Tag: visit

First Minister joins Vintage Vibes in the fight against loneliness

The First Minister shows support for Vintage Vibes’ work helping lonely and isolated older people in Edinburgh and highlights the value of building lasting relationships this Christmas and for the future

First Minister, John Swinney joined local older people to hear their impactful stories at an event hosted by Edinburgh-based charity project, Vintage Vibes to highlight the importance of friendship and community connections in tackling loneliness in the over 60s this Christmas and for the future. 

Edinburgh is one of the loneliest cities in the UK for older people and Vintage Vibes has been committed to tackling the loneliness crisis since 2015 – empowering over 60s to lead happier, healthier lives through one-to-one volunteer friendship matches, groups, events and activities. 

First Minister, John Swinney said: “Vintage Vibes is an absolutely joyful project which brings older people together with younger people to tackle the issues of loneliness and isolation that exist within our communities.

“What I heard from listening to those involved is that sense of improvement in their wellbeing; it brings happiness and connection within communities, and helps people feel they are making a contribution to society.

“Vintage Vibes is a good preventative intervention that helps to boost the resilience, capacity and strength of individuals – it’s a really strong model and is a lovely example of how we can combat social isolation and loneliness and build stronger communities.” 

Georgia Artus, Vintage Vibes Lead said: “As we come into our 10th year of creating long-lasting friendships in one of the loneliest cities in the UK for older people, we are delighted to have gained the interest of the First Minister.

“This recognises the empowering contribution our volunteers make every week throughout the year in Scotland’s capital and the transformational change that can be made through friendship.

“We know that loneliness has a hugely detrimental effect on older peoples’ wellbeing and physical and mental health, with the negative health impacts equating to that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

“There is an estimated 11,000 older people who are often or always alone in Edinburgh – and those figures are rising.

“We’re excited for our future as an independent charity, but we have a big challenge ahead to meet demand and fund our vital services. We hope this visit will spread the word that anyone with a little time to spare can volunteer or support the lives of older people, not just at Christmas, but every day.”

The First Minister kindly joined in the festive fun and wrote a Christmas card, joining a host of MSPs who wrote cards at Scottish Parliament last week and hundreds of members of the public who are getting involved in the campaign.  

Individuals can show their support by visiting Vintage Vibes’ website, where they too can receive a profile of a local, lonely older person to send a Christmas card to until 6th December – from Elaine, who loves to sing and enjoys musicals, to animal loving Betty, who loves to watching and listening to the birds in the garden.

After that time, gifts can be donated to help Vintage Vibes have an impact all year round, from meals out or a coffee and cake, to tickets to a show. 

Vintage Vibes VIP, Marleen said: ‘I lost my husband and was feeling down but reading all the lovely Christmas cards really cheered me up.

‘You made my day – thank you all so much.’ 

To show you care and give the gift of friendship to an older person this year, visit vintagevibes.org.uk today.  

Dame Prue Leith visits Edinburgh Innovation Hub

Last week, Dame Prue Leith, TV judge, entrepreneur and Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, took a tour of the construction site where the Edinburgh Innovation Hub is being developed on the land around the University campus.

A joint venture between East Lothian Council and Queen Margaret University (QMU) and funded by the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, the new Hub will be made up of flexible laboratory, office and fully equipped meeting and conference spaces for rent.

The facilities and close proximity to the University aims to help attract high growth, small and medium sized enterprises, which may benefit from support from and collaboration opportunities with Queen Margaret University.

Dame Prue Leith, who was in Edinburgh for Queen Margaret University’s graduation ceremonies, was on site to see how the ambitious partnership project was developing, and to learn more about how the Innovation Hub, supported by £28.6 million from the UK Government, £1.4 million from the Scottish Government and £10 million from East Lothian Council through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, is bolstering enterprise and economic development.

The Deal is supported with £300 million funding from the UK Government and £300 million funding from the Scottish Government.

Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, explained: “We are very excited to see the Edinburgh Innovation Hub starting to take shape in the ground around the University, and to give our Chancellor, Prue Leith, a glimpse into the future. 

“Essentially, the 7,200 sqm Hub will bring together research, industry and academia under one roof. The focus is to support businesses that are driven by innovation, knowledge exchange and technology, so that Hub is perfect for attracting businesses which want to grow, and which will generate employment opportunities for others.”

“Along with driving economic development locally and nationally, the Hub will act as a gateway into QMU for businesses, increase opportunities at the University for industry-relevant research and knowledge exchange, promote an entrepreneurial culture, and increase the vibrancy of the area around the campus.

“The Hub is not just a new building, it will be a new business.”

Dame Prue Leith said: “Seeing the site under construction gives you a real appreciation for the thought, imagination, planning, skills, and ambition which is required to create an innovation hub, drawing on the very best practice around. 

“As I know from experience, it’s not easy to start and grow a business from scratch. So, I am delighted to see that the Hub will offer more than just physical facilities – it will provide the help, advice and support, and the like-minded business community that start-up and small enterprises need to flourish. I am convinced that in years to come many entrepreneurs will have the Hub to thank for their success.”

The Edinburgh Innovation Hub is supported by £28.6 million from the UK Government, £1.4 million from the Scottish Government and £10 million from East Lothian Council as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal (ESES City Region Deal).

Housing Minister visits Longniddry Village

On Thursday, (6th June), the Scottish Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan, visited Longniddry Village, an award-winning development from Places for People and Cruden Homes in association with Wemyss and March Estates.

Located on the East Lothian coast, the development’s current success represents the value and positive influence of multi-tenure communities in Scotland.

During the Minister’s visit, he met representatives from the development and discussed how working together on mixed-tenure developments like Longniddry Village enables the creation of thriving communities and provides solutions to Scotland’s housing crisis, where 110,000 households are currently on the waitlist for social housing.

In research recently commissioned by Places for People, three-quarters of Scotland respondents believe new developments should be multi-tenure and over 80% believe they should offer community facilities, such as cafes, restaurants, and shared social spaces.*

Named ‘Large Development of the Year’ at the Homes for Scotland Awards 2023, Longniddry Village comprises affordable housing as well as homes for private sale. This not only appeals to a range of prospective buyers, from first-time buyers to downsizers but also helps to support Scotland’s vision for everyone across the country to have a safe, warm, and affordable home that meets their needs.

The Minister’s visit involved a tour of Longniddry Village, where he saw the first phase of the development, which showed the delivery of outright sale, affordable rented housing, and older living properties.

This was followed by a tour of the ambitious conversion of the historic Longniddry Steading where a number of the commercial space are nearing completion, followed by the second phase of residential development, where he could see Longniddry Village’s mid-market rent offering and plans for other sales tenures.

Places for People understand placemaking and have successfully delivered mixed-tenure communities of blended development before, such as Tornagrain in the Scottish Highlands. The organisation understands that by focusing on this way of building it can remove the stigma of social housing and act as another way to address the housing crisis.

Colin Jack, Production Director for Places for People comments: “It was wonderful to show the Scottish Minister for Housing around Longniddry Village, where he could see our progress and witness the growing and friendly mixed-tenure community, who are enjoying their new homes in this idyllic setting.

“However, our main topic of discussion remained on the current housing crisis, and how we can work collaboratively to deliver the new homes required. With an overwhelming number of households on the waiting list for social housing, we need to find solutions that can support developers to build at the scale and pace required to address our housing shortages.

“At Places for People, we are committed to building new homes as we see it as our responsibility and will look to deliver 2,500 new affordable homes across Scotland in the next five years. As a social enterprise, all our profits are recycled back into the organisation, so we can focus on helping those struggling the most to meet their living needs.”

Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “The new mid rent homes at Longniddry Village will play a valuable role in boosting Scotland’s affordable housing supply.

“Everyone deserves a warm and safe place to call home and these high-quality, energy efficient properties will help to meet the needs of the local community for generations to come.”

PICTURED: L-R:  Martin Andrews, Factor at Wemyss & March Estates; Housing Minister, Paul McLennan; Colin Jack, Production Director at Places for People; Fraser Lynes, Managing Director at Cruden Homes; Edward Taylor, Taylor Urbanism)

Care Home welcomes local police for community Blue Light event

COFFEE WITH A COPPER!

Colleagues and residents at the Strachan House Care Home in Blackhall warmly welcomed PC Colin Cursiter and PC Holly Matheson to speak to our residents and guests.

PC Colin Cursiter and PC Holly Matheson spoke to the audience about their time on the force, challenges they face and the rewards from helping the local community, before taking questions from the residents, relatives and guests.

Fran Fisher, the General Manager of Strachan House extended the invitation throughout the local area, “to say thank you to PC Colin Cursiter and PC Holly Matheson for their visit and to all of the great work our emergency services do for us, we here at Strachan House are inviting all members of the police, ambulance and fire services to pop in and take their duty break on us for free.

“We are pleased to offer all of our Strachan House Care Home who stop in tea, coffee, juice, chilled water, delicious homemade cake and biscuits and a healthy selection of fruit, available free of charge; do stop in and say hi, we would be delighted to see you!”

Strachan House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. 

Strachan House provides residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.

‘Strictly’ stars inspire next generation of performers

Kevin Clifton hits the dance floor at top Edinburgh performance school

LUCKY musical theatre and dance students were treated to an unforgettable experience as performers from Strictly Ballroom the Musical took a break from touring to host a samba masterclass.

Students from The MGA Academy of Performing Arts welcomed Kevin Clifton, BBC Strictly Come Dancing star, along with the talented Poppy Blackledge and MGA graduate Kieran Cooper who all shared their expertise and insights during an exclusive and energetic session.

This special visit provided a fantastic opportunity for students to engage and learn from renowned professionals helping inspire the next generation of talents through sharing techniques, knowledge, and valuable insights into the audition process.

Kevin Clifton, who featured in seven series of the hit BBC show, finally winning in 2018 with his now long-term partner, Stacey Dooley, said: “I loved being at MGA because we weren’t just trying to teach a bit of dancing and the technique behind it but also show the students the audition process.

“For our show, it takes a lot of letting go in terms of everyone’s inhibitions and really going for it in the room. I feel everyone really committed to it which was really lovely to see.

“To be honest at that age I probably wouldn’t have committed to letting go like that, so it was really great to see and it’s been great to spend time with such a talented bunch.”

It’s an exciting time for the academy, as it is set to move its headquarters to Livingston in the coming months, to enable it to triple its student intake and broaden its educational offering to 11 BA degrees, two postgraduate Masters degrees and strengthen foundational courses that offer opportunities for aspiring performers.

Poppy Blackledge, a talented performer and integral part of the ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical’ cast, also graced the MGA Academy with her presence. Students had the privilege of learning from her expertise and witnessing first hand the incredible skills that have earned her a place on the international stage.

The visit from MGA BA Hons Musical Theatre graduate Kieran Cooper created a sense of pride and inspiration within the student community.

Kieran’s journey from MGA Academy to performing in a prestigious production like ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical‘ showcased the exceptional training and opportunities provided by MGA Academy.

Kieran said: “I started MGA in 2013 to study the Musical theatre course, graduating in 2016. I really enjoyed my time there, mainly because everyone is so friendly and welcoming.

“I had never sung or danced before but everyone was just so encouraging, looking back I can honestly say they were some of the best years of my life.

“It was great to bring Kevin and Poppy from Strictly Ballroom along and we did a little samba routine from the beginning of the show, and everyone was amazing.

“I knew the talent level at MGA is high, but we were shocked at just how good the students were today. Everyone was amazing and it’s been great fun.”

The students were able to witness the magic of ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical’ as they enjoyed the unforgettable performance based on Baz Luhrmann’s acclaimed film. Directed by the famous Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood, this production brought the glitz and glamour of ballroom dancing to life, leaving an indelible impression on the aspiring performers.

Reece Hannah, a current musical theatre student at MGA Academy, shared her excitement about the visit, saying, “It was a truly incredible experience to have Kevin Clifton, Poppy Blackledge, and Kieran Cooper here at MGA Academy.

“Learning from industry professionals and seeing Kieran’s journey from MGA to performing in a West End production was truly inspiring. It has motivated me to pursue my dreams with even greater passion and determination.”

The visit from esteemed stars of ‘Strictly Ballroom the Musical’ further reinforces MGA Academy’s reputation as a leading institution for performing arts education that provides a platform for aspiring performers to remain in Scotland while studying at a level equivalent to prestigious London colleges.

Founded in 2015 in Balgreen, West Edinburgh it will move its headquarters to a dedicated 30,000 square foot campus in Livingston, allowing it to triple its student intake and expand its educational programme.

To find out more about MGA Academy of Performing Arts, visit: 

https://www.themgaacademy.com/.

HRH The Princess Royal re-opens refurbished Lady Haig Poppy Factory

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal called into Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh yesterday (Thursday 19th January) to officially re-open the campus following a two-year refurbishment.

Her Royal Highness toured the factory and its new exhibition space, and chatted to staff, before visiting Poppyscotland’s mobile museum, Bud.

The factory, founded in 1926, will now re-open to visitors and school groups following the project to showcase its history and heritage. Thirty-three disabled veterans work in the factory on Logie Green Road, making more than three million poppies each year for the Scottish Poppy Appeal, as well as wreaths and other tributes.

Her Royal Highness was met by the Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, Brigadier Dr John Reid Thomson, who is also chair of the factory, Poppyscotland’s President, Rear Admiral Mark Beverstock, Helen Owen, chair of Poppyscotland, and factory manager, Major Charlie Pelling.

David Adamson, a wreath maker and tour guide, who served for 22 years with the Royal Highland Fusiliers, gave her a tour of the factory, introducing the team.

During her visit, she spent time talking to the veterans about their experiences and the different stages of making poppies and wreaths. She signed a “reflection postcard” which will form part of a wall display in the factory.

She also met Summer Saunders and Kate Miller, both 17, from Ayr, who designed a silk red poppy dress as part of the “Junk Kouture” sustainability project and Sophie Henderson, 14, from Ayrshire, who won Poppyscotland’s 2020 poetry competition with her poem “In Future Fields”, a response to John McRae’s 1915 “In Flanders Fields”.

Her Royal Highness then toured Bud, the 18-tonne truck which transforms into a micro-museum, that has now travelled to every local authority in Scotland.  She unveiled a plaque before being presented with a framed copy of both poems by Ms Owen.

Poppyscotland’s Director, Austin Hardie, said: “We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to officially re-open our newly refurbished factory and campus today. 

“ This is the culmination of two years of hard work to ensure we have a modern facility dedicated to supporting Scotland’s veterans’ community.

“We are very proud of our heritage, and this marks an exciting new chapter in the factory’s 97-year history. We are looking forward to welcoming school groups and the wider public to the factory and exhibition space, telling the story of the poppy to new generations.”

Ms Owen said: “We are very grateful to Her Royal Highness for taking the time to meet the team involved in this exciting project, as well as her continued support for our Armed Forces community.

“The veterans enjoyed showing her how poppies and wreaths are hand-made using traditional methods, and explaining the unique history of the factory.”

Mr Adamson said: “She was very interested in everything, and took the time to speak to as many of the guys as possible. She also noticed the big difference from last time she visited.”

To find out more about Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory or book a tour, go to:

www.poppyscotland.org.uk/lady-haigs-poppy-factory.

Hearts players spread festive cheer at New Sick Kids hospital

Children, families and NHS staff at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) were treated to a special Christmas surprise when players from Heart of Midlothian FC came to visit. 

Captain Craig Gordon and the first team squad spread lots of festive joy when they made their way around the hospital, meeting and speaking with some of their biggest fans on the wards and handing out Christmas goodies.

The annual visit is organised by NHS Lothian and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC). This is the first time the Hearts players have been able to visit the hospital in person since 2019 due to Covid, making the occasion even more memorable.

Craig said: “This is an important day in our calendar and we are delighted to be able to visit everyone in person once again.

“Christmas is a special time of year but, unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to spend it at home, happy and healthy with family and friends.

“That it why this visit is really meaningful, because it affords us the chance to give something back and to, hopefully, put some smiles on some faces and spread some Christmas cheer.”

ECHC runs a programme of daily fun activities throughout December to make sure no one spending the season in hospital misses out on the magic of Christmas. So far, children and their families have been entertained by Santa abseiling into the building, a silent disco around the wards and a live pipe band, with plenty more still to come.

Pippa Johnston, Director at ECHC, said: “The Hearts team’s visit to the hospital always provides a real boost to children, families and staff so it is marvellous to be able to welcome them back in person. Some of the children are avid Hearts supporters so really enjoy the opportunity to meet and take photos with their favourite players and get some Hearts goodies too.

“Every year, together with our friends at NHS Lothian, ECHC works hard to make time spent in hospital a little bit brighter. We rely solely on donations and kindness to be able to do this, so we are enormously grateful to Hearts for taking time out of their busy schedule to visit those facing a hospital stay this Christmas.” 

To find out more about ECHC’s Redirected Letters to Santa Christmas appeal and to donate, visit www.echcharity.org/donate 

Scottish Secretary visits Poppy Factory

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack visited Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Redford Barracks yesterday.

The factory makes five million poppies and 15,000 wreaths every year to raise funds for Poppyscotland’s veteran support services. During lockdown the factory staff worked from home, continuing to make poppies for this year’s Scottish Poppy Appeal.

Mr Jack met factory manager Major Charlie Pelling (retired) and many of the former service men and women who work in the factory.

Speaking after his visit, Alister Jack said: “It was a real privilege to visit Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory and meet the former service men and women who produce the famous poppies.

“It was heartening to hear how hard they had all worked to make sure that production continued right through lockdown. Every year Poppyscotland raises much needed money for veterans charities, and I wish them the very best of luck with this year’s appeal.

Charlie Pelling, Manager at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, said: “The lockdown has been a very challenging period for us but it is a testament to the professionalism and commitment of our workforce that they adapted to home working so enthusiastically.

“In doing so that have ensured that the millions of poppies needed for the 2020 Scottish Poppy Appeal would be ready in time. While we expect this year’s Appeal to be different due to the ongoing pandemic, it is vital that we continue to have the support of the public, without which Poppyscotland would not be able to continue offering it’s life-changing support to our Armed Forces community.”

Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, a subsidiary of Poppyscotland, is currently located in Redford Barracks while their permanent premises in Canonmills are refurbished.

Poppyscotland raises money through the annual Scottish Poppy Appeal to deliver support to members of the armed forces community. The charity funds services in advice, employment, housing, mental health, mobility and respite.