Dear All

The Diana Awards go some amazing young people, but nobody quite like Cody McManus of Duddingston Primary School. Cody realised that not every child received gifts at Christmas, so he decided to do something about it. That year, he raised £12,000 and enough donations to fill a boxing ring with toys for those children who might otherwise go without.  In addition to his boxing challenge, Cody raised a further £10,000 to buy sixty-four bikes for children by cycling 58km from Edinburgh to Falkirk and £1000 for homeless people. Cody is a true inspiration. He made the Edinburgh Evening News all right, but he also got himself all prepared for a radio interview on the day, but he didn’t get the opportunity to give it as the taxi didn’t turn up!  sounds like Cody might be up for a Porty Podcast? 

Edinburgh Shoreline Project community displays are on show at Portobello Library until 23 November. Do go along and have a look!   

Portobello Library was just one of the five voting stations for the community grants vote, You Decide!  In just a few minutes, until 1pm today, you could vote for your five favourite community projects to get funds this year.  The results will be announced this coming Monday. 

On Brighton Place, Scottish Water took four weeks to finally agreed a method for reducing the large mound of concrete their contractors left us with in 2005.  MacKenzie Construction’s work on Brighton Place carriageway foundations and sett replacement was then able to begin in earnest and is proceeding apace. The route will reopen for the Festive period, as planned. The flat setts at both sides are to make the route easier for cyclists and that stone is locally sourced from Armadale West Lothian.  This phase is the test bed for the rest of the work, which is likely go much more speedily now that the method for reducing the offending concrete is settled.

Bonfire Night and Halloween seem to have passed by relatively safely this year, thanks to some brilliant close local partnership working.  This was just one of the reports to the NE Locality Committee on Tuesday this week by police, fire and rescue service and Council working together to solve problems and meet challenges that no one agency can do alone.  More viewing here: https://edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/368169. It’s worth a look in the archive for other examples of the inter-agency work to progress the NE Local Improvement Plan. More here: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/10247/north_east_locality_improvement_plan

Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust is having a fun wild flower planting event and help local wildlife whilst adding a splash of colour to the park. Sunday 11 November 1pm-3pm.  All tools and equipment (including refreshments) will be provided. Meet at the adventure playground in Craigmillar Castle Park. See link below.

http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=328465&Y=671048&A=Y&Z=110

Local Councillors from all political parties participated in workshops to start shaping the consultation on choices for the next statutory Local Development Plan, called City Plan 2030.  They are now all-set to be prove champions for the ongoing project. We are determined to make the process much more accessible and jargon-free.  We’re determined that more local people of all ages and experience, and from all walks of life, get involved in planning our city so we get the best possible City Plan.  Do please start getting involved here in shaping our city for the future! Click here and do please participate! : 

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20069/local_development_plan_and_guidance/1821/city_plan_2030. 

Full details of Greig Burgoyne’s ‘Pier to Pier’ project commissioned for this year’s Art Walk are now available to view online. You can view his Pier Dig and Pier to Pier public participatory walks performed on Portobello Beach this year.   https://www.artwalkporty.co.uk/2018/piertopier.html

To mark the centenary of Armistice Day, Portobello Heritage Trust are opening Bellfield’s Celebration Hall to host an event to commemorate the little-known role that Portobello played in the First World War. Take a look around the unchanged former church, and learn about its history and war memorials from 2-4pm on Sunday 11 November.  The Ladies Guerilla String Quartet are playing from 2pm.  They are performing as part of Play4Peace, a global event inviting musicians around the world to come together and play the same piece of music on the afternoon of Armistice Day. Find out more about Play4Peace here: https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/news/play4peace-armistice-day  Archie Foley, local historian and co-author of ‘Portobello and the Great War’ is giving a talk on Portobello’s connections to the First World War from 3pm. Entry is free, and refreshments will be on sale, with all proceeds going to the Scottish War Memorials Trust: http://www.warmemorials.org/links-scotland/  More about Portobello Heritage Trust here: http://www.portobelloheritagetrust.co.uk/

Have a good weekend! 

Maureen

Councillor Maureen Child

Labour Councillor Portobello/Craigmillar Ward

Office: 0131 529 3268

Mobile: 07718 666 481

Facebook Page: Maureen Child Standing Up for Portobello/Craigmillar

Twitter: @MaureenChild1