Maureen Child blogs

Dear All

A concert of ‘Forgotten Carols’ is happening Saturday 12 December, 3pm at St Marks Church 287 Portobello High Street, This concert is a fundraiser for the Refugee Survival Trust.  There is also a repeat at the Storytelling Centre that evening, which is now sold out. So do catch the local one which currently has tickets left! http://www.sing-in-scotland.com/tickets/

 

Last Saturday, I had the privilege to meet some of the Syrian refugee families who have come to Edinburgh under the UK Vulnerable Person’s Relocation Scheme in the last few weeks.  It was great to see friendships and good relationships developing in an informal get-together with many of those directly helping to settle them in

I also met one of my lovely constituents who is involved with the Muslim Women’s Association of Edinburgh and they are organising the Islamophobia Conference this Saturday at the Edinburgh Methodist Church, behind the Central Mosque in Nicolson Square, which has really great new conference facilities.

 

A fab venue (a hub cafe and the One World Shop attached).  All details here: http://www.sacc.org.uk/events  I will be there in the morning, but already committed to the ‘Forgotten Carols’ event (above) in the afternoon.

 

The Thistle Foundation are suggesting that their Firewalk Experience vouchers which would make great last minute Christmas presents for that “hard to buy” for person. The link to their website with information is here;  www.thistle.org.uk/firewalk16

 

Portobello High School’s Christmas Concert is on Wednesday, 16 December starting 7pm. Tickets are now on sale from the School office Tickets £5.00 (Concession £3)

 

The Porty Panto presents Cinderella this weekend; a family pantomime starting tonight, Friday 11 December for a three nights run, at The Wash House, 3 Adelphi Grove.  The show features the Towerbank Primary School Choir and the dancers of Lothian Dance Academy and Creative Dance.

More information and book here: https://www.ents24.com/edinburgh-events/the-wash-house-community-centre/the-porty-panto-presents-cinderella/4515511

 

Families might be interested in meeting Santa at Newhailes and comes with a recommendation from a Mum whose family went last weekend.  “It was lovely, in a stable, very non commercial and full of greenery and fairly lights. Staff were lovely and Santa was really nice.  

The Visitor Centre is open and the cafe is serving food and drinks Santa is there again this coming Saturday and Sunday.” This is the link.  http://www.nts.org.uk/Events/Ticket-Date/4494/  They also have a Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/NTSNewhailes

 

As part of the new ‘ScotRail in the Community’ scheme, a £40,000 annual Cultural and Arts Fund has been set up.

They are inviting invite applications from groups across Scotland looking to fund arts, community recreation, and sports activities and projects in the vicinity of a train station or with a travel or safety theme. More here: http://www.scotrail.co.uk/about-scotrail/scotrail-community/cultural-and-arts-fund

 

Fresh Start is an Edinburgh based charity helping people who have been homeless get established in their new home. Working in partnership with volunteers and organisations from a broad section of the community, they deliver a range of services that provide the practical and social support that help people resettle successfully.

Fresh Start has a satellite office in Craigmillar and have transformed the land near the Robin Chapel into a community growing space. Their volunteers work together to plan what to plant, tend to what is growing, and harvest the crops when they are ready. More here: http://chronicleonline.net/2015/12/05/fresh-start-in-craigmillar-an-introduction/

 

Sunday 20 December, 4pm is time for the Christmas Carol Service at the Robin Chapel. The choral music there is really breath-taking. Traditional refreshments and mulled wine (non-alcoholic), afterwards.

Their ‘Service and Music Listbooklet is available on line at: www.robinchapel.org.uk and they would welcome you to join them. Paper copies will be available in the chapel.

 

The White House Kitchen is holding a Tea Dance and Singalong on the afternoon of Wednesday 16 December from 12.30pm to 3pm. The £3 entry includes tea and a scone.  More here: http://chronicleonline.net/2015/12/02/the-white-house-tea-dance-sing-along/

Their Christmas Lunch looks yummy!  See here: http://chronicleonline.net/2015/12/08/xmas-lunch-at-the-white-house/

 

Find out the loads of activities available during the holidays, especially for children, families and young people, at our brilliant community centres in East Edinburgh.  Details here:  https://www.joininedinburgh.org/holidayprogramme/east-edinburgh/.

Includes a community Christmas Lunch at Bingham Community Centre:: http://chronicleonline.net/2015/12/09/bingham-christmas-lunch/

 

This is the link to the Proposal of Application Notice application about the cycling development at Hunters Hall Park. Detail here:  http://citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk/idoxpa-web/files/1484369A49868BF334118DC50ED618F2/pdf/15_05530_PAN-PROPOSAL_OF_APPLICATION_NOTICE-3243935.pdf

The plans will also be on display in the East Local Office/Craigmillar Library on 25 and 26 January.

 

Warm congratulations to Castleview Primary School on their follow-through Education Scotland report.  Following the school’s very successful HMIE inspection in 2013 were they were awarded a Very Good rating for: · Improvements in Performance · Learners Experiences · Improvements through Self Evaluation

It was also awarded two Excellent ratings for: · Meeting Learners Needs · Curriculum

Children and Families quality improvement team recently  visited the school to assess the extent to which the school was continuing to develop the quality of its education. Their findings were that the school had made excellent progress since the 2013 report and had improved on performance in all areas.

Still one of the best primary schools in Scotland to be found in the heart of Craigmillar.  More here: https://castleviewprimary.wordpress.com/

 

Local people have been pushing for this and the Council’s new advertising shelter provider, JCDecaux, has finally secured planning permission for a new bus shelter outside Jenner’s’ side entrance on South St David Street where the Nos. 26 and 44 stop.

The current plan is to try and coordinate installation with a temporary road closure associated with works on the building over the road.  This could mean the shelter will be installed at the end of January 2016 or soon after.

 

If you must shop until you drop – at least be a clever Christmas consumer! Your consumer rights changed on 1 October. Make sure you understand your new rights when buying and sending things this Christmas.

Follow The CAB’s ten consumer tips and have a safe, stress free holiday period.  More here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/campaigns/current_campaigns/be-a-clever-christmas-consumer/

 

And don’t forget to do the Edinburgh’s Budget Challenge (click link below) – you have a whole extra week to get it done!!

 

Have a great weekend!

Best wishes

Maureen

Councillor Maureen Child | Labour Elected Member | Portobello/Craigmillar (Ward 17) | City of Edinburgh Council | City Chambers | High Street | Edinburgh | EH1 1YJ | Tel 0131 529 3268 | Mobile 07718 666 481| Twitter @MaureenChild1

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and may not reflect the views of Chronicle Online

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