Tag: Muirhouse Youth Development Group

Muirhouse youth group plan to make a splash

MYDG1

Support MYDG’s swimathon!

Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) will be taking part in a 24 hour fundraising Swimathon on Thursday 3 April and they could use your support.

MYDG’s Operational Manager Dean Shanks explained: “Money raised will support field trips, outdoor activities and MYDG’s commonwealth summer sports programme.

“You can pick up a sponsor form from MYDG’s office in Craigroyston Community High School or the Community Shop on Pennywell Road. Alternatively, you can make a donation online at our justgiving site which will be up and running tomorrow and I will forward on a link to everyone then. You can also come along and swim or volunteer to help with the running of the event!”

MYDG is based at Craigroyston Community High School

Telephone: 0131 332 3356

Website: www.mydg.org.uk

MYadventure

MYadventure: Cyclone update

New taster video of Bike Track at Gypsy Brae http://youtu.be/S8gMmqz6Yng worth a watch  (better with sound)

Volunteer Days coming up at Gypsy Brae:

Monday 10 June  – 9am – 5pm – TOMORROW !!!

Monday 17 June – 9am – 5pm

Launch Saturday 22 June 1-4pm

Races,  refreshments, side stalls

Jonny Kinross

Social Enterprise Manager  www.myadventure.org.uk

Office: 0131 332  7132 Direct: 0131 208 3321 

M: 07794 467 351 F: 0871  528 4830

MYDGadventure

 

Young Muirhouse artists show a lot of bottle!

Zoo Arts, a creative  project led by artist Alice Betts based at North Edinburgh Arts, will be installing  another piece of exciting contemporary public art in Muirhouse Shopping Centre  on Wednesday (15 May) at 5pm.  

Light will shine  through recycled plastic bottles filled with coloured water turning a grey space  into a playful symphony of colour. This eyecatching piece of work has been  created by local young people who have participated in creative  outreach sessions supported by Muirhouse Library and Muirhouse Youth  Development Group. 

Zoo Arts aims to  encourage and support young people to develop their contemporary art skills,  install temporary public art and undertake professional art commissions. The  project works with local young people (9 – 14 years) who have an interest in  visual art and are keen to develop their creativity. This project hopes to  inspire future creative collaborations, locally and city-wide. 

For more information  go to  www.northedinburgharts.co.uk or to dicuss the project further contact Angela Austin on 315 2151, email marketing@northedinburgharts.co.uk

MuirhouseShops

Swim and you’re winning at Craigroyston!

Young people from Muirhouse Youth Development Group and Craigroyston Community High School will be making a mighty splash when they take part in a 24 hour sponsored swim next week.

The 24 hour Swimathon – which starts at 9am next Thursday (1 November)  – has been organised to raise funds to support CCHS’s extra-curricular and outdoor activities programme, including Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and residential fields trips. These excursions will be staffed by a qualified team of youth workers from MYDG and MYadventure (MYDG’s social enterprise arm), who are experienced in supporting the needs of young people and regularly deliver high quality and professional level training and activities.

The money raised during the swimathon will be spilt – 50% will go to school funds to support and subsidise trips, excursions and outdoor activities while the remainder will go to MYDG to support the core programme, which includes lunchtime activities and youth hubs.

The November event has largely been organised by a group of Craigroyston sixth year pupils who are also active participants at MYDG.

During the duration of the Swimathon Craigroyston’s swimming pool will not be unoccupied for a full 24 hours – staff, pupils and volunteers have all be drafted in and recruited to either swim or be a lifeguard!

The Swimathon begins at 9am on Thursday and will run (swim?) until 9am on Friday!

MYadventure and CCHS invite you to pledge a donation towards their worthwhile cause: you can sponsor by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/24hourswimathon

or by texting CCHS 67 to 70070 with the amount you wish to donate, e.g to donate £10 text CCHS 67 £10 to 70070

Eyes down – bingo’s back in Muirhouse!

by Robert Pearson

Over recent years we have seen bingo halls close over Edinburgh, many reasons spring to mind including the smoking ban. North Edinburgh’s nearest bingo hall – the Gala in West Granton – closed many years ago. At its peak you would see many people queuing outside to be first in to get their preferred seats. After the closure the area was left without any bingo facilities at all.

Well, this all changed last month when Muirhouse resident Jackie Brown -‘Big Jackie’ – heard of a new and exciting opportunity: Inspiring Scotland’s Link Up programme was in town and was working with individuals and groups in Muirhouse. Jackie and a few others met up with Link Up development worker Julie Crawford and plans were put in motion to relaunch bingo in North Edinburgh.

Speaking to Jackie I asked her why she thought this was a good idea for Muirhouse and greater North Edinburgh:

“Since the closure of the bingo hall in Granton years ago, it has been sadly missed by many. We would all go to the bingo and enjoy the game along with a good chinwag with everyone. When I heard of Link Up I immediately thought we could benefit from this. Julie the Link Up worker has been fantastic and made this all possible, given lots of advice and support. I really hope that we can continue to sustain our new bingo and that it runs for many years to come”

Development worker Julie Crawford tells me:

“ This fantastic idea of Jackie has only been made possible thanks to Inspiring Scotland and their Link Up programme, working very closely with Jackie and Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre I was delighted to see the first bingo game last month. Jackie is a very passionate about Muirhouse and will do everything possible to make this sustainable”

It was a nervous wait for the first bingo session to come, as often events are arranged in Muirhouse and the take up is not particularly good. Well, there was no need to be nervous as a fantastic 29 people turned in to the Community Centre to have their first game of bingo in years.

‘Eyes down and ready for your first number’ was called, the excitement was clear in the hall, these ladies were at home enjoying bingo in the heart of Muirhouse! “Bingo” – we had our first winner! Jackie had done it – the people of Muirhouse and North Edinburgh really were playing bingo in front of her very own eyes! Soon it was the interval and there was a positive vibe about the centre and women laughed and chatted with one another.

Due to the fantastic success of the first bingo, Jackie is pleased to confirm that bingo is here to stay – well, at least for the time being. She really hopes to welcome even more people this month.

Jackie and all the ladies who attended last month’s bingo thank all the staff at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre, as without their support this would not have been possible.

Link Up Muirhouse is delivered by Muirhouse Youth Development Group in partnership with, and through funding from, Inspiring Scotland. Inspiring Scotland’s Link Up programme is supported by the CashBack for Communities programme. CashBack for Communities is a Scottish Government programme which takes funds recovered from the proceeds of crime and invests them into free activities and programmes for people across Scotland.

The next Bingo night is Wednesday 24 October, for more information: 07928 116 375

 

 

Common sense prevails – no barriers for Muirhouse

Muirhouse and Silverknowes will NOT be divided by barriers, the city council’s Transport, Infrastructure and Environment (TIE) committee has decided.

The committee agreed to officials’ recommendations that ‘notes and agrees that closure of the access routes should not be supported as this would impact on safe routes to schools.’

In a report into antisocial behaviour in the Silverknowes area prepared for the committee, Services for Communities director Mark Turley concluded: ‘There are widely divergent but strongly held views within the community, split by Council ward, on the best course of action to take. Officer recommendations based on existing policy is that the blocking of access would be unacceptable given the adverse effect on safe routes to school used by a number of children in the area, in addition to the other policy and social concerns. The root cause of this problem is the anti-social behaviour of the individual’s concerned and it is this which requires to be addressed. Such behaviour is unacceptable, regardless of where it occurs.”

More on this story later from Thomas Brown

 

Mela’s G-Code crew launch album

Edinburgh Mela is based at North Edinburgh Arts Centre, and the organisation has been working with young people in North Edinburgh on various projects that were first performed at the Mela festival in September. The Mela’s G-Code project has been running on Thursday evenings, working with young local musicians on developing new music.

The G-Code project has flourished over the past few months with the young people taking part in a variety of performances including performing alongside Tinderbox Orchestra at the Dalai Lama’s World Peace event.

The participants also wrote and produced two tracks – ‘Inner Peace’ and ‘Journey’ – and the young musicians showcased their musical achievements at North Edinburgh Arts Centre last Friday where they hosted an album launch, music event and exhibition before being interviewed by young people from Muirhouse Youth Development Group.

For more information about the Mela G-Code project contact Angela on 0131 315 2151.

North Edinburgh needs YOU tomorrow …

 … and maybe the next day, and the one after that … Robert Pearson explains why.

North Edinburgh Needs You!

Do you want to help your community? Are you free on Tuesday 9 October? Any hours between 10am – 3pm?

Yes, we hear you shouting – well read on and come join us on the day!

Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) and the wider North Edinburgh community are looking for as many volunteers to join us to complete an exciting brand new project which we started on 25 September at Gypsy Brae.

This exciting adventure was made possible when MYDG negotiated a lease from City of Edinburgh Council and they decided to turn this land into Cyclone, The Biggest Bike Track (360 mtrs) in Edinburgh! Since the work started over fifty volunteers have risen to the challenge and have worked through some challenging weather conditions.

Completing this bike track will let children, families and adults practice their mountain biking and downhill skills on a great  one-way circuit, with purpose-built tight bends, bumps and humps. Open all year round, members of the public can use it at their own risk but MYDG will also run regular sessions to develop the riders’ skills.

If you’re able to spare the some time on Tuesday we are meeting at Craigroyston Community High School on Pennywell Road for 10am. Lunch will be provided – hope to see as many people as possible on the day!

For more information please contact peterairlie@mydg.org.uk

North Edinburgh at Volunteer Recruitment Fair 2012

Tomorrow (26 September) Volunteer Centre Edinburgh launches it’s 14th Volunteer Recruitment Fair at St Paul’s and St George’s Church on York Place. The fair runs from 11am to 7pm (writes KATE SMITH).

There will be a stall for Volunteer Centre’s North Edinburgh Hub and for volunteer-involving organisations in North Edinburgh. Pilton Equalities Project will be there from 1 to 3pm and Granton Youth Centre from 3 to 5pm.

In North Edinburgh a huge range of organisations are working with volunteers. There are fantastic opportunities for volunteering with children and young people, the elderly, the arts, music and dance. Not to mention sports including football and cycling. Cyclone Mountain Bike Track is currently under construction right now at Gypsy Brae (volunteers needed), Pilton Youth and Children’s Project are launching The Wooden Spoon Studio, a multi-purpose arts space, (think dance, performance, gallery) at their AGM on Friday at 3pm. You can even study an SVQ in Volunteering in the beautiful facilities at Craigroyston High. It’s all happening down here!

Come and meet us at the Fair or, if you want to find out more about volunteering in North Edinburgh, please contact me Kate Smith at kate.smith@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk

Cashback for Creativity film premieres next week

Criminal profits have been put to good use with the launch of two short films created by local young people. Screen Education Edinburgh (SEE) (formerly Pilton Video) will be screening ‘Danny’ and ‘The Clock Strikes Fate’ at North Edinburgh Arts Centre on Tuesday 18 September at 6.30pm.

SEE worked with young people from the outset on the projects which were made possible through funding from the Cashback for Creativity programme, a fund which takes cash confiscated from criminals and ploughs the money back into the communities they prey upon.

Cashback for Creativity (formally Creative Identities) is Creative Scotland’s programme that provides young people across Scotland with access to high quality dance, film and music activities, funded by the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme which reinvests the proceeds of crime back into communities to benefit Scotland’s young people.

As part of the scheme, Screen Education Edinburgh are running an intensive programme of short film making for young people aged 12- 19 across the City of Edinburgh, with priority given to those living in areas of deprivation.

In North Edinburgh, a series of taster workshops took place in partnership with Broughton High School, Community Organisation for Race Equality, Muirhouse Youth Development Group and Pilton Youth and Children’s Project, leading to the most interested young people moving forward to form a core filmmaking group based at SEE. Learning the skills of screenwriting, acting, camera, sound and editing, the group have completed two short film’s ‘Danny’ and ‘When The Clock Strikes Fate’.

The two films will be premiered on Tuesday 18th September at 6.30pm at North Edinburgh Arts Centre to an audience that will include the cast and crew, their families and friends, invited guests and members of the public. The event will also feature a ‘making of’ documentary and a question and answer session with the young people involved followed by a small reception.

Seats are free and available on a first come, first served basis; so turn up early on the night to guarantee a seat!

SEE’s Creative Manager Graham Fitzpatrick said: “The project was a fantastic opportunity for North Edinburgh youngsters to learn how to make films, with two outstanding and mature dramas being produced. We look forward to the premiere and supporting the group as they build on the experience to produce more shorts, whilst the programme also rolls out to East and West Edinburgh from now until Christmas.”