Tag: green spaces

Want to be a Friend of Drylaw Park?

Drylaw Telford Community Council, Easter Drylaw Residents Association and Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre have joined forces to support the formation of a new Friends of Drylaw Park Group – and they need YOU!

Easter Drylaw Park

FRIENDS OF DRYLAW PARK

Would you be interested in helping to start up a Friends Group for Drylaw Park ?

What is a Friends of Parks Group?

Friends of Parks groups play a vital role in protecting and enhancing local parks, woodlands and green spaces owned by City of Edinburgh Council. Working in partnership with the Council, they give residents a greater say in what goes on in their local park.

What do they do?

The groups volunteer their time and energy to get involved with a huge range of different projects including;

• Fundraising for improvements and events in the park
• Enhancing biodiversity (e.g. creation of wildflower meadows, installing bird and bat boxes)
• Practical tasks like clean-ups, tree planting and improving access
• Contributing to the planning and management of the park
• Leading walks and talks
• Gardening
• Producing leaflets and other educational material

It is entirely up to the group what level of activity they undertake. Some may operate at a low level simply distributing information regarding the park, whilst others can be more active, raising funds and organising events.

 

If you are interested in becoming a member please contact Drylaw Telford Community Council’s Secretary at  secretary@drylawtelfordcc.co.uk  or pop into Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre and leave your details there.

If you’d like more information on Friends groups visit the City of Edinburgh Council website  www.edinburgh.gov.uk   and use search for Friends of Parks or contact them at  parks@edinburgh.gov.uk

Victoria Park needs Friends!

FRIENDS OF VICTORIA PARK – PUBLIC MEETING

Tuesday 8 December at 7.30pm in Trinity Academy

Coffee And Mince Pies!

victoria park

Aim: to set up a Friends Group for Victoria Park

Victoria Park is a fine park – it could be great with an active Friends Group.

Friends Groups
• directly involve the community in park events and changes
• increase access to funding – crucial during Council cuts
• make parks better

There are almost 50 friends of park groups in Edinburgh. Each is dedicated to improving their Park and increasing community involvement.

Come along and help us get a Victoria Park Friends Group off the ground!

Trinity Community Council

You need Friends …

Community Council to set up Friends of Easter Drylaw Park group

Easter Drylaw Park

Does Easter Drylaw Park need Friends? Drylaw Telford Community Council certainly thinks so, and is looking for local residents to get involved in setting up a new group to support the area’s green space.

Community councillor Mhairi Curran confirmed: “We are looking to hopefully set up a Friends of Easter Drylaw Park and we are currently seeking people who might be interested in finding out more or becoming part of the group.

“We have invited a guest speaker from The Friends of Parks Group to give a short presentation at our next community council meeting, where we will discuss the benefits of setting up a Friends group here to support our local park. It will be the ideal opportunity to find out more about how Friends groups operate and what’s involved. It would be great to see more local residents coming along – we would like to hear their views on the park.”

The meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 August at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre. All welcome.

You’re never too old for Tea in the Park!

West Pilton Park: Tuesday 4th August, 1 – 4pmtWest Pilton Park Action Group is holding a ‘Tea in the Park’ event on Tuesday 4 August as part of the series of consultation events that we have been holding on West Pilton Park.

There will be line dancing, tai chi, a home baking competition, bingo and live entertainment. We have marquees in case it rains too!

This is all part of the West Pilton Park Action Group’s work towards making West Pilton Park a friendly welcoming space: see our Facebook page West Pilton Park Action Group too.

Tea in the park poster

West Pilton Park Action Group

 

Getting physical – members attend ‘stormy’ meeting to talk green space!

green shootsTwelve hardy members braved winter’s first icy blasts to attend the North Edinburgh Physical Activity Forum meeting on 10 December.

It was worth doing battle with the elements – the meeting discussed the topic:  ‘How can we improve access to open spaces in North Edinburgh?’ and it proved to be a popular subject.

“This theme turned out to be a great choice!, said NEPAF coordinator Lianne Pipskyj, Pilton Community Health Project’s physical activities development worker. “A lot of work has begun – and there’s more in the pipeline – right across the community that is relevant to this topic, so there was a real buzz at the meeting!

“I would especially like to thank Out of the Blue manager Rob Hoon who gave up his time to come along and tell the forum about the ‘Friends of Dalmeny Park’ project. This is an inspiring example of a piece of community engagement and partnership working that influenced a lasting change.

“We can learn lessons from their experience – I’m already looking forward to our next meeting in March 2015!”

NEPAF Meeting Minutes dec 14

The garden by candlelight at North Edinburgh Arts

tree

A seasonal invite from North Edinburh Arts

TODAY at 3:45pm

Enjoy watching and joining in with the creation of our alternative Christmas tree sculpture with artist in residence, Natalie Taylor. We are using recycled pieces of kilt and a willow structure to create our eco-friendly tree this year.

As dusk draws in, prepare to see the NEA garden in a whole new (candle) light as we create a magical twilight with glowing glass jars galore.

Mince pies and (non-alcoholic) mulled wine will be served, just to make sure you leave with that festive feeling!

Please join us to celebrate the end of a wonderful term at NEA!

North Edinburgh Arts

Setting the agenda: North Edinburgh's Physical Activity Forum

How can we improve access to open spaces in North Edinburgh?

walking_Ladies_Silverknowes

Looking forward to seeing you at next weeks’ NEPAF meeting where the theme will be ‘How can we improve access to open spaces in North Edinburgh?’ Response to this months’ forum meeting has been really positive; here is the agenda so far: 

  • Presentation, sharing good practice- ‘Friends of Dalmeny Park’- Tom Hoon/Out of the Blue
  • West Pilton Park- Lianne Pipskyj/Clare Symonds PCHP
  • Community Growing- Kate Wimpress/NEAC
  • Informal/structured play on local green/brown sites- Kate Wimpress/NEAC
  • Forth Neighbourhood Partnership Community plan (physical activity priority)- Jim Pattison/FNP
  • Edinburgh Physical Activity and Sports Strategy- Active Lives- Sean Webster/ECC

The meeting takes place on Wednesday 10 December from 2 – 4pm

at Pilton Community Health Project, Boswall Parkway

It looks like it’s going to be a good one, can’t wait! It would be very helpful if we have an idea on numbers so if you could confirm attendance and add any agenda items by this Friday ( 5 December) that would be great!

Lianne Pipskyj (on behalf of NEPAF) 

Development Worker- Physical Activity, Pilton Community Health Project

0131 551 1671

liannepipskyj@pchp.org.uk

www.pchp.org.uk

Letter: Green spaces of Edinburgh

Dear Editor

The foresight of past generations assured us of many beautiful areas of green spaces: parks, area greens, woodlands and walkways and the green belt around our city. They also left us other social facilities: football and rugby grounds, golf courses and sports centres. The value of all these to the quality of life and good health is immense.

Over many years a backward trend in protection of these assets has been allowed by governments and local authorities, selling off green spaces as building sites and closing other social facilities claiming they are too costly to maintain.

Two questions arise: What about the quality of life? What are we leaving for future generations?

A value analysis has been carried out for the council on Edinburgh’s 140 green spaces. It shows for every £1 spent, £12 is returned in social, environmental and economic benefits. For an annual outlay of £9,684,000 nearly £114, 191, 000 is realised. This sum is from:

  • Good health and wellbeing
  • Local economy, arising from visitors and users
  • Schools and Colleges providing outdoor education
  • Awareness of environmental protection
  • Impact of social inclusion of the community

Every citizen in every area must become aware of protecting our green spaces and support local groups and organisations  involved in this important work – not just for ourselves but for future generations too.

Tony Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens