Cracking fun at St Nick’s

P1050415

Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) St Nicholas Court sheltered housing complex raised over £450 at its eggstra-special Easter-themed lunch last week.

The complex, on Leith’s Ferry Road, had an array of stalls including a raffle, home baking and ceramic painting.

There was also an Easter egg hunt, which was won by residents Ian and May Vanhagen (pictured) who donated their chocolate egg to the new Teen Cancer Unit at the Western General Hospital.

Maureen Tait Senior Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator with PoLHA manages the complex. She said: “Our fundraiser was thoroughly enjoyed by residents and visitors and we’re delighted to have raised over £450, which will go towards activities and days out.”

All funds raised will go towards supporting activities for residents including day trips, theatre trips, exercise classes and lunch clubs.

UK premiere to launch MS Awareness Week

jason_dasilva1

Leith’s MS Therapy Centre is to mark MS Awareness Week 2014 (28 Apr-4 May) by hosting the UK premiere of “When I Walk”, an award-winning film by Jason DaSilva about his life with MS.

The event takes place on Monday (28 April) at the Filmhouse Cinema on Lothian Road at 11am. Tickets are priced at £12.50 and available at www.mstc-lothian.org.uk.

Thirty five year old New Yorker Jason (pictured above) was diagnosed with MS in 2006. He had been on holiday with his family when he suddenly fell down. Unable to get back up, he could no longer ignore the disease which doctors had diagnosed a few months earlier.

Jason tried exercise to help, but after his fall on the beach his mum reminded him he was still able to pursue the things he enjoyed most in life – art and filmmaking – and from that moment he set about set out on a worldwide journey in search of healing, self-discovery and love.

Jason said: “I just want people to relate to it to as a story that is interesting and compelling to watch. And I do hope that for people with disabilities or struggles with illness similar to mine, it will be cathartic for them to see their story on film.”

Nancy Campbell, Operations Manager at the MS Therapy Centre, said: “We are showing the film in the hope it will provide some insight into MS, its symptoms, and its impact. Scotland has the highest incidence of MS in the world and can’t be ignored. “

The MS Therapy Centre Lothian is a charity providing help and practical therapies such as physiotherapy, complementary therapies and oxygen therapy as well as emotional support and advice.www.mstc-lothian.org.uk

Citadel performs Leith at War

IMG_0770

Residents from Port of Leith’s Hermitage Court sheltered housing complex and pupils from St Mary’s Primary school were treated to a wartime play presented by Citadel Arts Group last week.

‘Leith at War’ is about a Leith-based family living through World War II. Brother and sister Eck and Frankie are living with their grampa, a WWI vet. As schools temporary closed during the war, and lessons held in pupils’ homes, this gives Grampa the chance to talk to the class about the War in Leith.

Cast members Rob Flett, Nicky McCabe, Iona Soper, and Nick Cheales entertained the audience with a performance that rekindled memories of the dark days of war for many members of the audience. It also offered an opportunity for youngsters to hear wartime experiences war from people who lived through it.

Liz Hare, Artistic Director at Citadel Arts Group, said: “We’ll be performing the play at Leith Festival in June and hope to get some useful ideas and feedback from our inter-generational audience today.

“The school pupils and tenants enjoyed a chat after the show in which they talked about the older people’s own war memories, and after Easter the children will come back to Hermitage Court with some of their own scenes based on Leith at War.”

Susie Connery, Scheme Co-ordinator at the Port of Leith Housing Association’s Hermitage Court sheltered housing complex, said: “The residents really enjoyed the performance as it gave them the opportunity to talk about their memories and experiences, whereas it was educational for the pupils learning what happened on their doorsteps over 70 years ago.”

Simply Great! Award for Leith housing development

Front Aspect

Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) Great Junction Street development has been named as one of Inside Housing’s top 50 affordable housing developments.

The 32 affordable homes, made up of nine one bedroom and 23 two bedroom properties, have been built for social and mid-market rent and are will be officially opened later this month.

Twenty of the flats are available for social rent, priced at £323 for a one bedroom flat and £358 a month for a two bedroom flat. The remaining 12 homes, available for mid market rent, are priced at £445 a month for a one bedroom and £555 for a two bedroom property.

The ground floor has been designed as a large retail unit which is currently leased to local Edinburgh community group The Junction.

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of PoLHA, said: “We’re delighted to have been recognised as one of Inside Housing’s top 50 affordable housing developments from across the UK.

“High rents in the open market and tough mortgage criteria to buy a house make it increasingly difficult for people to access and live in good quality homes. We recognise the variety of housing requirements for people in Edinburgh which is why the Great Junction Street development will help meet a wider range of needs.”

 

Tea hee! Mad hatters raise a cup to toast MSTC

MSTC fundraisers Louise and Chris Liddell
MSTC fundraisers Louise and Chris Liddell

The Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre in Edinburgh celebrates its 30th anniversary today with a city-wide Mad Hatters’ Tea Party. The fundraiser sees friends and supporters of the Centre baking cakes and wearing silly hats all to raise money for a very good cause.

With nearly 2,500 people in the Lothians living with the debilitating condition of multiple sclerosis, the MS Therapy Centre provides a life-line for many. Based in Swanfield in Leith, the Centre provides practical and emotional support and only exists because of the generosity of others.

Nancy Campbell the operations manager at the Centre said: “We want everyone to dig out their hats and teapots and host a mad hatters’ tea party for the MS Therapy Centre. It’s meant to be lots of fun and there’s plenty of opportunity to be creative – from cake decoration through to competitions. We just ask that everyone who attends a tea party makes a donation to our Centre.”

The MS Therapy Centre is a charity providing help and practical therapies such as physiotherapy, complementary therapies and oxygen therapy as well as emotional support and advice.

For further info visit www.mstc-lothian.org.uk

Up the Junction – Sir Harry opens new premises

Sam Anderson & Sir Harry Burns

Junction moves just along the road – to a new world!

Sir Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, has officially opened The Junction’s new premises.

Based at 160 Great Junction Street for eight years, the community organisation has now moved to 82-86 Great Junction Street and is leasing the brand new premises from Port of Leith Housing Association.

Set up in 2005 by the organisation’s Director Sam Anderson as a partnership response to an action research project, The Junction provides confidential health related services, education and support for young people aged 12-21 in Leith and North East Edinburgh. It has helped thousands of young people in the city and has author Irvine Welsh as its patron.

The Junction’s Sam Anderson said: “We are delighted to have Sir Harry Burns officially open our new premises. It’s important to listen to young people and find out what they think and want, which is why they have been consulted throughout the evolution of the Junction.”

Sam added: “We continue to be able to successfully respond to the expressed health and wellbeing needs of local young people because of the partnership nature of our work. Port of Leith Housing Association is a key partner, committed to delivering a quality, purpose built building for our award winning work in supporting young people, and has done so to brilliant results.

“We owe them an immense debt as while just a few hundred yards along the road from our old premises our new space feels a world away.”

Sir Harry Burns said: “Young people are the lifeblood of the community and it’s imperative they are supported to grow their health and wellbeing. This is why organisations, such as The Junction should be applauded for the tremendous work it does.”

Patron Irvine Welsh said: “Omnipresent, The Junction is there at the heart of the community offering education, support and its own distinctive brand of loyalty and determination to do the best it can for local young people. It’s an honour for me to be able to support this organisation and indeed this community, both of whom I admire.”

Three hospitalised following chip pan fire

fire

A man, a woman and a young child were taken to hospital this morning (1 March) following an early morning chip pan fire in Elbe Street.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Watch Manager Stuart Sinclair, the incident commander, said: “A fire in an unattended chip pan had caused a large amount of smoke to fill the kitchen and other parts of the flat.

“Firefighters in breathing apparatus quickly put out the flames using a fire blanket and fire-fighting hose reel and our crews provided oxygen therapy to the woman and the child who had suffered smoke inhalation and to the man who had suffered smoke inhalation and burns.

“Thankfully this home was protected by a working smoke alarm and the residents of the flat were able to get out. A neighbour, on hearing the alarm, called 999.”

After receiving treatment by firefighters at the scene, the man, woman and child were assessed by ambulance personnel before being taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for further treatment.

SFRS ADVICE:

Traditional chip pans are known to be a fire risk and SFRS has urged anyone who still uses one to consider switching to a modern electric fryer, which will have a safety switch to prevent it overheating.

If you’re tired, have been drinking, or taking drugs, don’t cook. You will be less alert to the signs of fire, and more likely to fall asleep.

Firefighters are also clear that working smoke alarms save lives and buy time for crews to tackle fires before heat, smoke and flames can spread throughout a home.

People have also been asked to consider fitting a heat alarm within the kitchen – the room where most house fires start.

Free home fire safety visits only take around half an hour. A key part of the Join Scotland’s Fight Against Fire campaign, they have proven immensely popular with more than 56,000 completed across the country last year.

Anyone who thinks they or someone they know – like an elderly relative, friend or neighbour – could benefit from the expert advice of firefighters from their own community should call 0800 0731 999 or text ‘check’ to 61611.

People can also fill out a form at www.firescotland.gov.uk or contact their local community fire station.

Park life: Windrush Drive goes green

A site previously earmarked for a new primary school on Edinburgh’s waterfront has been transformed into temporary community parkland thanks to a £50,000 investment.

The Central Scotland Green Network Development Fund and Edinburgh City Council have supplied funding, enabling the derelict two-hectare site on Windrush Drive, Western Harbour in Leith to be turned into temporary green space. This will be available for community use until such time as plans to build the primary school are confirmed at some point in the future.

What was an unsightly area last year has now been transformed – new top soil, trees, grassland and a wildflower meadow have been created to improve the local landscape for both local residents and the new community to enjoy.

Councillor Adam McVey, who helped spearhead the project, said: “Greening such a large site in Western Harbour has already improved the amenity for local residents and made it more likely new residential developments will be brought forward on neighbouring gap sites. The cooperation between the groups involved and consultation with local residents has made this one of the most effective projects of this kind and it can, and should, be replicated throughout Edinburgh.”

The greening initiative has been made possible by Port of Leith Housing Association temporary leasing the site from Forth Ports and taking on future maintenance, with Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust carrying out initial landscaping and sourcing funding.

Port of Leith Housing Association Chief Executive Keith Anderson said: “For many residents, seeing the derelict land day in and day out was becoming an eyesore. By transforming it into an area they can use and enjoy can make a real difference to their lives.”

Charlie Cumming, Project Manager at Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, said: “Windrush Drive is the third temporary greening site undertaken by ELGT with CSGN funding in recent years. Other sites were located in Craigmillar and Granton and each of them has brought stalled development areas into positive management and accessible greenspaces for local people.”

Port of Leith  photographed by Alan Peebles

St Nick’s celebrates 25 tea-rrific years

St Nicholas Court celebrates its 25th anniversary.Edinburgh’s Lord Provost was among the guests as Port of Leith Housing Association’s St Nicholas Court sheltered housing complex celebrated its 25th anniversary on Thursday (5 December).

In conjunction with the Pilmeny Project and children from the Pilmeny Youth Development Project, two original St Nicholas Court residents – Mary McNicol (90) and Maisie McKenzie (85) – were joined by another 12 residents in designing and painting a memorial 25 piece tea set compromising key dates, milestones and local landmarks. The tea set now has pride of place in a display cabinet in the complex’s reception area.

The residents also made a “Quilt of Friendship” featuring their memories, such as holiday locations, activities carried out by the complex, memorable events including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, as well as the PoLHA logo, which was hung in the sheltered housing’s lounge and unveiled by the Lord Provost.

Maureen Tait, Senior Sheltered Housing Coordinator for PoLHA who manages St Nicholas Court, said: “I’m delighted the residents have got on board with the preparations for the 25th anniversary. It’s such a special occasion for the development and given that we have two original tenants is wonderful. Many of the residents have enjoyed being creative have enjoyed showing off the fruits of their labour to guests.”

Mary McNicol, who came to St Nicholas Court in December 1988, said: “I’ve spent 25 wonderful years living at the complex and I’m glad we have done something different to commemorate this.”

To celebrate the 25 years both Mary McNicol and Maisie McKenzie have lived at St Nicholas Court, a time capsule featuring the names of current residents, Mary McNicol’s and Maisie McKenzie’s life stories and photos of Mary and Maisie was also buried in the complex’s garden by Port of Leith Chief Executive Keith Anderson and the Lord Provost.

Keith Anderson said: “St Nicholas Court does a fantastic job in looking after its residents and we are delighted to have reached this significant anniversary. We hope in many years’ time, someone will come across the time capsule and be interested in the contents.”

Many happy returns, St Nick’s!

St Nicholas Court celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Port of Leith Christmas Fayres raise over £1700

001Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) sheltered housing complexes raised over £1,700 at their Christmas fayres. St Nicholas Court on Ferry Road raised £1,000 and Jameson Place £730. 

All funds raised will go towards supporting activities for residents including day trips, theatre trips, exercise classes and lunch clubs.

The complexes had an array of stalls including a raffle, tombola, home bakes, bric-a-brac, books and toys.

Maureen Tait Senior Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator with PoLHA manages the St Nicholas Court complex. She said: “The annual Christmas fayres are always great fun for the staff and residents and a great chance for us to interact and have a good time with the local community.

“We’re delighted to have raised over £1,700 and are grateful to the all those people who came along to support us. Many of our residents are young at heart and really enjoy getting out and about on trips and these fundraising events helps make it happen for them.”