Tag: Forth

Time Banking: time to give and take

Can you lend a hand to someone in your community? Do you need a helping hand every now and then? If so, you’re a perfect recruit to North Edinburgh’s growing team of Time Bank members! Julie Smith recently took up a new post as Timebroker with North Edinburgh Time Bank, and she explains what it’s all about:

What is Time Banking?

Its’ a really simple idea designed to support people who help others and to offer support ro those that need it. For every hour you spend doing something for somebody, you get a time credit. You can then use that to get an hour of somebody else’s time to help you.

Isn’t that just being a good neighbour?

Yes it is! But we’ve all seen our communities change over time. We don’t all know our neighbours now, or where to go to ask for a favour. A time bank is a way of getting to know each other in the community, in order to give and receive help from each other.

What kind of help is on offer?

All sorts of different services are on offer – depending on the individual members involved. It can be anything from giving someone a lift to an appointment, to teaching them how to play guitar. It can be offering a bit of company to someone who is isolated, or doing the garden for someone who’s broken their arm … anything really, except babysitting and personal care.

I don’t have any skills to offer

Yes, you do!  TIme Banking recognises all the talents, experiences and knowledge people have. You might be a good listener and available to be company for someone for an hour or so. You might be able to help them so their garden, or put up shelves. maybe you’re good at knitting or you can give folk a lift to an appointment. Everyone has something to offer.

How Does It Work?

You become a member of North Edinburgh Time Bank. Contact Julie Smith, your local Time Bank Broker – details below.

You can then start offering help to folk and receiving your time credits. You can ‘cash’ your credits in when you want to use someone else’s skills or knowledge.

Who’s in charge of the bank?

The TIme Bank Broker keeps a record of what you’ve done and keeps you informed of all the time credits you have. The Broker also organises social events so the members of the Time Bank can get to know each other.

How much time do I have to give?

As much or as little as you want. You decide what you want to offer and if you see if you’re available when someone wants your service. It may only be a couple of hours a month – or more or less. It’s really up to you – you’re in control and you can get involved as much – or as little – as you like, As a member, you can come to all the social events too!

Isn’t this just volunteering?

Time Banking is NOT volunteering of charity. It is all about the members offering their skills, abilities and expertise to help others to a level that you can expect from a friend or neighbour. You do not need to be an expert – on anything!

Who Can Join?

Everyone is welcome, as long as you’re 18 or over. Everyone is treated equally – everyone’s time is worth exactly the same and everyone has something worthwhile to contribute.

Interested, or want to find out more?

Contact Jule Smith on 07807 002 591, email north.timebank@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk

You can visit the website at www.edinburghtimebank.org or call in to North Edinburgh Arts cafe on Wednesdays from 10.30 – 11.30am

Letter – Thank You

Dear Editor,

We would like to thank the residents of Forth Ward for electing us at the election to represent them at the Council.

Two of our priorities are housing/fuel poverty, and the regeneration of the area.  We have already approached Council Officers to start this process and we will keep you informed of our progress.

Since being elected in 2008 Cammy has done much for the community and attended many community meetings and events but it was difficult when events clashed.  Now that there are two of us we can attend events more often.

Councillor surgeries will continue as advertised for the time being but from August this year, instead of fortnightly surgeries, there will be weekly surgeries at the Muirhouse Millennium Centre, The Prentice Centre and at the Royston Wardieburn Community Centre.

This is just an indication of how we will be working for the residents of North Edinburgh.

 

Councillor Cammy Day and Councillor Vicki Redpath

Labour Councillors, Forth Ward

Congratulations

Let us be among the first to congratulate new councillors Gavin Barrie (SNP) and Nigel Bagshaw (Green) in Inverleith and Vicky Redpath (Labour) in Forth Ward on their election victories. We’d like to point out that you can advertise your surgery times and all other important information in the NEN – your community newspaper!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Election predictions at midday

Following on from the previous post, my predictions for the two local wards are:

FORTH:

Labour to return two councillors, SNP one (Steve Cardownie) and Conservative Allan Jackson will also be successful. The Lib-Dems to lose out.

Labour almost returned two Forth councillors (Billy Fitzpatrick just lost out) at the 2007 local council elections and can do so this time if the traditional vote has come out – turnout is pretty poor, though.

INVERLEITH:

Currently has one each of Labour, Conservative, Lib-Dem and SNP, but both the Tories and the SNP are adopting the risky strategy of fielding two candidates.

This could backfire – my prediction is that the Green’s Nigel Bagshaw will pick up a seat – whether that’s at the expense of one of the SNP pair, Lib-Dem Tim McKay or Conservative Iaian Whyte is difficult to say.

More later …

Local developments shortlisted for housing awards

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) has been shortlisted for two Scottish Home Awards for two new developments in North Edinburgh. Its block of 15 flats and church centre at Boswall Parkway (pictured) has been shortlisted in the Community Partnership of the Year category and its 17 flats on West Granton Road are in the running for the Small Affordable Housing Development (Housing Associations).

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of PoLHA, said: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted in these two categories. We are committed to building high-quality, desirable affordable homes in communities people can be proud to live in and being shortlisted for these is a fantastic validation of that aim.”

PoLHA won Apartment of the Year at last year’s Scottish Home Awards for its development of social rent and shared ownership homes at Coburg Street, Leith and in 2010 won Large Affordable Housing Development of the Year for its development of 102 flats which were the first affordable homes at Western Harbour.

The Scottish Home Awards will take place at the Hilton Glasgow on June 28.

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.”