Leith Open Space Events – Page 8

This is what politics is about

Sarah Boyack MSP and Francis Kahembwe photographed between meetings on another busy day at Holyrood.

“How interesting to see kids of 9-11yrs with so much interest in politics. I was exposed to something new which I could communicate to my parliamentary friends in Uganda.”

During his last few days as a ‘shadow’ in the Scottish Parliament, Francis Kahembwe somehow found time to keep a diary. Here is his fascinating observation of Scottish politics at work – and his hope for the future.

Opening Doors in 2009

Francis Kahembwe and Sarah Boyack at the start of the Opening Doors shadowing programme which ends with three more days in Holyrood.

Francis Kahembwe returns to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday to finish the shadowing programme he started last year. But Opening Doors will not be closing. During the coming year we hope to continue the interesting new direction Francis has helped us to take. And that is where you could come in…

New year dawns on Leith

Thanks to Tommy Perman for a picture of the sun rising on the first day of 2008. As we hurtle towards the last day of the year, here’s wishing you all the very best for 2009. Whatever challenges and opportunties lie ahead, Leith Open Space looks forward to reporting on achievements of local people in the year to come. And we’ve got plans for a new Open Space event in the spring so please keep watching this space.

How to warm up in November

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.

Red Eye Friday: focus on US politics

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?”Â Continue reading “Red Eye Friday: focus on US politics”

One potato, two potato…and maybe even more at Persevere open day

We are about to dig up the potatoes we planted on one of the coldest and wettest midsummer days on record. Come and join us for the Persevere Tattie Harvest from 12noon on Saturday 11 October. Continue reading “One potato, two potato…and maybe even more at Persevere open day”

Red Eye Friday

Make a note. If it’s the first Friday of the month it’s Red Eye Friday. The new radical film club opened in September with Who Shot the Sheriff. This month’s screening in Pilmeny Youth Centre on Friday 3 October offers a UK Cold War thriller Defence of the Realm which teeters on the brink of nuclear disaster in the days of dear old Ronald Reagan. Continue reading “Red Eye Friday”

The world’s biggest coffee morning: in Leith

Don’t miss the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. We are all invited to join Mark Lazarowicz and Malcolm Chisholm, our MP and MSP, at the mammoth annual fundraising event which raised more than Â£7 million last year. Thanks to Tony Crolla of Vittoria’s the proceeds from every cup of coffee sold at the Edinburgh North and Leith event will be donated to Macmillans who are aiming to raise Â£8.5 million this year! Continue reading “The world’s biggest coffee morning: in Leith”

Research into Islamophobia in Scotland

There are no right or wrong answers. But the questions speak volumes. For the first time the Scottish government is setting out to discover the diversity of Muslim communities in Scotland and how much they may be affected by Islamophobia. Questionnaires which will help to shape future policy on Islamophobia are now due in next Friday (19 September) so there is still time for you to take part. Continue reading “Research into Islamophobia in Scotland”

Autumn gold

Here’s a bumper edition for you. Look for the Red Eye film club on Friday, listen to the Wind and Bamboo podcasts about Chinese culture in Edinburgh, catch a glimpse of China (and a very tall cellist) in Ocean Terminal, find Poetry in St Andrew Square (on Friday lunchtime), discover why we need gardens and green space more than ever and catch up with Opening Doors as we enter the climate change debate…if summer was a wash out there’s lots to look forward to in the autumn!