Dear All

I hope you had a good and restful break at Christmas and New Year and I wish you all the very best for 2020!

First thing after the school holiday break the amazing St Francis RC Primary School in Craigmillar arranged an absolutely amazing whole school assembly to celebrate being presented with their Gold School Sport Award from Sport Scotland.  This is a really huge achievement for the whole school community and all the partners they work alongside, including Gold and Gray Soccer Academy, Jack Kane Community Centre, Edinburgh Primary School Sports Association and Scottish Beach Volleyball. I was delighted to be one of the Head Teacher’s very lucky guests and hear about what we have all learned from engaging in sport and physical activity – at any and all levels. More about the Award here: https://sportscotland.org.uk/schools/school-sport-award/

Reflecting on my own sporting and physical activity,  now and in 2020, isn’t just sport, but any activity that does you good as these two links will show: https://www.greenspacescotland.org.uk/pages/category/health and  https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/how-walking-can-make-you-more-creative-resilient-and-confident-20191117-p53bf7.html

My fun Thursday was rounded off with a workshop with a group of community archivists and activists from Leith, Cramond and Colinton with archivists.  We were thinking through how best to mark or celebrate the 1920 expansion of Edinburgh which happened 100 years ago this year.  The villages of Craigmillar, Niddrie and Newcraighall were also part of that 1920 expansion. Our new local charity Craigmillar Now had already been set up with a view to helping mark this Centenary.  Thursdays’s workshop was us starting to touch base with other ‘urban villages’ who share that history and experience in their different ways and find out what we’re all doing this year.  To keep up to date, sign up to our new Craigmillar Now website: https://craigmillarnow.com/

The Edinburgh cycle hire scheme, sponsored by ‘Just Eat’, has put in new stance at the Joppa end of Promenade.  That’s two stances now in Portobello – at Joppa and the foot of Kings Road.  Click here to find out more: https://edinburghcyclehire.com/. Maybe we can suggest other places?  

To find out what day your real Christmas trees will be collected for recycling in your street, click here and put in your street name: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/festivedates. That is, if you haven’t already been part of the now traditional  Portobello/Joppa Beach burning.

A date for your diary next week, Portobello Timebank are having their first 2020 litter clearance session a week tomorrow. There will be a follow-up to the job they did before Christmas, this time at the Asda end of Magdalene Glen on Saturday 18 January 1.30pm – 3.30pm, meeting beside the footbridge over the burn just next to Asda.

Remember that Volunteer Edinburgh’s signposting phone-line service is a great resource for anyone you know who is aged 50 or older and is looking for information on local activities in Edinburgh.  They will be happy to help by phone on  0131 603 8311 or by email at phoneline@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk

This is a novel way of getting stated at your local Library when you haven’t yet got a card:  https://yourlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk/web/arena/instant-digital-card

If you would like to sing your way into and through 2020, Portobello Community Choir starts back on Wednesday 15 January 7.15pm – 9.15pm at the Baptist Church Hall (meets weekly), and Portybellas, a small a Capella women’s singing group started back on Tuesdays this week 7.30pm – 9pm at Moulsdale House, Milton Road (Edinburgh College Campus) (meets fortnightly). All are welcome and no previous singing experience needed. Portybellas doesn’t yet have a web presence. Please message or email Jane Lewis if you are interested on jane@gn.apc.org

And Craigmillar is also starting a musical Monday workshop, sharing stories, singing, and exploring the music that continues to influence Craigmillar’s diverse and creative community, both past and present. All ages and abilities are warmly welcome! Workshops are 12noon till 2pm Mondays at The White House, 70 Niddrie Mains Road.  The workshop is led by community artist Gillian Cummings. Any questions or queries please email Gillian at gilliancummings@yahoo.com

A planning application has come in for another site here: http://www.portobellocc.org/pccpn/2020/01/08/notice-of-planning-application-fishwives-causeway/

I got notice s week of a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) for a major residential development on land at The Wisp to the south of Wisp Green.  You are welcome to attend a pre-application consultation including a public exhibition on Tuesday 18 February at the White House, 70 Niddrie Mains Road from 3pm to 8pm. Before lodging any application, the developer has to show they have engaged with the local community about what they propose.  One way of doing that is through this forthcoming public exhibition.

The Portobello Robot Maker is continuing the spread joy among residents and visitors to Portobello and he or she had some further media attention recently.  I hope their identity remains a close secret, as that feels to me to be  very much is part of the charm!  No spoilers, please! https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/portobello-robot-maker-mystery-artist-17527376

Do let me know if you want ‘updated’ on anything else or have further questions or comments.

Best wishes for a good weekend and run up to Christmas!  Don’t get too stressed out!

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