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News Read below to find out all the latest news and announcements from PEP January 2012 Local History Project
They were able to make use of many of the resources available to them within the local area. This included visits to the local library, going to local schools, taking photographs of the area, visiting other local organisations, using computers and interviewing local people.
As part of the project the group planned out exactly what they needed to do to make the project a success. This included:
Well done to all who participated and made this project so successful.
December 2011 Christmas at the Queensberry
Once the meal was cleared… the dancing and singing commenced! With the bowling club bar open the drinks flowed, guaranteeing a great day. The event ended with the drawing of the raffle with small prizes galore and not one but four large hampers packed with fantastic food and drink. The buses were there at the end of the night to make sure that everyone got home safe and sound. A huge thank you to the entertainer, the bar staff at the Queensberry bowing club and all the staff and volunteers of PEP who made this event a huge success.
December 2011 PEP’s Christmas Showtime
There was then some festive singing from the Neighbourhood Group including ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Winter Wonderland’, White Christmas’; finishing off with ‘Amarillo’. Louise then read out a poem created by the group about all the things they get up to through the week. Well done to the
During the ice-cream break the free raffle was drawn with manager Helen and the compere giving away many prizes.
Thank you and Merry Christmas from PEP!
October 2011 PEP ‘s visit from the ‘Secret Millionaire’
October 2011 Neighbourhood Group – Alcohol Awareness
Have you ever wondered how much you actually drink at home?
We would like to say many thanks to Kerry and Dave for an informative and fun afternoon.
September 2011 Weekend Resource Holiday in Dunoon
At Inverary, the group visited the historic Inverary Jail which gave an insight to conditions in a Scottish Jail in the 19 th century and of course a good photo opportunity! The town also boasts a Georgian Traditional Sweet shop where old fashioned sweeties can be bought and enjoyed… and some group members certainly enjoyed buying and eating them! After relishing the beautiful lochside scenery, the group returned to the hotel for their evening meal and nightly entertainment.
The group also visited the seaside town of Oban; there they viewed the sites of McCraig’s Tower and the lovely bay; and of course enjoy the nice weather that went along with their visit!
The Weekend Resource had the time of their lives and they are eternally grateful to the benefactor who enabled them to have this wonderful holiday. Thank you! August 2011 Welcome to Our New Team Members We would like to introduce our 2 new members of staff.
Welcome to the team!
July 2011 PEP’s Summer Programme 2011 This year’s summer programme of events included day trips, educational classes, as well as the traditional summer party and garden fayre. WEEK 1
WEEK 2
This year’s Mystery Tour was to picturesque Peebles for the Market Day. Once again, we were lucky to have some nice weather so that everyone could wander around the market without worrying about rain! The market was quite small, so after everyone had shopped, they went down to the river for a picnic lunch and a relaxing walk. The lovely weather kept everyone’s spirits high.
The week started with an outing to historic Dunfermline. With the weather once again being fine, the city offered fantastic sightseeing with some people visiting the ancient and beautiful abbey and seeing the tomb of Robert the Bruce. This trip was enjoyed so much that Moira now recommends that everyone should visit Dunfermline.
WEEK 4 The final trip away for this year’s summer programme was to Burntisland. The weather was fabulous and some of the members enjoyed a nice walk along the beach. Of course, you always have to do a bit of shopping before enjoying a nice cup of tea at the café!
This year proved that the weather can sometimes be nice in the summer months! Again, we have so many people to thank. The summer programme would not happen without the dedication of the staff and volunteers of PEP. We would also like to thank ‘Greggs Bakery’ for their donation of £300 towards this year’s programme. Thank you. July 2011 Neighbourhood Group Summer Programme
After getting a bit lost in Glasgow and stopping to ask a few Glaswegians, we eventually found the Tall ship and had an excellent day exploring the Transport museum. We looked at the historic cars, bikes and other transport vehicles. In Kirckaldy, the group enjoyed a picnic lunch in the park and a wander round the local shops. To finish the day, the group went for a well-deserved cup of coffee before heading back to Edinburgh.
Unfortunately, the weather was horrendous and the heavy thunderstorms prevented the group from having a yummy picnic in the Meadows afterwards. Not to worry though, the group decided to eat their lunch on the mini bus. They then headed to a local shopping centre to seek shelter and have a glance round the shops.
One of the last events marking the end of the summer programme was the highly anticipated Summer Fair, held on the 19 th of July at PEPs community garden. At the fair some group members helped to sell flower corsages, decorative jars of sweets and jewellery which were all made from the groups collective efforts.
The group’s creative talents helped to raise over £40 and this money will go towards future group activities. Overall the summer programme was eventful and sincerely enjoyed by everyone who took part.
June 2011 Community Garden Makeover With Telford College and Scottish Gas
Under the supervision of Danny from Telford College, the 14 Students worked hard, first measuring out the beds, then preparing the ground and finally building up the stone structures. Unfortunately their efforts were hampered by continual vandalism, but their spirits were high and when things were knocked down… they were built right back up again.
But that’s only half the story. On the 9 th and 16 th of June an army of Scottish Gas volunteers descended into the garden to fills the raised beds and weed the existing plot areas.
PEP would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to everyone who offered their time… and money!... for the continuing development of the community garden.
Gardening Project Support Donation from Dobbies May 2011
Some of PEP’s volunteers were on hand to receive the goods, and enjoy an ice-cream on the side! The items included sweetcorn, cabbage, leeks, potted potatoes, strawberry plants, rhubarb and some hand tools.
Many thanks to Dawn and the staff at Dobbies who made this project possible.
April 2011 PEP’s Easter Show
With the harsh winter over, PEP’s Easter Show was there to brighten up April.
After the ice-cream interval, PEP’s own Frances Durie reminded us of the meaning of Easter with ‘The Easter Story’… in CHOCOLATE! Delicious and enjoyable.
Many thanks to the West Pilton Neighborhood Centre, all the staff, volunteers and performers who helped on the day and of course a huge thank you to everyone who turned up to watch the show.
p.s. The PEP buses were there to get everyone home again too! March 2011 Volunteering With PEP Volunteer Party Night
Our Volunteer Organiser Iain Nicholson took the opportunity to thank all the volunteers for their contribution and to say a huge ‘thank you’. It was also a great way for the volunteers to socialise and meet new people. Thank you
We now have a strong team of 52 volunteers who carry out various different roles, with a total of 12 roles available to choose from. The Volunteers have in total contributed an impressive 16,000 hours this year. March 2011 Learning English as a Second Language at PEP
Last year PEP ran a pilot English language programme for local Chinese learners. Through word of mouth, the class became very popular with 11 mothers aged between 20 and 40 years attending. This popularity showed that there was a strong demand for the provision.
Thanks to a grant from ‘Awards For All Scotland’, the ‘TALK’ project started in January 2011 (Together Access Language and Knowledge). Designed to run over 10 months, the classes are held 2 days a week, delivering basic English Language classes to individual of Chinese origin, who are residents of the North Edinburgh area.
If you are interested in attending, or finding out more about the classes please call Theodora at PEP on 0131 315 4466.
Annual General Meeting 11 th October 2010 October saw PEP’s AGM. The meeting opened with Jim McGinty standing down as chair due to health reasons. Jim stated: “PEP really is unique as a
Then there was our successful summer programme, a fantastic Christmas event (‘The Steamin’!) and the Be Involved Outdoors (BIO) volunteering event in the community garden. There was support too for the Older People Empowered Now (OPEN) Forum group which provides a platform for older people to address issues which affect them. With transport - 48,000 passengers’ journeys were made over the last year, with the services provided to 70 groups from North Edinburgh and beyond. The 8 vehicle service is supported by 11 volunteer drivers and eight volunteer escorts - all fully trained, and, PEP is currently fund-raising for a new bus.” Councillor Cammy Day was also in attendance. He stated: “PEP’s role is unique and this morning we’ve heard a lot about the vast range of services it offers. PEP keeps moving with the times, is very diverse, and with a good evolution of services. Their volunteering programme is great for the community. PEP’s community transport service is one of the best in the city and PEP should lead the way in community transport and other services in North Edinburgh. PEP remains Mike Gray from Tenon Auditors then presented the financial reports for the last year. He praised PEP’s good ‘tight-ship’ accounting system. To see the audited account, please The meeting ended with the elections for the board of directors. Ray Chisholm - chairperson, (See Picture) Irene Garden - vice-chair and Tony Delahoy – treasurer. We would like to say big thank you to everyone for their support to PEP over the last 12 months.
PEP’s Homecare Service
Linda Stewart Volunteer Homecare Assistant: Linda is actively engaged as a Home Care Assistant. Linda says, “I find the volunteering very rewarding and satisfying. Knowing that I am helping others is truly fulfilling. There is so much demand for this kind of service and I wish there was more available. Doing this job highlights just how much older people need this service” Care Assistants will be required to undertake tasks such as general cleaning, light shopping and laundry. All Home Care Assistants will receive training in Confidentiality, Boundaries, Personal and Social Development, First Aid, Conflict Management, National Care Standards, Mental Health First Aid and lots of other valuable employment skills. For more information, please contact Iain Nicholson on 0131-315-4466 or email iainpepequalities@hotmail.com |
The outcome of all this was a fantastic two week long display at the North Edinburgh Arts; running from the 1 st to the 14 th of November. During the display, the group received lots of positive feedback through the use of a comments box and verbal feedback from local residents and workers. 
The event was compered by the ‘devilishly dashing and debonair’ Ian Mason (complete with bow tie and moustache). A last minute cancellation from some entertainers, resulted in PEP’s staff gamely standing in to perform and started the show off with ‘Staff Stocking Fillers’. Theodora played some pieces on her harp, with the audience joining in on ‘The First Noel’; before reciting the Christmas poem ‘The Night Before Christmas’. Frances then read out ‘A Chocolate Christmas’ accompanied by ‘PowerPoint’. The chocolaty pictures had everyone chuckling away. 
group!
The ‘phenomenal flirtatious’ Frances kicked off part 2 with an amazing mind reading act. She stunned her audience with her amazing ability and left them rolling in the isles. She then sang a song before the Weekend Resource finished with an ‘old-time medley’ of music hall songs. The audience joined in having a whale of a time. The evenings entertainment ended with all the acts coming together to sing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.
A buffet meal was then served by staff and volunteers before the final drawing of the raffle for four prize hampers. A wonderful evening was had by all and a special thanks must go out to; all the staff and volunteers of PEP; service users who worked so hard on the entertainment; staff of the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre who always make us feel welcome; and of course to all the people who came along to join in the fun of ‘The Good Old Days’
In May, PEP was visited by ‘The Secret Millionaire’. In the programme televised in October; millionaire Ivan Massow left behind his glamorous lifestyle to go undercover for eight days in Pilton. This included volunteering with PEP and helping with the Weekend Resource. His unexpected and generous donation contributed towards the purchase of a new minibus and enabled the Weekend Resource to go on three day trip to Dunoon, giving them all a time to remember. 
Well some of PEP’s Neighbourhood Group got the chance to find out when Kerry and Dave, health promotion specialists from NHS Lothian, came and gave them a chance to measure out their favourite tipple (only water I’m afraid!). 
There was of course a serious side to the demonstration. The group looked at what units meant; how many units different drinks contain; and what was safe to consume. Everyone also had a good discussion on the availability of information that could help them make informed choices about drinking, and where they thought having information might help. 
The journey from St Andrew’s Square to Dunoon, took us through the best of Scotland’s Landscapes including Lomondside and the Gare Loch. A stop en route at one of the many Scottish Woollen Mills, gave the group the opportunity to watch a Glass Blower perform his unique skills, making beautifully sculptured ornaments.
The holiday itinerary included day trips to Inverary on the edge of the beautiful Loch Fyne and the picturesque town of Oban in Argyll. 
The nightly entertainment provided by the hotel, meant that everyone could enjoy themselves without having to leave the premises. The hotels Scottish themed night included a lovely Scottish meal and a ceilidh band which was enjoyed by everyone.
During the stay at the excellent Glenmorag Hotel the group also celebrated two birthdays; though neither Dorothy nor Bobby would divulge their age! The birthday cakes were kindly donated by the hotel.
Ian Mason has been a volunteer driver with PEP since June 2005! We are delighted to say that as of August 2011… 6 years later, we at PEP have been able to offer him a post as part-time minibus driver.
A huge welcome also to Louise Wallace, who has come on board as our Mental Health Development Worker. She came to PEP to start with as a student on placement from Edinburgh University and was fortunate that a vacancy came up just at the right time for her to apply. Now she is continuing to work with us assisting with the running of our Neighbourhood group.
This year’s first trip was to Stirling. The weather was glorious and there were sunhats and sunglasses everywhere. After a nice morning trolling around the shops for bargains, everyone stopped for a nice packed lunch and cup of coffee.
A new event for this year was a card-making class. The 2 hour session was very well attended with 10 people participating. It was very much enjoyed with some wonderful cards being made for friends and grandchildren. Star prize had to go to Sean with his wonderful ‘Cat in the Sunshine’ card. The class finished with a well-earned scone and cup of tea.
The first trip of week two was Perth. The weather wasn’t so good with scattered showers, but that didn’t stop everyone having a good time. Again, it didn’t take long for those on the trip to hit the shopping centres with ‘Primark’ being the main target.
The annual Fit and Fun day was held once again at the Royston Mains Close housing complex. The event began with tea and biscuits and was followed by some gentle exercise provided by Lianne from the ‘Move It’ project. This was great fun with everyone taking part and using the parachute, beach ball, ribbons and hula hoop to keep them fit! Rosemary then came in and
introduced the concept of Chinese Falun Gong exercise and meditation. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the activities. The day ended with a healthy lunch of baked potatoes and fillings, whilst sitting out in the sunny garden.
day. Tables were taken by local organisations including; ‘Singing for the Brain’, ‘Rowan Alba’, ‘The Volunteer Centre’, ‘All Nations Christian Fellowship’ and ‘West Pilton Christian Centre’. The ‘Get On’ bus was also present outside the gardens. Pilton Youth & Children’s Project also came along to enjoy the day, but unfortunately couldn’t take a table. PEP’s neighbourhood group and weekend resource also had tables raising money for their groups. PEP’s also had a stall selling houseplants, chutneys and vegetables. The barbeque was kept manned all day for the 80 people who attended the event. Once again it was a huge success with everyone raising money and having a great time.
One of PEP’s longstanding and dedicated volunteers, Richard Richardson, then gave us his yearly tour of Edinburgh. He gave a fascinating educational talk as the bus toured around some of the old Villages of Edinburgh. The first stop was at Newhaven followed by a history talk at Ravelston, and a lunch break at the old air-raid shelters at Stockbridge. The trip ended with a grisly story and a stop at the dovecot at Corstorphine, though due to renovation works on the ancient monument, the attendees could not go inside it. Richard captivated his audience with his knowledge of Edinburgh, and it also gave everyone the opportunity to talk about their knowledge of the area and reminisce about people they knew. As always, it was a great day out and we are already eagerly anticipating next year’s talk.
The final weeks outing took us to Blair Drummond Safari Park. Due to high demand, PEP had to put on 3 buses to accommodate everyone! After a drive around the enclosures, the energetic had a go on the big slides and dodgems. Many people also went to see the ‘Sea lion Show’ and finished off with a walk around the safari park. Everyone had a fantastic day.
Jewellery making formed the final class at PEP, with the boardroom packed out with eager participants. Everyone got straight to work producing some wonderful necklaces, earrings and bracelets; it was a shame to have to stop for the scone and tea!
PEP’s summer party at the Queensberry Bowling Club was the finale to this year’s summer programme. As always the party was very popular and packed out with people enjoying the food and entertainment, laid on by the staff and volunteers of PEP. The music was provided by ‘Fantasy’’ with the members partaking in a sing-along. This was followed by the raffle with the main prize of a food basket kindly donated once again by Sainsbury’s supermarket. Lots of people joined in with the dancing, 
especially the final medley ‘Auld Lang Syne’. 
This trip was particularly enjoyed by the group as there was plenty to see and do there. 
At the fabulous Fire Museum in Edinburgh’s Tollcross, group members got to have a look at lots of old fire engines and fire fighting equipment. Some even posed for pictures, sitting in retired fire engines, while others had fun trying on some of the old and very different Fireman’s hats. 
At the Peoples Palace and Winter Gardens, the group enjoyed seeing Scottish memorabilia in the museum. They also shared a laugh over old footage of famous comedians such as Billy Connolly, as well as looking at old Scottish sweets and other items.
Later in the day, the group enjoyed spending some unexpected time soaking in the atmosphere of a fun fare which was stationed opposite the Winter gardens. Some people bought candyfloss at the fare and enjoyed looking at the stalls.
On the 10 th of May 2011, students from Telford College’s Brickwork Section commenced work in the community garden at 3 West Pilton Park. The students were to have six weeks to create six raised beds and a purpose built stone barbeque.
By the final day on the 16 th June, the team were able to complete four of the planned beds with the remaining work being left open for future collaboration with Telford College students.
Scottish Gas are continuing their efforts and will be returning to plant up the new beds and weed the existing garden plots ready for PEP’s Summer Fayre on the 19 th of July.
The donation of these plants, made it possible for PEP to extend the existing sensory garden thus enabling the frailest of individuals to take part in a gentle gardening programme. This has also included the first year of mushroom growing in the office itself, with minimal effort needed. 
The entertainment started with the dancers from the Haughey McAuley School of Irish Dancing. As usual their dancing delighted everyone and the audience all joined in with singing and clapping.
Next up, the Weekend Resource performed a series of songs and dances from musicals. These included renditions of ‘Singing in the Rain’, ‘Seven Little Girls’ and a very memorable performance of the ‘Grease Medley’ with guest star ‘Ricky’!
Finally the Neighborhood Group performed a series of popular songs including ‘Que Sera Sera’, ‘Daisy Daisy’ and ‘She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain’. They were all sung brilliantly and the audience had a great chance to join in with them.The afternoon finished with the buffet and Easter prize draw with chocolate eggs and other gifts kindly donated by Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s and Asda superstores. It was an EGGcellent end to a great afternoon.
On the 7 th March PEP held its Volunteer Party Night at the Queensberry Bowling Club. It was our way to say thank you to all the volunteers who had supported PEP over the last 12 months. 
A DJ was on hand to provide the evenings entertainment; with a tasty meal prepared and served by PEP staff and volunteers. There was also a raffle with the main prize of a food hamper. The dancing went on well into the evening with everyone having a good time. 
PEP would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who has given up their spare time to support the project. We would like to take this opportunity to say we appreciate the time and effort you have given to us. In particular we would like to acknowledge the huge effort the volunteers contributed in supporting our services during the severe snowy weather we experienced in the winter. 
The classes are being delivered by an experienced ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) tutor. Tsvetelina has joined PEP as a sessional worker and has already made a great difference to the skills and confidence of the learners. A crèche is being provided at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre by ‘Supermums’. This means that the students can study with no distractions.
project, and although many people know us as a transport project, we are much much more than that. We tackle Employability, through our wide volunteer base; we also provide for those who need extra support, which we give in a non-formal, educational environment.” He went on to commend the staff “ for their flexibility during a year of reduced funding. The project continues to meet all its targets and deliver all of its services. One of the reasons we are able to provide such a professional service is because we are very fortunate to have a dedicated team of staff and volunteers.”
Manager, Helen Tait then gave a comprehensive overview of the many facets of PEP’s work. “The homecare service is run entirely by volunteers; there have been 252 painting and decorating jobs completed so far this year (exceeding targets by 100%); the mental health support service provided 40 places for individuals , and 3340 educational support classes and groupwork sessions - from literacy and numeracy and English as a second language to computing, psychology and sociology.
to be one of the leading organisations not just in North Edinburgh but in the city.”