclaimers, CAE aims to raise £20,000.
Yesterday Ben Macpherson MSP donated £1,000 to the campaign in response to CAE’s appeal to the local community to support the charity and help raise these vital funds.
The Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP said: “The Citizens Advice Bureau in Leith provides vital support to many of my constituents as well as to residents right across Edinburgh. That is why I’m proud to support this appeal and to help raise awareness of this important fundraising campaign. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will make a meaningful difference.
“The advice provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau in Leith is, unfortunately, crucial. At a time of continued economic austerity, UK government welfare reform, and significant uncertainty around Brexit, many people in Leith and across Edinburgh are reliant on the free, independent and impartial advice provided by Citizens Advice Bureaus. I will continue to support Citizens Advice Edinburgh and wish them every success with this important fundraising campaign.”
Benjamin Napier, CEO, Citizens Advice Edinburgh said: “We are delighted to have the support of local MSP Ben Macpherson and are grateful for his very generous personal donation. Citizens Advice Edinburgh work closely with all elected members, to help ensure we are dealing with the issues that impact on people’s lives in Edinburgh. Our bureau in Leith is a vital part of the network of support we provide and we hope that others will be encouraged by Ben’s donation to offer whatever they can to help keep this valuable service in Leith.”
Further information and details for anyone wishing to donate can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/
Twenty days to raise three grand
MY Adventure’s race against time to raise funds
MY Adventure, Muirhouse Youth Development Group’ social enterprise arm, is using crowfunding site Crowdfunder.co.uk to try to raise £6000 for essential repairs to their very own Borders bothy. With twenty days to go, they’re halfway there – but if they don’t reach their target they receive NOTHING.
MY Adventure’s Jonny Kinross gives some good reasons why you should pledge your support:
‘We believe in beautiful idyllic peaceful and natural wilderness spaces being accessible to everyone – Towford is just that.’
For many years now registered Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) and its Social Enterprise MY Adventure have been looking to secure a building, a bothy, a place that people can get away to and relax in – that is basic, comfortable and affordable. A place where young children can play safely but adventurously in the outdoors, exploring Scotland’s natural heritage with their families and friends. A place where teenagers can get away from pressures and learn new skills. A place where groups of adults can build friendships but enjoy space to themselves.
Towford Outdoor Centre, near Jedburgh, set in the beautiful remote yet accessible Scottish Borders, is the place we have been seeking.
Towford Outdoor Centre lies in the upper Kale Valley, on the northern slopes of the Cheviot Hills and has been lent to MYDG absolutely free, initially for 10 years but for the longer term if we can sustain it and assure our landlord that people are using it.
Towford was formerly an Outdoor Education centre until it closed in 1996. Before that, it was a school from 1876 to 1964.
The school log reads on June 30th 1964: ‘Today is the last day of Towford School. We have closed today and will not be returning’. Let’s return to this building a playful spirit and keenness to learn about the natural world, each other and ourselves!
You couldn’t find a better location for a Centre as Towford. Feeling remote but a mere 15 minutes from Jedburgh, the area contains an abundance of features of educational interest, quite apart from its out-standing potential for hill-walking and the beautiful conservation grade grounds. The area is typical of the Scottish Cheviot country, with its rolling hills and wide valleys, clear streams, shelterbelts and rich grazings.
The widely scattered hamlets and hill-farms are linked by narrow, winding roads, little used but essential to settlement in the area. Roman remains, along with standing stones, hill forts, cultivation terraces and the like all add to the educational potential of the area. This area and this building with your help can make an outstanding contribution to the lives of many children, groups, adults and communities.
Why are we crowdfunding?
The building has been empty and unused for 17 years. It urgently needs some heating and a rewire if it is to survive its first winter in our care. We also seek to make it more sustainable and more importantly more accessible to people with disabilities. Many of the old systems are now considered unsafe. The roof needs patching and the grounds have become hugely overgrown and inaccessible. We have a fantastic community of volunteers who can provide the labour (we are of course always looking for more, especially people with trade’s experience). However, funds are needed specifically to:
Crowdfunding is the best way to fund this project because we can offer amazing incentives (see below) including use of the building once it’s fully operational. We also need the funding urgently to complete the essentials for Towford to survive the Scottish winter.
Rewards – What you get for your pledges
Exclusive to TIC TOC Backers
Pledge £5 or more – Your name (or a dedication) on the ‘wall of supporters’ in the Centre and on the website. You get this for all the other pledges
Pledge £10 or more – A unique ‘TIC TOC ! Time for MY Adventure’ snap band
Pledge £20 or more – a Commemorative ‘Key to Towford’
Pledge £25 or more – A designer TIC TOC T –shirt
Pledge £50 or more – A Tandem cycle hire for a day for two people (and 2 ‘TIC TOC Time for MY Adventure’ snap bands) – making this a fantastic unique Christmas or Birthday Gift !
Pledge £60 or more – A Scroll of an extract from the original Towford School Log book (dating back to the 19th Century)
Pledge £75 or more – A Limited Edition Print of an original painting of the Centre in its grounds (framed and posted) with a certificate of appreciation for your support
Pledge £100 or more – A 2 hour Archery Session for 12 people – a fantastic Christmas Gift, birthday party or work celebration – competitive, fun, enjoyable for all ages and abilities!
Pledge £120 or more – for a Family Weekend self-catering at Towford – enjoying the beautiful Scottish Borders!
Pledge £250 or more – A half day Family or Group Day out (Mountain Biking, Coasteering, Canoeing, Canyoning for 6 people) – as adrenaline rushing or relaxed as you wish!
Pledge £500 or more – A self-Catering weekend at Towford with an activity for up to 30 people! Tonnes of hills, a warm fire, isolated setting with the freedom to explore!
Pledge £600 or more – Your Company or Dedication details engraved onto a traditional wooden Bench
Pledge £1000 or more – A Dynamic Team Building Day (Wet/Dry/high-low impact) Activity of your choice and a plaque with your company details inscribed upon it – acknowledging your support
Pledge £6,000 or more – An idyllic water feature named after you and no one else for ever! (set in Towford’s beautiful 17 acre gardens).
Your pledge will benefit many people from all different walks of life. The organisations who have already stated that they will use this fantastic facility is huge and includes groups who organise or fund:
We are a ‘hands-on’, ‘can-do’ social enterprise that look for creative and sustainable ways of changing young people’s lives – we do this on a daily basis. We can organise huge teams of volunteers – we have successfully done so on many projects – and this keeps costs down to a minimum (materials & technical advice only).
Due to this tremendous social capital your pledge will go far beyond how you imagined – making a huge difference to the long term prospect of this wonderful building becoming the source of so many positive memories and life-changing experiences.
Please pledge generously and remember – we’re not asking for something for nothing: you, your friends and family will love the rewards for your pledges that are exclusive to TIC TOC backers.
You have the opportunity to help create something that will benefit thousands of people every year – year on year.
Convinced? If you’d like to pledge your support to MY Adventure’s project go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/towford
MYDG’s social enterprise arm MY Adventure is looking for your support to help create a haven for the area’s young people in the Borders countryside. They’ve found the ideal place – Towford Outdoor Centre near Jedburgh (above) – and with your help they can transform the building into something really special.
MY Adventure’s director Johnny Kinross explained: ” The building has been empty and unused for 17 years and it urgently needs some heating and a rewire if it is to survive its first winter in our care.
“We also seek to make it more sustainable and more importantly more accessible to people with disabilities – many of the old systems are now considered unsafe. The roof needs patching and the grounds have become hugely overgrown and inaccessible.
“We have a fantastic community of volunteers who can provide the labour – we are of course always looking for more, especially people with trade’s experience! – but funds are needed to put in a wood burning stove, re-wire the building, replace two windows and to upgrade the shower/toilet block to make it accessible to people with disabilities.”
To find out more about the project – and how you can help – click on the link below:
