New group for mums starts at Ainslie Park next week
MONDAYS FROM 5th OCTOBER
WANT TO GET FIT AND SPEND TIME WITH YOUR BABY?
NO CHILDMINDER REQUIRED
COME MEET OTHER MUMS AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS
AINSLIE PARK LEISURE CENTRE 9.30 AM COFFEE AFTER
(possibly cake!! )
WALK/JOG GROUP ALL LEVELS WELCOME !!
PHONE TRACY 0791 987 2128 FOR MORE DETAILS
Eleven projects that encourage some of Scotland’s least active people to become more active have been awarded grants as part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Games. Edinburgh Leisure is among the recipients and the organisation will use it’s share to support older people living in poorer areas to get more active.
The projects, spread throughout Scotland, work with groups who are most at risk of inactivity, and use physical activity to improve health, wellbeing and social cohesion.
The Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Spirit of 2012. Spirit was a partner of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and was chosen by the Scottish Government to create a sustainable physical activity programme to support the objectives of getting the least active people in Scotland more active.
Physical activity improves physical fitness and mental wellbeing, and can help to empower disabled people, connect generations, bring communities together and reduce isolation.
The eleven project, who each received grants up to £70,000, are as follows:
• Dumfries & Galloway Council: training programme for staff and volunteers to help older and/or vulnerable adults get active in all the area’s care homes as well as day care settings.
• North Ayrshire Leisure: supporting people with mental health issues to become more active through condition specific classes such as yoga and tai chi
• NHS Highland: using dance and walking to increase activity levels among the least active in the Highlands, including young people, women, older people, disabled people and those with long-term conditions
• Midlothian Council: bringing together two projects that use intergenerational volunteering to promote wellbeing; younger people coming into care homes to help older people become more active.
• Fife Sports and Leisure Trust: walking and GP referral programme for people with mental health issues and those with dementia
• Leisure & Culture Dundee: bringing ante natal women and their families in Dundee together through swimming to be active, have fun and improve their wellbeing and resilience
• Stirling Council: offering an extended buggy walks programme for parents, as well as, strength and balance classes and jogging for older people. The focus of all these activities is the most disadvantaged communities
• Cairngorms National Park: This project offers health walks in Highlands, Aberdeenshire and Moray, and targets people with long term conditions, women and older people
• Changes Community Health Project: walking, cycling and other healthy recreational activities will benefit people with mental health conditions
• Drumchapel Sport: the new funding will extend their existing highly respected programme of sport used to unite the community and improve wellbeing, working with children and young people, women and girls
• Edinburgh Leisure: support people over the age of 45 living in areas of multiple deprivation to become more active.
Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, said: “I’d like to congratulate all of these projects on their successful applications to the Legacy 2014 Physical Activity Fund. They are all working to promote physical activity in their communities, concentrating on some of the groups that are most at risk of inactivity, and giving them the confidence to change their lifestyles.
“This fund is one of the ways we are securing the legacy of the Commonwealth Games, encouraging people to live more active lives. Physical inactivity leads to 2,500 premature deaths in Scotland every year. It’s linked to a host of health problems including diabetes, heart disease, dementia and depression. If we can encourage people to make even small changes to their lives we can make a big difference to Scotland’s health.”
Dugald Mackie, Chairman of Spirit of 2012 said: “Our aim is see personal and community wellbeing increase and to see a positive change in the perception of disability. I’m delighted that we’ll be supporting so many projects that work with disabled people (including those suffering from mental ill health). In the current climate it’s vital that public investment delivers results, and so we are committed to collaborating closely with the Scottish Government and the 11 local partners to discover what works and what we could do better.”
Debbie Lye, Chief Executive of Spirit said: “Our ultimate ambition is to use the learning from this pioneering Scottish initiative to inform the way we and others tackle the UK wide imperative of increasing levels of physical activity.
“Spirit will host a conference in January 2017 where all partners will bring together research and findings from the projects. This will be a key step in making Scottish physical opportunities more effective, engaging and efficient.”
MAPS: My Assets & Personal Strengths
Wellbeing and Self-Management Project
Health in Mind is excited to be going into the second year of its MAPS service supporting people in groups to self manage their mental health and wellbeing and have two new groups starting in the coming weeks.
The Afternoon Group will be held at The Elizabeth Maginnis Court Complex in Granton beginning late September will be held every Tuesday, and the Evening Group will be held at Health in Mind, Shandwick Place beginning early October on a Thursday. For more information please see our leaflet or get in touch with Katie or Cindy on 0131 225 8508. You can also email
katie.rowland@health-in-mind.
Craighall Centre Health & Social Care event
The three month public consultation on the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership’s draft Strategic Plan and Joint Strategic Needs Assessment ends on 31 October and the Strategic Planning Group, which is overseeing the consultation, is keen to hear from citizens, communities and stakeholders.
The city council is inviting local community groups, organisations and individuals to participate in and give their views on the integration of health and social care services and has organised a number of events across the city to enable you to find out what’s been proposed and have your say.
The local event takes place at Craighall Centre, 210 Ferry Road on Monday 28 September from 1 – 2.30pm (note change of time).
There is a web link included in the flier so people can access to view the plan:
https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/
https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/
https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/
https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/
People aged 65 years and over in Edinburgh and East Lothian are being offered free exercise classes as part of a new research project being undertaken by Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University (QMU).
Scientists at QMU are studying how lifestyle changes can improve quality of life in people aged 65 and over, including how exercise and nutrition plans can help people increase their lean mass and strength.
The exercise classes will take place between September 2015 and April 2016 at QMU’s Sports Centre and will include balance, aerobic and resistance exercises provided by trained physical instructors.
The study is being conducted by QMU’s department for Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences, so some participants will also receive free nutritional plans.
The research-active unit offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of diet, human biology and health. Their staff have particular expertise in public health, clinical nutrition and metabolism, as well as complementary medicine.
Nutritionist and fitness trainer, Christos Theodorakopoulos, who is leading the research at QMU, said: ‘It is never too late to start exercising and enjoy the benefits of healthy living, so this is a great chance for over 65s living in Edinburgh and East Lothian to get fit with our experts for free.”
People interested in taking part in the study can contact Christos Theodorakopoulos at QMU to find out if they are eligible to participate: email: CTheodorakopoulos@qmu.ac.uk
Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership presents:
Inverleith On Foot and By Bike
Don’t miss this opportunity to have fun, try new things, get out and about in fresh air, win some great prizes and get fitter!
Sunday 13 September in Inverleith Park, 2.30-5.30.
Finalé of the event is the live screening of the Tour De Britain. Come watch it on large screen in our bike powered cinema!
Fit Camp every Monday at The Prentice Centre, 7 – 8pm
Shannon Galpin will talk about her experiences cycling in Afghanistan while Festival puts focus on women in cycling
National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and women’s rights activist Shannon Galpin (above), the first woman to mountain bike in Afghanistan, will be sharing her story in the talk ‘Pedaling a Revolution’ at the third Edinburgh Festival of Cycling, held across various venues from 11 – 21 June.
An avid mountain biker, who has spent seven years working on various projects to empower women and girls, most recently supporting the first generation of women riding bikes as part of the Afghan National Women’s Cycling Team, Galpin will be leading a strong bill of events for women as part of the Festival. She will be speaking at the Royal College of Physicians on 17 June at 7pm.
It is not just in Afghanistan that women are changing the narrative, and not just in cycling. After last year’s successful launch, the Women’s Cycle Forum is back for an evening of discussion, inspiration and networking open to all. This year we’ll be hearing from women from successful campaigns about how they ‘changed the record’ and make a difference to their worlds – and then consider together how we can build a better one of our own. Whether you ride a bike for transport, fun or sport, or work in cycling in any way, come ready to learn and to talk about what we can all do to make a difference across the cycling world. Come away inspired, informed – and challenged – to ‘build a better world‘. The Women’s Cycle Forum will be held at Teviot Row House on 13th June at 7pm.
Another woman trying to bring a new perspective to the cycling safety debate is Tamara von Werthern, writer the of the new powerful new drama ‘The White Bike’. The White Bike addresses the issue of road safety by looking at the personal cost of road death and is inspired by the case of Eilidh Cairns who was killed by a lorry as she cycled to work. It uses witness statements, personal recollections of family members and years of cycling experience on the streets of London to create a deeply personal portrait of a life cut short too soon. A dramatic reading of the play will be given at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar on 11 June at 6.30pm.
Other inspiring woman appearing at the Festival include Juliana Buhring and Emily Chappell. World record holder Juliana Buhring was the fastest women to cycle around the world in 2012 and female winner of the Trans-Am Race 2014. Juliana will be giving a Q&A after the Scottish première of the film ‘Inspired to Ride’ about first TransAmerica race.
‘Inspired to Ride’ gives the audience an incredibly immersive experience of 45 cyclists from around the world who set out to cover 4,233 miles in one enormous stage race, traversing through ten US states in a transcontinental adventure of epic proportions. ‘Inspired to Ride’ will be screened at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar on 12 June 7pm.
Emily Chappell will be sharing her stories about cycling through some of the world’s most remote and inhospitable regions in a talk on 11 June at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar at 8pm. A bike messenger by trade, she has recently cycled from Anchorage to Seattle on a fatbike, through the snow and ice of the Alaska Highway.
The Edinburgh Festival also has a wide range of participatory events which are likely to appeal to women, these include: the original Edinburgh Night Ride (starts 19 June) which over the last two years has had over 40% participation. This ride give cyclists the chance to experience of cycling through the night on quiet roads in East Lothian.
A ride which is specifically aimed at female riders is the 15:15 ride led by the Edinburgh Belles on Bikes women’s cycling group. The route for this ride forms a figure of eight which allows riders ride for the whole 30 miles, or decide to stop after the first 15 miles.
There is also the ‘Women, Read and Ride on Tour’ a literary tour of Edinburgh by bike, celebrating cycling writing by women. This ride will include readings by Kate Rawles from her book The Carbon Cycle – Crossing the Great Divide (21 June).
For those who want to learn to ride or increase their confidence, there are courses for beginners (21 June) and an adult commuter course (13 June). In addition to this there are a range of family friendly events, these include the Bike Curious Family Workshop. This event, on 13 June at Sciennes Primary School, is to show families how the bike can be used as everyday family transport.
Tickets and more information on all events are available at www.edfoc.co.uk. The Festival can also be followed on Twitter at @edfoc, on Facebook at EdinburghFestivalofCycling, on Instagram at @edfoc and on Flickr at edincyclefest. The hashtag for the event is #edfoc2015
‘like a youth club for us older guys!’
A project by Age Scotland to improve the health and wellbeing of older men is set to receive a boost of £50,000 to roll out across Scotland.
The funding will provide support and resources to new and existing Men’s Sheds across the country, and was announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners’ Rights Alex Neil whilst visiting the MacMerry Men’s Shed in East Lothian, which also celebrates its second birthday today.
The Men’s Shed movement follows a blueprint from an Australian project and is a place for men to come together and work on either individual projects or work together on community projects. The men who attend can share skills , learn new ones, share stories and experiences and relax. The project delivers proven benefits in improving health and wellbeing and reducing social isolation which is often experienced by older men.
Cabinet Secretary Alex Neil said: “The MacMerry Men’s Shed project is a wonderful example of community empowerment in action – where men can come along, meet other like-minded individuals contribute to their local community and take control of a community asset for the community’s benefit.
“They can work on projects together, planning and developing ideas while also getting out of the house and meet new people. What’s most important in this project is the network of relationships and support that the men build with each other so they can feel involved and connected. It can reduce social isolation, give them a sense of purpose and contribute to them living well in later life.
“Older people are an asset to Scotland, and we want them to flourish in our communities and continue to make a contribution. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Age Scotland to help the network of Men’s Sheds develop across Scotland.”
Between 20 and 25 men attend the MacMerry Men’s Shed each Tuesday and Thursday undertaking a diverse range of activities which includes building garden planters for the local community council to brighten up the village hall, creating storage units for tools, creating bug hotels, candle holders and key racks for selling on at local market, and restoring old furniture and sharpening tools.
Although the Sheds project mostly attract older men, men of all ages, women and young people are encouraged to get involved in their local projects.
Age Scotland Chief Executive Brian Sloan said: “It is really exciting to be part of the growing Men’s Sheds movement, a movement that Age Scotland has been supporting for a number of years. These community ventures are a great way to bring people together to love later life and we want to thank all the Shedders across Scotland and the groups who support them.”
Cancer patients at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children got a big surprise recently thanks to the generosity of local volunteers. Hundreds of ‘bead-bags’ hand-sewn by well-wishers have arrived for youngsters on Ward 2 following a call for donations!
The children are taking part in the ‘Beads of Courage’ scheme, an initiative which allows young patients to create a unique record of all the treatments and procedures they’ve been through during their time in hospital, using colourful beads.
In order to keep the beads safe, each child is also given a bead-bag but supplies had been running low.
Jenny Tomes, Clinical Psychologist, explained: “The children like to thread all their beads on to strings to represent all the experiences they have been through in hospital. To give the children somewhere to keep their precious beads safely, they are given a bead bag, a little cloth draw-string bag. We were getting low on supplies and so we put the word out to see if anyone could help.”
Jenny contacted the hospital’s Voluntary Services Manager, Denise Claxton, who set about recruiting some sewing volunteers.
Denise said: “We couldn’t believe it when parcels kept arriving! In the space of a few weeks around 150 bead bags in all different colours and patterns had been sewn and not just by our loyal NHS Lothian volunteers – but also by their friends and families, who were keen to help too.
“We’re really grateful to all those kind people who spent time making the bags so lovingly for the children on Ward 2.”
The ‘Beads of Courage’ programme is run by the charity Be Child Cancer Aware. To find out more visit http://www.bechildcanceraware.org/
