The rhythm of the street

Pulling the shots 1Yang Chin and Soprano SaxWok on BobbyWell done Alan 1

Talking of photography, the film of the FEAST event is now up on the FEAST website. Alan Stockdale, Leith photographer and film-maker, fused images of Shanghai and Edinburgh with music inspired by the making of Dim Sum (made at Out of the Blue as we reported back in August).
Continue reading “The rhythm of the street”

Campaign for Leith Museum

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. Continue reading “Campaign for Leith Museum”

Come to the FEAST

Here’s an invitation to a feast with a difference.

feast

The FEAST celebrates Chinese food through film and music at a free public performance in Castle Street, Edinburgh on August 30 when Edinburgh band FOUND join forces with Chinese composer Kimho Ip to create music inspired by the sounds of preparing and cooking Dim Sum. Continue reading “Come to the FEAST”

What’s on?

If you want to find out what’s happening in Leith and North Edinburgh, look no further than a new community website celebrating Leith and North.

Congratulations to Nick Gardner, a member of Leith Open Space Group, who designed the website with local news as well as a lively what’s on section and links to the huge range of community groups in our part of town. Continue reading “What’s on?”

Trouble Sleeping

Nahid Aslam, of Leith Open Space Group, was one of many community participants who took part in workshops at Stockbridge Theatre Workshop exploring the lives of refugees in Edinburgh. They were working on the script for a film seen through the eyes of five refugees.

Trouble Sleeping, directed by Robert Rae and edited by Tina Hetherington will soon be released. Watch this space as Leith Open Space Group hope to organise an outing to see the film.

For more information see www.trouble-sleeping.co.uk

Summer in the city

What exactly does democracy mean? The Leith Community Involvement Project has organised a ‘summer school’ so local people can take part in a thought-provoking programme to stimulate debate about the connection between democracy and the lives of ordinary people.

The programme begins in August with drama in the Scottish Parliament (the theatrical kind rather than political debate!). A trip to Holyrood provides the chance to see a performance of “The Journey of Jeannie Deansâ€? following Jeannie’s journey from Edinburgh to London in an attempt to win the freedom of her sister who, she believes, has been wrongly accused of murder.

The summer school ends with a showing of Ken Loach’s film “Land and Freedomâ€?, about the questions raised by a young woman’s discovery that her grandfather fought in the Spanish Civil War.

All activities are free of charge. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT JACKIE MEARNS ON 554 9951 OR 07732471660 – she will be on holiday for two weeks from July 13. Continue reading “Summer in the city”

True or false?

During Refugee Week Fay Young of Leith Open Space Group joined an information session organised by Edinburgh Refugee Centre. This is the first part of her report.

We sat at tables in small groups grappling with questions. What exactly is an asylum seeker? Where do most refugees come from? What is a migrant worker? Can there be an illegal asylum seeker? Continue reading “True or false?”

A museum for Leith

Let’s join the campaign for Leith Museum. Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, is inviting Leithers near and far to sign a petition to support local groups campaigning for a museum celebrating the history of one of the fastest changing parts of the Capital.

Leithmural

Celebrating Leith’s history, the mural in North Junction Street was created by Tim Chalk and Paul Grime using material collected by Leith Local History Project in 1986. Thanks to Peter Stubbs for use of this photograph © Peter Stubbs www.edinphoto.org.uk

This not a new campaign – local groups such as Leith History Society have been calling for a museum for years – but as Mark told the Evening News
the case is now stronger than ever: “Leith deserves a museum which will strengthen community links at a time of rapid social change, and will highlight Leith’s important role in the history of Scotland as a whole.”

Exactly where the museum will be has yet to be decided (the spotlight falls on possible buildings like Lambs House and the old Customs House). But wherever it is there will be no shortage of exhibits: Leith’s diverse history stretches from seafaring to Trainspotting and celebrity connections include Mary Queen of Scots, Eduardo Paolozzi and Irvine Welsh.

Living memories of local people (recently captured by [murmur] who are returning to Edinburgh in June for a second phase of the oral history project ) are another rich resource for a museum aiming to appeal to people of all ages with family connections across the world.

So lets sign the petition – and pass it on!