General Election 2015: your questions matter!

Come along and ask candidates the questions that matter to you! Pilton Community Health Project will be holding hustings in each of the two constituencies in the area.

Candidates for Edinburgh North and Leith have been invited to attend hustings on Thursday 19 March from 6.30 – 8pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. A light soup supper will be available from 6 with questions starting from 6.30. The event will be Chaired by the very able Harry Woodward.

Candidates for Edinburgh West have been invited to attend hustings on Thursday 26 March from 6.30 -8pm at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre. A light soup supper will be available from 6 with questions starting from 6.30. The event will be Chaired by the very able Harry Woodward.

Get in touch if you would like some help with childcare or have any questions – contact Anita on 0131 551 1671.

Food for Thought Forum meets on Wednesday

‘Run by the community, for the community’

Food for Thought Forum (supported by Pilton Community Health Project) exists to link and increase local community food activity in the Greater Pilton area.

Whetted your appetite? The Forum is meeting at Pilton Community Health Project on Boswall Parkway this Wednesday (26 November) from 9.30 – 11.30am.

For more information visit www.foodforthoughtforum.org.uk

Local Health Project looking for leaders

We are looking for

VOLUNTEERS WITH ATTITUDE …

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE !

Are you the kind of person that sees a problem and wants to fix it?

Is your glass always half full? Do you have a skill that you can share with others or would you like to develop new skills?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions then read on…

Pilton Community Health Project is currently looking for Physical Activity LEADERS!

Would you like to lead a group of your own? Would you like to GET MORE INVOLVED in your community? Do you think you have what it takes to encourage others to get moving? If so, then we may have the perfect opportunity for you!

We have been encouraging and supporting local people to start up their own activities. So far we have a Bollywood dancing group and a weekly Walk/Jog Group. We would also welcome IDEAS and SUGGESTIONS for BRAND NEW ACTIVITIES.

Our walk/jog group is expanding fast and there is room for people to get involved in this activity. Here’s what some of our existing volunteers have to say about being an activity leader:

‘Becoming a walk/jog leader has given me something to focus on when not working and chance to contribute to society. It has also given me structure to my day so I have something to do.’

Phil (walk/jog leader)

‘I’ve been dancing Bollywood my whole life and I’ve always dreamt about teaching others to dance too. Volunteering as a dance leader with PCHP has given me the chance to share my love of Bollywood. Leading my own session each week has made me believe I have the skills to be a good teacher. I have met lots of new people from my community, people of all ages and backgrounds. I am proud to live in North Edinburgh.’

Savita Purran

Volunteering can be a highly beneficial and rewarding experience. It can increase confidence and self-esteem. It can also open the door to training and employment and there are great social benefits too!

Over the last year, our fabulous team of physical activity volunteers has grown from strength to strength. In fact, some of them are even award winning!

Pilton Community Health Project’s walking volunteers have just won the ‘Paths for All volunteer group of the year award’. The award recognised their dedication and team spirit that has been key to the success and expansion of the walking programme.

The ‘walking with us’ volunteers are passionate about walking and how being active can address health inequalities. Without volunteers, the project wouldn’t be able to offer an increasingly wide range of opportunities for local people. Together they effectively manage the walking groups and help others ‘take steps’ toward improving their health and wellbeing.

“I don’t volunteer to get awards, but I felt honoured that we were given our award in the Parliament – it felt that our work was really acknowledged even at the highest level,” said volunteer Liz.

If you are interested in finding out more about physical activity volunteer opportunities on offer you can:

telephone 0131 551 1671

email liannepipskyj@pchp.org

or claresymonds@pchp.org.uk

or visit www.pchp.org.uk for more information

Pilton group walks off with award!

PILTON COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT VOLUNTEERS ‘WALK’ AWAY WITH AN AWARD!

We are delighted to announce that the Pilton Community Health Project walking volunteers have won an award from the Scottish charity Paths for All.

The award for ‘Health Walk Volunteer group of the Year’ will be presented by Shona Robison MSP at the charity’s annual celebration ceremony ‘Celebrating Scotland’s Walking Champions’ tomorrow (Tuesday 4 Novomber) at the Scottish Parliament.

The ceremony recognises the achievements of volunteers from across the country and their contribution to making Scotland more active.

The Pilton Community Health Project walking volunteers have won the award for their dedication and team spirit; this has been key to the success and expansion of the walking programme.

The team consists of eleven highly motivated volunteers who are all passionate about walking and how it can address health inequalities. Without them, the project wouldn’t be able to offer an increasingly wide range of opportunities for local people.

Together they effectively manage the walking groups and help others take steps toward improving their health and wellbeing.

Congratulations to all!

Job opportunities at Pilton Community Health Project

Pilton Community Health Project is recruiting:

PILTON COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT

Development Worker – Food

Job Title: Development Worker – Food

Working hours: 14 hrs per week

Rate of pay: £23,232 pro rata plus 6% contribution to pension scheme on completion of probationary period

This post is funded for 1 year and PCHP hope to secure ongoing funding. This post is funded by City of Edinburgh Council.

Closing date: 12 noon, Monday 7th of July
Interviews: Thursday 17th July

Job Description:
The main scope of this role is to develop and deliver an imaginative programme of new food activities to local people on low-incomes in the area of Greater Pilton in North Edinburgh. The programme will complement, add value and contribute to a culture of community food activity already offered by PCHP. The programme will offer relevant and appropriate opportunities to learn, understand, plan, cook and eat good food and increase nutritional skills through a range of activities and services.

This role will also use and be informed by locally developed and appropriate social marketing and motivational branding to raise community awareness and ownership of health improvement through positive food messages.

For more information and a job pack

Call us on 0131 551 1671
Email admin@pchp.org.uk
Website http://www.pchp.org.uk/job-opportunities/

Development Worker – Living in Harmony (Maternity Cover)

Job Title: Development Worker – Living in Harmony

Working hours: 17.5hrs per week

Rate of pay: £23,232 pro rata plus 6% contribution to pension scheme on completion of probationary period

This post is funded until end March 2015. We hope to continue funding beyond this date. The post is funded by the Scottish Government.

Closing date: 12 noon, Monday 7th of July
Interviews: Tuesday 15th July
Start Date: Week commencing 25th August

Job Description/Purpose of job:

PCHP has received funding for a part time worker to encourage, support and deliver activities that would increase opportunities for integration between different ethnic communities living in the Greater Pilton area.

PCHP is looking for a community development worker with a proven track record working with a range of partners. Previous experience of working with a range of ethnic community and understanding of the issues facing equalities groups would be an advantage.

For more information and a job pack

Call us on 0131 551 1671
Email admin@pchp.org.uk
Website http://www.pchp.org.uk/job-opportunities/

Moving on up: prestigious award for local Health Project

Pilton Community Health Project has won an award for Moving Forward, a review featuring an innovative programme of activities with the local community.

Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) is one of North Edinburgh’s longest-established community organisations, first set up as the Health Hut almost thirty years ago. Over that time the PCHP team has worked tirelessly to improve health and wellbeing across the area, so it’d great to hear that PCHP’s efforts have been recognised – PCHP has just won a prestigious Physical Activity and Health Alliance (PAHA) ‘Community Wide Programme’ award from NHS Scotland for the Moving Forward initiative.

‘Moving Forward’ used exciting, innovative research techniques to explore how to involve the community in encouraging people to become more active. It found that local people would like to be supported to take part in informal, community led activities in local spaces.

Lianne Pipskyj and Clare Symonds, Physical Activity Development Workers at PCHP who co-ordinated the Moving Forward review explained “The value of the work we do is that we do it together, in partnership with other organisations and local people. We have also established a forum which strengthens these relationships, lets us be creative and helps us all improve what we do”

The report also found out that increasing the use of local green spaces and cycle paths would remove obstacles to getting active.

Savita Purran (pictured above) who’s been dancing Bollywood for more than 20 years is dancing for joy at the news of the award. Savita is now sharing her skills and enthusiasm by leading her own class in Muirhouse, having been supported and encouraged by the PCHP team. Savita told us, “Its excellent news! I have been able to follow my dream of teaching Bollywood which gets people active while having fun.”

Shona Robison said: “I’m delighted to congratulate Pilton Community Health Project on their success in the Physical Activity and Health Alliance Awards (PAHA) 2014. It’s fantastic to know that there is so much innovative and truly deserving work taking place around Scotland to make the nation more active’’.

The award will be presented at the 7th National PAHA Conference, which is being held on 24 April at Murrayfield and will be aattended by Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona Robison.

Congratulations to all at PCHP!

PCHP_MovingForward

Ease into Exercise at Spartans

Please let anyone you think would benefit know about this great new physical activity opportunity and share around your networks!

The physical activity team at Pilton Community Health Project have partnered up with The Spartans Football Club to develop a brand new physical activity programme for people with a range of inhibiting conditions.

The ‘Ease into Exercise’ sessions will be of great benefit to those with a range of health issues such including;

Cardiac rehab (Phase IV)
Stroke rehab
Diabetes
Obesity
Bone & Joint problems
MS/ME
Respiratory disorders (Asthma, COPD)
Mild/moderate mental health issues

Participants will receive expert advice, instruction and guidance throughout the session. The session will consist of a safe warm up and circuit type exercises that will help improve their functional/CV fitness, strength, endurance and flexibility. The instructor is fully qualified and experienced in exercise prescription for people with the range of inhibiting conditions detailed above. The sessions will be of a great physical, mental and social benefit to those who attend. Ease into Exercise promises to be effective, safe, fun and affordable at only £2 per person. Details about the class are as follows:

When: Mondays 10.45 -11.30am (Starting on 11^th November)

Where: Spartans Football Club, Ainslie Park Stadium (off Pilton Drive)

We also have a programme of volunteer-led health walks that take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. These are accessible to people looking for a gentle introduction to becoming more active. The walks are great way of familiarising people with their local area, addressing any concerns people have about safety and enabling walkers to meet new people.

If you know anyone who would benefit from taking part any of these activities, or if you have any questions please get in touch with me on 0131 551 1671 or email liannepipskyj@pchp.org.uk

For more information on health walks contact claresymonds@pchp.org.uk

Lianne Pipskyj, Community Development Worker (Physical Activity) PCHP

Adios, Anita!

Anita Aggarwal, popular Senior Development Worker at Pilton Community Health Project, is taking a career break and is off with her family on the adventure of a lifetime – to South America!

You can follow Anita’s progress on her blog at

http://anitaisraandmiguelsgreatadventure.wordpress.com/

Good luck, Anita – it was great working with you and we’ll be following your adventures all the way!

Anita serves up smoothies to NEN charity walkers

Geraldine O’Riordan fills Anita’s role at PCHP and she can be contacted by email at geraldineoriordan@pchp.org.uk or telephone 551 1671.

Health Project seeks new Board members

Pilton Community Health Project is a fast-changing organisation which has been working with local people to overcome health inequalities in north Edinburgh for more nearly 30 years.

We are currently recruiting motivated and dedicated people to join our Board of Directors. We value people’s life experience as well as their qualifications and are looking to achieve a good balance on our Board. Its an exciting time for us, we are revisiting our vision and if you were to join us, you would have a real opportunity to shape the direction of our work for the next 30 years!

We are particularly keen to recruit people who live locally and want to make a difference to people’s health in the area.

If you are interested call Project Manager, Jen Richards on 0131 551 1671 to find out more about what it would involve. Have a look at our website and facebook page to find out more about what we do and what goes on in the area.

www.pchp.org.uk

www.facebook.com/PiltonCommunityHealthProject

Anita Aggarwal

Senior Development Worker (Health Inequalities)

Pilton Community Health Project

73 Boswall Parkway

Edinburgh, EH5 2PW

PCHP: think about health in a different way

Pilton Community Health Project has been speaking to people in North Edinburgh about issues affecting their lives – especially about physical activity and what they think is important in this area. Many of the same themes come up again and again such as safety, dog mess and underuse of greenspaces.

We want to look at things in a different way and work together to come up with inspiring solutions.

Are you someone

· Who thinks differently?
· Who likes to get involved in their local area, with local people.
· Who likes solving problems?
· Who has energy and enthusiasm!
Who is interested in physical activity?

We invite you to join us in some inspiring and thought provoking sessions thinking in a different way

What it will be

Fun, interesting, thought provoking, possibly it may even transform your life!

We will provide

Food, drink, childcare and fun

Wednesday 29 May & Wed 5 June

times and venue to be confirmed

Interested? Please contact Clare or Lianne on 0131 551 1671

Move It, Pilton Community Health Project

73 Boswall Parkway

Edinburgh EH5 2PW

http://www.pchp.org.uk/