Tag: Pilmeny Development Project

Lisa Petrie named Community Champion at Harbour’s north Edinburgh awards

An inspirational mother who has campaigned for tighter security around knife sales following the death of her son has been recognised for her tireless work at Harbour Homes’ north Edinburgh Community Awards.

Lisa Petrie was named Community Champion at Harbour’s annual north Edinburgh Community Awards, held on Wednesday 30 September.

Tenants and local community members nominated neighbours, volunteers and community groups they felt deserved a big thank you. The categories were Good Neighbour, Community Champion, Community Group and Special Recognition.

Lisa began campaigning for tighter restrictions on the sale of knives following the death of her 22-year-old son, John McNab, in Leith in September 2025. She is campaigning for all knives to be placed in locked cabinets to crack down on shoplifting and ensure knife sales are carefully monitored.

Her campaigning work caught the attention of the media and people across north Edinburgh, who nominated her for the Community Champion Award.

She has also been distributing bleed kits across Edinburgh. Her work was recently recognised in the Scottish Parliament, where First Minister John Swinney committed to making the kits available at community hubs across Scotland.

On receiving her award, Lisa said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I didn’t expect it. I’m overwhelmed. “I started this to raise awareness and to save someone else from going through that, kids and adults. So I’m absolutely blown away by this.”

Lisa is now hoping to get into schools across Edinburgh to tell her story.

She said: “I think kids relate more to a realistic story than something from a textbook, so if I need to go around every school in Edinburgh to tell my story and John’s story, then I will.

“We’re looking at changing the law and we’ll keep pushing for bleed kits.”

In the Good Neighbour category, winner Joan Robertson, described by her neighbours as a “lifesaver in many ways”, was recognised for her kindness. Joan often goes above and beyond to look after her neighbours by taking in parcels, looking after pets and keeping contact details in case anything happens.

She was also nominated for Community Champion for her work in the wider Leith community, including at the Leith Polisbox.

On winning Good Neighbour, Joan said: “I’m absolutely gobsmacked.

“You just get on and do it. Do as you would be done by.”

The Community Group award was shared by the Girls Wellbeing Groups run by YMCA Edinburgh and the Pilmeny Development Project.

Girls attend the group for many reasons, including anxiety, stress, low confidence and friendship difficulties. The groups provide a safe space to develop confidence, friendships, self-care and life skills.

On receiving the award, Dawn Munro from YMCA Edinburgh, who runs the groups, said: “I think the girls will all be really chuffed with it.

“It’s really important to empower young girls with life skills. Our group is all about improving physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing. The world isn’t in a great place for young girls and women. But because our group starts at age eight, we can then transition the girls throughout the key stages of life.”

Nicola Hutchinson, from the Pilmeny Development Project, said: “We’ve worked hard to get the group to where it is and it’s nice to have some recognition in the community because it’s been going for over five years.”

Dawn and Nicola were joined by Robyn, who started out as an attendee at the Girls Wellbeing Group and now works with the group as a young volunteer.

The last award of the evening went to a group of Harbour tenants called the Leith Legends. The group set off on a 3,070-mile journey from Easter Road Stadium in January this year. Their challenge was to ‘March to the Match’ virtually by walking the distance from Edinburgh to Boston at locations around the city.

They finished in time for Scotland’s first World Cup game, then walked enough steps to get home again.

Heather Kiteley, chief executive of Harbour Homes, said: “The north Edinburgh Community Awards were a chance to bring people together for an evening of food, music, bingo and celebration.

“It was inspiring to see the incredible connections across the Leith and north Edinburgh communities and the strength of community spirit in the room.

“Every nominee and winner should be proud of the difference they make, and I am immensely grateful for the positive impact they have on the lives of our tenants and the wider community.”

Tracy Gilbert MP tables motion to recognise Anne Munro’s 47 years of service to Leith communit

Tracy Gilbert MP has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament recognising the incredible contribution of Anne Munro, who is retiring after 47 years of dedicated service with the Pilmeny Development Project in Leith.

The Pilmeny Development Project has been supporting residents since 1979, working to improve the quality of life and strengthen community connections across north-east Edinburgh.

Commenting, Tracy Gilbert MP said: “Anne’s commitment to the people of Leith over nearly five decades has been extraordinary. Through her work with the Pilmeny Development Project, she has made a huge difference to countless lives across our community.

“This Early Day Motion is a small but important way to recognise Anne’s contribution and to thank her for the dedication, compassion and leadership she has shown throughout her career.

“On behalf of Edinburgh North and Leith, I wish Anne a long, happy and well-deserved retirement.”

The link to the EDM is here: 

Anne Munro retires after 47 years from Pilmeny Development Project – Early Day Motions – UK Parliament

Hibernian Community Foundation: Burns Supper Tea Dance

On Thursday Hibernian Community Foundation, in partnership with Pilmeny Development Project and Edinburgh Community Sports Hub, held our annual Burns Supper Tea Dance at the Hibs Supporters Club in Sunnyside!

The Dance was attended by over 90 elderly people in our community: coming together to enjoy warm company, a traditional Burns’ supper, hours of dancing, and the official Hibs Bagpiper @Lou_piper (above).

The Burns Supper Tea Dance is one of four events we hold a year to bring together elderly people from our community as part of our work in the Leith Older People’s Project.

Slàinte mhath!

Utilita Energy Hub supports campaign to save Pilmeny Development Project

High street hub welcomes PDP committee members to its free Community Room – and don’t miss your chance to win this month’s hub raffle prizes

Natasha Baillie, Supervisor at the Leith Energy Hub, and her dedicated team are looking forward to welcoming the Pilmeny Development Project (PDP) management committee members to the hub’s Community Room on Friday, 7 March. 

PDP is facing a loss of funding which will mean closure of its services to socially isolated older people in Leith Walk, Leith Wards and North East Edinburgh.

The Utilita Hub’s Energy Experts have worked with the PDP for several years, ever since they began using the Community Room to help those being digitally excluded during the pandemic.

Keen to encourage others to make use of the hub’s facilities, Natasha said: “Our Community Room provides local groups and charities with a free and safe space for them to hold meetings or community events – with complimentary WiFi and refreshments available. 

“Whilst we fully appreciate that times are tough and that difficult funding decisions have to be made, we also recognise the important work that Pilmeny Development Project does to protect vulnerable, local, older people. Our shared aim of helping the local community makes using the Community Room an obvious venue choice for PDP.

“Whether you’re running a literacy class, a knitting circle, or gathering for a community event, please do get in touch to find out more about the hub’s meeting room facilities.”

Tackling food and fuel poverty

Hub visitors will have the chance to enter this month’s Utilita Leith Energy Hub’s Kids and Adults prize raffles – with the prize winners being revealed on Red Nose Day (Friday, 21 March).  This year’s Red Nose Day event will focus on supporting those in need during the current cost of living crisis, shining a spotlight on issues like food and fuel poverty.

Utilita’s charitable partner, Utilita Giving, is dedicated to alleviating and preventing the hardship caused by fuel and food poverty while raising public awareness about this critical issue.

Natasha added: “We would like to wish all our hub visitors good luck in this month’s Kids and Adults prize raffles – by taking part you’ll be helping us to raise awareness of food and fuel poverty. 

“The Kids prize hamper includes toys, Teddy Bears, sweets, as well as art and craft items. The prize up for grabs by their grown-ups is a 3.5L slow cooker, with a packet of slow cooker liners.

“There’s also a Tombola coming soon, so be sure to visit the Leith Energy Hub for your chance to win craft goods, chocolates and gift sets.”

Open to all

Utilita Energy Hubs are high street locations where customers can top up their accounts, check their balances, and get energy-saving advice – based not just in Edinburgh but also Gosport, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Luton, Derby, West Bromwich, Sheffield, Leicester, Blackburn, Huddersfield and Hartlepool.

The Utilita Leith Energy Hub is open from Monday to Saturday at 41 Newkirkgate, Edinburgh, EH6 6AA. See more on Utilita Energy Hubs at https://utilita.co.uk/energy-hub.

Back in the Saddle: New Course Helps Seniors Rediscover Cycling Joy

Edinburgh Leisure is seeking new participants as it launches an innovative 11-week cycling course, starting Monday, 3rd March, designed specifically for older adults looking to rebuild their cycling confidence. The programme offers a supportive environment for those eager to return to cycling after years away from the handlebars.

The course, based at Saughton Sports Centre’s 400m traffic-free track, uses Cycling Scotland’s acclaimed Bikeability curriculum to help participants regain their cycling prowess. At just £3 per week, or £33 for the block, the programme provides bikes, helmets, and Hi-Viz vests, though participants are welcome to bring their own equipment.

“Cycling is a great way to keep fit, active and mobile while enjoying Edinburgh’s amazing network of dedicated cycle paths,” says Cat Wilson, Edinburgh Leisure’s Project Officer for Older Adults.

“Whether you want to join grandchildren on family rides or meet new people, our experienced volunteers will help you rediscover the joy of cycling at your own pace.”

The course features:

  • Professional instruction in essential skills including safe stopping, proper signalling, and gear management
  • A traffic-free learning environment
  • Fully qualified, passionate volunteer instructors
  • All necessary equipment provided
  • Social, relaxed atmosphere with like-minded participants

Upon completing the initial course, participants can progress to an 8-week Level 2 programme, where they’ll explore Edinburgh’s cycle paths using their newly refined skills.

Important Notes:

  • This is not a beginners’ course but is designed for those who have previously cycled
  • Suitable for adults aged 50 and above
  • No current cycling experience required
  • All abilities welcome

The Ageing Well project, a partnership between NHS Lothian, Edinburgh Leisure, and Pilmeny Development Project, is part of the UK Ageing Well network dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles for older adults and increasing expectations of good health in later life.

For registration, information and to register your interest: Phone: 0131 458 2260 Email: active@edinburghleisure.co.uk

Harbour Homes provides over £14k towards community meals in Leith

A joint community venture by Pilmeny Development Project and FENIKS has received a major funding boost from Harbour Homes via the National Lottery’s Community Fund. This will allow its weekly Multi-Cultural Cook Along to continue until at least March 2025.

Harbour Homes’ social enterprise subsidiary, Harbour Connections, offered £14,225 funding to Pilmeny Development Project as part of its local placemaking work. 

These cook alongs provide a welcoming and safe space for older members of the Leith community to meet, cook, eat and spend time together. This helps to reduce social isolation, loneliness and food poverty in a collaborative way. Some group members have also benefitted from activities at the cook alongs which have helped to improve their English language skills.

Mary O’Connell who runs the project said: “It’s an amazing group of people.

“To see how they all come together while cooking, playing bingo and getting competitive during Play Your Cards Right after the meal is brilliant.”

One attendee, aged 83, has been attending the events for several months now. He said: “Just look around the table, I’m English, there are Scots, Canadians, Polish and Irish here and we all get on really well.”

The funding will also help provide transport allowing group members to attend the cook-alongs at the Pilmeny Development Project Youth Centre.

In addition to the Multi-Cultural Community Meals, the funding will go towards supporting Older People’s Meals and Pilmeny Development Project Youth Centre community food provisions for their youth clubs.

John Murray, Placemaking Manager at Harbour Homes said: “There’s a genuine warmth and togetherness about the group which speaks volumes about the work being done here.

“It’s a privilege for Harbour Homes to be in a position to help support projects like this.”

Lifeline: Deidre Brock MP hosts Westminster debate on timebanking

Deidre Brock MP paid tribute to the success of Leith’s Time Bank in the House of Commons on Tuesday (27th February). 

The Edinburgh North and Leith MP led a debate on timebanking across the UK and called for extra support to help the movement grow. 

Timebanking is based on a simple premise: for every hour you spend helping someone, you earn an hour back for your time bank. Rather than volunteering in the traditional sense, it is based on a reciprocal exchange of skills. 

Run by respected Leith charity the Pilmeny Development Project, Leith’s Time Bank has been going for over a decade and is an amazing success story, providing opportunities for people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds to share their skills, knowledge and experience with others. 

Members have described the time bank as a “lifeline”, boosting their mental health and wellbeing and creating opportunities to meet exchange skills and experiences with people from different generations, backgrounds and walks of life.

Deidre Brock said: “Timebanking deserves much more recognition, so I was delighted to raise the fantastic work of Leith’s Time Bank and the wider network during the debate. 

“We all have skills, knowledge and experience to offer that could be beneficial to someone, whether it’s gardening, sewing, simple repairs, language teaching, running errands, tech skills, or whatever it might be.

“Timebanking is a great way for people to exchange expertise without any money changing hands, and it can have such a positive impact on community cohesion and tackling social isolation and loneliness. 

“The minister was very complimentary about timebanking and I’ve secured a meeting with him to discuss the concept further. We’ve also had a lot of interest from people keen to learn more and even set up new timebanks in their own area.”

Transcript of the debate: https://bitly.ws/3erqp

Video of the debate: https://bitly.ws/3ejtU

Building stronger social connections

Organisations awarded share of £3.2 million fund

More than 50 projects tackling social isolation and loneliness throughout Scotland have received a share of a new fund.

Edinburgh recipients of Social Isolation and Loneliness Funding include Big Hearts Community Trust, Edinburgh Tool Library, Pilmeny Development Project, Pilton Community Health Project and The Living Memory Association.

Activities delivered by the organisations include community choirs, walking football, Men’s Sheds and volunteering opportunities.

Equalities Minister Emma Roddick visited Inverness Foodstuff, one of the successful projects, to see the impact of their work and hear how support through the Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund will benefit the local community.

Ms Roddick said: “Social isolation and loneliness can affect anyone, but especially those most affected by the cost of living crisis such as disabled people, younger people, and those who live alone.

“The Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund is providing support to a range of projects across Scotland which deliver vital services in their communities. Inverness Foodstuff is a great example of how this Scottish Government funding will help to bring more people together, creating stronger social connections and improving public health.

“We are determined to tackle the harm caused by this hidden problem and this Fund is just one of the actions we are taking to help tackle social isolation and loneliness through our plan, Recovering our Connections.”

Inverness Foodstuff has been awarded a grant of £72,000 to deliver their lunch club twice a week in the Hilton area of Inverness. The lunch club will benefit an estimated 2,400 homeless and vulnerable people in the area over the duration of the Fund.

Chair of Inverness Foodstuff Stuart Black said: “Inverness Foodstuff has operated from Ness Bank Church since 2015 offering hot food three times a week, utilising surplus food.

“But, it’s more than just a meal. We offer access to clothing, debt relief, IT support, mental health support, housing and homelessness support and access to hairdressing. Inverness Foodstuff also provides 75 volunteering opportunities.

“Over the past year we have served 8,500 meals in our city centre premises, an increase of 58% compared to 2021-22. This reflects the cost of living crisis and the extent of poverty in our city.

“We are delighted to gain Scottish Government funding to expand our service into Hilton, a recognised area of need, in partnership with Highlife Highland.”

Heart of Newhaven: Past, Present and Future

Welcome to your July Newsletter. This is a newsletter about past, present and future.

First: the past.

We have been receiving plenty of positive feedback from the Pots of Kindness project. If you remember, this involved pupils from Victoria Primary School potting up edible flowers, herbs and vegetables and distributing them to some of the isolated or elderly members of the community, whose details were supplied by the Pilmeny Development Project (PDP). Recipients have been responding.

“What a lovely idea. It is so nice to be part of this initiative. As you know I am housebound, so it is great that I can still be part of the community while being at home. I loved the beautiful letter I received from the pupil – what a fantastic idea. Thank you,” said one.

Mary from PDP received a phone call once one pack was delivered

“Thank you so much for the plant and letter – I absolutely love it. I am delighted with the wee package and the letter from the pupil was adorable. And the man who delivered the package was really friendly – thank you”.

A few weeks later, the same recipient rang Mary to say “My plant has started sprouting – I have it on my window sill and I check it everyday. It was great getting the instructions on how to help the plant grow. I really am delighted to be part of this project – thank you”.

“My spinach has started to grow – I love Spinach and I think I might be like Popeye after this. The letter from the pupil was so sweet – thank you,” said another.

We’re glad it has proved so welcome.

The Present

Our partners at the PDP are organising more volunteer induction sessions so if you would like to get involved, make a note of this date: Saturday 7th August at 11am on Zoom, when you can find out about the different volunteering opportunities available within PDP. Expectations, boundaries and confidentiality will be among the topics for discussion.

Similarly, you can join in the HoNC/ PDP Newhaven Virtual Coffee Group for those living in or around Newhaven on either Mon 19th July at 4pm or Mon 16th Aug at 4pm, both on Zoom.

If you are interested in these events then please contact Norma by Email

Still in the present:

We’re thrilled to tell you that the University of Edinburgh student social media team has included HoNC in the most recent episode of their popular podcast’s third series

The Broadcast is The Broad Online’s podcast and aims to bring local community initiatives to its listeners’ attention. HoNC trustee Judy Crabb and Head of Victoria Primary School Laura Thomson were engaged in discussion on the creation of our intergenerational community centre in the old school in the latest recording.

Lauren Galligan and Jack Liddall were the co-hosts and interviewers. She is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Broad Online. Jack is the Secretary of The Broad and a volunteer with HoNC.

The podcast will shortly be available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Podbean. We will share a link to the podcast on the Heart’s social media and website as soon as it is available.

Future

Now on to the future. The Men’s Shed members have been busy at work on our Friendship Benches, which we aim to have ready for Mental Health Day in October. We will be organising painting and decorating days with local artist Johnathan Elders over the summer holidays, so watch this space.

In the immediate future, we await the decision from the Scottish Land Fund on our application for the funds required to make good our promise to buy the school site.

We will pass on the news as soon as we can.

Keep your fingers crossed!