Dear All

Some peace and quiet for you while I am away on holiday for three weeks; no more updates for a while. Please find below details of who to contact in my absence, if you need to.

Portobello Market is here again tomorrow on Saturday 4 July and maybe (?) the sun will continue to shine. Gates open at 9.30am until 1.30pm at Brighton Park, Portobello. BG Cycles from Portobello High Street will be on site again with Dr Bike for a free bicycle check, and the tables and chairs will be set out for you to stay a while and enjoy the atmosphere. The will be have lots of independent traders as usual.  It’s impossible to name them all here, but there’s everything from handmade soaps, plants, garden furniture and crafts, organic mutton, cheese, condiments, oils, bread to jams, and organic vegetables! We’re spoilt for choice.

Check out the website for further details of all the stallholders.
That’s Brighton Park, 9.30am-1.30pm, Saturday 4 July. If you can, please Like and Share their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/portymarket

Whether you’re off camping in the countryside, barbecuing with friends or enjoying a picnic with the family, you can take some simple steps to protect yourself from danger. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have put together some useful information about deliberate fires, the great outdoors and advice on how you can leave your home ‘fire safe’ if you plan to leave it for an extended period of time. More here: Your Safety | SFRS They also invite you their Open Day at McDonald Road fire station on Saturday 4 July from 11-3.30pm. They could help make your home safer and fit free smoke alarms. Text FIRE to 80800 pic.twitter.com/Q6eYRs30oe

Night time appraisals of the new energy efficient lighting at St Mary’s Place and Dalkeith Street have been completed and I am told that these checks confirmed that the new lighting met the required British Standard for street lighting. All the same, because of concerns raised by residents, the light output from the new lights will be increased. The lights in St Mary’s Place and Dalkeith Street were already made a bit brighter in May. The lighting team are working through a city wide programme of low energy upgrade works and Argyle Crescent will be completed in the next six working weeks. Mid-summer is probably not the time to do this, but I can arrange for community councillors and residents groups to meet lighting engineers on site one evening to talk this through.

Funding of £36,220 from the Central Scotland Green Network Trust’s Development Fund has given the green light for a new temporary-greening project in Craigmillar being taken forward by Edinburgh Greenspace Trust near to the new kick-about area that young people from Castlebrae Community High School have constructed just to the east of the East Area Office at 101 Niddrie Mains Road.  EDI, Edinburgh Lothian Greenspace Trust and Council are working together to provide temporary greening on the town centre site next to the Neighbourhood Office. This site is earmarked for the new Castlebrae High School, due in 2020. More about Craigmillar developments here: http://www.elgt.org.uk/news/211/48/Funding-boost-for-Craigmillar-Town-Centre  There are also display boards currently in foyer of The White House, 70 Niddrie Mains Road which show what has happened so far, is happening now and what is planned for the future.

The Robin Chapel in Craigmillar has a new website – www.robinchapel.org.uk – with details of forthcoming services, more images of the Chapel and more information about its fascinating history. Services are held each Sunday at 4pm and all are welcome to attend.

A constituent handed me his copy of the new Historic Scotland magazine (Summer issue) which has a really lovely four-page-long article and pictures called ‘Costume Drama’ at Craigmillar Castle. Photographs of the fabulous Castleview Primary School pupils acting as tour guides, dressed in 16th-century style.  It includes some really great comments from the youngsters and staff about the project and what it has done for the children’s learning, confidence and aspiration for the future. 

Looking for fantastic full day or week camps or top class sports coaching here or elsewhere in Edinburgh? Portobello’s Tumbles have some great gymnastics and trampoline courses running in all the holidays and they are running their popular Activator Multi-Activity Camp and sports coaching. Check Out The Summer Kids Activities On Offer! | www.edinburghleisure.co.uk

It might not be too late to get some volleyball coaching in this year, and certainly it’s not too late to go and watch the action.  Get along to Portobello beach for some fantastic beach volleyball fun. If you are taking part, you will be guided by some of the best coaches and have the chance to play some games in the great outdoors.  More here:.Beach Volleyball Holiday Camp, 13-17 July 2015 (P6/7/S1 age group) – Public Notices

Who’s for tennis, inspired by Wimbledon? There are two excellent tennis courts and with clubhouse in the heart of Joppa. They have been run as a community facility by a voluntary Committee of local people under the ‘wing’ of the Portobello Community Council continuously for over 30 years.  The courts were re-surfaced in 2005 to a high standard providing a durable all weather surface. Find out more about Membership and you can pay to play in the summer holidays very cheaply.  More here:  http://porty.org.uk/groups/listing/joppa-tennis-club

There are now three City Car Club cars in Portobello (High Street, Windsor Place and at Porty Library) and one next to the Area Office at 101 Niddrie Mains Road, Craigmillar. It’s well worth checking out the many advantages of pay-as-you-drive over owning a car.   Cars available to hire all day for £25 | City Car Club 

The LOOPs phone line 0131 603 8311 is a relatively new, dedicated service to help people who are 65 and over living in North East and South West Edinburgh.

They can help older people find groups, clubs, social events and services in the local area. Friendly advisers will take your call, talk to you about your needs then get back to you with information as well as details on how to travel to activities. The new phone line aims to help people maintain a good quality of life by giving access to information on activities which can help keep us happy and healthy and social! More here: LOOPS – Local Opportunities for Older People | Help for Older People in Edinburgh

Report full or overflowing communal food, packaging, paper, glass, textiles or general waste bins using this link: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20001/bins_and_recycling/1177/full_or_overflowing_communal_bin

The Church of Scotland is selling St James Church and Hall, 2A and 2B Rosefield Place in Portobello.  Offers over £400,000 .  Details here:

http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/28125/ST_JAMES_CHURCH_and_HALL,_PORTOBELLO.pdf

Here’s the City’s partnership with the voluntary sector – COMPACT – refreshed for the next five years.  This is a developing partnership with ALL agencies in the city, not just the Council.  At least three of the people closely involved in getting this together (and making sure it gets all the oxygen it needs to become ‘real’ to people) live in Portobello. Surprise! More here:  Compact Strategy – Edinburgh Compact

Pupils make light work of solar power pump for kids centre High school pupils in the Capital have manufactured a solar-powered water heater which will be transported more than 1000 miles to help vulnerable children in Central Europe. Designed by youngsters at Castlebrae Community High, the pump will ensure an education centre in Bulgaria receives hot water. 

Another local kids football success –  Newcraighall P7’s won the EPSA Cup beating St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School 4-3. This cup is played for Primary Schools with 250 pupils or less and considering Newcraighall has an occupancy of approx 120, it was some achievement.

Calls to 0800 0778 778, Scottish Water’s Customer Helpline number – among others – are now free from mobiles. See ukcalling.info for info. pic.twitter.com/4ndPSjnp4b

Lots of people ask me what happens to the recycling we put out for collection.  The answers are on the Council’s website here: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20001/bins_and_recycling/12/what_happens_to_your_recycling

Another link that may be useful for you – to report a problem with a road or pavement: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20089/roads_and_pavements/1070/report_a_problem_with_a_pavement_or_road

The neighbourhood group in Magdalene have started their community growing scheme with climate challenge funding from Scottish Government  through the Community Alliance Trust, which also run the White House and the Green House on Niddrie Mains Road.  I am looking forward to the open day on the first Saturday in August. Here’s what they have been up to so far:  https://www.facebook.com/ediblemagdalene

Lothian Buses have donated the exterior advertising space of one its buses for a year, to help promote the Company’s 2015 Charity of the Year, Fresh Start.

Internal advertising panels will also appear on each of the 650 strong bus fleet with information about the charity.  More here:

http://lothianbuses.com/news/article/lothian-buses-charity-fresh-start-donated-bus-advertising

Let’s find out what we can do about this! Survey results published in RNIB’s ‘Who Put That There?’ report (www.rnib.org.uk/onmystreet) revealed that a third of blind and partially sighted people across the UK had injured themselves when walking around their local areas. Overall, 95% of people said that they had collided with an obstacle.

Remember I am away for three weeks, but the alternative contacts for anything urgent are below.

I hope you have a lovely summer, whatever the weather! 

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

p.s. I will not be available to consult over the next three weeks from Monday 6 July as I will be away on holiday, returning to work on Monday 27 July. My email and phone will be answered by my assistant Lorna McCole or another member of the excellent Labour Group staff team, any of whom who will pick up and action anything urgent while I am away.  Alternatively, you have two other Local Councillors, David Walker and Mike Bridgman.  David’s email is david.walker1@edinburgh.gov.uk and Mike’s is michael.bridgman@edinburgh.gov.uk.  David’s direct line is 0131 529 4972 and Mike’s is 0131 529 4233.