All the fun of the fair

Scotland’s biggest volunteer recruitment fair takes place in Edinburgh tomorrow

vol recruit fair

For most people at this time of year thoughts are turning to pumpkins and fireworks, but for Volunteer Edinburgh there’s only one thing on our minds – and that’s the annual Volunteer Recruitment Fair at St Paul and St Georges Church!

As usual the hall will be filled with stalls from charities and volunteer involving organisations from across the city representing the wide range of volunteering opportunities Edinburgh has to offer.

There are environmental groups; arts organisations; opportunities to work with people from both ends of the age spectrum; charities who deal with poverty and exclusion both here and abroad; animal welfare groups as well as organisations campaigning to raise awareness and funding for a variety of health issues.

With over 50 diverse groups taking part the chances of finding something to get involved with are pretty good and the opportunity to speak to directly to volunteers and organisers helps develop a much greater understanding of the organisation’s work and passion and commitment involved.

As well as the stalls, volunteer advisors will be on hand to help you with any questions you might have about volunteering and, for those looking to volunteer as a step towards employment, there will be workshops to help improve employability skills, C.V. writing and job hunting techniques.

There will also be special workshops on equality rights, and volunteering opportunities for older people.

And If all this information gets too much there will, as always, be delicious food and (non-alcoholic) drink on hand in the café, so you can rest and digest!

So if you want a break from thinking about ghosts, bonfires and premature tinsel and you’re looking to give a present a little more substantial than a pair of socks, then here’s the perfect opportunity to give some very grateful organisations the gift of you!

vol recruit fair

For more about the Volunteer Recruitment Fair, visit the Volunteer Edinburgh’s website, orFacebook page. You may also want to have a look at the photos from last year’s Volunteer Recruitment Fair here.

 

Dads Rock are having a party – and you’re invited!

Dads Rock Halloween Party 

Saturday 31 October from 4 -6pm

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

halloween

Our Free Halloween party is on Saturday 31 October (4 – 6pm) at Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre. We’ll have … a bouncy castle, fancy dress, food, games, live music, mad scientists and potions!

The party is open to all Dads/Granddads and kids aged 0-5, even if they’ve not yet come to our playgroups. Our Glasgow dads are coming through to join the party as well.

If you know anyone who’d like to join us, ask them to get in touch to put their names down!

DadsRock

Share the Centipede Project’s Harvest Banquet

free lunch

The Centipede Project would like to invite you to their Community Harvest Banquet
on Monday 12th October, 1-3pm
at the Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church. 
The Centipede Project is celebrating local produce whilst creatively highlighting food poverty on Monday 12 October. An art installation incorporated into a Harvest Banquet will focus on facts about food poverty at the same time as celebrating traditions of grace and sharing of food from around the world.
Thanks to support from local organisations, a very special treat will be on offer for dessert!

Why not start the fun early?

We are running a FREE Porridge & Play session with Licketyspit Theatre Company, starting at North Edinburgh Arts at 10.30am, for ages 3-8 years with families.

From 11am you can join in with apple pressing and planting your own edibles (indoor activity) in the church, suitable for all ages. There will also be children’s workshops running during the meal.


Collect your FREE tickets from North Edinburgh Arts or Muirhouse Community Shop before they run out!

For more details go to www.centipedeproject.wordpress.com

So there IS such a thing as a free lunch!

Get ready to glow!

Glow_Facebook_5

Good morning,

In the next 15 minutes, someone in the UK will be told:  “you are losing your sight.” RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) is here for everyone affected by sight loss, for practical and emotional support, and to help more blind and partially sighted people to face the future with confidence.

I’m a volunteer with RNIB and I’m really hoping you can help me to promote this fun event, on your website, social media or in print.

RNIB is holding the Glow Neon 3km Fun Run on 31 October at 7pm at Meadowbank Sports Centre.

Participants can run, dance, hop, skip or walk their way around a 3km track covered in glowing neon paint to raise money for RNIB. Live DJs and cannons filled with luminous glow water create the party feeling at our Glow Neon Fun Run. Glow is open to everyone aged ten and above and is fully accessible to people with sight loss.

Help us raise money to make every day better for everyone affected by sight loss.

For more information and tickets, go to rnib.org.uk/glow or see https://www.facebook.com/events/699643393514015/ or Twitter #GlowNeon

If you’d like posters or flyers sent to you, or to talk to someone about the event or the work of RNIB in this area, contact Emma the local fundraising manager on the number below or emma.baldry@rnib.org.uk

Janet McFarlane (Volunteer, East Scotland RNIB

(Royal National Institute of Blind People)

Edinburgh Doors Open weekend: come on in!

Anatomy_Museum_&_Lecture_Theatre

Edinburgh Doors Open Day takes place this weekend (26 & 27 September) and this year is following the theme of ‘Edinburgh’s Food & Drink’.

Doors Open Day is a celebration of Edinburgh’s architecture, culture and heritage and has been organised by The Cockburn Association (Edinburgh’s Civic Trust) since 1991.

Over 100 venues to will throw open their doors over the weekend, with something to suit the taste of just about everyone: there are the regular favourites, new venues and interesting spaces and activities to celebrate the 25th year of the popular event.

North Edinburgh Arts is among the local venues getting involved this year:

nea doors open

North Edinburgh Arts is delighted to be taking part in Doors Open Day 2015. We are ideally situated between the Royal Botanic Gardens (number 32) and the National Museums Collection Centre (number 31) so why not make a morning tour of the North Edinburgh venues and pop in for a cake and freshly ground coffee in our community café.

Guided tours of our award-winning garden will be starting at 11am and 1pm this Saturday (26 September). Our ship-themed sandpits will keep the kids amused for hours too, with buckets and spades available to use (refundable deposit is required). We are number 30 on the map.

To find out what’s on offer across Edinburgh this weekend, see brochure (below)

Edinburgh Doors Open Day 2015 Brochure

Septemberfest’s this Saturday

SEPTEMBERFEST

Saturday 26 September 11am – 4pm, Broughton High School

septemberfest

The hugely-popular Septemberfest community festival takes place on Saturday (26 September) at Broughton High School from 11am to 4pm and this year’s event is set to be bigger and better than ever!

There’s free entry and a huge range of fun activities on offer – many of them free too – all organised by Broughton High School Parent Council. All welcome!

Looking out the window, I’m very glad it’s not taking place today! What is it about Edinburgh and public holiday weather?

Creating a fairer Scotland: local opportunities to have your say!

Pilton Community Health Project to hold discussion events

fairerPilton Community Health Project is to hold two local sessions to give North Edinburgh residents the opportunity to discuss Scotland’s future – and things we can do to help shape that future.

The events are part of the Scottish Government’s live consultation on creating a fairer Scotland, and the two sessions have been planned to ensure that as many people as possible will be able to participate.

The first discussion will take place on Thursday 15 October from 7 – 9pm in Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre, while the second event will be held during the day – on Thursday 22 October from 10 – 11.30am at Pilton Community Health Project on Boswall Parkway.

PCHP Anita Aggarwal explained: “The Scottish Government want to know what we think would make Scotland Fairer and Healthier.  Like many other organisations in the area we want to hear what you have to say so we can pass it on to them.  To this end we are organising two discussion sessions.

“The first will take place at Muirhouse Community Centre on Thursday 15th October from 7 till 9 pm.  There are free refreshments.

“The second takes place at Pilton Community Health Project on Thursday 22nd October from 10 – 11.30.  There is a free creche but your MUST book a place in advance by calling me on 0131 551 1671 – that’s also the number to call if you want more information on the events.”

You will also find facebook events and info on PCHP’s website  http://pchp.org.uk/news/2015/fairer-scotland 

poster morning-page0001

The Scottish Government is particularly keen that as many people as possible take part in the national discussion, as can be read below:

  • What are the issues that matter most to you?
  • What do you think needs to be done to create a fairer Scotland?
  • How can you and your community play a role in helping to shape our future?

Scotland is a great country to call home. But we can make it an even better place. Achieving this will require a strong competitive economy and a fairer, more equal society. The two go hand in hand.

Right now people across Scotland are working to that end. But we believe that together we can do even more to secure better opportunities for all of us and for future generations.

To get there, more of us need to join the conversation that is already happening about the kind of Scotland we want to see in the future. We hope this leaflet (see below), and the discussion that follows, will help to do that. It describes some of the successes and challenges in Scotland today and a few ideas about what a fairer Scotland could look like. We want you to share your ideas as well, to tell us what matters to you.

By the end of 2015 we want to have created opportunities for the widest possible range of voices to be heard. This will include a series of events in the autumn that brings together people from across the country to discuss what practical steps we need to take to create a fairer Scotland.

The Scottish Government will respond to these ideas, and the wider conversation, setting out what we will do to help create a better Scotland. We hope others will do the same.

So go on, it’s our Scotland: it’s time to have your say on our future!

FairScotland

fairer scotland leaflet

If you want more information about what the Scottish Government are doing look at these links:

fairer.scot

healthier.scot

Busy autumn schedule for city’s Roller Girls

aarg home season

Fresh faces will join battle-hardened old hands to play their first Auld Reekie Roller Girls (ARG) home season later this month (writes Lucy Glenny).

ARRG has divvied up its competitive skaters, old and new, into three home teams – Cherry Bombers, Leithal Weapons and Skatefast Club. Each team of 14 skaters will battle it over four events out to be crowned queens of the league 2015.

The first game will be between the Leithal Weapons and current title-holders Skatefast Club on Saturday, September 26.

Next up is the Leithal Weapons versus the Cherry Bombers on Saturday 17 October and the third game will see the Cherry Bombers take on the Skatefast Club on Saturday 7 November 7.

The grand final will be a double-header, with the third-placed home team playing a guest team and the two top home teams competing for first place on Saturday 28 November.

Each game will take place at Meadowbank Sports Stadium on London Road.

Doors open at 2pm, giving plenty of time to eat cake, look at merchandise and browse our craft stalls before the game starts at 2.30pm.

ARRG has arranged a special license for a bar at the events and there will be half-time entertainment too.

There will be separate seating areas for families and young children and a children’s craft corner to keep little ones amused.

Tickets are £6 in advance, £8 on the door and £17 for the five-game home season ticket, available on Brown Paper Tickets.

www.arrg.co.uk

www.facebook.com/auldreekierollergirls

www.twitter.com/auldreekierg

AARG