It was fascinating to see how Edinburgh could look in the future if all sides work together to make a modern city with less congestion and more green space.
David Naylor, the latest participant of the Opening Doors shadow scheme, shares his insight into the work of Edinburgh city councillors and members of the Scottish Parliament. Over to David to tell us more… Continue reading “Behind the scenes at City Chambers and Parliament”
More power for local communities. That was a strong theme of our Open Space meeting in December 2015. Now we hope together we can turn words into a Community Manifesto for Edinburgh Northern and Leith in the Scottish Parliament elections in May. Please join our community discussion event on Saturday (2 April) in Newhaven Church Cafe 10am – 2pm. Continue reading “Let’s write a community manifesto”
We promised surprises at our food and science event in the Festival of Politics but we weren’t expecting to be quite so surprised ourselves. Who knew China is the biggest producer of potatoes in the world? Continue reading “Hot potatoes and cool science in the Scottish Parliament”
Who is Leith Open Space? What is a shadow scheme? Can you get arrested for that? Is it a mentoring programme? Similar to an internship? Do you get paid? Some of the diverse and rather amusing questions I was asked during my time shadowing on Opening Doors to Democracy, facilitated by Leith Open Space. Continue reading “Opening Doors to civic engagement in Edinburgh”
On a clear day you can see a long way from Lesley Hinds’ office window: across the city, down to Princes Street and over to Fife. We took a few minutes to enjoy the view as we gathered for our first meeting of the shadow scheme (Opening Doors to Democracy 2014). So much of what happens in the streets below is shaped by decisions taken in the City Chambers. Yet how many people know how those decisions are made or who makes them?
Happy Monday everyone. This is a big week for Leith Open Space. We are launching this year’s shadow scheme, Opening Doors to Democracy 2014, with a really great group of participants keen to discover what city councillors and MSPs do all day.
Friday: 11.30 am. Zahira Hassan has just arrived in Sarah Boyack’s office. A quick glance at the MSP’s diary is enough to convince her that she is in for a very interesting few weeks shadowing the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Planning. Continue reading “Re-Opening Doors 2013.”
Another step into the unknown, I’m on a train hurtling south from Edinburgh to London. Of all unlikely things I find myself an ambassador for Leith Open Space on my way to take part in an international conference of open spacers, more precisely the World Open Space on Open Space (WOSONOS) for participants of this defiantly participative process which – in theory anyway – gives the floor to the audience rather than the organisers. Round about York I’m casting my mind back to how it all began. Continue reading “Into the unknown…again”
So you don’t need the muscles of an Olympic champion. It turned out to be surprisingly easy to pedal a smoothie on this marvellous reinvented bike that seems to be making a name for itself at foodie festivals around Scotland.
A mix of bold and simple ideas got people talking at Your Vision for Leith Walk the Open Space event organised by Greener Leith and Leith Open Space in Out of the Blue last week. Top votes went to the boldest idea – a Green Bridge – but there were many other ideas to improve life in Leith Walk which could appear on the ground much sooner.
Continue reading “Your Visions for Leith Walk (and more to come)”
