TER Royal Circus and Circus Lane - 19

Rose Street fire – Canny Families – Bridgend Farm – Gumball Rally coming to Edinburgh – Dig in Bruntsfield opens on Thursday

A man had to be taken to hospital on Sunday following an early morning fire in his kitchen in Rose Street, Edinburgh.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) appliances responded from Tollcross and McDonald Road following a 999 call at 4.04am from a neighbour on hearing the smoke alarm sounding.

Crews quickly extinguished the fire and ventilated the property.  The cause of the fire was a pan of food left unattended.

One male casualty suffered with the effects of smoke inhalation and after being assessed by paramedics, was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Many kitchen fires happen when people are not paying attention or they leave things unattended but there are several things you can do to prevent fires in the kitchen.

“Don’t leave pans unattended. Take them off the heat if you have to leave the room. Fire starts when your attention stops. When you have finished cooking, make sure the cooker or oven is turned off.

“The kitchen can be the most dangerous place in the home. Fire can cause damage not just to your property, but more seriously can put family and loved ones at risk.

“Thankfully this home was protected by a working smoke alarm. We urge every household to have working smoke alarms and test them every week. We provide free home fire safety visits and fit smoke alarms where required. If you or someone you know could benefit from a visit, please join Scotland’s fight against fire and request a visit by calling the SFRS freephone number 0800 0731 999, or by contacting their local fire station.”

A wide range of tips on how to keep yourself and your home safe from fire are available on the SFRS website.

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Edinburgh Community Food are currently working in partnership with Changeworks and Citizens Advice Edinburgh to deliver a city wide programme which supports families with children to better manage rising energy/food costs and to maximise income. This project is funded by Big Lottery Support and Connect Fund.

The Canny Families Project involves a programme of affordable cooking courses across Edinburgh, with each course run over a six week period. With a focus on a different topic each week participants will not only learn practical cooking skills and how to make affordable and healthy family meals but will also improve their knowledge of nutrition and learn how to reduce food waste. Participants will also be offered affordable warmth advice from Changeworks as well as fuel poverty advice from Citizens Advice Edinburgh. The programme is open to parents with children under the age of 16. Childcare will be available for participants at all sessions.

We are now recruiting participants for upcoming courses at the following venues:

Castlebrae Community High School : Wednesday mornings from 9.30am until 11.30am from 30th April 2014.

Pentland Community Centre: Friday mornings from 9.30am until 11.30am from 2nd May 2014.

South Bridge Resource Centre: Thursday mornings from 9.30am until 11.30am from 29th May 2014.

If this is something that you would like to find out more about please contact Stephanie at Edinburgh Community Food on 0131 467 7326, or by email: sscott@edinburghcommunityfood.org.uk

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A deputation from Bridgend Inspiring Growth (BIG) will attend the Economy Committee this morning at the City Chambers to protest about the council’s apparent intention to sell Bridgend Farm and Steadings to a third party. The property was marketed a the end of last year when an unconditional offer of £205,000 was received. A separate offer from BIG asked for transfer of the property to them for nil consideration so that they could start fundraising on the basis of the asset.

BIG had thought they were to be the favoured party, and confirmed that they would then make an application to the Big Lottery Fund  and other funders for a grant to refurbish the house which they proposed to use as a social enterprise.  As well as grants they also set up their own fundraising. The property has been vacant for about 14 years, and marketing of the property delayed to allow BIG to raise funds or firm up on a funding proposal.

The group launched a community share issue to enable members to co- operatively own and make decisions on the running of the farmhouse. By setting up a community benefit society all members who purchase a share (between £20 and £20k) would get one vote each on all decisions. The group claimed a great deal of interest was shown in the scheme  designed to allow opportunities to sponsor or offer long-term loans to the project.

Bridgend Inspiring Growth was founded in October 2010 as a community organisation (Charity number SC 042769) to restore the farmhouse and develop it as an environmental education and training centre. It has organised various meetings and events, carried out various forms of consultation, attracted a number of grants to run a story-telling project with local school and care-home, gone on study visits, supervised three University students on placement, employed a consultant to do market research, feasibility work and draw up a business plan. Most recently BIG has appointed a community development worker to begin establishing local interest groups and pilot projects.

A spokesman explained:-“We have received support and funding from Big Lottery Fund Scotland’s Growing Community Asset’s programme to further develop plans for the renovation of Bridgend Farmhouse, on the Old Dalkeith Road. A community group in South Edinburgh we are hoping the City Council will hand over the derelict farmhouse on the edge of Craigmillar Castle Park so that it can be restored and opened as a centre for local communities specialising in outdoor and environmental activities.

Will Golding Chair of BIG said:-“We want to save this historic farm house and turn it into a community-run centre for learning, eating and exercise. Community ownership can give enormous opportunities for local communities to take control of assets, and create new, innovative and relevant services. There is a growing movement of this across the country via Community Development Trusts , which demonstrate the successful social, economic and environmental benefits that this can bring.

“In the context of ever-growing council cuts and public sector austerity it allows for assets to remain in communities control, but access alternative third-sector funding that is available.

“Bridgend can be one of the pioneering examples of how the new Community Empowerment Bill now going through the Scottish Parliament will work. We want to demonstrate what can be done if assets like Bridgend farmhouse are handed over to communities to create and organise services on a small-scale locally.”

The group was supported by all local politicians including Edinburgh Eastern MSP, Kenny MacAskill who said:-“Bridgend Inspiring Growths plans and initiative to develop Bridgend Farmhouse are fantastic, and essential for the local community. There is a need for this in the area, and with at least a further 1400 houses being built nearby in the next few years this need and demand will only grow. I fully support their plans and hope that the City Council will do too.”

The council report recommends that the council helps BIG to locate other local sites for their project.

The sale will include a piece of ground which might be required if Tram Line 3 proceeds, and the council will include this in the sale with conditions allowing the council to recover that piece of ground for no payment in due course.

The Council’s Economy Committee meets this morning at 10am under the convenership of Councillor Frank Ross.

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It looks as though some wacky racers are set to hit the streets of Edinburgh this summer. Gumball 3000 is revving things up for 2014. With a route kicking off in South Beach, Miami and finishing in the party capital of Ibiza, the 2014 Rally is going to be their biggest yet – for the drivers, and for the fans.

The organiser say that they are looking forward to the journey, and to coming to Edinburgh, where the council will close The Mound for the event:-“Crossing two continents, via motor racing circuits, football stadiums and castles, 2014 Gumballers are guaranteed the adventure of a lifetime. From the sunshine and parties of Miami, the cars will cruise through the state of Florida towards Georgia and the famous Southern hospitality of Atlanta. New York provides the next stopover, where the drivers will enjoy a day of money-can’t-buy VIP hospitality, while all 120 supercars will be loaded onto cargo planes and flown over the Atlantic to Scotland – with the Gumballers on private jets not far behind.”

With the Moonwalk taking place the night before it is set to be a busy weekend!

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A new greengrocer opens in Bruntsfield on Thursday. Dig in Bruntsfield is community owned and run on a not for profit basis, selling local produce.

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.