• Portobello Community Council
  • c/o 14 Rosefield Avenue
  • Portobello
  • EH15 1AU
 

Maureen Child Update 6 September 2019

Posted on: September 6th, 2019

Dear All

 

There are many benefits to volunteering.  It’s a great way to use and develop skills, try something new, make new friends, boost your confidence and general wellbeing, gain valuable experience, something to put on your CV and, of course, make a real difference. This year’s Volunteer Recruitment Fair is on Wednesday 18 September at St Paul’s and St George’s Church Hall (P&Gs), on York Place, so drop in between 11am and 7pm.

 

One place where volunteers make a huge contribution is through a Community Council and your opportunity is coming up again for the next term of elected office to this key community role.  I am the Returning Officer for Craigmillar Community Council and nominations officially open across Edinburgh this coming Monday, 9 September until 4pm Monday 30 September. You can also serve as an Elected Member or through a Registered Local Interest Group. The Craigmillar CC area stretches for Newcraighall, Niddrie, Craigmillar, Magdalene and Bingham, including residents in all those new houses and neighbourhoods in the area. Community Councils can be an excellent way for you to get involved in your own neighbourhood and community and help make it a better place to be. Personally, I don’t know how we would manage as City Councillors without good Community Councils to help support and challenge us.

 

I’ll be at the next Craigmillar Community Council Meeting next Tuesday 10 September in The White House 70 Niddrie Mains Road Edinburgh EH16 4BG at 7pm.  All are welcome, and you will be especially welcome if you are interested in getting involved!

 

Councillor colleagues Mary Campbell and John McLellan are Returning Officers for the other two Community Councils in the ward or (in John’s case) part of our Ward – that’s Portobello CC and Northfield & Willowbrae CC respectively.  All the forms, maps, contacts and details you really need are here: http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20133/community_planning/730/community_councils Do please find out more by clicking on that link and don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions you might have, well before the deadline.  Notes of interest are very welcome!  Contact me direct (my details are below) or the Council’s Elections Team who keep us Returning Officers right: email elections@edinburgh.gov.uk or phone 0131469 3838.

 

Porty ArtWalk starts this week with over 100 artists helping make Porty a great place to visit.  The headline in The Skinny again this year: https://www.theskinny.co.uk/things-to-do/scotland/whats-on-scotland-5-12-sep-porty-art-walk-more. Full programme here: https://www.artwalkporty.co.uk/ Some events do need to be booked, so click here: https://mailchi.mp/af2ad5c397b6/2019-footprint-1962629. The Humans of Porty exhibition in The Skylark is also featured in the Edinburgh Evening News https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/humans-of-porty-photo-exhibition-to-tell-local-stories-in-portobello-1-4997822

 

ArtWalk is just one of the reasons that Portobello was shortlisted this year by the Academy of Urbanism as UK ‘Great Neighbourhood’ 2020, one of three.  The Awards Team visited this week and met quite a few of us to find out about our challenges and opportunites, triumphs and tribulations.  The team will produce a report that will be of use to us locally and more widely, whether we ‘win’ or not.  Thank you to all who made our visitors so welcome, and shared their experience. 

 

If you are out and about tomorrow, Saturday 7 September, St Marks Church (287 Portobello High Street) invite you in for afternoon tea to raise funds to help restore this fabulous building and make it more fit for wider community use.  They have plans. Lots of cake and a warm welcome for £6 (£5 concessions) between 1pm and 4 pm.

 

Portobello Book Festival programme launched at Portobello Village Fair last Sunday and the free tickets are now available at Portobello Library. Some get snapped up fast, others go at a more sedate pace.  Programme here: https://portobellobookfestival.wordpress.com/

 

A lovely piece in the Edinburgh Reporter here about Craigmillar Book Festival which happens a little later in the year: https://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2019/08/craigmillar-book-festival-2019/

 

Phoenix Community Choir meets in St Martin’s Church and would warmly welcome new members. They’re a fun, friendly and fresh community choir open to all.  No auditions and all music is taught by ear. If you like to sing, join in a Free Taster Session on Thursdays  7-9pm St Martin’s Church, Magdalene Drive. The choir sing a range of up-beat and up-lifting music and are working towards singing in St Giles Cathedral in December. You can see them in action here:  Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – https://youtu.be/IxK61NPAboo Do get in touch to book your free space, or for any questions: kat@thephoenixchoir.com / www.thephoenixchoir.com 

 

This summer’s UK’s Fields in Trust Best Park award has seen all-time high numbers of nominations and a record votes tally, with 36,832 park users casting votes to help decide the winner of the UK’s Best Park 2019. In Scotland, 42 local parks and green spaces were nominated. These nominations were then championed by park users, communities, Friends groups, landowners and elected representatives as part of the public vote and Figgate Park is among the top 11 with ‘Much Loved’ status.  Click here:  http://www.fieldsintrust.org/News/your-votes-give-eleven-scottish-parks-much-loved-status

 

‘Lost Portobello’ photos are on display now in Portobello Library: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/retro/lost-portobello-photo-collection-set-to-go-on-display-1-4995385

 

Great to see further progress on our new school in Craigmillar: https://www.scottishconstructionnow.com/article/planning-approved-and-project-team-announced-for-28m-edinburgh-school

 

That’s all for now.  Do let me know if you want ‘updated’ on anything else. 

 

Best wishes for 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