Dear All
In Portobello’s Community Orchard, just opposite the entrance to Brunstane Station, Spring has sprung and things will start to grow fast now, including the ‘weeds’. Their next meet-up at the orchard is tomorrow, Saturday 30 March, from 10 am to 2 pm to finish off the winter pruning. Do come along if you want to see how it’s done. The site needs a tidy up for the start of the season and some grass cleared to allow wildflowers to thrive. The group of regular orchard volunteers hope you will come and join in the work, chat and refreshments. More here: https://www.pedal-porty.org.uk/food/orchard/. It’s advertised as a node point on the John Muir Way too https://johnmuirway.org/es/node/1111.
It’s great news that the fabulous Greengables Nursery in Niddrie House Gardens is shortlisted as a finalist by Education Scotland for the Scottish Education Award in the Raising Achievement in Literacy category. The Greengables community are very much looking forward to the judges’ visit in May where they will have the opportunity to share their fantastic work.
‘Footprint’ is an ArtWalk Porty project to put together a new walking and cycling map and guide for Portobello, Musselburgh and Leith. Local Communities will be involved in mapping around six routes, within their neighbourhoods, encouraging people to explore the urban and natural environment on foot and by bike. More here: https://mailchi.mp/f0cf4086f63c/footprint-map-project
Portobello Rugby is a great community sports club that has sustained connections right across the UK, for generations. They are enabling this fantastic charity initiative connecting the two Portobellos 500 miles apart. More here: https://www.facebook.com/304767472931309/posts/2532150293526338/ And here: https://scrummagazine.com/portobello-doddie-cycle/. Supported by local Portobello (Edinburgh) cycling club Portovelo last Sunday, we gave cyclist Gordon Barclay a glorious send off: https://www.facebook.com/portoveloclub/posts/2330933236941452/. Please do contribute – if you can – to a great cause! Gordon is due arrive at Portobello Market London, TODAY (Friday) at 1pm, and he is carrying a message from our own Portobello community to theirs.
A couple of local people have asked what is happening at the A1 junction the The Jewel at ASDA? This is probably works to provide a two lane approach to the roundabout. ASDA applied almost a year ago and planning consent was granted on 6 September 2018. The reference for all the documentation is 18/01621/FUL. You can see full details on the planning portal on the Council’s website.
The One City Trust give grants to organisations and are open for applications in this round, Deadline is 19 April 2019. They anticipate awarding 15 grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 under categories of Community Connectedness, Cultural Bridging and Civic Inclusion. More information here: http://www.onecity.org.uk/main-grant-funding-2019/
That’s all from me this week, folks. It’s been full of meetings and I got my laptop ‘refreshed’ by deleting over 650 inbox emails just sitting there, some of which – oops! – had content for this week’s Update. Not very sensible of me! So if you are needing an update on some issue or another, or I haven’t replied to your email in the last while, do get back in touch!
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