Connecting Craigmillar
On a pouring wet Friday afternoon, twenty of us interested parties got together at the The White House, 70 Niddrie Mains Road to map out what we valued about the Chronicle community newspaper in Craigmillar, now sadly no longer with us. We discussed what we might do now, in an age of social media, to fill the gaping hole its loss has left. Our ideas and commitments filled several big sheets of paper. It’s now the tough task of Martin Macaulay, local regeneration manager to take it away and come back with practical ways forward. We want to help connect the community internally, but also connect with the rest of Edinburgh with all the positive things going on in our communities and neighbourhoods.
How can we improve life for people with dementia in Portobello?
Twenty six wonderful ideas were put forward by sixty participants who came and paricpated in an afternoon of discussions, film and talks on ‘Living with Dementia in Portobello’ recently at the Wash House community centre, Adelphi Grove. People with dementia who attended are keen find a dementia friendly café where they can meet regularly. Other ideas included awareness-raising for shops, businesses and schools; and clear signs for public toilets. A new leaflet, ‘Creating Dementia Portobello – how you can help’ was launched and is available from the library. The Dementia Friendly Steering Group, who organised the event, would like to hear from anyone in the community who interested to get involved. For more information, contact Teresa Straczynski, Dementia Adviser Alzheimer Scotland, 0131 662 1204, tstraczynski@alzscot.org.
Growing Communities
I paid two good visits in three days to Bridgend Farm and allotments on the southern edge of Craigmillar Country Park, off old Dalkeith Road. One was to Bridgend Inspiring Growth (BIG) on its Saturday Open Day. This is a project which is working towards restoring the old farm house at Bridgend for use as a healthy living centre. The other is Bridgend Growing Communities, which supports people getting into growing fruit and vegetables together, initially with NHS Lothian support. They work with people with mental health problems and those who just want to get growing. There are an increasing number and variety of local projects and initiatives in Craigmillar and Portobello which have a lot in common – ‘growing together’ in both senses of the phrase.
Community Compass Carr Gomm Project One Year On
A local project was set up a year ago with Carr Gomm who are based in the East Local Office and work closely with Craigmillar Medical Group health practitioners and other people working locally. Community Compass, and other partners in the community, work with people who are finding life tough right now and are disconnected from the services and places that might be able to help. Over 150 vulnerable and isolated people have been contacted within the year, with over 50 very vulnerable people contacted and actively engaged. They have all been helped to reconnect with the community at large and move on with their lives. Two initiatives taken forward so far are a growing space at Niddrie Mains Terrace and a group cooking healthy food together. Funds have also been identified by Carr Gomm and the Thistle Foundation working together on a new ‘Men in Sheds’ project. To find out more or refer someone you know contact Jenny on 07920 267 502/ 0131 659 477 or email compass@carrgomm.org
Visit Craigmillar – The Nakba Exhibition and White House Kitchen
An exhibition on Palestine has opened in Craigmillar Library and will be there for the next two weeks. This has been very well received in Germany and this is thought to be the first time the English language edition has been shown in the UK. A group of Edinburgh people with Palestinian connections has brought it to our city. The fabulous Craigmillar Library, 77 Niddrie Mains Road, is worth a visit anyway, but this is an added incentive. And while you are there, go and have a lovely lunch or coffee at The White House Kitchen across the street at No 70. A lot of people from far and wide have already discovered it, so sometimes it’s hard to find a table.
Castle Credit Union Have Big Plans
Our local financial cooperative, Castle Credit Union (CCU) and its 692 members have had a quiet year because of the economic climate and people finding saving and borrowing difficult to manage. The AGM is coming up next month. CCU welcomed 51 new members joining up to save and borrow a affordable rates since last year. They have plans to expand so that anyone living in the EH Postcode area can join this new developing community enterprise. They also have plans for a change of name and new smart IT systems and processes, which will be much simpler and easier for members to access. We have teamed up with a community group that wanted to set up a Water of Leith credit union and they have brought in new energy and development expertise to our Craigmillar, Portobello and Gilmerton CCU Board. Exciting times!
Hunters Hall Park Cycling Hub
There is a proposal to make a hub for the sport of cycling at Hunters Hall Park. The Jack Kane Community Wing and Sport Centre have gone out to consultation on their ideas. The feedback has been very largely positive. There is some concern in the neighbourhood about the loss of green space. But there is also a wide recognition that the development will benefit local people as well as those from outside the area. The feedback is now available, both in numbers and comments. This information will form part of a report to the Council’s Culture and Sport Committee on 12 December.
Scottish Power Line
The trenches being cut along Stanley Street to the north of the golf course and the overnight lane closures on Sir Harry Lauder Road at Baileyfield Road recently are all part of the need to take a Scottish Power line all the way to the Musselburgh boundary and beyond to the new Midlothian recycling site at Millerhill. They are running twin 33Kv Power cables from Fishwives Causeway to Musselburgh and beyond. The Council and Scottish Power together are trying to manage the works so as there is as little impact as possible on busy main routes. This involves night working, weekend working and off peak wherever possible. The contractor should have information boards so as the public know what is happening, as it happens. The Stanley Street Section should be complete by the end of next week.
Can You Make Christmas Decorations?
Bridgend Growing Communities and Castleview Community Centre (aka Sandy’s) in Craigmillar Castle Gardens would like to invite you to help decorate a living tree in their garden. They need decorations that can be used outdoors and can withstand wind, rain and maybe even snow! There will be a prize for the best handmade decoration. Please do come and join them on Friday 28 November at Sandy’s between 11:30am and 13:30pm. Festive food will be served.
Updates
The Fire and Rescue Service continue to have concerns about fire safety in tenement stairs and have the advice in a leaflet you can access here: https://twitter.com/scotfire_Edin/status/536869394350370817/photo/1
Local resident and writer Douglas Johnstone, author of ‘Gone Again’ and ‘Dead Beat’ will be at Portobello Library tomorrow. Details here: will be at Portobello Library tomorrow ow.ly/EAxFF
I have recently written a blog for Compact 10 – our 10 years of partnership with the Voluntary/Third Sector. See “Getting it right for every citizen” new read more buff.ly/1F7cJEE Want to know more about Compact and contribute? We are all part of it in some way. Want to add to the word cloud? Want to add to it? Come to the Insight Sessions! More info: buff.ly/1xtqcUZ pic.twitter.com/FK9mL1PJVm
Gica Loening has asked me to give another plug for their Ceildh: Calling Fun Fiddle friends, fiddlers, families, and all! Come and celebrate St Andrews Day with Fun Fiddle and the Belle Star Band and an afternoon of live music and dance Sunday 30th November 3.30 to 5.30pm at The Wash House, Adelphi Grove. Tickets for sale at The Wild Flower Shop, 90 Porty High St, and also from Jenny and Gica at Fun Fiddle (£6 adults, and £4 children, under 5’s free). Check out last year’s St Andrews’s Ceilidh at The Wash House on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2T0sIepThc