Dear Editor
In the latest edition of NEN, Edinburgh Council brag about the regeneration of Pennywell/Muirhouse with the building of the new houses, which is good – but as a long-standing tenant I would like to know where the new kitchen and bathrooms for which we have been waiting years have gone?
Thomas Scott (by email)
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:
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
Dear Dave,
Members of the Muirhouse Salvesen Community Council wish to convey a vote of thanks on behalf of members of the community on the latest issue of the NEN.
The local people’s newspaper has been much missed over the past few years in keeping people in touch with happening in their local community, especially for older people of the community and those who find it hard to get out. Great to see it coming through our letter boxes once again.
We look forward to your December issue which is sure to be filled with local happenings and interesting articles.
We wish the team all the best and are looking forward to more regular issues into the New Year.
Our Community Council support the NEN in its venture and would be happy to assist in any way it can.
Roy Douglas
Chairperson, Muirhouse & Salvesen Community Council
Dear Editor
We are thoroughly disgusted with Edinburgh councillors who were elected to represent the interests of their constituents. They have chosen to abdicate their responsibilities by quietly accepting from National and Scottish governments reductions to their forthcoming budget, instead of maintaining budgets to increase funds to sustain services within Edinburgh.
They are asking Edinburgh citizens to decide what cuts should be made to meet budget reductions . They have introduced doublespeak by talking about Better Outcomes Leaner Delivery (BOLD) which in effect means cuts.
They are aiming to cut £22 million from the 2014/15 budget. Local communities should not be asked to decide where cuts are implemented; this is the responsibility of councillors . How dare they put the onus on Edinburgh citizens when they are morally and financially responsible?
Employees from the City Council are demonstrating how to access this survey which is totally unacceptable . Councillors call them savings – they can only be described as cuts which we are sure the people of Edinburgh are opposed to.
Anna Hutchison
(by email)
Dear Editor
This year, France, Belgium and Holland are celebrating the seventieth anniversary of their liberation. After all the time that has passed, their joy and gratiiude is expressed not only by the elderly who suffered the oppression of occupation but also by each succeeding generation – they joy can be seen and felt in these countries.
I was part of the British forces advancing from France through Belgium into Holland. Near the town of Budel, there was torrential rain and I sought shelter in a farmer’s barn – much to the interest of the farmer’s children! I have kept in touch with the children since 1944 and have visited from time to time.
This September I was delighted to receive an invitation from the town of Budel to attend their Liberation Ceremonies as a guest of honour. These events were linked with the publication of a book entitled ‘Memories from the Past’, told by citizens of the area to the author Rene Vos, detailing the history of the occupation over the years 1940 – 44. I was asked to write the foreword for the book:
Citizens of the Cranendonck Community
To remember and to celebrate is not to glorify militarism but to show the united will of the people for a peaceful world.
It is important that events of the 1930s and 1940s are told to each generation so they can avoid the ‘mistakes’ made during that period: the ‘mistake’ of tolerating racism, the ‘mistake’ of ignoring the fascist states’ determination to expand their control over others, all of which led to world war.
It was the ordinary people of all lands who finally defeated that eveil; it is the ordinary people of all lands, armed with the knowledge of the past, that will safeguard the future.
The kindness, friendliness and hospitality expressed to me as a World War II representative was overwhelming. This is the main reason for this letter; to tell you of the great feeling of gratitude to the people of the UK and of their joy of liberation and freedom from fear and suppression.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Hi
I am the editor of www.craigleithhill.co.uk. Amongst other historical information on the Craigleith district I have included a history of the Royal Victoria Hospital.
My interest with the RVH site is the B listed Admin Block which hopefully the planners are going to retain. This building was built in the 1906 and the design was overseen by the pioneer of Tuberculosis treatment Dr Philip. I am hoping that this building with its superb acid stained beams (see my web site) and superb wood panelled conference room could be retained with the history of the RVH and in memory of Dr Philip who was a pioneer in the treatment of TB.
There are many wall plaques still retained in the entrance way to the old RVH which could well find a new home in this building. The building would be ideal as a conference room for NHS meetings as well as Community Council meetings.
Alan Ross
Dear Editor
In the main, the wealth of the nation is represented by the amount of products made by the people of the UK.
After paying wages and other costs the remainder is the owner’s profit, so it follows that the owner’s aim is to get as much produced for as little as possible; for the workers, their aim is to get better wages, working conditions and job security.
Given the fantastic profits being made by many industries, and the disgraceful salaries and bonuses being handed out to top management, it shows the distribution of wealth is very one-sided. The interests of owners and management as helped by having supporters in top political positions.
If the position was reversed, and workers had the overwhelming support of their political representatives, it would be a fair and just situation in that the interests of the majority of the population takes precedent over the very few. These interests would go beyond asking the employers for a few extra pounds in wages that – in a very short time – is swallowed up in rising prices.
Interests common to all are gas, electricity, water supplies, bus and rail transport, road transport and fuel supplies to get to and from work; also in particular the NHS and allied services, local services and amenities, green and open spaces.
These are a minimum of industries and services that should be run in the public interest, not for private profit; there are no doubt many other common interests that could be listed.
I believe a very large majority of people would support such a programme – a programme that worked for them, not the interests of the few.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Today is the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War and to mark this we are inviting everyone (from large-scale organisations like Blackpool Illuminations, Tower Bridge and Piccadilly Circus to thousands of people at home) to turn out their lights, leaving on a single light or candle for a shared moment of reflection.
You can also get involved by tweeting a LIGHTS OUT selfie or an image of your moment using the hashtag #LIGHTSOUT. And you can download the free LIGHTS OUT Jeremy Deller app and watch Deller’s short film, available for just one hour from 10pm tonight. At 11pm, the film will disappear.
Jeremy Deller is one of a number of artworks commissioned across the UK as part of LIGHTS OUT.
It’s also your last chance to write your LETTER TO AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER
Almost 20,000 letters have been sent to the Unknown Soldier since the project began in June.
Letters have arrived from all over the United Kingdom and beyond, and many well-known writers and personalities have contributed. Stephen Fry, Malorie Blackman, Andrew Motion, Dawn French, Joanna Lumley and more.
Submissions will close at 11pm tonight. Don’t miss your chance to add your voice to this new war memorial.
For further information visit www.1418now.org.uk
Who said the art of letter writing was dead? LETTER TO AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER has turned out to be a huge success, and more than 16,000 people have contributed so far to this new kind of war memorial. Letters have poured in from all over the UK and beyond, each one expressing a different opinion, some deeply personal, others political, some loving and tender, others full of anger.
We’ve had letters from school children and politicians, midwives and teachers, published writers and servicemen and women. This week’s letters include one from the former Home Secretary and postman Alan Johnson, one about the experience of Sikh soldiers in the trenches and hundreds of letters from students around the country, including an absolute gem from 11 year old Craig Hayden Rankin from Rosebank Primary School in Nairn, Scotland.
A week today, the project will come to an end. Will you help us make it an even bigger success? Please, share this link and ask your friends and colleagues to write their own letter too. Our twitter name is @letter1418 and on facebook you can find us at Facebook.com/letter1418. Who knows, maybe we can reach 20,000 letters with your help!
1418now.org.uk/letter
Writing initiative ‘re-imagines the future of Scotland’
Take a pen and a piece of paper and write a letter to the future of Scotland? In this age of high-tech, super-fast digital communications it may seem like a very old-fashioned way to communicate, but a new writing project called Dearest Scotland has sparked a revival in letter writing.
The apolitical initiative has caught imaginations in the year of the Referendum by inviting letters and illustrations from people of all ages across the world with a connection to, or an interest in, Scotland.
Dearest Scotland is the brainchild of Glasgow-based social design agency SNOOK, who some readers may recall worked with Total Craigroyston and North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum on the ‘What’s the Matter?’ project in 2012.
Focused on crowd-sourcing from a widest possible demographic with the aim of giving a platform to citizens’ voices, Dearest Scotland’s co-founder, Sarah Drummond, recently spoke of the aspiration to receive handwritten letters that capture insights to what a future Scotland may look like.
Sarah said: “Our team at Snook work in grassroots communities and we hear great ideas everyday from ordinary people. Sadly there is no platform for these voices to be heard in the mainstream media, by governments or local authorities. Dearest Scotland aims to address that.”
The idea originated before the independence referendum was announced, and since it’s March launch Dearest Scotland has received a cross-section of letters keen to articulate visions that reach beyond the political debate of the 18 September vote.
And while the project proves that the art of letter writing isn’t dead, the choice to write and illustrate letters digitally via the Dearest Scotland website is also available!
Sarah also spoke of plans to publish received letters in a collated book format. She said: “Everyone who writes to Dearest Scotland has the chance to see their letter published. This allows for the opportunity to read what people of all ages from every part of the country have to say about their hopes and fears for a future Scotland both in connection to and outside of politics and the referendum.”
While new letters are catalogued daily, Sarah’s aim is to publish the visions in an open source digital catalogue – in addition to the book format – after the 13 September deadline for submissions, and all proceeds will be donated to new and existing Scottish literary projects.
The Dearest Scotland team is currently touring venues and events across the country, spreading the word in towns and rural areas.
The initiative has also caught the attention of politicians. Glasgow Anniesland MSP Bill Kidd lodged a parliamentary motion in support of the project in June, and a Holyrood debate has been scheduled for 13 August – the motion has received cross-party support from a further 25 members of the Scottish parliament. There are also plans to exhibit a display of letters by the Scottish Rural Parliament in November and within Holyrood in early 2015.
Sarah’s business partner and project co-founder, Lauren Currie, added: “We all have a box of letters stashed away somewhere that fill our hearts with joy every time we dig them out and re-read them. Dearest Scotland is our nation’s box of letters. These letters are so much more than communication, they are re-imagining the future of Scotland.”
To find out more information about Dearest Scotland’s project, summer tour, or to submit a future vision of Scotland, visit…
www.dearestscotland.com
twitter @dearestscotand
facebook /dearestscotland
