This is great opportunity to chat about local issues, share your thoughts. Whether you are looking to discuss specific concerns or just want to stop by and say hello.
Feel free to drop-in anytime during this session – no appointment necessary.
Exciting news from Pilton Community Health Project
We are happy to announce our new Autumn/ Winter #CommuunityWellbeingProgramme , featuring variety of group activities – some brand new and some beloved ones making comeback!
New Programmes:
Climate Cook Club where you can learn more about shopping, preparing and cooking healthy, delicious meals on a budget on a 5-week course
Family Cook Club – where all family can come together, cook together, learn healthy recipes and build lasting memories
Intro to Pilates – for everyone who wants to build the foundation for a strong core muscles, poster and general wellbeing.
Gentle exercise is designed for Every Body and Any Body. You can even practice it, while sitting on a chair.
And our Programmes that have already become classics:
Chat Cafe
Knit & Natter
M-Club
Men’s wellbeing in Nature
Women Outdoor Cooking Club
Women’ Wellbeing in Nature
Tiny Plates
Also Happy to continue Hosting Drop-ins of our Partner Organizations:
If it is, we have drop in sessions 1st Tuesday of the month 12-2 pm with Lee, a Link Worker from ‘Improving the Cancer Journey’, a Macmillan funded service to support people with the non clinical impact of cancer – money, work, the emotional impact & practical issues.
This service is open to families and carers too and offers everyone time to talk about what matters to them, helps them access local supports and services and be a listening ear/point of contact.
PCHP are pleased to welcome the Menopause Club back this evening (Monday 20th May )from 6.30pm – 8.30pm.
Led by Karen Anderson; an experienced, engaging and enthusiastic freelance facilitator. The Menopause Club is an opportunity to meet with other local women who are going through this transition and share experiences, advice and top tips. T
here’s usually tears and laughter in equal measure and the group is open to ALL local women going through peri and post menopausal symptoms.
Sometimes just being with others can be all it takes to realize you’re not alone. So grab your fan and come along for an evening of #connection.
We look forward to welcoming you soon. Any queries please get in touch via email: hello@pchp.org.uk
We’re pleased to announce that we have a new offering for local men here at PCHP. We’re opening up our community hub on Thursday mornings 10am – 11.30am for men to come together for a cuppa, chat and board game.
This is a great opportunity to meet new people and find out what else you could get involved in so get your game face on and come along.
Whether you’re a domino champ or just enjoy a light hearted game of scabby queen we’re sure you’ll find our community hub a welcoming space to #connect.
No need to book, just drop-in. Thursday 9th of May, runs weekly.
Did you know that we have a secret weapon right under our nose? One that can help us calm our nervous system; helping us to feel grounded, centered and connected to ourselves.
And what is this secret weapon I hear you ask…? Well, it’s the simple act of breathing mindfully.
Join me, Jules. on Monday mornings here at PCHP and together we’ll explore different breath practices that help not only improve our quality of breath but also help us relax and re-charge ready for the week ahead.
10-10.30am – Breathwork, seated warm-up and guided meditation
10.45-11.30am – Yoga Practice
*** Women Only ***
Want to know more? Get in touch with us via email: hello@pchp.org.uk
ASH Scotland celebrates 50 years of taking action of smoking and health by highlighting its collaborative community work in North Edinburgh
ASH Scotland kickstarted a series of nationwide community-focused events celebrating the charity’s 50th anniversary by highlighting its collaborative work with Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) in raising awareness of the harms caused by tobacco, and the free support that is available from the NHS to support people aiming to give up smoking.
Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Councillor Robert Aldridge, Foysol Choudhury MSP along with Edinburgh City Councillors Tim Pogson and Max Mitchell attended the celebration.
Founded in 1973 by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, ASH Scotland is one of four Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) charities, which were initially one UK-wide organisation and became independent of each other in 1993.
ASH Scotland’s headquarters are located on Frederick Street in the city centre and, as part of its engagement work, the charity offers information, training and support to help community groups and charities operating in communities in Edinburgh, across Lothian and throughout Scotland to tackle the use of tobacco and related products.
Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Councillor Robert Aldridge, said: “I’m delighted on behalf of the city of Edinburgh to congratulate ASH Scotland for reaching 50 years and delivering successful work taking action on smoking and health.
“We all hope Scotland will soon become tobacco-free and I’d particularly like to commend ASH Scotland on its work to prevent future generations growing up from addiction to tobacco and related products.”
Former MP, MSP and Health MinisterMalcolm Chisholm, a PCHP Board member, said: “It’s great to get together to celebrate 50 years of ASH Scotland and the charity’s amazing work in partnership with Pilton Community Health Project who, next year, will commemorate our 40th anniversary.
“ASH Scotland is a community wellbeing partner for our project, and we have shared origins with Sir John Crofton being instrumental in founding both organisations.
“At PCHP we work to address health inequalities, both social circumstances and behaviours such as smoking where there are much higher rates in the most deprived areas compared to the least disadvantaged. NHS Lothian has an important role in offering smoking cessation services, and project like ours, which has close relationships with communities, are also vital in encouraging local people to take steps towards better health.
“We very much look to ASH Scotland to continue to point the way forwards for all the actions that are needed to deliver a tobacco-free Scotland.”
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “Pilton Community Health Project, the oldest community health project in Scotland, was an ideal location to celebrate ASH Scotland’s 50th anniversary as both organisations have a shared heritage in the form of the late Sir John Crofton, a world leader in respiratory medicine who was a key figure in starting the charity, and his wife Dr Eileen Crofton, who became our first Director.
“Working in communities to support pioneering organisations such as PCHP in Pilton along with NHS in Scotland’s Quit Your Way services is a priority for ASH Scotland as we seek to raise much-needed awareness about the expert person-centred advice that is freely available from qualified health professionals to support people to quit smoking and help Scotland progress towards becoming a tobacco-free generation.”
Anyone with the goal of giving up smoking can contact a Quit Your Way adviser by calling the free helpline on 0800 848484 or create a quit plan at:
People struggling to manage their household finances can now benefit from increased support in a range of community settings thanks to a new accessible advice fund.
Almost £1 million has been distributed to partnerships between advice agencies and other local services such as schools, charities, hospitals and mental health services.
The fund will build on the success of the Welfare Advice and Health Partnerships initiative that put dedicated advisers into 180 GP practices in some of Scotland’s most deprived and rural areas – helping to reach those most in need.
Granton Information Centre launched the very first pilot in Scotland when they partnered with Muirhouse Medical Centre. Since that first successful partnership the outreach service has been expanded and GIC now delivers advice at GP practices across the city in Crewe Medical Centre, Ladywell, Barclays Medical Practice at East Craigs and Restalrig Park.
The new funding will enable Granton Information Centre to deliver new services in partnership with Pilton Community Health Project, The Ripple Project and Saheliya.
Two other Edinburgh projects have also received accessible advice funding. CHAI Edinburgh will partner with Rock Trust, and Harbour Homes (formerly Port of Leith Housing Association) with YMCA Edinburgh.
There will be a particular emphasis on providing advice to those who are traditionally hardest to help or who have not sought advice before.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “The cost of living crisis is putting many households across Scotland under huge strain. Advice services play an increasingly critical role across Scotland’s communities by helping people to access support and benefits they may be entitled to, as well as helping them to understand their rights.
“This funding is part of more than £12.3 million that the Scottish Government is providing this year to support income maximisation, welfare and debt advice services. It will ensure we provide people with advice in places where they are more likely to already be, and we will focus particularly on reaching families.
“We know that early access to advice can make a dramatic difference to people’s financial situation and prevent issues – including debt – escalating.”
Grants are being distributed on behalf of the Scottish Government by Advice UK, the largest support network for independent advice organisations in the UK.
Projects with a focus on families, including disabled or single parents, those caring for a disabled person and parents from minority ethnic communities are among those which have been successful in securing funding.
The scheme is funded in part through the Scottish allocation from the Debt Advice Levy, which is raised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority by applying a levy to UK Clearing banks and consumer credit businesses.
Evidence from the Glasgow Centre for Population Health has highlighted the success of embedding welfare advice in GP surgeries. Initial findings from an interim report, conducted by the Improvement Service and covering the period between January 2022 and March 2023, showed that 89% of the almost 10,000 Welfare Advice and Health Partnership service users were ‘new’ users of advice – highlighting that the provision of welfare advice in accessible and trusted settings is allowing wider populations to engage with vital services.
The Scottish Government estimates that more than 60,000 people were supported by Scottish Government-funded debt advice services in 2022-23.
Exciting news from Pilton Community Health Project
Intro to Pilates – for everyone who wants to build the foundation for a strong core muscles, poster and general wellbeing.
Chat Cafe
Knit & Natter
M-Club
Men’s wellbeing in Nature
Women Outdoor Cooking Club
Women’ Wellbeing in Nature
Tiny Plates
