Tag: People Know How

Scottish charities to receive share of £1.2 million ScottishPower funding

LIFECARE and PEOPLE KNOW HOW among the winners

An inspiring project to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into STEM careers is among six charities across Scotland set to benefit from a funding boost from the ScottishPower Foundation.

Some of the most forward-thinking and progressive charities across the country will use this backing to support vulnerable people, local communities and the environment.

Twenty charities across Scotland, England and Wales have been awarded funding totalling almost £1.2 million for projects committed to tackling current issues, from cost-of-living support and raising aspirations for the next generation to protecting the environment and celebrating cultural diversity.

An exciting new project from Archaeology Scotland, Energy Through Time, is helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop transferable skills and build their understanding in STEM subjects.

Through the project, young people will harness the power of the past by exploring the historic green spaces around Newbattle Abbey College with the task of creating innovative solutions for future energy sustainability, enabling them to become climate ambassadors for the future.

Supported by the ScottishPower Foundation, the first courses of the project will be kicking off as part of Meaningful May, a programme of activity offered to young people who are not sitting exams in school, with the aim of supporting them into a positive destination.

Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and Trustee at the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “The Energy Through Time project is helping young people to look into the past to inspire their very own future in STEM, supporting them in developing a host of skills and become the next generation of climate ambassadors.

“At the ScottishPower Foundation we always want to nurture projects that we believe will make a real difference, not only to our planet but to our local communities and the people within them. That is why it’s important for us to recognise and boost the incredible work of charities across the UK.

“It is always a challenge to narrow down the number of applications, but we sincerely believe we have selected a group of incredible organisations that we are thrilled to be in partnership with over the next year. We can’t wait to see what they all achieve.”

Jane Miller, Learning Officer at Archaeology Scotland, said: “At Archaeology Scotland we engage and connect young people with their local heritage, helping them develop new skills while raising aspirations for work and further learning.

“This project gives us the opportunity to use archaeology to grow STEM literacy amongst young people from areas where people are experiencing disadvantage across various aspects of their lives.

“We’re extremely grateful to the ScottishPower Foundation for supporting this new project which forms part of our Attainment Through Archaeology courses, designed to offer all people the chance to develop and grow, whatever their background.”

Another charity benefiting from this funding initiative is People Know How, an innovation charity in Edinburgh that aims to improve wellbeing across communities by supporting people to overcome social barriers and thrive.

The ScottishPower Foundation’s funding will support the Reconnect: Digital & Wellbeing Community Support project which seeks to help eradicate digital exclusion by providing place-based digital support in collaboration with local community partners.

By working directly with local communities, the team are creating connections between people who may otherwise feel isolated in society.

The ScottishPower Foundation will also be supporting Hope Kitchen, an Oban-based charity looking to help those in need through food, friendship and fellowship. Pilot Upcycle and Repair Shop: Oban provides affordable food, clothing and homeware whilst also reducing waste.

The funding from the ScottishPower Foundation will allow Hope Kitchen to deliver workshops and events to enable people to learn the skills to repair and upcycle, whilst the shop aims to alleviate the impacts of poverty, specifically by reducing food and textile waste.

With more than £13 million given out to charitable initiatives across Britain over the past 11 years, including more than 230 grants, the ScottishPower Foundation is continuing to support a range of worthy causes, ranging from helping the next generation into STEM careers and reducing isolation among older people to helping enhance the biodiversity of our habitats.

A full list of the 2024 ScottishPower Foundation funded projects are:

·         Archaeology Scotland

·         Hope Kitchen SCIO

·         LifeCare Edinburgh

·         Glencoe Folk Museum

·         Volunteering Hebrides

·         People Know How

·         Pan Intercultural Arts

·         Cheshire Wildlife Trust (CWT)

·         Lancashire Women

·         Brass Bands England

·         The Rachel Kay Shuttleworth Textile Collections

·         Four Corners

·         Young Roots

·         Deafblind UK

·         The Magdalen Environmental Trust

·         Wintercomfort for the homeless

·         The Renewal Trust

·         Footprints Conductive Education Centre Ltd.

·         Tenovus Cancer Care

·         Techniquest

Job opportunities with People Know How

We’re looking for three Project Coordinators to join our young people’s service!

You’ll work as part of a team supporting children, young people and their families in the transition from primary to secondary school in Edinburgh or East Lothian.

Apply now: https://peopleknowhow.org/work-with-us

#Edinburgh

#EastLothian

#ChildrenAndYoungPeople

#YouthWork

Cyber Safety Information Session

THURSDAY 22 FEBRUARY from 2 – 4pm

at WEST PILTON NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

🔒💻 Join us for a Cyber Safety Information Session!

📍 Where: West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre (19 West Pilton Grove, Edinburgh EH4 4BY)

🗓️ When: Thursday, 22 February, 2pm – 4pm

🆓 Free event! Sign up in advance to secure your place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/make-it-happen-cyber…

ℹ️About the session:

Learn how to stay safe online, protect your personal information, and recognise risks of fraud, scams, and identity theft at this free information session!

Presented by North Edinburgh Arts’ Make it Happen project in partnership with People Know How.

For more information or questions, please email Asia at asia@northedinburgharts.co.uk.

🌟 Proudly supported by the Scottish Ecosystem Fund 2023-24.

Free digital support helpline provided by People Know How

The Connecting Scotland Helpline provides digital support to anyone in Scotland. It is free to call and is open from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. 

Anyone can call this freephone number and receive support and advice on topics including:

  • Using devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktop computers
  • Connecting to the internet
  • Navigating the web and social media
  • Completing everyday tasks online
  • Connecting with the community, family and friends
  • Managing finances, paying bills and saving money online
  • Reducing costs (energy, data plans, shopping, etc.)
  • Finding opportunities for education and employment
  • Feeling less isolated and having someone to talk to

The helpline is run by charity People Know How, in partnership with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). It forms part of the charity’s Reconnect service, which aims to improve digital inclusion across Scotland.

Part of the wider Connecting Scotland scheme set up during the pandemic, the helpline was set up to support those who received devices as part of that programme. It has since been expanded to help anyone in Scotland who needs digital support, regardless of whether they interacted with the original scheme.

“Thank goodness for Connecting Scotland…We felt we were living in the 19th century; now we’ve joined the 21st century, and we’re enjoying every moment of it!” – Greta & Heidi, helpline callers

The charity has supported thousands of people through the helpline. 

Sisters Greta and Heidi received iPads that made their life in a rural part of Scotland much easier, with continual support from the helpline that allowed them do things like order food and essentials to their home instead of making the 60-mile round trip to the nearest shop.

David was able to solve connectivity issues after recently moving to Scotland, allowing him to apply for local college courses and build his skills as he supports his family. 

Mary still calls in regularly for advice after the team supported her to regain access to her iPad, which is vital in her life to access medicine and food and to communicate with friends and family.

Rachel eased her worries online and improved her knowledge of online safety, learning about spotting spam emails and identifying trustworthy websites. 

The helpline is available to anyone who needs it, whether you’re an individual in need of advice, or a support worker or community organisation looking for a helpful resource to refer those you support to.

Call the helpline today for free digital support and advice: 0800 0 590 690


Find out more at: https://peopleknowhow.org/reconnect/#connecting-scotland

Tomorrow: Winter Warmer at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

COMMUNITY EVENT – WEDNESDAY 29 NOVEMBER from 9.30am

Make Edinburgh greener: Vote for your favourite environmental projects

EDINBURGH COMMUNITY CLIMATE FUND

You have five votes – but you must vote by 12th March.

Dozens of organisations have applied for a share of the £100,00 budget. Here are just a few of the projects looking for your support:

Seedlings to Seniors (Corstorphine Community Centre)

We need your votes for the CCC project ‘Seedlings to Seniors’ to get a share in the Edinburgh Community Climate Fund.

Full details of how to vote are on our website here : 

https://corstorphinecommunitycentre.org.uk

or go straight to the Council page listing the projects at: 

https://yourvoice.edinburgh.gov.uk/budgets/1/investments

Note: registration with mygovscot is required in order to vote.

Edinburgh Climate Festival (ELREC)

Hey Edinburgh community!

The voting for the Edinburgh Community Climate Fund from The City of Edinburgh Councilis open and our project, Edinburgh Climate Festival is a part of it.

We need your help to make The Edinburgh Climate Festival a reality, so please vote for our project today!

You have 5 votes to support not only our project but other outstanding ones as well.

Here’s a guide on how to vote for The Edinburgh Climate Festival:

Step one: If you’re an adult, register on myaccount https://www.mygov.scot/myaccount to cast your vote. This is a secure online portal that provides access to various public services using a single login ID and password. You can find a registration guide on the Edinburgh Council website. Young people under 18 can vote through Young Scot https://getyournec.scot/ using their Young Scot NEC number.

Step two: Once your account is active, visit Your Voice website : https://yourvoice.edinburgh.gov.uk/ and sign in using your myaccount details.

Help us create a sustainable future for Edinburgh!🌎🌲🍃

#VoteNow#SustainabilityMatters#GreenerEdinburgh

Community wellbeing for climate impact (Ferryhill Parent Council)

We are a parent council groups that’s passionate able helping the children learn and thrive in the community.

This project will enable us to create a forest school within the school grounds, giving the whole school the ability to learn more about climate through hands on learning.

We will also be looking to add to the schools existing orchard with some raised beds for the children to grow food and learn about sustainable practice. We also plan on linking up with the local community centre to support the garden project.

Starter Packs Project (Fresh Start)

Since 1999 Fresh Start has been supporting people moving on from homelessness to ‘make a home for themselves’ across Edinburgh. Responding to people with lived experience of homelessness we provide practical support as people move on from temporary accommodation into new unfurnished tenancies.

Our service-users typically are allocated unfurnished properties and do not have the means to purchase the goods that make a home. Fresh Start provides Starter Packs of essential household goods – crockery, pots/pans, bedding, towels – to homeless households within the first 3 days of them moving in to their new tenancies, relieving financial burden and ensuring they have the essentials they need to settle in their new home.

We supply 13 different Starter Packs of quality used-household goods which are donated by the public and local businesses. Teams of volunteers gather in these donations and sort them in our warehouse for distribution.  

In 2022 we distribute 14,430 packs and helped over 2,000 people moving out of temporary Housing. We diverted 75,500 kg (75.5 t.) of goods from landfill.

Community Shed (North Edinburgh Arts)

Vote for the North Edinburgh Arts Community Shed and support our ambitions for a more sustainable future!

Our Community Shed has been nominated for The City of Edinburgh Council‘s Edinburgh Community Climate Fund, and you can vote for it as part of the public participatory budgeting process until 12th March.

The primary focus of the Community Shed is to reuse wood and wooden furniture to enable our members to make and mend things for their homes, gardens and communities. Each year in Scotland we throw away tons of stuff into landfill, including wood and furniture, that should be recycled, reused, mended or made into something completely different and the Community Shed does its bit to convert this waste into useful and beautiful things.

Since its launch four years ago, the Shed has become a key community project in North Edinburgh with over 150 members. Being part of the Community Shed has a significantly positive impact on our members’ lives by improving their self-confidence, giving them meaning and purpose, making new friends and social connections, as well as providing them with an informal support network.

The Edinburgh Community Climate funding will enable us to purchase new much-needed technical equipment to cut and process wood, which will help speed up our processes while also significantly improving the quality of our output.

Please support our work and help create a greener community by casting your vote today!

This is a chance for you to decide how the Edinburgh Council money is spent on things that matter to you and your community.

Vote online at yourvoice.edinburgh.gov.uk/budgets/1/investments/10 by using/creating your own account.

For those under 18 wishing to vote this can be done through Young Scot using your Young Scot NEC number. School libraries will be offering supported voting too.

If you would like to vote in person, please visit your local library.

For information for our local residents, Muirhouse Library is currently located in the foyer of Edinburgh College Granton campus near Morrisons (350 West Granton Road), and its opening times are as follows:

Monday – Friday: 10am to 5pm

Saturday: 10am to 4pm

Make sure you vote before 12 March.

Thank you for your support, and please share with your friends and families as every vote counts! 💙💙💙

All Aboard for Climate Action (People Know How)

The All Aboard canal boat run by People Know How and Polwarth Parish Church has been shortlisted in the Edinburgh Climate Community Fund to receive funding to run climate change sessions with children and young people on the Union Canal.

These organisations are now looking for votes from the public, which will decide the final projects that will receive the funding. 

The climate change sessions will focus on engaging children and young people with nature and the local environment and exploring the impact of climate change. Using fun and engaging activities, we will introduce them to small everyday actions that they can take at home and in their community to help tackle climate change. 

The sessions will be open to pupils from local primary schools that People Know How work with as part of their Positive Transitions service, supporting children, young people and families in the transition to secondary school.

They will draw on the charity’s established experience of running groups across Edinburgh and East Lothian, including previous sessions on All Aboard that have introduced young people to a green space in the heart of their community, seeing plants and wildlife up close. 

All Aboard was launched in 2021 and aims to nurture community cohesion and wellbeing in an innovative space on the Union Canal. It is open to the community, serving as a safe space in which to explore the canal, find new experiences and socialise, while surrounded by nature. 

To vote, visit the webpage below and select All Aboard for Climate Action as one of your five projects. Voting is open to all Edinburgh residents over the age of 8 and can be done online or at your local public library. Please note, you must use all 5 votes for your selections to be valid.

Further instructions can be found via the link below.

Vote today: https://yourvoice.edinburgh.gov.uk/budgets

Tynecastle development given green light despite local opposition

A Scottish Government Reporter has granted planning permission for a planning application by S1 Developments for an ‘exciting new student residential development’ at Edinburgh’s former Tynecastle High School site.

In addition to 468 bedspaces, the original school hall will be repurposed as a central amenity hub, sitting within a collegiate-style courtyard space and providing high quality shared facilities for student residents.

Landscaping proposals increase green space across the site by more than 40 per cent, helping to increase biodiversity within the local area.

The development has been designed to be highly sustainable with zero parking, 100 per cent cycle parking, the employment of low carbon technologies and no use of fossil fuels.

In his report, the Reporter noted that the “development of the site for mainstream housing would be constrained by the presence of the listed buildings”, making student development a more viable option.

In addition, he identified the site which is dominated by the football ground and North British Distillery, as being more suitable for students “who would only spend part of their year in residence” and then only for the length of their University or college courses.

The Reporter also noted the proximity of universities and colleges to the site and that the student population in the local area, including the proposed development would be approximately 24% and therefore not lead to an overly concentrated student population in the area.

He notes that this figure is well below the 50% given to demonstrated excessive concentration of students and in his view would not lead to an “imbalanced community”.

Developers S1 Developments say this high-quality student development will regenerate a site that has lain vacant for over a decade and fallen into a state of disrepair.

The careful restoration of the original Category B-listed school building, designed by John Alexander Carfrae, forms an integral part of the proposals. The development will far exceed amenity standards for similar student developments and has sustainability at its heart.

Council guidance points to the benefits of purpose-built student accommodation in freeing up traditional housing stock for families with children and it has been estimated that a development such as this could release up to 180 properties back into the housing market. Local businesses will also benefit through increased spending from student residents. 

Charity People Know How will act as preferred operators for community facilities on the site. This which already works with Tynecastle High School, will operate a community facility within the building.

People Know How will operate a community facility, with the option for other local community groups to use space. The charity supports children, young people and their families in Edinburgh transition from primary to high school; helps individuals access the digital world and assists communities to shape their areas through community consultation and empowerment.

A large number of students volunteer to work with the charity, and this enables a positive relationship with students in the building to be established. Not only does this support the charity in its work, but also benefits the volunteers and engages them in the local area.

Dan Teague, Director at S1 Developments, said: “We’re delighted to have received planning permission for this exciting development.

 “The original school building has fallen into a sorry state since it ceased being a school over a decade ago. Whilst the redevelopment is challenging, our proposed use brings with it an opportunity to save and renovate the original school building and continue its educational use, benefitting the local community.

“The Reporter also noted that this was a site more suitable for student housing than mainstream housing due to the constraints of the football stadium and North British Distillery.

“We look forward to working constructively with the community in delivering this development.”

Connect Four Open House at former Scottish Gas HQ

10:00am – 3:00pm on Thursday 24 November

People Know How and Edinburgh Palette are delighted to present the Connect Four space, a space for cross-sectoral collaboration and social innovation that is now open to new tenant enquiries from any groups or organisations looking for office space.

On Thursday 24 November, we’re opening our doors to the public for our Connect Four Open House at 1 Waterfront Avenue. All are welcome to come and get a first look at the space, from prospective tenants looking to lease desk space to those interested in learning more about the Connect Four ethos.

Located in the heart of North Edinburgh’s evolving Waterfront area, this beautiful bright space has views across the city skyline and the Firth of Forth and boasts a broad range of amenities including access to a café, bookable meeting space, break-out spaces, and more. 

Within this space we aim to connect four by bringing organisations and groups together across the four sectors (third, public, academic and business). By working alongside one another, we will create an environment that is conducive to social innovation through new collaborations, opportunities and ideas that can solve social issues across Scotland.

Office Manager Alex Derbyshire said: “We’re very excited to welcome new tenants to this beautiful space and are looking forward to sharing more information about the space and our Connect Four ethos during our open house.”

Our Eventbrite is now live for you to book your free ticket.

The space will be open to visitors between 10:00am and 3:00pm, with a special session about Connect Four taking place at 10:30am. 

Book your free ticket: https://connect-four-open-house.eventbrite.co.uk 

Consultation launches for homes-led redevelopment of former Deutsche Bank offices at Crewe Toll

A public consultation for the homes-led redevelopment of one of Edinburgh city centre’s largest potential development sites is to be launched later this month. 

Regeneration specialists Artisan Real Estate has formed a joint venture company with fund manager REInvest Asset Management to redevelop the former Deutsche Bank House at 525 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, near the Crewe Toll roundabout. 

The office and data-processing centre was formerly the Scottish base for State Street Bank until the building was vacated by the bank in 2018.  

Over recent years the building has housed a number of charities including EVOC, SHE Scotland and People Know How.

Consultation for the site, to be known as 525 Park View, will begin with a drop-in public meeting on Saturday 28 October, at Fetlor Youth Club on Crewe Road South, between 12 noon and 4 pm.

The open session will allow members of the local community to meet the design team behind the proposed project, which includes Edinburgh-based 7N Architects.  

Follow-up design workshops are also planned before the end of the year, with a full presentation of the final scheme, ahead of any planning submission, anticipated for early 2023.

A project website www.525parkview.co.uk has been set up to provide more details of the project proposals and the ongoing consultation process. All presentation boards will be published on the website within 48 hours of each event, with an opportunity to comment and feedback. 

Welcoming the consultation launch, Artisan’s Regional Director for Scotland, David Westwater, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to create a long-term sustainable future for what is a predominantly redundant building and bringing a new community to an accessible city centre site. 

“Our initial ideas will be guided by sustainability and low-carbon design and encompass a mix of development, led mainly by residential as well as much-needed affordable housing and ancillary commercial uses.” 

Artisan Real Estate has a strong track record in delivering complex residential and mixed-use regeneration projects in sensitive city centre environments across the UK.  This includes the award-winning “New Waverley” in Edinburgh’s Old Town and the current Rowanbank Gardens homes development to the west of the city, described as a ‘spectacular blueprint for low carbon living’. 

REInvest Asset Management was founded in Luxembourg as a specialist for future-facing investment ideas and currently manages and develops properties across Europe with a value in excess of EUR 2.3 billion. 525 Park View is held in a progressive property fund within a pan-European portfolio managed on behalf of a German insurance group. 

Thomas Merkes, Head of Asset Management at REInvest Asset Management added: “Our joint venture partnership with Artisan represents a major step forward in providing an innovative and collaborative mixed-use development solution to unlock the potential for this significant city centre site, which is set to create a genuinely transformational development in an accessible city centre location. 

“We are looking forward to the launch of the consultation which will provide the perfect platform to show how we can make a positive contribution to the local area, bringing investment, life and excitement back to this important part of the Capital.” 

For more information on Artisan Real Estate visit: www.artisanrealestate.co.uk. 

For more information on REInvest Asset Management, visit: www.reinvest-am.lu/en 

Planning committee to consider Tynecastle High School plans

APPLICATION FOR YET MORE STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

The planning application for an exciting new student residential development at Edinburgh’s former Tynecastle High School site is set to go to a Council hearing on Wednesday 21st September.

Planning officials have recommended the application be granted, subject to conditions.

Committee paper: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=148&MId=6497&Ver=4

It comes as the developers of the scheme, S1 Developments, announced that the last property in the final phase of The Ropeworks development in Leith (in collaboration with Teague Homes UK) had been sold. The development, which includes 318 private residential units and 350 affordable mid-market rent units, was launched in 2017 and has established a thriving new community on a formerly derelict industrial site.

Much like the Ropeworks, this high-quality student development at Tynecastle will regenerate a site that has lain vacant for over a decade and fallen into a state of disrepair. The sympathetic restoration of the original Category B-listed school building, designed by John Alexander Carfrae, forms an integral part of the proposals.

Development of the site is challenging due to the proximity of the neighbouring North British Distillery, Tynecastle Stadium and the Western Approach Road. The new buildings have been carefully designed to limit the impacts in terms of air quality and noise; creating a sheltered courtyard and communal amenity spaces at the heart of the site. The original school hall will be repurposed as a central amenity hub providing high quality shared facilities including a gym, library and study spaces.

This communal approach is well suited to student living and the proposed development will far exceed amenity standards for similar student developments, having more than double the external and internal amenity space of any recently consented schemes.

An independent economic report has estimated that the student development could release the equivalent of up to 170 properties back into the housing market, which would be more appropriate for families to live in, contributing an additional £266,000 in council tax annually.

Student numbers are increasing at 3 per cent a year in Edinburgh, reaching their highest ever levels, and around 70 per cent of students within the Gorgie Dalry Community Council area currently live within open market housing stock.

The committee report notes that  “student population figure in the calculated area, including the proposed development, when viewing the wider area would be approximately 24 per cent. This proportion would not lead to an over-concentrated student population in the area.”

Sustainability is at the heart of the development which will be car free with heat generated entirely by air source heat pumps. The landscaping proposals increase green space across the site by more than 40 per cent, helping to increase biodiversity within the local area.

The complete development will see increased spend of £1.7 million Gross Value Added in local shops and create an additional 55 jobs in the city.

If planning is approved, charities LOVE Gorgie Farm and People Know How will operate community facilities on the site. The highly popular urban farm, which already works with Tynecastle High School, will operate an extensive community garden, while the latter will operate a community facility within the building.

LOVE Gorgie Farm will seek to engage children and young people in its environmental programmes through the garden, located on the western edge of the site. This will include planting beds, a shelter, storage space and greenhouses. It will allow it to enhance its role in the community and to expand the farm’s Earth School project, for example, which will stimulate interest in nature, encouraging new generations to create a brighter and more eco-friendly future.

People Know How will operate a community facility, with the option for other local community groups to use space. The charity supports children, young people and their families in Edinburgh transitioning from primary to high school; helps individuals access the digital world and assists communities to shape their areas through community consultation and empowerment.

A large number of students volunteer to work with the charity and this enables a positive relationship with students in the building to be established. Not only does this support the charity in its work, but also benefits the volunteers and engages them in the local area.

S1 Developments have recently achieved planning approval for the nearby former CTD Tiles warehouse site on Temple Park Crescent. Work has recently started on site to deliver 46 high quality apartments, including 11 affordable homes in association with Link Group.  

Dan Teague, Director at S1 Developments, said: “At S1 Developments we develop sites to suit the location and have delivered hundreds of homes, including affordable homes across the city, most recently at The Ropeworks in Leith.

“Following our careful assessment of the Old Tynecastle High School site, we feel that student development is the most appropriate use given the severe constraints. This will not only secure the redevelopment of the school, and provide a boost to the local economy, but also serve to free up the equivalent of 170 homes which are more appropriate for families.

 “The original school building has fallen into a sorry state since it ceased being a school over a decade ago. Whilst the redevelopment is challenging, we are hopeful that the proposed use brings with it an opportunity to save and renovate the original school building and continue its educational use, benefitting the local community.”

Lynn Black, CEO of LOVE Learning, operators of LOVE Gorgie Farm, said: ‘“There is no doubt that should planning permission be granted, the new community garden will greatly enhance LOVE Gorgie Farm and our ability to deliver environmental programmes and help tackle food poverty.

“The garden will complement superbly what we do at the farm in the terms of educating children and young people on nature, food production and the delivery of an eco-friendly future, maximising its use as a therapeutic resource.”

Glenn Liddall, Chief Executive of People Know How, commented: “The delivery of this development will allow us to increase our activity with the local community. While we will be operating it, we are also keen that other local groups and organisations be able to make use of it.

“As a large number of students routinely work with us by way of volunteering, internships and placements, this is a win-win for us, and also engages them in the local community.”

Local Sighthill/Gorgie councillor, Catherine Fullerton commented: “The school has lain moribund for far too many years and is an appropriate site for such a development. It will bring community benefits too through the delivery of community space for charity People Know How and a garden managed by LOVE Gorgie Farm.  

“There is clear evidence that the demand outweighs supply of student accommodation in Edinburgh, and this site has excellent travel routes to the various colleges and universities in the capital.   

“In addition, and importantly, the development will boost the local economy in Gorgie and Dalry which is of great importance to me, having lived in both these areas and shop there regularly.

“I am also pleased that much of the original building/facades will be restored as a reminder of the old school which served the community well.”