Rosdeep Kular, the mother charged with murdering her three-year old son Mikaeel, will appear for a preliminary hearing at Edinburgh’s High Court this morning.
Kular, who is 34 and has four other children, is accused of beating him to death before putting his body in a suitcase and dumping him, STV News reported last night. She is also accused of failing to seek medical attention for Mikaeel.
Rosdeep Kular – who is appearing in court under her married name of Rosdeep Adekoya – is said to have punched her son Mikaeel on the head and body, hit his body against a hard object and caused blunt-force trauma injuries to his head and body at the family’s flat in Muirhouse.
She is then said to have put him in the boot of her car and driven his body first to his school, Flora Stevenson Primary, and then on to a relative’s home in Kirkcaldy where she is said to have hidden the suitcase under a bush in woodland behind the house.
Ms Kular is further accused of reporting Mikaeel missing from their home in Ferry Gait Crescent in Muirhouse on 16 January, allegedly saying her son had disappeared from the home.
Thousands of members of the public turned out to help search for Mikaeel when he was reported missing earlier this year, but the toddler’s body was discovered in Fife late on Friday 17 January.
Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) has been selected as part of a nationwide programme to bring Pop Up Tennis to disadvantaged young people.
The programme was established by national sports charity, StreetGames with one hundred Pop Up Tennis Clubs across the UK being funded by Lawn Tennis Association. This activity will enable the young people of Muirhouse to emulate the excitement of Wimbledon and get involved by playing tennis this summer.
Last summer, Andy Murray became Britain’s first men’s winner in 77 years and the country exploded with Murray-mania. This partnership aims to harness that excitement and help disadvantaged young
people get involved by creating clubs that are fun and vibrant. By holding the sessions on their doorsteps, the programme aims to help encourage a sporting a habit for life.
The programme follows on from the success of the 2013 partnership between StreetGames and the Lawn Tennis Association where 25 Pop-Up Tennis Clubs were created, engaging 720 young people from around the country. This year, the LTA has backed StreetGames to extend the programme so that thousands more will get the chance to play the sport with the Lawn Tennis Association funding the activity taking place in the UK, including young people from MYDG.
This partnership is a continuation of StreetGames’ work to make sport more accessible to young people living in disadvantaged communities. Currently there are 1.6 million young people who live in disadvantaged areas of the UK; recent research shows lowest-income households are most likely to have least active children, with the poorest households spending less than £2 a week on sport. StreetGames hope to combat this by getting young people engaged with Wimbledon and developing a sporting habit.
Ali Grant of MYDG said, “We’re really excited to be given a StreetGames Pop-Up Tennis Club. We now have a ‘sport-in- a- bag’ that we can take out onto the streets and green spaces of Muirhouse. Our Pop-Up Tennis Club has all the kit we need to get young people started playing tennis. So, look out for us over the summer holidays. Who knows, we might find the next Andy Murray right here in Muirhouse!”
Jane Ashworth OBE, CEO of StreetGames said, “Andy Murray’s triumph showed how sport can bring the nation together, we aim to take that inspiration and ensure disadvantaged young people can experience it on their own doorsteps. We know that the Pop-Up Tennis Clubs makes tennis fun for all and bring the excitement of Wimbledon to Muirhouse, Edinburgh.”
Michael Downey, Chief Executive of the LTA said: “Last year the StreetGames Pop-Up Tennis programme was a resounding success, bringing tennis to the doorstep to hundreds of young people across the country. We want to see more people playing more often which is why we’re very excited to extend the programme further, so even more young people can enjoy tennis this summer.”
Babolat, a leading global manufacturer of premium tennis equipment is also helping bring the Nadal touch to the young people’s lives by supplying rackets, balls and mini tennis nets for this year’s Pop Up Tennis programme.
Supporters gather at the start of Muirhouse Millennium Centre’s sponsored walk yesterday. All funds raised will support the community centre’s summer programme.
The playtalkread bus is in North Edinburgh next week, providing free fun activities for parents and carers and their children.
The bus will be hosting free storytelling and rhythm sessions and a range of play and activity sessions for children and their parents, to promote and raise awareness of the benefits of positive parental engagement with simple free activities and resources – which parents can then take home to further build upon the ideas and activities sessions with their children.
The activities are open to parents and children on a drop-in and information basis.
You can hop aboard the bus:
Tuesday 24 June – Morrisons, Ferry Road/Pilton Drive North
Wednesday 25 June – Muirhouse Shopping Centre
Thursday 26 June – Royston Wardieburn Community Centre
If you have any questions and or would like to arrange session times for groups of children and parents, call Hannah Mitchell on 0131 664 5390 or email hannah@workingonwheels.org
Once again Muirhouse Community Centre are raising funds for their month-long summer programme for the children of the area. The sponsored walk takes place on Friday 27 June, leaving the Centre at 1.30pm.
Every year, the local community and groups within the Centre and local people have responded to this fun-filled day – and TSB’s Black Horse have once again added their support alongside many other prominent companies.
The walk, which is supervised all the way, is to Cramond and ends in refreshments for all back at the Centre.
Sponsorship forms can be collected from the Centre Office during opening times. Bring the family or enjoy the day meeting friends, but have fun with us!
Full details on the Centre’s website @ www.muirhousecommnitycentre.co.uk
We are pleased to announce that four new children’s clubs opened in May.
These four clubs are funded for one year by the Social Justice Fund, Total Craigroyston and CLD.Each group will have space for 16 young people and be supported by at least two professional youth workers – they will run in 3 eight week blocks with a different focus for each block i.e. getting physically active, new hobbies, joining in wider community activity and a half day outdoor adventure.
There’s more info on muirhousecommunity centre.co.uk
and Muirhouse’s Betty is Inspiring Volunteer of the Year!
Edinburgh’s Volunteering Ambassador the Lord Provost Donald Wilson will honour some of the dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and commitment to the people of Edinburgh at a special awards ceremony taking place on tomorrow (Wednesday 4 June) during Volunteers’ Week.
Now eight years old, Edinburgh’s Inspiring Volunteering Awards reflect the exceptional range of organisations and individuals working in the city’s vibrant charity and non-profit sectors.
This year’s nominees include sports coaches and language teachers; fundraisers and befrienders; green fingered gardeners and inky fingered administrators as well as charity shop workers and guardians of our artistic heritage. We even have a group who don costumes to bring history to life.
A wide age range is represented and our nominees come from across the broad spectrum of cultures that make up our ever more diverse city.
This year there’s a new special recognition category of Tenant Participation Champion which recognises the work done by Community Councils and tenants organisations in fighting for the rights and improving the quality of life for those living in Edinburgh’s public and private rented sectors.
This year’s recipient of the “Lord Provost’s Inspiring Volunteer of the Year Award” is Betty Stevenson, the Chair of The Edinburgh Tenant’s Federation.
Betty has been a consistent champion for the rights of Edinburgh’s tenants for many years. Fearless and forthright, she has never been afraid to stand up to the powerful be they councillors or MSPs if she believes they are not doing enough to protect the most vulnerable. She expects the same level of commitment from everyone involved in ETF and leads by example.
Lord Provost Donald Wilson, said: “There are thousands of dedicated and inspiring volunteers in Edinburgh selflessly giving up their own time to help and support others. These awards are simply one way of recognising some of their tremendous work, and their contribution to the wellbeing of our city’s residents cannot be overstated.”
Kris Von Wald, Convenor of Volunteer Centre Edinburgh, said: “The Lord Provost has agreed to present these awards because he recognises how important volunteers are to Edinburgh and its residents. The Awards seek to acknowledge the hard work, commitment, energy and positive difference that volunteers make”.
Congratulations to Betty, and congratulations also to the following individuals who will receive Special Recognition Awards:
Arts, Culture & Heritage Volunteer
Dr Helen Bennett, Curation and cataloguing of the glass plate negative collection of George Paxton (1850-1904) at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Environment / Conservation Volunteer
Evie Murray, School Garden Clubs and Leith Croft Co-ordinator at Leith Community Crops in Pots
Fundraising Volunteer
Irene Schofield, Fundraising Volunteer at Gorgie City Farm
Health & Social Care Volunteer
Donald Peden, Befriender at Ecas
Long Standing Contribution to Volunteering Award
Reg Kingman, Former Chair of Drum Brae Community Council at Drum Brae Community Council
Sports Volunteer
Kate Graham, Coach Coordinator at Forth Canoe Club
Tenant Participation Champion *New category this year*
David Thomson, Chair Redbraes Residents Association at Redbraes Residents Association
Trustee Volunteer
Amelia Calvert, Chairperson (Trustee) at Eczema Outreach Scotland
Young Volunteer
Naomi Paton, Peer mentor at Citadel Youth Centre
The award ceremony has been organised by Volunteer Centre Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Compact Partnership. Should be a great night – there’s a lot to celebrate!
Betty (second from right) with ETF Executive Committee colleagues
Awards and nominations aplenty for Muirhouse Group …
I am happy to confirm that once again the hard work and dedication of the volunteers in TRIM (Tenants & Residents in Muirhouse) and the Community Shop have been recognised by others.
Three awards have been achieved and they will be presented by the Rt. Hon. Donald Wilson Lord Provost of Edinburgh on 4 June at the City Chambers.
The awards are –
Inspiring Volunteer Achievement Award 2014 for the TRIM Team
Inspiring Volunteer Team Award 2014 for the Community Shop volunteers managed by Robert Pearson, and
Inspiring Volunteer Individual Award 2014 for Robert Pearson
TRIM would publicly like to thank its volunteers in whatever role they have – its because of their hard work and dedication that TRIM is successful and able to make a difference in the community.
As well as the three Inspiring Volunteer Awards I can also tell you that Robert Pearson has been selected as one of the short-listed finalists for the Pride of Edinburgh Award. To be nominated for this award in itself is an honour but to be one of the three short-listed finalists is a real achievement so well done Robert and good luck!
The Pride of Edinburgh Award is for someone who may have supported an individual and/or a family, or who has made a significant contribution to the community. The award not only recognises, encourages and rewards people who make a difference within their community but inspires others to do the same.
The award will be made to an individual whose time, effort, support and aspirations have made a significant contribution within their community for the benefit of those who live there.
A 61 year old man has been charged under the Explosives Substances Act after an incident in Muirhouse at the weekend.
Fidra Court was cordoned off by police officers on Friday night after a number of suspicious packages were reported. Bomb disposal experts were called to the scene and residents were evacuated until the early hours of Saturday morning.
Police have confirmed that a 61-year-old man has now been charged and he is expected to appear in court later.
Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan said: “We are still in the early stages of our inquiry and I’d like to thank the public for their patience, particularly those who were evacuated at Fidra Court, while we worked to establish the circumstances of this incident.”
Rosdeep Kular, the mother charged with murdering her three-year old son Mikaeel, will appear for a preliminary hearing at Edinburgh’s High Court this morning.
