Nature Calendar: March

Welcome to the first edition of our brand new monthly podcast series, Nature’s Calendar. We went for a wander in Warriston Cemetery to bring you the best of Leith’s nature in March. What was lurking in the bushes? What clues did nature leave behind? Listen and find out:

 

What have you seen out and about in March? Please share your nature stories, photos, audio and films in the comments below. 

If you have iTunes installed on your computer you can subscribe to our audio as a podcast by clicking here.

Read about this podcast on the Earth Calling website. It was also featured in the Edinburgh Guardian and the Scottish Roundup of four seasons in one blog (we're at end of winter).

Thanks to the nature experts Angus Egan and Laura Weston and to Jazz Canary for stepping in last minute to help with sound.

Hats Off to Hats for the Homeless

“I just want to find a store where I can sell some cakes to raise money to buy hats for the homeless” said Anna Beswick, one of my closest friends.

She’s brilliant, we first got to know each other three years previously learning to snowboard in Poland. We bonded through that initial adversity - learning to snowboard is hard.

I think you'd like her ....she cares. She works in Leith for environmental charity SNIFFER but when she’s not studying climate models to inform the future infrastructure of Scotland in light of climate change predictions, she’s out on the streets of Leith seeing how people are, giving them a coffee and a bacon roll, listening to them. 

I wanted to help and thought of Rosie Lewis and the Village Store. It happens every Saturday between 10:00 -14:00 at the Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street. They sell local produce and I thought they might have space for some cakes for a good cause. I introduced Anna to Rosie who provided a store last weekend and even baked a cake to go on it! It seems in Leith, we do care.

I caught up with Anna to find out how the cake store went and to find out more about Hats for the Homeless:

So Anna, what is ‘Hats for the Homeless’ all about?

I think it's safe to say we've all noticed that it's been a bit chilly of late?  

Winter is a particularly hard time for people living on the streets of our city, many of whom don't have warm and waterproof clothes and spend hours outside every day with no way of keeping warm. In order to help we’ve set up a campaign called 'Hats for the Homeless' and are aiming to provide hats, gloves and all things warm for as many people in need as possible.

That sounds fantastic, how’s it going so far?

We've been amazed by the generosity of local people including the lovely folk from Out of the Blue, who invited us to have a home baking stall at their Village Store on Saturday. 

Tell me more about the Village Store, how was that?

Taking part in the Village Store was great fun and as well as selling lots of cake and telling people about our campaign we also had the chance to learn more about some of the brilliant initiatives that take place at the hall, such as Tinker Tailor, the mending service where skilled craftspeople help you to mend bikes, bags, clothes and small electrical items. The Village Store also has what I reckon must be Edinburgh's best and most exotic fruit and veg stall!     

So what will you do with the money raised, buy lots of hats?

The funds raised from our home baking stall will be used to buy new hats, gloves and warm clothes.

And how will you distribute hats to the homeless?

I'm part of a team of volunteers involved in social action. They head out during the day on Saturdays and on Wednesday and Thursday evenings too. There are plenty of people who need warm clothes.

Brilliant, I have a spare hat, how can I help?

That’s great, everyone can help with the campaign by donating any spare warm clothes, just drop them off at one of the Destiny Church Edinburgh buildings in the city:

Leith: 12 Casselbank Street, Edinburgh, EH6 5HA. Open 9 - 5 Mon - fri and 10 - 14:00 Sunday. Gorgie: 52 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2NB. Open 9 - 5 Mon to Friday and 9:00 - 21:00 Sunday.

You can email angels.edinburgh@destiny-church.com and we'll do our best to collect items from you.

There’s also a ‘Hats for the Homeless’ facebook page so you can find out more there, become a fan and pass it on.

Lastly Anna, what do you love about Leith? 

The distinct sense of community, interesting independent shops on the shore, the cameo bar and visiting you!

Introducing our new Greener Leith Bike Leaders

On Saturday 30th October, while some of you were enjoying a Greener Leith bike ride to Crammond, some other volunteers gave up their Saturday to attend an bike leader training day at the Bike Station.

Our monthly bike rides have grown so much we need more trained guides to ensure we can all continue to enjoy safe community bike rides in the future. Thanks to the volunteers who signed up to help.

Your new cycle leaders are…

Tony Leach, Ewan Swaffield, Fearghas McKay and me, Emily Dodd.

Here’s a quick clip to introduce our new cycle leaders:

Never been on a Greeer Leith ride and want to know more?

Read about cycling in Leith or listen to how my first ride went here:

Our free guided bike rides take place on the last Saturday of the month, we do hope you will join us. Meet at 10.30am outside the Mal Maison hotel on The Shore.

Art and About: The Illusionist, Monsters and More

What links Sylvain Chomet latest animated film masterpiece ‘The Illusionist’ and Gareth Edwards stunning new film ‘Monsters’? They were both must see films at this years Edinburgh International Film Festival but the answer I’m looking for is much closer to home. Once again, we’re all about Leith and this time, I’m introducing you to one of Leith’s most creative couples, Justin and Fiona Hall.

Fiona Hall worked as Production Manager on The Illusionist while Justin Hall was Assistant Animator on The Illusionist and Assistant Editor on Monsters. In this interview we find out more about their films and what it was like to work on them. We also discover how their one year old son Ethan got a film credit and lastly, why they love Leith. Listen below to find out more:

It’s a bit longer usual, so if you don’t have 20 minutes now, just download it through Itunes and listen to it later, miss it, miss out!

If you haven’t already seen the Illusionist it’s at cinemas now. If you didn’t catch Monsters during the Film Festival it’s out in UK cinemas in November.

Meanwhile, here’s my quick film comparison table, to give you a flavour of the films.

                                        The Illusionist   vs.    Monsters

Magic 2D animation A Rabbit Sylvain Chomet Whisky 1950s Over 300 people in the crew Cost around 13 million Script by Jacques Tati Set in Edinburgh, Mull and France In Gaelic, French and English Edinburgh is breathtaking Opened Edinburgh International Film Festival Now Showing

Monsters Live action Aliens Gareth Edwards Tequila The Future  6 people in the crew and cast Cost under 1 million No script, made up on the spot Set in Mexico and the US In English and Mexican The aliens are breathtaking Closed Edinburgh International Film Festival (Best Director) Out in November 2010

It’s about two people getting to know one another on a journey It’s a love story There’s a financial struggle There’s a father is trying to look after his daughter It’s a romance It features an animal that appears to be dangerous,  but turns out to be full of love Its UK premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival It has a awesome soundtrack It’s has a sad ending Our Leith residents ‘Team Hall’ made it You should totally see it!

 Image credit: Lee Rau (Image Graffiti Emily Dodd)

Beach Litter Clean Up: Wardie Bay, Granton

On 3rd August, 12 volunteers lifted their litter pickers and donned yellow volunteer vests to clean our beautiful local beach, Wardie Bay. The audio clip below explains why we love the beach, what we found and why anyone would want to pick litter for an evening..

This annual clean up clean up was organised by a local community group, linked to a local church. Events like this are desperately needed to tackle the huge litter problem at the bay. Thankfully community groups and local residents have taken the iniative to organise clean ups throughout the summer.  

Wardie bay is a great place to relax, take a walk, build a sandcastle or spot a seal if you're lucky. The bay hit the headlines earlier this year when thousands of starfish were washed up in a 'natural phenomina'. They loved...and lost.

Organising a clean up is really easy and great fun, you can borrow a wheely bin full of litter pickers from the City of Edinburgh Council for free and once you've set a date, you can promote it to local people in Leith using the events section of the Greener Leith Social.

For more information on organising a communtiy clean-up event, you should check out the "factsheets and leaflets" bit of the Keep Scotland Beautiful website.

Greener Leith plans to organise more clean-up events in the Autumn, and we'll post details nearer the time.

If you have iTunes installed on your computer you can subscribe to our audio as a podcast by clicking here.

Image Credit: Kenny Gunn-Russell

Tales from the Allotment: Dora and the naughty fox

Last week, we posted an audio interview with Dora on her allotment. Well Dora's back! In the audio clip below she tells the story about the naughty fox who took her shoe from the shed in her allotment..

If you have iTunes installed on your computer you can subscribe to our audio as a podcast by clicking here.

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The Word on the Water - Leith Locals and Edd McCracken on 6 Times

With Antony Gormley’s world class art project, 6 times, right here on our river bank, Gormley hunting has become a popular pastime. Or has it?

A bit of Gormley opinion hunting on Leith Walk left me asking, would the real Antony Gormley please stand up? .

 

Thankfully I caught up with one Leith resident who has seen the Gormleys. Edd McCracken, Arts Correspondent at the Sunday Herald talks about his school trip with Antony, the 6 Times installations and why he loves Leith.

With future funding for world class art in Scotland set to be a vision without commission, it’s a good thing we can enjoy 6 times for at least another 1000 years.

Image Credit: Emily Dodd

We're delighted that Emily is going to be writing more blog posts and recording loads more audio clips like this with Greener Leith. If you have iTunes installed on your computer you can subscribe to our audio as a podcast by clicking here.