Archive for October, 2007
Welcome to our Autumn newsletter with details of seasonal happenings and important events for all community groups in Leith. There is information about how to continue supporting the struggle for democracy in Burma with details of inspiring work at Forthview Primary School in Pilton. And if you are looking for ways of raising money you will be particularly interested in the Community Grant Information Day on November 6. Please scroll down through the autumn leaves to find out more!
October 25th, 2007
If the answer is “yes�, then Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, invites you to a community event to find out how to gain access to grants ‘big and small’. And, he says, please tell your friends and colleagues about it too.
This special community event (for all community groups and organisations in the constituency of Edinburgh North and Leith) is on Friday November 16 at the Prentice Centre, Granton Mains Avenue (opposite the new Telford College) from 11am – 1pm.
After short presentations from the Big Lottery Fund Scotland and Lloyds TSB Foundation Scotland you will have an opportunity for one-to-one discussions with representatives from both organisations about any specific ideas, proposals or projects you might have.
Awards for all
There will also be information about many other grants and funds including:
- ‘Here to help’ grants – for projects that empower young people.
- B & Q community grants – for environmental, sports or community projects.
- O2 community grants – between £100-£1,000 for projects to improve your local area
- Grants for groups working with forces’ veterans
- Global Schools Partnership – grants for schools linked with schools in developing countries
- Waste Action grants – up to £2,500 for recycling, reducing waste projects
- Scottish Community Foundation Community - grants to assist charities and groups improving quality of life and life chances in Scotland
- Co-op Community Fund – supports all kinds of community projects
- Scottish Community Foundation – for charities and community groups
- Awards for All in Scotland – between £500 and £10,000 for people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities
- New Ideas Fund – £100- £5,000 to community and voluntary groups
Who can come?
Your organisation is welcome to send along as many representatives as possible, but please send details of names and addresses in advance to Mark’s office: email doranka@parliament.uk
Mark recently made a speech in the House of Commons about the role of community organisations (click here to read it). He says: “My speech starts half-way down the page – but the entire debate is quite interesting!�
Note: Buses 8, 16, 17, 32, and 38 stop outside the Prentice Centre
October 25th, 2007
A trip to Butterfly and Insect World and a Hallowe’en party are highlights
in this month’s programme for Edinburgh Refugee Centre.
The programme, published in Chinese, Turkish and Arabic as well as English, also offers free English classes as well as advice on housing, employment and health. For people who work or go to college, the centre is now open on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
English classes run on a six week cycle:
Beginners’ English Classes:
Every Monday till 29th October 2-4pm
Improvers’ English Classes:
Every Tuesday till 30th October 5-7pm
The outing to Butterfly and Insect World is October 18 and the Hallowe’en
Celebration is October 30. You need to book in advance for both.
For more information contact the Edinburgh Refugee Centre at St George’s West, Telephone 0131 226 1499.
October 9th, 2007
The campaign for Leith Museum is making good progress. The petition, signed by many Leith Open Space supporters, goes before the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee at 2 pm on Tuesday November 6. If you are free, this is always an interesting meeting to attend as a member of the public – and perhaps you can persuade your MSP to support the cause too.
According to campaigners, the Scottish Parliament is inviting local MSPs who support the petition to speak at the meeting. “This is a good opportunity to publicise the case for a Leith museum,” says Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith and a keen campaign supporter, “So it would be excellent if there was a good turn-out of Lothian MSPs to support the petition at this meeting.”
Mark is urging anyone who lives in Lothian to ask their MSP to support the museum. “A Leith museum would not just be for Leith, but for Scotland as well!” You can find out details of your local MSPs and how to contact them on the Scottish Parliament website
Find out more on the Leith Museum campaign website
If you are interested in attending the Public Petitions Committee meeting contact:
Visitor Services on 0131 348 5200.
October 7th, 2007
The struggle for democracy in Burma continues. Although internet access has been choked in Burma, there are still remarkable efforts to get the message out to the rest of the world. And at home there are ways of showing support not least at Forthview Primary School in Pilton, Edinburgh.
Here are just a few websites to pass on:
Forthview School in Edinburgh is selling saffron ribbons to raise money for their partner school, Hl Bee, on the border of Thailand and Burma. This inspiring project is supported by the UK Department for International Development and the British Council’s Global Schools Partnership Programme. As the Forthview blog reports, Sheila Laing, Headteacher visited the school run for and by Burmese refugees in Mae Sot in July 2007 and now Dr Thein Lwin visits the Edinburgh school in October with the aid of developing a joint curriculum project between the two schools.
BEST (the Burma Educational Scholarship Trust) is fundraising for Burmese Refugees. Murray Forgie, a trustee of BEST is now in Burma and will be blogging on the Forthview blogspot during his two week visit.
The Democratic Voice of Burma, the radio and television station broadcasting in exile from Norway, is also collecting donations and asking for people to upload messages and images of support.
Burmese bloggers without borders – whatever the Burmese regime may do this website shows people are still blogging from and about Burma. Here is the declaration on their home page:
When certain significant events unfold unexpectedly, we can no longer sing only melodious tunes. Instead, we find ourselves gathering whatever strength we can find, to survive in the turbulence of historical flame. Regardless of where we may be, we are bounded by our love for Burma. Freedom is our sky. Justice is our life. Peace is our nature. We create this blog to share our genuine feelings about Burma and its path to freedom.
October 1st, 2007
