volunteering – Page 20 – The NEN

Don’t judge our young people too quickly

Youngsters get stuck in to support Millennium Centre

Some of the youngsters in Muirhouse are given a hard time by others, but here we show the other side of them and prove we should not judge the majority by the minority.

Some youngsters came along to the Centre and volunteered during their summer holiday period and we thought it was a great idea. The lads went at it with gusto, tidying the garden as our older retired volunteer was on his annual vacation, and as shown in the photo sweeping and hoeing the paths and car park spaces. No task was beneath these young lads, and they were polite, friendly and hard working.

We would like to thank them all and ask others not to judge our young people too quickly.

James McGinty

Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre

MELA looking for volunteers

The Edinburgh Mela Festival 2014 is looking for volunteers

Friday 29 – Sunday 31 August

A carnival atmosphere with a vibrant and exciting mix of dance, music, street art and theatre, The Edinburgh Mela Festival is a lively, colourful event for all the family.

We are looking for enthusiastic and friendly volunteers to join the Festival team, so if you are looking for a fun, summer experience then this is the opportunity for you…

We are looking for volunteers in the following areas:

Artist Liaison, Audience Services, Market Stalls, Kids and family area, Green Recycling Team and Marketing.

We provide:

Ø A volunteer training session, which will give you a chance to meet your volunteer colleagues

Ø Travel expenses to and from the Festival

Ø A meal per shift plus refreshments from our hospitality area

Ø 2 complimentary day tickets

Ø A limited edition Mela t-shirt

Ø You will be able to ask for a reference on successful completion of your volunteer post

You will be asked to attend a short, informal interview and training session.

To find out more, please contact Antonia Dickson on 07870621086 or email volunteer@edinburgh-mela.co.uk; alternatively write to The Edinburgh Mela, Unit 14, Abbeymount Techbase, 2 Easter Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5AN

The deadline for all opportunities is Sunday 10 August.

http://www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk/

TRIM: making a difference

Awards and nominations aplenty for Muirhouse Group …

I am happy to confirm that once again the hard work and dedication of the volunteers in TRIM (Tenants & Residents in Muirhouse) and the Community Shop have been recognised by others.

Three awards have been achieved and they will be presented by the Rt. Hon. Donald Wilson Lord Provost of Edinburgh on 4 June at the City Chambers.

The awards are –

Inspiring Volunteer Achievement Award 2014 for the TRIM Team
Inspiring Volunteer Team Award 2014 for the Community Shop volunteers managed by Robert Pearson, and
Inspiring Volunteer Individual Award 2014 for Robert Pearson

TRIM would publicly like to thank its volunteers in whatever role they have – its because of their hard work and dedication that TRIM is successful and able to make a difference in the community.

As well as the three Inspiring Volunteer Awards I can also tell you that Robert Pearson has been selected as one of the short-listed finalists for the Pride of Edinburgh Award. To be nominated for this award in itself is an honour but to be one of the three short-listed finalists is a real achievement so well done Robert and good luck!

The Pride of Edinburgh Award is for someone who may have supported an individual and/or a family, or who has made a significant contribution to the community. The award not only recognises, encourages and rewards people who make a difference within their community but inspires others to do the same.

The award will be made to an individual whose time, effort, support and aspirations have made a significant contribution within their community for the benefit of those who live there.

Its good to share some positive news!

Eileen Carr
TRIM

Volunteering opportunities at Fresh Start

A local resettlement charity is looking for enthusiastic people to join its band of volunteers. Ferry Road Drive-based Fresh Start, which helps people previously homeless make a home for themselves, urgently needs people to join its Hit Squad and Gardening teams.

Keith Robertson, Managing Director at Fresh Start (pictured above with volunteer Caroline) said: “You don’t need to be an expert gardener or decorator – we are just looking for people with some basic skills who can work as part of a team and support vulnerable people to get back on their feet.”

Hit Squads work alongside new tenants to help them decorate their new house. Volunteers help prepare the rooms for decorating including cleaning, sanding, lining walls and painting the whole room. Last year 120 clients received support to decorate their new home through the Hit Squad service.

But while Hit Squads work alongside new tenants to help them decorate their new house, it is more than just a decorating service. Not only does it improve a client’s living space but also teaches new skills to help them establish and maintain a home and it also benefits people through positive social contact, helping to combat vulnerability and isolation

The charity is also looking for people to volunteer in its allotment where food grown such as vegetables, herbs and potatoes will be used in cookery classes at Fresh Start’s Food Station.

The Food Station service aims to tackle health inequalities amongst people who have been homeless by giving access to refurbished cookers, cooking classes, food packs and budgeting advice.

Keith Robertson added: “Both these projects are fundamental to Fresh Start’s work helping to combat vulnerability and isolation often experienced during periods of homelessness. Hit Squads support people to learn new skills that will enable them to maintain their home, while our cookery classes and gardening projects help people to learn basic cooking skills as well as enjoy being outdoors in the garden.”

To find out more about volunteering:

visit http://bit.ly/freshstartvolunteer

call Fresh Start on 0131 476 7741

or email enquiries@freshstartweb.org.uk

Tierney time again in Drylaw Telford

Evelyn Crawford (above, right) was the popular choice in 2006

Do you know someone who gave up their time to help the Drylaw Telford community last year? A local volunteer who went that extra mile to support a neighbour, or a community group that’s worked to improve the local environment or enhance the quality of life in the neighbourhood? If so, Drylaw Telford Community Council wants to hear from you!

The local community council is now seeking nominations for the Thomas Tierney Award for Good Citizenship.

Tam Tierney was a committed community activist from Wester Drylaw who was involved in many of the positive things that happening in the Greater Pilton area during the Eighties and Nineties.

He was a stalwart of Pilton Sporting Club, chaired Craigroyston Community Centre for many years, was an active and enthusiastic member of Drylaw Telford Community Council. Tam was also part of the steering group – and subsequently a member of the first management committee – of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre which opened in 1995.

When Tam passed away in 1999, Drylaw Telford Community Council decided to mark Tam’s contribution to community life – not only to celebrate his achievements but also to try to encourage others to become more active within their community.

Every year since 2000, the community council has chosen a new recipient of the Award. They are all very different, and each was nominated for a wide variety of reasons. The one thing they have in common, however – indeed the one thing they must have in common – is that they freely contribute their time to do something that makes the Drylaw Telford neighbourhood a better place to live.

Former recipients have done that in many ways – helping out as a volunteer with local projects, doing their neighbours’ shopping, supporting local groups by serving on management committees … and some have done all of these things and more!

Drylaw Telford Community Council chairman Alex Dale – who was recipient of the 2012 award – said: “The Thomas Tierney Award is an important date on our community council calendar and is usually the best attended meeting of the year.We have slightly changed the criteria for the Award this year and we hope this will encourage more people to make nominations”.

If you think you know someone who may fit the bill, visit the community council’s website at www.drylawtelfordcc.co.uk

email Secretary@drylawtelfordcc.co.uk

or contact Jackie Brown at Rainbow Daycare Centre in Drylaw Church for a nomination form.

Florence Atkinson: a very popular winner

Community Councils: get involved!

A drive is under way to encourage more people to join their local community council and help represent the views of residents in their area.

Elections for all of Edinburgh’s community councils are due to take place in September, but some have struggled in the past to attract new members and all are keen to have fresh input. A campaign is now underway to seek nominations to ensure that community councils can continue to thrive and play an important role in the health of the capital’s neighbourhoods.

Cllr Maureen Child (pictured above) , Convener of the Communities and Neighbourhoods committee, urged people to get involved: “It’s all about local residents working together to make a difference to where they live. In my experience, the best community councils involve folk of all ages and backgrounds, but they rely on people putting themselves forward. I completely understand it may be a little daunting for those who haven’t been involved in anything like this before, but help and advice is available.”

Jim Henry, the chair of Liberton & District Community Council, said: “Community councils act as a voice that gives residents an opportunity to use their local knowledge to influence the future of their area. We also get involved in a wide range of activities to improve our communities, including clean-ups and gala days. Without the work of community councils, the city and its neighbourhoods would be a poorer place.”

Community Councils receive a grant to cover running costs and training is available. They are represented on each of the 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships established across the city and work alongside elected members, representatives from NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, the voluntary sector and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to improve the local area and allocate local grants.

Anyone aged 16 years or older and registered to vote can join. People can find their local community council using the Council’s interactive map.

More information and advice is available from:

Eileen Hewitt, Community Council Liaison Officer, on 0131 469 3838 or y email at community.councils@ednburgh.gov.uk
www.edinburgh.gov.uk/communitycouncils http://www.edinburghnp.org.uk/ (neighbourhood partnerships)

What’s your experience of Community Councils? Do they make a difference? Let us know!

Arise, Sir Baldrick!

At last, a ‘cunning plan’ has come together – and in British honours system hierarchy Baldrick now outranks his master Blackadder! Blackadder actor Tony Robinson has been knighted while his co-star Rowan Atkinson receives a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Among the other well-known names to receive honours are Adele, Rob Brydon, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber, Clare Balding, golfer Paul Lawrie and former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, but the majority of recipients are unsung heroes – of the 1,180 people who appear on the Birthday Honours list, almost three-quarters are people who are actively engaged in charitable or voluntary work within their local communities.

BirthdayHonoursList2013

MYadventure: Cyclone update

New taster video of Bike Track at Gypsy Brae http://youtu.be/S8gMmqz6Yng worth a watch (better with sound)

Volunteer Days coming up at Gypsy Brae:

Monday 10 June – 9am – 5pm – TOMORROW !!!

Monday 17 June – 9am – 5pm

Launch Saturday 22 June 1-4pm

Races, refreshments, side stalls

Jonny Kinross

Social Enterprise Manager www.myadventure.org.uk

Office: 0131 332 7132 Direct: 0131 208 3321

M: 07794 467 351 F: 0871 528 4830

Craigroyston community programme courses start next week

CCHS classes

Monica Nall, Community Programme manager at Craigroyston Community High School, has been in touch to remind us that courses start next week – see attached document. The writing group is FREE and fee waivers for the other classes may be considered. For further information call 538 7285.

Search is on for city’s finest volunteers

Nominations now open for Inspiring Volunteering Awards

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost – and Volunteering Champion – Cllr Donald Wilson will honour some of the dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy and commitment to the people of Edinburgh at a special awards ceremony taking place at the City Chambers during Volunteers’ Week on 3 June.

Edinburgh’s Inspiring Volunteering Awards are in their seventh year and nominations are being sought for anyone who has volunteered in Edinburgh for at least six months (and hasn’t already received an award).

This year will include a number of new special recognition categories for volunteers involved in certain areas of activity including:

Arts, Culture & Heritage
Charity Shops
Environment & Conservation (volunteers engaged in environmental activities including education, conservation or gardening).
Fundraising
Health & Social Care (volunteers engaged in health and social care, including support work, befriending or projects which reduce social isolation and help assist independent living)
Sports (volunteers actively involved in supporting sports in their communities).
Organisational Governance (Trustees/Board Members)

There will also be special awards for outstanding contributions from a Young Volunteer (11 to 25 year old) and to recognise commitment by someone who has volunteered for 10 years the Long Standing Contribution to Volunteering Award.

All shortlisted nominations will be considered for the “Lord Provost of Edinburgh’s Inspiring Volunteer of the Year Award 2013.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson said: “There are thousands of dedicated and inspiring volunteers in Edinburgh selflessly giving up their own time to help and support others. These awards are simply one way of recognizing some of their tremendous work, and their contribution to the wellbeing of our city’s residents cannot be overstated. We got some outstanding nominations last year, and I expect we will get some great volunteers put forward again this year. I would encourage all organisations that involve volunteers in their work to consider highlighting some of the good work that goes on by submitting a nomination.”

Kris Von Wald, Convenor of Volunteer Centre Edinburgh, added: “The Lord Provost has agreed to present these awards because he recognises how important volunteers are to Edinburgh and its residents. The Awards seek to acknowledge the hard work, commitment, energy and positive difference that volunteers make”.

Nominations can be made online at:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CLWG9QS