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Maureen Child Update 13 June 2017

Posted on: June 13th, 2017

Dear All,

 

I’m sorry about the break in my weekly Update transmission!  I am struggling to get used to a laptop having been used to a desktop. I also took a break away for a week.  There is lots happening and I am getting behind…

 

The Portobello Reporter summer issue is out and being delivered locally.  Here’s an online copy:  http://porty.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/PR4PO_Summer-17.pdf

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One of my local heroines, Thistle volunteer Margaret Hendry was invited to a special awards ceremony at Edinburgh’s City Chambers where she received an award recognising all the time she gives Thistle based at the Centre of Wellbeing, Queen’s Walk in Craigmillar as a volunteer. Margaret volunteers at Thistle 5 days a week. She’s the first to welcome people through the door and make them feel at ease; she delivers Tai Chi classes to over 90 people every week; and she helps out at the exercise classes. And that’s just a few of the things she does! Thistle wouldn’t be able to do so much so well if it wasn’t for Margaret. To top it all, she’s going to lead aTai Chi marathon at Princes St Gardens on Wednesday 28th June between 11am – 1pm. Do support Margaret – and Thistle – by taking part in this exciting event! Please sign up soon – places are going fast!  If you need any help to set up a Just Giving page or just want to chat through some fundraising ideas then let us know. You can give Thistle a call on 0131 661 3366. Can’t make it on the day, but still want to show your support? Why not contribute to Margaret’s page? https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Margaret-Hendry1

 

You’ll find more fabulous local volunteering stories here too! Click on the link: 

http://www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk/organise/Blog_Article_Depository/iva_2017_programme_a5_web_ready.pdf

 

This looks like a lovely local upcoming event centred on the Dog and Cat Home with a wonderful story behind it – which I hadn’t heard before.  Whether you care about dogs or running or not, this is a lovely tale with a happy ending:   https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jog-with-gobi-tickets-35231462252?utm_term=eventurl_text

 

I am so impressed with the newsletters Towerbank Primary School produce.  They may not be as active on social media as the other local schools I know and love, but they sure do put a good few positive stories together!  

https://towerbankprimary.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/newsletter-2-june-17.pdf

 

Nostalgia time about outdoor swimming with Portobello’s lido as one of the big losses: 

http://www.scotsman.com/news/6-lost-lidos-of-scotland-1-4463717

 

We do still have our indoor pool including the Turkish baths. 

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/nostalgia-healing-waters-of-portobello-turkish-baths-1-4467723

 

Plenty of events this weekend to celebrate community and coming together.  At Bridgend Farm; Portobello Community Orchard; Figgate Park; Bellfield Street; Craigmillar at the Thistle Foundation.  If you google, or go on social media, I’m sure you’ll find information on each of them – and more.  

 

Some are Big Lunch events 

https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/stuff-to-do/organise-big-lunch

 

Others organised under the banner of the Great Get Together https://www.greatgettogether.org/ like this local one: https://www.facebook.com/events/118027322125187??ti=ia 

 

The Power of Food Festival at the Community Orchard, Brunstane Road South, this Saturday, 17 June, from 12 noon – 3pm. The Power of Food Festival is an Edinburgh-wide celebration of community growing spaces.  

You can see the full festival programme here: https://poweroffoodfestival.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/the-power-of-food-festival-programme-2017.pdf and this link to a short film about last year’s event: https://vimeo.com/217994404 

 

The timetable is: 12.30 pm – summer pruning workshop. You can learn how to prune your fruit trees in summer to ensure maximum productivity. 1 pm and 2 pm – apple pressing and juice tasting. There will also be crafts – come along and make your own leaf-inspired bunting. Refreshments will be available throughout. Feel free to turn up at any time during the event and please tell your family, friends and neighbours about it.

 

Either explicitly or not, all these kinds of events and gatherings all help us realise or remember that we have much more in common as human beings than that which divides us. On that note, see here, advice on how not to be a bystander when people are being picked on simply for being who they are as a human being: http://metro.co.uk/2016/07/07/how-you-should-react-when-you-see-racist-abuse-5992530/

 

This laptop thing is definitely doing my head in, so I will leave it here.  I’ve forgotten how to highlight text and change fonts already.  Technology is grossly over-rated….

 

Best wishes

 

Maureen

 


Councillor Maureen Child

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