Councillor Maureen Child Blogs

Maureen_Child_17_200x200Dear All

Portobello’s bats will have new roosting sites with the MyParkScotland crowdfund for bat boxes.  Appropriately, the bat box appeal reached its funding target over the Halloween weekend!  Deborah Holloway of the Friends of Figgate Park said: “It is fantastic that we have been able to reach our target to fund eight bat boxes. This will really help to encourage and support the bat population. We would like to thank everyone who donated to support the project.”  Want to find out more and help them in their park around the park?  The AGM is coming up soon Monday 9 November, 7-9pm Duddingston Primary School:   Friends of Figgate Park AGM

If you are interested in working with Greenspace Scotland who can help with this kind of project, and others, contact them by email info@greenspacescotland.org.uk or telephone 01786 849757 to find out about the services, support and training that they can provide to help you make a difference to your greenspace, street, neighbourhood, town or city.

St Mark’s Episcopal Church is an architectural landmark on Portobello High Street, so in a sense ‘belongs’ to everyone who lives and visits. Tomorrow Saturday, 7 November, there is a good chance to see inside this historic church and enjoy coffee and bacon rolls, a tombola, book stall and home-baking stall. Open 11am to 1pm. In aid of church funds and 10% of proceeds will be given to the congregation’s chosen charities. More here: www.stmarksportobello.org

And just opposite St Mark’s, the lovely Velvet Easel gallery starts its new exhibition tomorrow: Velvet Easel | Rosalind Walker

Pamoja Fashion is a venture of the Pamoja Trust which supports partnerships between schools and communities in Scotland and Tanzania.  More here: http://twendepamoja.org.uk/ They have a sale on Saturday morning 7 November from 10am to 12noon in St John’s Hall (Brighton Place).  This is a sale of quality clothes and accessories with Tanzanian tea & coffee available.  You could call in on your way to or from Portobello Market, also on this Saturday in Brighton Park, Portobello, 9.30 – 1.30. Full list of traders here: Portobello Market

It’s soon time (well, maybe!) to get into the Christmas spirit and join the Friends of the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home at their annual Christmas fair! More here:  Upcoming Event

Fabulous news that Bridgend Inspiring Growth (BIG), who are restoring Bridgend Farmhouse, have succeeded in their bid for a £1 Million Lottery Grant I first read about it in the Craigmillar Chronicle Online: Bridgend Lottery Success.  The Autumn drop-in programme at Bridgend Farmhouse for the Bridgend Inspiring Growth (BIG) project.  More here: www.bridgendfarmhouse.org.uk There is lots of work still happening on site and different workshops and projects coming up. All are welcome, as always, every Sunday from 11am to 3pm, with free lunch included.  Just drop-in anytime. On Sunday 6 December BIG will be hosting a Christmas Fair at the farmhouse from 11 till 3.  If anyone (individuals or community groups/organisations) would like to have a stall please get in contact, either via this email, or to bridgendbuild@gmail.com

Lots more detail and news like this on here: http://chronicleonline.net/  and features like this: Arts the Catalyst – the Craigmillar Story

As Chair of the Cre8te Board of Directors I was hugely delighted that Craigmillar-based local enterprise agency Cre8te Opportunities won a 2015 Social Enterprise Scotland Award for our work as a “genuine example of community led economic and social impact”. We won the Prove It: Social Impact category. The accolade came in the same week we won Partnership Organisation of the Year from the Port of Leith Housing Association. The judges said the agency, based at Castlebrae Business Centre, had shown “clear evidence of impact in Craigmillar but also on wider community”.

Lovely feature on Sylvia Gorman and Craigmillar Book Festival which ties in with Book Week Scotland 2015 and takes place from Monday 23 – Sunday 29 November. See here:  Craigmillar Book Festival

Did you ‘Walk the Walk’ at this year’s first Portobello Art Walk? They would love to hear your feedback: Art Walk Survey

Jessie Douglas is in the running for Community Champion of the Year in RBS – Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes 2015. Jessie tragically lost her son in a motorbike accident 18 years ago and he left behind a two-year-old son. Jessie realised there was very little (if any) support for young people dealing with grief and the loss of a loved one. Along with the assistance of the local church, Jessie started up Scotland’s first dedicated child bereavement charity – Richmond’s Hope. It still runs today; offering counselling and away days to help young people cope with their bereavement.  Find out more about all the champions nominated and take your pick.  I know who I am choosing!  Jessie Douglas

The Edinburgh Evening News is running a competition for Edinburgh’s Pub of the Year 2015: Top ten have been revealed and includes the Dalriada, 77 The Promenade, Portobello – and your vote counts: Portobello Pub of the Year?

Nice Halloween pictures of Portobello Park Run: Portobello Park Run

The Council wants your views on the new proposals and on developing future training for the city’s taxi and private hire car drivers.  Survey here: .Citizen Space – Taxi and Private Hire Car Driver Qualification

An appeal to all voluntary organisations and community groups please help get a picture of the ‘Third Sector’ in Edinburgh: Edinburgh Compact Voice 2015

A forthcoming review of the Scottish Planning System has been announced by Scottish Government: Planning Review

The City of Edinburgh Council has a new dedicated customer service Twitter account @edinhelp . The Council has been helping residents on social media since 2009 with everything from missed bin collections to road safety. The main Council Twitter account has grown to almost  50,000 followers and now receives on average over 2,300 messages per month. This increase in residents contacting the council through social media channels has prompted the council to think about the best way to help people to get the most from its social media accounts. The new 24/7 service will handle customer questions, requests and complaints. All enquiries will be responded to as quickly as possible and if it can’t be answered in a tweet, a helpful solution or link will be provided.

A report to the Council’s Health, Social Care and Housing Committee, next week, outlines proposals to increase the Council’s own house-building programme from 3,000 to 8,000 over the next decade. The report seeks approval to bring an additional site at Greendykes into the programme. Sixty homes for affordable rent have been delivered at Greendykes already through 21st Century Homes.  A future phase of development at Greendykes would deliver around 70 affordable homes.

This year there’s a new dialogue tool to help you join the Edinburgh Budget conversation to share ideas and rate and comment on others Edinburgh Budget Dialogue

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, have a good one!

Best wishes

Maureen

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