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

Maureen Child Update 21 February 2020

Posted on: February 21st, 2020

Dear All

Our new local charity, Craigmillar Now, is in the final stages of taking in the lease of the Craigmillar Community Arts (CCA) old church building at 54 Newcraighall Road. Last week, I stepped up my quest to find the plaques that had been made for ‘Women of Achievement’ in Edinburgh, forged in bronze and erected in various buildings in 1993.  Helen Crummy of Craigmillar Festival Society was among those celebrated Edinburgh women and her plaque has gone missing from the foyer of the CCA building. At least we now know what it was like, as the Council’s museum curators found the Wendy Wood bronze plaque that used to hang in the Old Royal High School in the stores of the Museum of Edinburgh. My quest continues to find or replace the one for Helen Crummy My thanks to  ormer Community Councillor Celia Butterworth for sharing her wide knowledge and experience in arranging the plaques found on historic buildings in Portobello.  If we really cannot find the original Helen Crummy plaque, we are much better equipped to decide how best to replace it.

 

We four Portobello/Craigmillar Ward Councillors and Portobello Community Council are organising a drop in to talk about all the different transport plans that will effect Portobello and the surrounding areas – the City Plan 2030, the City Mobility Strategy, Controlled Parking Zones and more – please come along if you are interested. We would like to hear your best ideas for other improvements.  It’s on Tuesday 3 March from 4.30pm to 7.30pm upstairs in Portobello Library.  Do come and have some real face-to-face conversations – much better than email exchanges and posting on social media!

 

I spoke at the Living Streets Edinburgh AGM this week, mainly about the importance of everyday walking and re-claiming our streets from the vehicles that dominate our lives.  One of the things I picked up form them, was this beautiful piece of work by a group of older people, tenants of a housing association.  I took away a few hard copies for colleagues, but it’s also found on the website: https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/media/4465/walking-connects-guide-to-better-streets.pdf. There will be a few hard copies available for you to pick up and take away at our drop-in on 3 March.

 

And still speaking of walking, all four of us P/C Ward Councillors have signed up for the Kiltwalk in September 2010 to raise funds for the Thistle Foundation.  You can sponsor me here: https://edinburghkiltwalk2020.everydayhero.com/uk/maureen-3

 

I have been notified that Hunters Hall Park playground upgrading work will start 8 March and work will take about 6 weeks, much to the delight of that surrounding community – we hope – as the young people at the Jack Kane Centre Community Centre helped design it.

 

There is a drop-in at Craigmillar Library, Tuesday 3 March, 4pm to 7pm to raise awareness of the Council’s intention to put up structures to support Forest Kindergarten at Craigmillar Park.  

 

Following the devastating fire at Liberton Primary School on 5 February, 500 pupils started school again this week some at Castlebrae Community High School and Castleview Primary School, where they will be made very welcome indeed.  This huge effort, to ensure that learning and teaching continues unabated, has been an enormous logistical exercise, a credit to everyone pulling together, including the fantastic school communities of Craigmillar.  Link to latest newsletter for Castlebrae is here: https://castlebraechs.wordpress.com/ and Castleview here: https://castleviewprimaryschool.com/-

 

Newcraighall residents have organised a community Litter Pick on Sunday 23 February at 10am. They are meeting at the cycle path at Bauld Drive and then moving from there across the village to Newcraighall Park. 

 

The Friends of Figgate Park (FoFP) have their first scheduled volunteer day of 2020 is on Sunday 23 Feb starting at 9.30am: https://www.facebook.com/events/813883585775198/. Some days already fixed in the diary, but there are plenty of other opportunities to get involved. Just email volunteer@figgatepark.org.uk  FoFP are really keen to attract some new Committee members in 2020 and folk happy to help organise and take a leading role in organising volunteers, do get in touch!

 

Zero Waste Scotland have dedicated funding to cut waste in local communities and one of the beneficiaries, through environmental charity Changeworks – independent cafes and restaurants in Portobello and Joppa will receive support to reduce their use of disposable items such as cups, bottles, stirrers, sachets, straws and serving ware.  More here: https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/press-release/global-first-part-%C2%A31m-plan-ditch-disposables-scottish-communities

 

Following the public meeting led by Councillor Mary Campbell in August 2019, a small group from the local community have formed a sub-committee under the Action Porty umbrella to pursue a community-based approach to Portobello Town Hall.  An expression of interest has been submitted to the Council to that effect.  Further details and a request for help and ideas will follow shortly and we’ll keep you posted.

 

This Porty Podcast is about Portobello Older People’s Proejct and well worth a listen, as are all David Calder’s 157 recordings of local people doing great things: https://www.buzzsprout.com/71622/2744638

 

Do let me know if you want ‘updated’ on anything else or have further questions or comments.  I know I have quite a few emails to reply to on at least one hot topic, but am waiting for further information.

 

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