At 9.30 am there is only one film showing at the Vue cinema in Ocean Terminal. Sunshine beams across Leith while people stream into the warm dark for the first screening. Parents, teachers, community leaders and local politicians have turned out in force to see an extraordinary celebration of local life. But the red carpet is reserved for the kids starring in Hold the Fort. Continue reading “Hold the Fort: world premiere”
This is London, in Edinburgh the living books wore black T shirts
Multicultural Leith produced some of the best read books on offer at Scotland’s first Living Library. We don’t yet have any pictures of the event which was probably the highlight of the Edinburgh Festival of Libraries, but these excellent images from the Living Library website give you some idea of the atmosphere. What’s a living book? Read on! Continue reading “Open books, open minds”
Circling the square…
Do you walk through the square on your way home? Do you pause by the benches and wonder what the space is for? If so then Elric Honoré would like to hear from you. Elric is carrying out a public consultation for Port of Leith Housing Association to discover what people think of Boundary Square in the pedestrian area of Buchanan Street. And workshops starting on Wednesday 19 November give you a chance to take an active part in improving it. Elric explains why … Continue reading “What’s your view of Boundary Square?”
At 5pm on Monday night it’s already dark outside but inside the community centre it is warm and welcoming. There are cups of tea and plates loaded with cakes. Children play, mothers chat. Conversations alternate between two languages and I soon discover that while some people come here to improve their English others drop in to brush up their Polish. Continue reading “A warm welcome in the community centre”
This newsletter should get the circulation going. Here’s a sample of Scottish Asian poetry, a new Polish memorial (with or without Wojtek the bear) and a bonfire party at Redbraes. Plus our heartwarming harvest at Persevere garden, Frances Kahembwe on climate change in Africa, a Red Eye film club take on US politics and Scotland’s first Living Library with volunteers from Leith lining up to tell their story. We hope you enjoy it all.
Everyone has a story to tell though not everyone is willing or able to tell it. That’s why it takes both courage and imagination to volunteer to be a Living Book. But plenty of people are doing it and you can find out why when Scotland’s first Living Library opens in Edinburgh on Saturday 8 November. Continue reading “You can read me like a book”
“Africa is changing,” says Francis Kahembwe, “and there is hope. But the progress needs to be nurtured into life.” [Picture by Yvonne Baginsky ]
How can we help African countries adapt to climate change? Is it right that the world’s poorest countries should suffer the worst consequences of pollution from the richest nations? These were some of the tough questions Francis Kahembwe put to the audience in his talk on Africa and Climate Change at the Friends of the Earth Edinburgh meeting on Thursday 30 October. Continue reading “Opening Doors to action on climate change”
Voytek the bear might not be there (yet), but volunteers are hard at work preparing the ground for the dedication of a Polish Memorial in Redbraes Community Garden at 3pm on Sunday 9 November. Continue reading “Polish memorial at Redbraes”
Whoever wins on Tuesday, Red Eye film club takes a hard look at US politics on Friday 7 November. As organiser Mike Cowley comments: “Robert Redford’s ‘The Candidate’ will screen at a telling moment in US history. Can a black politician espousing liberal values win in the country of the free? And will that victory be a pyrrhic one, as Redford’s character Bill McKay discovers?” Continue reading “Red Eye Friday: focus on US politics”
Autumn is going out with a blaze in Redbraes Community Garden. Next on the calendar is the bonfire party on Saturday 8 November from 6pm, and Becky says there’s digging and planting to do if you want to work up an appetite first. See below for details. Continue reading “Autumn blaze in Redbraes”
