Archive for March, 2008
Changing views of Leith: artwork by Tommy Perman
Are developments in Leith meeting the needs of local people? Deborah Cameron is keen hear your views of plans for Leith.
Deborah, who is a student at Heriot Watt University, is studying for her MSc
in Urban and Regional Planning. Working as a planner for Aberdeenshire Council, she is gathering research for her dissertation, “To assess the potential for Leith’s waterfront development proposals to provide for the city-wide needs of Edinburgh”.
As she explained in an email to Leith Open Space, “My objectives are to review the future citywide needs of Edinburgh as set out in the development plans. From reviewing the policies I shall set out my own set of criteria for social, economic and physical issues. I am going to investigate through key stakeholders their perceptions of what Leith proposals are likely to achieve in terms of satisfying the city wide needs.”
We have put her in touch with some of our friends and supporters but she is hoping to gather views from as many individuals, stakeholders, community groups, and community councils, as possible to get a wide range of responses.
You can contact Deborah by emailing us at leithopenspace@btconnect.com or through her work:
Planning & Environmental Services
Aberdeenshire Council
Tel: 01358 726408
March 30th, 2008
Nahid Aslam of Leith Open Space attended the launch of a new community project based in Leith targeted to help people affected by poverty. Here she explains what the project does and how you can get involved.
The Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (ECAP) officially launched its Solidarity Phone Tree on 2 March.
ECAP is based at ACE, 17 West Montgomery Place, Leith, EH7 5HA and is part of a wider UK Network bringing together activists, advice workers and campaigning groups to tackle the causes and effects of poverty.
The Phone Tree has been set up to provide support for people who are having serious problems with authorities such as the Council, Benefits Office, Sheriff Officers, employers and bad landlords, etc.
They are looking for volunteers so if you are interested in getting involved then please come along to an ECAP meeting. They meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, 7.30pm at ACE.
Next couple of dates: 8 April, 13 May.
Phone 0131 557 6242 or just turn up – you’ll be most welcome.
March 30th, 2008
Just wanted to add this picture pinched from the Greener Leith website (thanks to Alastair Tibbitt who is behind the camera) because it really seems to sum up the spirit of Persevere Community Garden. We’re really looking forward to working with all the other groups involved: Persevere Community Flat, Green Seeds and Greener Leith.
Unbelievably the picture was taken two weeks ago. Since then Greener Leith have planted the berry hedge in Pilrig Park, more than 65 metres of hawthorn, guelder rose, elderflower, ivy, hazel, gooseberries, rasperries, crab apples, and blackberries!
A lot of rain has fallen in the last two weeks which is at least good news for all these new plants.
March 18th, 2008
Persevere Community Garden got off to a great start on Wednesday when the first apple trees were planted in bare ground beneath the towering high flats of Persevere Court.
How to plant a fruit tree. Charlotte Encombe of Greener Leith shows Councillor Gordon Munro how it’s done (he’s in smart clothes, by the way, because he’s off to chair a meeting of Leith Neighbourhood Parnership).
Wind blew, sun shot between clouds and spades struck surprisingly hard ground. It’s going to take a lot of digging to prepare the plots for summer flowers and crops of veg. But that didn’t deter any of the volunteers from at least six different community groups in Leith.
First, of course, we had to get rid of some litter and there was a surprising amount of it
lurking beneath the prickly Berberis bushes round the walls. We filled several bags with the usual grotty cocktail of plastic bags, old bottles and false teeth (no kidding!) and then the good bit came.
With expert guidance from Charlotte we planted healthy looking young fruit trees Alastair Tibbitt has ordered from the Scottish fruit specialist, John Butterworth. None of your Golden Delicious here, these are rare old varieties with names like James Grieve (an Edinburgh favourite of long ago), Lady Sudeley and Ribston Pippin. On the plot shared by Leith Open Space and Greener Leith we now have a variety called George Cave which John says will bear “small, crisp sweet-sharp fruit.”
And so to a hot drink in Persevere Community Flat and time to daydream about the way the garden will look in a few months time. We’re hoping you will come and help us with the hard work!
March 7th, 2008
