Tag: participation

Iconic Davis Cup trophy visits Edinburgh

The next generation of tennis fans in Edinburgh were served a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a unique piece of the sport’s history as the famous Davis Cup by Rakuten trophy dropped into Craiglockhart Tennis Centre and The Meadows as part of a national tour to celebrate Scotland’s hosting of the illustrious competition.

Selected as one of four venues to host the Group Stage of the Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals, Glasgow’s Emirates Arena will stage Great Britain’s blockbuster Group D ties against USA, Kazakhstan and Netherlands between 13-18 September. Tickets for the event, priced from £10, will go on sale this Thursday (30th June) at 10am and can be purchased here.

Across an 11-stage tour, the trophy will drop-in at several inspirational locations that are continuing to play a pivotal role in broadening the accessibility of tennis in Scotland, helping to open up the sport to more people and building on record participation figures that have been recorded in recent years, with a 12% increase in players playing once or more a year over the past 12 months.

The trophy tour started in the Scottish Borders on Monday (27th June) at Earlston High School, one of Britain’s many educational establishments which are championing the school element of the LTA Youth programme, designed to attract and retain more children aged 4-18 in tennis.

Moving across Scotland, the trophy visited Craiglockhart Tennis Centre on Tuesday as the venue played host to the Scottish Junior Open, one of the largest Grade 2 tournaments in the country which is catering for 515 participating players who are aiming to follow in the footsteps of the tournament’s former 9 & Under champion, Emma Raducanu.

On Wednesday, the trophy then made the short trip to The Meadows which is the setting for the busiest park tennis site in Scotland, featuring 16 courts and a programme which boats excellent links with the community, local schools and The University of Edinburgh.

The tour aims to shine a spotlight on some of the programmes that are encouraging children to pick up a racket for the very first time, including the LTA Youth programme as well as LTA SERVES which is focussed on making tennis more accessible to children from underserved communities, and the Open Court Programme which enables disabled players to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of tennis.

Tennis Scotland and the LTA have coordinated the trophy tour to build momentum for September’s group stage matches whilst interest in the sport is heightened by the Wimbledon fortnight.

The trophy will now visit several inclusive schools, clubs, and venues as it travels the length of the country to Moray Sports Centre in Elgin; the first venue to benefit from the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund (TSIT).

Upcoming trophy tour events and locations:

  • 1st July – Clarkston Bowling and Tennis Club, Glasgow (10am-12 noon)
  • 3rd July – Bridge of Allan Tournament, Stirling (10am-1pm)
  • 4th July – Achieve More Scotland, Haghill Park Primary School, Glasgow (10am-12noon)
  • 5th July – Scotstoun Community Tennis Centre, Glasgow (10am-1pm)
  • 7th July – Elgin Tennis Club, Highlands (10am-12noon)
  • 7th July – Moray Sports Centre, Moray (2pm-5pm)
  • 8th July – West End Club, Dundee (12-4pm)

Standing at 110cm tall, the Davis Cup is one of the most recognisable trophies within the sporting world. Following in the lead of past winners including Scotland’s Andy Murray, Jamie Murray and current team captain Leon Smith, individuals across the nation are being handed the opportunity to witness the trophy up close before the ‘men’s world cup of tennis’ heads for Glasgow’s East End.

Following the Davis Cup Group Stage matches, the Emirates Arena will also host the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November after the International Tennis Federation announced that the ‘women’s world cup of tennis’ will return to Great Britain for the fourth time in its six-decade history.

Blane Dodds, Tennis Scotland Chief Executive, said: “Glasgow’s hosting of Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup matches is a massive boost for tennis in Scotland and comes at a time when interest in the sport has never been greater.

“We’re thrilled to bring two of the most coveted competitions to Scotland with the LTA, which will provide future players and fans of the game with the chance to experience top level tennis on their doorstep.

“The Davis Cup trophy tour provides the perfect opportunity to build momentum for the tournament and showcase the passion for tennis here in Scotland, whilst inspiring the next generation to follow their dreams of representing the nation on the international stage.”

Olly Scadgell, LTA Participation Director, said: “This is the perfect time for young people to pick up a racquet and get on court. We want to use the fact we are hosting the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King cups to bring more children into the sport and boost participation across the country.

“Our LTA Youth programme is designed to be easily accessible for all children, whatever their background or level of experience. Anyone interested in playing for the first time should go online and search for LTA Youth to find a course near them.”

An Art Strategy for Pennywell Living

Regeneration specialist Urban Union and the city council have appointed North Edinburgh Arts to deliver an engaging Art Strategy as part of its work at the Pennywell Living development in Edinburgh.

The strategy has community engagement at its core and will deliver three distinct outcomes: inspiring hoarding panels, a Creative Community Chest and new Pennywell Heritage/Art Trail.

Lead Artist Ross Macrae will kick start the strategy alongside a series of invited guests, who will create 10 engaging panels incorporating wayfinding and local icons to the existing hoarding around the Pennywell development.

A key strand of the strategy is community engagement and local young people will have the opportunity to attend masterclass sessions with Ross and the guest artists where they will demonstrate skills and techniques in spray painting and other mediums. The workshops and artwork creation have been running since April and are expected to continue into August.

With £3,000 available through the Creative Community Chest for micro projects across the North Edinburgh Arts membership area, local charities and constituted groups will also be able to apply for one of 10 grants of up to £300 which will be used to deliver creative content for the local community. The Creative Community Chest will be managed by the One City Trust and open over the summer.

The final element will be the introduction of a heritage/art trail for Pennywell. Appointed through an open call, the selected artist will create and deliver six permanent artworks in and around the Pennywell area.

With the aim of enhancing local pride, the artworks will become meeting points, way finders, conversation starters and points of connection. Local residents are invited to get involved in the process which will commence in September 2022 and over the following 12 months will include 24 engagement activities for all ages, culminating in the installation of the art in August 2023.

Neil McKay, managing director, Urban Union, said: “We have been an active member of the local community for the last eight years and we are pleased that our public art strategy for Pennywell is now in place. The regeneration that has already taken place in the area will only be further complemented and enhanced by these plans which will bring wider benefits.

“The key to making these three distinct programmes a success will be the involvement of the local community. The art which will be created needs to reflect the rich social heritage of the area and the character of the communities who live and work in and around the Pennywell area.

“We look forward to continuing our engagement with the local community as our Phase 3 works progress and to seeing their ideas come to life through the unique opportunity that our Arts Strategy will provide.”

Councillor Jane Meagher, housing, homelessness and fair work convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, added: “There is going to be so much to enjoy in North Edinburgh this summer. This programme is a real celebration of local people and all of the regeneration which has taken place.

“We’ve supported significant investment in Pennywell and Muirhouse, with new green spaces and a civic heart, brilliant sport and culture on the doorstep and plans for new community hub – plus of course hundreds of much needed, quality, affordable and social homes. It’s one of our 20 minute neighbourhood projects and you really can see the area flourishing.

“What’s been so special throughout this redevelopment is that residents have been really involved, with projects empowering people to reconnect with their area and initiatives to welcome new neighbours in. North Edinburgh Arts has been central to this and will now help us to bring permanent artworks to the area, which local people will also shape. We can’t wait to see the entries.”

Kate Wimpress, director, North Edinburgh Arts, commented: “North Edinburgh Arts has worked with Urban Union over the last eight years bringing creativity and community to each stage of the development. This has ranged from one off craft workshops, and arts activities for young people, to the development of temporary play spaces, and the permanent, much loved, Butterfly Garden on Pennywell Road.

“With support from Urban Union and the City of Edinburgh Council this current set of projects allow us to tap into local interests, expertise and enthusiasm once again and we look forward to sharing the results and the pride of our place with local residents, neighbours and visitors alike.”

Urban Union is developing 134 new homes and apartments as part of Phase 3 works at Pennywell Living and has been working in conjunction with the City of Edinburgh Council since 2014 to regenerate Pennywell, creating a vibrant residential area.

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils meets online this Thursday

The Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) will meet on Thursday 26 May, at 7pm on Zoom.

(See the Zoom link at the foot of this email.)

*** Agenda ***

1. Presentation by Charlie Raeburn on the ‘Observatory for Sport in Scotland’.

This is a community sports initiative — involving central and local government, as well as the private sector — aimed at tacking Scotland’s health and activity crisis. (See https://oss.scot.)

2. Best practice for community council treasurers? Solutions to banking problems for small organizations? Discussion led by Judy Wightman, EACC Treasurer and Chair of Ratho & District Community Council. 

3. Removal of litter bins from parks and greenspaces. Issue to be raised by Tim Parker, Trinity Community Council.

4. Any other business.

EACC meeting, 26 May 2022 19:00 

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8213251547?pwd=cVM5Y1pQZFUrZVV2cnIwUDV1MjF5QT09

SIMON HOLLEDGE

Secretary, Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC)

Simon.Holledge@gmail.com

@EdinCCs

Equality Network volunteers help shape housing service of the future

A GROUP of volunteers is being assembled to shape a leading housing provider’s future equality framework and policy.

Leading housing provider, Bield has committed to putting its tenants and community members at the forefront of decisions on equality, launching its bespoke ‘Equality Network’ group.

The network will be made up of tenants and Bield officers who will work together with the aim of increasing awareness and understanding of the needs of people with protected characteristics and while working to ensure the necessary services are provided to them.

This is one of many tenant-led initiatives at Bield as it focuses on achieving more participation and engagement amongst service users.

Head of Policy at Bield, Zhan McIntyre, who has been overseeing the launch said: “The need for an equality group was identified as part of the last tenant engagement strategy. We’ve since placed a greater focus on people with protected characteristics to ensure there is a safe space to voice needs and opinions.

“The network hopes to engage people to both discuss their needs and also identify what we could do differently to further develop the inclusive features that already exist.

“The volunteers who take part are absolutely essential as they will shape how our equality framework will look and work here out, so we’d love to hear from anyone interested in joining.”

Anyone who is currently a customer of Bield and is passionate about improving the services is welcome to join. Members are required to attend quarterly meetings but do not need any particular skill sets or knowledge.

The principal idea behind the network is to diversify the body of people at Bield who are in charge of influencing and implementing policy with a hope that a variety of cultures, backgrounds and experiences will lend itself to a more holistic and representative committee. 

To join contact: feedback@bield.co.uk or visit https://www.bield.co.uk/tenant-engagement-and-participation for more information.

Bield’s ‘Free to Be’ ethos is also promoted with this project through encouraging older people across its 180 developments to live independent, social lives by working with their peers and sharing their own ideas.

To find out more about Bield, visit https://www.bield.co.uk/housing-and-other-services or follow them on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland.

Forth Neighbourhood Network meets online tomorrow evening

6pm via MICROSOFT TEAMS

FORTH Neighbourhood Network will meet online tomorrow evening at 6pm.

AGENDA

  1. Welcome & Apologies
  2. Notes of Meeting of 19th January 2022 and matters arising (circulated)
  3. Forth NN Neighbourhood Environmental Programme (NEP) HRA update – George Norval / David Delargy
  4. Forth NN current Priority: Poverty, including food poverty update – Biddy Kelly, Response and Recovery Group
  5. Community Grants Fund – review of the past year plus funding panel decisions
  6. Any other Business
  7. Dates of Next Meetings:   22nd June 2022, 14th Sept 2022, 14th Dec 2022.

For further information please contact Elaine Lennon, North West Lifelong Learning Development Officer, telephone 529 5270, email Elaine.Lennon@edinburgh.gov.uk

Community councillors to meet council candidates at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

DRYLAW Telford Community Council will meet tomorrow (Wednesday 27th April) at 7pm in Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre..

With the council elections just a week away, the Community Council has invited Inverleith ward candidates along for an informal opportunity to meet CC members and find out what issues are important to them.

Unfortunately the meeting is not open to the public.

Secretary Pam Higgins explained: “Due to covid restrictions – room size specifically – we cannot accommodate an open meeting at present.

“This is a meeting for the candidates to meet their potential Community Council so that the transition is easier post elections. We hope that in the near future we can fully open up to the community again.”

The following ten candidates are standing in Inverleith:

  • Jule BANDEL – Scottish Green Party
  • Stuart HERRING – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
  • Phil HOLDEN – Scottish Family Party: Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Life
  • Tam LAIRD – Scottish Libertarian Party
  • Stephen MCNAMARA – Independent
  • Max MITCHELL – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
  • Mhairi MUNRO-BAIN – Labour and Co-operative Party
  • Vicky NICOLSON – Scottish National Party (SNP)
  • Hal OSLER – Scottish Liberal Democrats
  • Malcolm Alexander WOOD – Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Four of them will be elected to represent Inverleith next Thursday.

Inverleith councillors elected last time (May 2017) were:

Gavin BARRIE – Scottish National Party (SNP)

Max MITCHELL – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Hal OSLER – Scottish Liberal Democrats

Iain WHYTE – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils: Spring Update

After the series of four winter meetings in November, December, January and February — when we approved a new constitution for EACC — we’ve taken a pause before our next ordinary meeting, provisionally scheduled for Thursday 26 May at 7pm on Zoom. 

Please let me know if you want to raise any particular issue at the May meeting. 

In the future, we may resume the special meetings that were a feature of EACC activities in 2020-1, when we covered public spaces management, carbon neutrality, and biodiversity. 

Possible future subjects are local democracy, best practice on making and analysing consultations, and practical approaches to energy efficiency and de-carbonization. We may also include the ‘held-over’ subject of guidance for community council treasurers.

The EACC Appeal (for funding – Ed.) was successful. As of now, we have received at least £700 from some 16 community councils. We hope this will enable us to to pay for a minutes secretary and establish a new website. We will also have a new bank account. 

The edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk domain is no longer functional — it always was problematic — so my email address is now Simon.Holledge@gmail.com.

SIMON HOLLEDGE

Secretary, Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC)

Forth and Inverleith Voluntary Sector Forum meets today

Forth and Inverleith Voluntary Sector Forum will meet meet online today – Wednesday 30th March – at 1.30pm.

Draft notes from the last meeting are attached.

For meeting login details please contact EVOC Community Planning Development Worker Kate Barrett on 0131 555 9100 or email kate.barrett@evoc.org.uk

18.01.22-Forth-Inverleith-VSF-Draft-NotesDownload