Hibernian Community Foundation

The work of the Hibernian Community Foundation recently came to our attention.  They work in partnership with Hibernian Football Club to harness the power and passion of football.  They have come up with some pretty innovative ideas to improve people’s lives:

Hibernian Football Club has a long and proud tradition of working to support local communities. The creation of the Hibernian Community Foundation in 2008 signalled a clear commitment to step up this effort.

Since it was established, the Hibernian Community Foundation has brought opportunities and enjoyment to many people. This includes the creation of the Hibernian Learning Centre at Easter Road stadium, groundbreaking work on disability football, supporting people into employment, providing educational tours for local schools and improving the community’s health.

Key to their approach is partnership – with fans, volunteers and Hibernian Football Club – but also with a wide range of organisations who share the same hopes and aspirations to improve health, learning and opportunity.

As many as 50 people with learning disabilities receive coaching on a regular basis with assistance of the U19 players from the Hibernian Football Academy.

The Foundation not only supports a range of activities in the field of disability football, it also runs  ‘Football Fans in Training’ (FFIT), a programme sponsored by The Football Pools and The SPL Trust.  It is designed for overweight men between the ages of 35 and 65. Over the course of the 12-week programme, information and activities are provided to help men lose weight, get fitter and be healthier.  They also run courses for women ‘Female Fans in Training‘ and for older people ‘Still Game‘.

Still Game

Recently Hibernian FC Legends Peter Cormack, Kenny Davidson, John Fraser, Bobby Kinloch, Lawrie Reilly and Billy Hunter returned to Easter Road Stadium to launch this new programme for fans aged 60+.  Hibernian Still Game will be based in the South Stand at Easter Road and run for 10 weeks.

Provided in partnership with SPL Trust, this FREE programme offers weekly workshops that cover a range of topics including:

  • Healthy eating
  • Personal safety
  • Social history of Hibernian FC
  • First aid
  • Music performance and production
  • Internet use

Participants will also receive coaching in light physical activity, connect with the history and legacy of Hibernian FC, take a tour behind the scenes of Easter Road Stadium and meet former players.

Programme starts the week commencing 14 January 2013 and will run from 9.30 am to 12 noon for 10 weeks.

To find out more about the courses which are all FREE, please contact the Hibernian Community Foundation at info@hibernianinthecommunity.org.uk.

Community Councils in Scotland online.. ..ish

Only 22% of Scottish Community Councils have up-to-date online public presences. Only 4% of Community Councils have easily accessible online planning content. Most Community Councils websites communicate from Community Councils to citizen – only 10% use social media to host online discussion and opinion-gathering…

These are the findings of Dr Bruce Ryan and Peter Cruickshank who recently published this study:

Scottish Community Councils online – 2012 – Ryan Cruickshank

Here’s a snippet:

CC_online_presence

Please read on, there is lots of useful and interesting information in this research, too much to mention on this blog.

AUTHORS
Dr Bruce Ryan (B.Ryan@napier.ac.uk) is currently studying towards an MSc in Information Systems Development
at Edinburgh Napier University. His interests include IT use in educational publishing and application of IT to
social issues.
Peter Cruickshank (P.Cruickshank@napier.ac.uk) joined the Centre for Social Informatics as a member of the
International Teledemocracy Centre (ITC). He has a background in business, accountancy, IS Audit and information
security generally. He retains an active interest and delivers courses and lectures in these and related areas.

News re concerns raised about the bridge at Dryden Terrace

Letter from PC3695A Simon Daley
Leith Safer Neighbourhood Team
0131 311 5933

Dear All,

As discussed at last Monday’s (15th October 2012) Community Council Meeting;

I visited the site this week and spoke to lorry drivers and the security man.

The driver of one of the dumper truck type lorries confirmed that the maximum gross weight of any vehicle entering the site is 32 tonnes.  The larger 55 tonne articulated lorry is the low loader used for delivering machinery or some of the 1.4 tonne pallets of stone etc.

The 55 tonner drivers are informed that they are not allowed to reverse onto the bridge and must offload on the roadway prior to the bridge.  They are too big to drive onto the site which has a sharp bend immediately through the gates.

Dryden_Bridge_plan

The was no footpath segregated when I visited and today I spoke to the site manager at York Place who also has responsibility including Health and Safety for the Shrubhill site.

He is reinstating the pedestrian zone today and I have encouraged him to use more robust materials lest they end up thrown over the bridge onto the railway line as the last equipment was (and remains).

I’ll be back on duty from Monday next week and will keep an eye on the site.

Regards

Simon

Latest Splashback News

Splashback! is a group of Edinburgh residents seeking to reopen Leith Waterworld, which closed on 8 January 2012.

Splashback! is stepping up its campaign to save this amenity for the people of Leith and Edinburgh.  The pool might be closed, but the focus is now on seeing the pool re-open.  They are currently working on a feasibility study to see if the pool could be run by the local community.

The Splashback team have now lodged a proposal with City ofEdinburgh Council for the transfer of LWW (Leith WaterWorld)  to community ownership.  They are proposing that a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation will be set up with a Board of Trustees formed by members of the community, who in turn will appoint an operating company.

Their vision for Leith Waterworld is:

A leisure destination:

Edinburgh’s tourism strategy specifically seeks to develop family friendly attractions that will enhance the city’s offer  and also wants to spread the tourism footprint towards Leith.

A hub for health and well being:

74% of 800 survey respondents stated they swim less often now the facility has closed.  Splashback! also think that the facility has a lot more to offer for those with special needs, kids and older people due to its warm water and easy ‘beach’ access.

A stable business:

Leith Waterworld will require ongoing financial support from the Council, but at a lower and reducing level. The business plan highlights ways to diversify, and there are significant savings to be made on LWW energy costs.

Splashback! are looking to get as many letters of support from our community as possible.   They would be grateful if you could write or email a letter addressed to City of Edinburgh Council sent to them in the first instance so they can collate them and pass them on.

The full business case is being made available to the local Councillors shortly. If you have any questions, please get in touch:

Splashsplashbackedinburgh@gmail.com

Twitter: @SplashBack