Tag: Stockbridge

LEAP on the hunt for new home

Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) is on the lookout for a new home following a Church of Scotland decision to terminate the lease of Malta House, LEAP’s base since it was set up five years ago. 

Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead of LEAP, said: “We can confirm that our landlord, The Church of Scotland, has informed us it is ending the lease of Malta House and that we require to move out by the end of January 2013.

We would like to reassure patients, their families, staff and partners that LEAP will continue to provide treatment to patients with substance dependence problems.

We are sad at the prospect of leaving Malta House as many people have started their recovery from addiction here and it has met our needs very well. We are now exploring with our partners all of our possible options.”

Funded by NHS Lothian and three local Alcohol Drug Partnerships, LEAP has been a real success story since it was launched in September 2007. Operated in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, Access to Industry (Transition) and the Serenity Café, LEAP has helped people with alcohol and drug dependencies to transform their lives through a three-month treatment and rehabilitation residential programme. In March this year, Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham (below) visited the Stockbridge-based project to join in celebrations to mark the programme’s 250th ‘graduation’.

In a statement, a Church of Scotland spokesperson explained that the decision not to renew LEAP’s Malta House lease had been ‘difficult’ and was due to financial pressures on the church’s own social care budget.

“We originally leased Malta House to Scottish Ministers, acting on behalf of the NHS Lothian LEAP project, in 2007 for a 2 year period.  This was subsequently extended to 2010, when it was renewed.   At that point Scottish Ministers accepted the renewed lease of Malta House on the full understanding that the building would be sold when it was deemed that the market conditions were right, and to that end there were break points included in the lease.    In June this year, in terms of that lease, we gave six months’ notice of our intention to terminate the lease from January 2013.

“We are pleased that we have been able to support LEAP for many years through the lease of premises at Malta House.   However, we simply cannot afford to continue that support, given the financial pressures which we face in relation to our own vital services to people in need throughout Scotland.   We recognise the good work that LEAP has been doing and we have a great deal of sympathy for the situation they now find themselves in.  We have been trying to find them alternative accommodation in another Church building but have been unable to identify one that meets their needs.  CrossReach (the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council) would dearly love to continue supporting LEAP but find ourselves simply unable to do so.  We will continue to be as helpful and flexible as possible in managing this unhappy situation.”

The spokesperson added that no final decision about the sale of Malta House has been made, but that the option to sell is ‘actively being pursued.’

A group of concerned neighbours and supporters are mustering support to keep Malta House available to LEAP – visit http://www.facebook.com/SaveMaltaHouseForLeap for more information.

There is an on-line petition to sign and add comments at:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-malta-house-for-leap/

You need friends: LEAP launches fundraising charity

Malta House
Saturday proved to be an especially happy birthday for a groundbreaking local project when a new charity aimed at raising funds for LEAP, the Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme, was launched as part of LEAP’s fifth anniversary celebrations. Founders of the Friends of LEAP charity joined graduates, patients and staff at their annual ‘reunion’ event to celebrate the continued success of the innovative service based at Malta House in Stockbridge. 

Set up by a group of dedicated and skilled volunteers, Friends of LEAP will help to raise additional funds for the programme along with managing the donations they receive.

Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead, LEAP, NHS Lothian, said: “LEAP continues to grow from strength to strength with more and more people successfully completing the programme and going on to live alcohol and drug free lives. We are delighted to see that the Friends of LEAP charity has been established. We welcome their support and I am sure their work will make a significant contribution to the service. All donations we receive are gratefully received and will go directly into catering for the needs of our patients.”

Trustee Alison Hume is one of four volunteers involved in setting up the charity. “Having volunteered at LEAP over the last few years we are delighted to set up Friends of LEAP. We have witnessed the dedication of staff, the high success in patients completing the programme and the impact that this has had not only on their lives but also that of their families and friends and we are delighted to be involved in this way.”

The LEAP programme operates seven days a week for people dependent on substances who want to achieve drug and alcohol-free recovery. There are six elements to LEAP’s three-month treatment and rehabilitation programme. These are:

  • Medical
  • Therapeutic
  • Mutual aid/recovery communities
  • Housing
  • Education, training and employability
  • Aftercare

“More than 500 patients have been admitted to the programme,” added Dr David McCartney. “It’s important we celebrate our achievements and look ahead with positivity in continuing to assist people in the future.”

Launched in September 2007 LEAP is the first programme of its kind in Scotland, and is an innovative partnership between NHS Lothian, the City of Edinburgh Council, Transition (Access to Industry) and the Serenity Café and the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Lothian.

You can find out more about LEAP here LEAP webpage

Full house for Accies Stockbridge meeting

At least 200 people – and probably more – crammed into LifeCare House in Cheyne Street this evening to hear plans for the redevelopment of Edinburgh Academicals’ Raeburn Place site. A BBC film crew was also in attendance.

At least twenty more people were unable to get into the main hall to hear speakers or to pass comment on proposals (pictured below). The meeting was arranged by Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council to enable local residents to get more details on the controversial plans.

More to follow

Water of Leith cleanup and family picnic

 The Water of Leith Conservation Trust, in conjunction with the Inverleith Coordinated Summer Programme, is organising a cleanup and family picnic on Sunday 29 July from 10am.

Organiser Callum McLeod of Inverleith’s Community Learning and Development team (pictured below) said: “This is an annual event and we’re concentrating on the stretch between Canonmills and Dean Village. There should be something for everyone –litter picking, some tending of culture garden areas, clearing out invasive plant species along the banks or even clearing log jams after the floods for the more adventurous – all depending on folk’s skills and abilities of course! We quite a good turnout last year despite the rain and so I’m looking forward to it!”

Participants are encouraged to bring along some food, too. After all, all work and no play …

“If people and maybe even bring along a packed lunch and or picnic things we can sit and enjoy some friendly company in pleasant surroundings after all the hard work of the clean up. We’re hoping for some decent weather, of course!”

Interested? Meet by the bridge at Saunders Street at 10am, or for further information call Callum McLeod on 332 6316 or email callum.mcleod@ea.edin.sch.uk

 

 

Public meeting to discuss Edinburgh Accies plans

Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council is to hold a public meeting to discuss Edinburgh Accies’ controversial plans to develop their Raeburn Place home. Campaigners have vowed to fight plans for the commercial development of the site which hosted the first ever rugby international, and the public meeting offers an opportunity to hear what exactly is being proposed for the site.

The meeting will take place in LifeCare House in Cheyne Street next Wednesday 18 July at 7pm – all welcome.

Local campaign group SoS Save our Stockbridge was established when the development plans were made public and now has almost 100 members. Explaining the reasons for the campaign on the group’s Facebook site, Ann Mcleod said: ‘This Group is for everyone who is against a 5000 seater stadium being built in Stockbridge in the centre of Edinburgh. The Stadium is to be built over the historic rugby grounds at Raeburn Place. These are the oldest rugby grounds in Scotland and the site of the first ever international rugby match. The area is surrounded by beautiful Victorian and Georgian buildings. It has a unique skyline across to Inverleith Park and beyond to Botanic gardens. I fear that a monstrosity of glass and steel would destroy this skyline and blight this historic area.”

She continued: ‘The current pitches are well used and well-loved by the community.  The proposed stadium will require thousands of parking spaces and room for the structure itself, so one of the two historic rugby pitches would almost certainly be lost.  Retail outlets are planned as part of the stadium. The Stockbridge area already has empty shops. I believe this massive development would destroy the character of the area. I believe this would adversely affect local businesses and reduce property prices. The chaos generated on the main road by the thousands of cars coming out of the stadium does not appear to have been considered. The drunken hospitality nights would also be unpleasant, there is already a problem with this. There is also concern about the historic walls and protected trees around this ground. This development is madness and totally out of proportion – Edinburgh Accies need to think again.’

However the rugby club believes that it must now ‘sensitively redevelop’ it’s existing facilities and that plans will bring benefits to both the club and the wider community. In an article posted on the club’s website before two pre-application consultation events held at the end of June, Edinburgh Accies said:

‘Raeburn Place is a sports ground with major historical significance. It’s home to the Edinburgh Academical Football Club, the oldest rugby club in Scotland, and the second oldest in the entire world. The first ever international rugby match between Scotland and England was held here in 1871. It’s a landmark of decades of sport and community, although in its current state you wouldn’t know it.

Finally the time has come to begin the sensitive redevelopment of this iconic sports ground and the Club is now in the final stages of the pre-application consultation, following which they will formally lodge for planning. Their main aim is twofold: to provide state of the art sports facilities and, in turn, to add to the vibrant Stockbridge community and benefit neighbouring schools.

The plans comprise two elegant double tiered buildings:

–  A clubhouse and function suite facing onto Comely Bank Road. These facilities will be located on the top tier with space for retail units below. Its main entrance will be next to the currently disused Raeburn House Hotel, which has been bought privately to be transformed into a boutique hotel.

– Changing rooms located along Portgower Place. More excitingly, part of the top tier will be dedicated to a rugby museum focused principally on the historical significance of the ground and the Edinburgh Academical Football Club.

– Players can enjoy a full-sized rugby pitch and two smaller training pitches. The plans also provide for the relocation of the cricket pitch which has been absent from the ground for the past 5 years.

The benefits of the development are numerous:

– Income from the development will go to supporting sport at junior and youth levels throughout North Edinburgh.

– Schools, residents and clubs can enjoy high standard sports facilities.

– It’ll be one of the few sports facilities not owned by the council or a school and so will enjoy flexibility of use.

– It will also provide a top quality function space for Stockbridge.

– The museum will add culturally to the area as well as going towards preserving the history of the site, brining in new visitors to the area.

– The trees running along Comely Bank Road will remain.

– Perhaps most importantly though, the development is required to ensure the longterm survival of this iconic and historic club, not to mention the survival of sport at this 157 year old sports ground. Although there will be some space (only 5% of the development) allocated for retail units, this is nothing compared to what could materialise should the Club not be able to secure its future as proposed. These retail units will be a modest yet effective addition to Stockbridge business, and will provide the income to the Club to sustain the high standard of the sports facilities.’

Representatives of the club have been invited to attend next week’s meeting, and members of the SOS Save our Stockbridge group have confirmed their attendance. For more information about the meeting email: contact@stockbridgeandinverleithcc.org.uk

Waters subside but flood warnings remain in place

Stockbridge, Cramond and Warriston were among the areas hardest hit by flooding today, and at 9pm SEPA flood warnings remain in place for those areas and Roseburn.

Around forty homes in the Stockbridge colonies were affected by flooding from the Water of Leith. The city council’s Flood Prevention team worked with emergency services to provide sandbags to affected households and Stockbridge Primary School was set up as a standby rest and information centre.

River levels are now dropping and rain has eased, but light rain is forecast to continue overnight.

Anyone with concerns about flooding should contact the Council’s Emergency Contact Centre on 0131 200 2000 and you can get information on flood alerts by calling the SEPA Floodline on 0845 988 1188.

Helping hand for The Yard

A local adventure play project designed for children with additional support needs is to benefit from an innovative partnership with Edinburgh home emergency firm, First Call Home Assist.

The Yard, based at Eyre Place Lane in Stockbridge, aims to improve the lives of children and young people with learning difficulties while also providing support to their siblings, parents and others responsible for their care.

The partnership is the latest effort by First Call Home Assist to cement its strong commitment to helping the local community and with every sale of a home emergency policy made through a dedicated link on The Yard’s website, 15% of the monthly fee will go to this fantastic cause.

Celine Sinclair, Chief Executive of The Yard, said: “We are delighted to be part of First Call’s community partnership scheme.  All the money we raise through this new initiative will go towards improving the quality of service we can provide for the 1,500 young people who use our centre regularly.”

Just over ten per cent of the funding received by The Yard comes from the City of Edinburgh Council and all its other income is raised through approaches to Trusts, Foundations and private companies, which means that 90 per cent of funding needs need to be sourced by the service itself.

First Call chose to help The Yard after their managing director, Paul Greaves (pictured below), witnessed first hand the fantastic care they provide for his niece Cissie who regularly attends the centre.

Paul said: “My niece Cissie was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome at the age of six and she can be unpredictable, inflexible and anti-social. At the yard these difficulties are met with understanding, support and often a much needed sense of humour! The Yard is an amazing service which our family, and many others, rely upon heavily. It is the only place where we can truly relax, free of anxieties and of judgement from others; somewhere we don’t have to explain or defend our child. The Yard also acknowledges the tough position that siblings of children with additional support needs are in, and it is as much a service for them as it is for others.”

Services offered by The Yard include open play family sessions, holiday play sessions, free play and curriculum linked sessions for special schools. The venue is also used for a variety of youth clubs and training courses designed to teach others about the principles of inclusive play.

For more information about The Yard, telephone 476 4506 or email susans@theyardscotland.org.uk. You can also visit their website at www.theyardscotland.org.uk

Stockbridge hosts rugby festival on Saturday

If you’re a fan of the oval ball game – or just enjoy a sociable day out – Stockbridge is the place to be this Saturday when Edinburgh Accies’ Raeburn Place ground hosts the Edinburgh 10s Rugby Festival.

Tens rugby is very popular and this years’ event sees ten local teams being joined by two international sides for the first time – Stockholm Exiles from Sweden and Les Kebabs from France!  Rugby aside, there will be lots of entertainment on offer for all the family and the event, sponsored by Hunters Residential, promises to be a lot of fun and a great day out.

Former British Lion and 61 times Scotland cap Dodie Weir said: “I’m pleased to support the Edinburgh Rugby 10s Festival at Raeburn Place this year – whether you are a rugby enthusiast or just looking for an entertaining day out it promises to be a fantastic spectacle”.

D Day for Raeburn

Councillors will make a decision on renovation plans for the Raeburn House Hotel when the Development Management sub-committee of the Planning Committee meets this morning. Council officials recommend that the refurbishment plans are rejected despite wide public support for the project.

A 19 page committee report for this morning’s meeting states: ‘ … the proposals are contrary to the development plan and non-statutory guidance. The proposals will not preserve the character or appearance of the conservation area and will adversely impact on the listed building and its setting. It will not have any effect on residential amenity, road safety or biodiversity. The refurbishment of this building, to restore it and maintain it into the future, is not disputed as being a desirable outcome. However any proposals must be of good quality and sensitive to the existing building to ensure that our built heritage is conserved.’

The report concludes: ‘It is recommended that the Committee refuse this application, for the reasons stated relating to its detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and the setting of the listed building.’

Councillors will make their decision at a 10am meeting of the Development Management Sub-Committee in the City Chambers.