Speaking up for Restalrig, Lochend and Craigentinny quarterly free March – May 2020 Published by The Ripple on behalf of the community ACTION and Words What’s happening: By Rachel Gre en when they do things help write the Speaker so about the amazing things Director The Ripple together, cook, laugh, eat, that it is a community that you or people you Bat walks at share stories, news or just newspaper that is written know do in your Lochend Park So… This is your first how you’re feeling can for the community by the community. Whatever you edition of our new look make a big difference to community. want to share please let page 2 Speaker, we hope you people’s lives. We always There is a lot of support us know. like it. For now we have have opportunities for available and we would Meanwhile we hope Meadowbank all been busy beavers at people to come and help love to hear some you enjoy this issue, regeneration the Ripple to bring you each other, perhaps have different voices coming are keeping warm and news we think you might a look at what you could out over the next year that you will tell us what page 6 be interested in, news get involved with further through the Speaker – you want to hear about of what has been on the paper. do you have something over the coming year Ripple art happening here at the Right now (or should that interesting to say or share and what we can do page 7 Ripple as well as things be write now!) there is an about your local area, do together to help each you can get involved in. exciting opportunity for you want to promote an other. We know that when groups, organisations, event that’s happening, Read about the people get together, young people, writers, to do you want to tell people Wellbeing open day page 8 Thank you M Boys snack shopping and c enjoying a Burn’s supper G l FUNERAL Danielle Ward, Youth The Ripple would like to These Scotmid vouchers L Services manager The take this opportunity to say have also provided an L DIRECTORS Ripple writes: a massive thank you to excellent learning Scotmid for supporting us experience for our young I V We all know how important by giving Scotmid people as each group has 24 Hour Service a hot meal/snack is for our Community Vouchers been given a budget this R Golden Charter growing young people, which has allowed us to term and have used their A Funeral Plans which is why, at all our continue to provide a hot time to plan meals, Y youth groups and drop ins snack at every club since budget, and buy the Tel: 0131 554 7777 we aim to provide a hot January and will do so until ingredients for what they Mob: 07508 178 433 snack for all our young July 2020. would like to eat. 139/141 Restalrig Road people. Edinburgh EH7 6HW 2 The Speaker March – May 2020 Speak up! Write to the Speaker Raise local issues, If you would like your letter to appear in the paper it celebrate achievements, must include your name and address, although these may put forward suggestions. be withheld from publication at your request. Help make sure The Speaker is the kind of newspaper you Send your letters to: want to read. The Editor, The Speaker, 198 Restalrig Road South Edinburgh EH7 6DZ E-mail: [email protected] Editor Rachel Green The Speaker is an Community police reporting Phone independent community 0131 554 0422 newspaper which aims to Hello from your local the organisation to verify really require work to be Email provide a forum for free Community Officers: their identity. Do not use carried out. If it sounds [email protected] speech and debate, an a phone number on the too good to be true, it Post effective method of Recently in the Restalrig identity card as this may probably is. Please be 198 Restalrig Road South information sharing and and Lochend area we be fake. Be aware of vigilant for vulnerable Edinburgh EH7 6DZ a way to celebrate local have encountered calls methods used by neighbours who may fall Advertising achievement. from the community criminals to distract you foul of these criminals. Dawn Baxter Community involvement is regards Door Step Crime. such as being asked to We do not recommend 0131 554 0422 key to its success and any What is it? make a telephone call, to dealing with cold-callers Production individual or group within Bogus callers try to get use your toilet, for a glass for property maintenance Norman Gilfillan Restalrig, Lochend, into your home or obtain of water or being asked to and repairs to your home Phone Craigentinny and personal details by check water or gas and garden. Contact the 019 68 673229 surrounding local area is pretending to be supplies. Trusted Trader Scheme Email welcome to contribute. someone they’re not, Do not keep large where you will find a list of [email protected] The views expressed in including council staff, amounts of money at accredited trades people. The Speaker are those meter readers, charity home. If in doubt keep Be on guard and call Copy deadline of the authors and not collectors and even them out. Rogue traders the police when you see for June – August necessarily those of the police officers. In reality, usually cold-call, offering anything suspicious. Friday 15 May Editor or Publishers. Please they are criminals trying to to make repairs or carry Please pick up some of note copy may be edited. steal cash and valuables. out work on your house, our doorstep Any letter or article which is Be on guard if someone garden or driveway. In crime Printed by considered libellous will turns up unexpected. reality they charge information D C Thomson & Co Ltd not be published and Check ID. If you are still inflated prices for shoddy leaflets at Distributed by individuals will be protected unsure, look up a phone or often unnecessary The Hub if Out of Hand Scotland from personal attack. number in the phone work. Ask yourself – Do you’d like to book or online and ring your premises or garden know more. Last September saw the right you can see these old Tai Chi centre. We Night shift Friends of Lochend Park tiny flying mammals flitter get three species here, organising a very above the edge of the two types of Pipistrelle successful sunset bat loch, catching newly and the water-loving walk. Local naturalist emerged insects. Even Daubenton's. None of Graham Checkley tells us when it's too dark to see these species are rare, a bit more about bats they will still be hunting, but all are protected by The Speaker and their ways. locating their food by the law and are important is published by “Take a walk at sunset ultrasonic squeaks known indicators of a healthy The Ripple Project around Lochend Loch as echolocation. environment.” 198 Restalrig Road South during the warmer “Lochend Park is a great Keep an eye on The Edinburgh EH7 6DZ months. There's a place for bats – a quiet, Speaker and on the Scottish Charity No. SC024973 magical half-hour when dark space within a busy Friends of Lochend Park’s Company Limited by the birds are going to city. On a good night Facebook page over the Guarantee No. 214364 0131 554 0422 A Pipistrelle bat held in a roost and our local bats bats will be active right coming months, more [email protected] gloved hand, showing start their night-shift insect around the loch and also bat walks are planned! www.rippleproject.co.uk their tiny size. hunt. If you time things around the trees by the 3 The Speaker March – May 2020 Local is good political points. In forced into phoney parliament.uk or call my own communities. You will acknowledging that, I will self-employment to office on 0131 661 8023. see plenty of information only say that the results circumvent workers’ rights My team and I are here to about activities and across the UK were not – will continue to go help you. projects going on at the what I hoped for. unaddressed. There are By contrast, many more Hub, in local churches The upshot of the 2019 few encouraging signs encouraging policies and all over the place in general election for that powers over drugs choices are being taken, the pages of the Speaker. Tommy Sheppard MP ordinary people in laws will be devolved to far away from Westminster. The Lochend Secret for Edinburgh East Lochend and Restalrig the Scottish Parliament so No one here has to pay Garden. All the fantastic writes: and across Edinburgh we can see the radical the Bedroom Tax. organisations based at It is an honour to have East is that we continue action needed to stem Payments for carers have St Margaret’s House. The been returned with an to have a government at the shocking number of been increased. The lunch club run by the increased majority as the Westminster in charge of deaths we have witnessed target of building 50,000 Ripple Project I popped Member of Parliament for crucial policy decisions in Scotland recently. affordable homes across into recently. There is loads Edinburgh East at the over tax, welfare and the I apologise for painting Scotland by 2021 looks of great work being done election in December.