Edinburgh Archives - Urban Union Ltd

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A new fund, known as the ‘Creative Community Chest’ has launched which will support micro projects in Pennywell, Edinburgh and is established in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts and the OneCity Trust.

The initiative which has been established as part of the Pennywell Living development has been created by regeneration experts Urban Union with the City of Edinburgh Council. Scottish charities and community groups located in the North Edinburgh Arts membership area are being asked to apply for one of 10 grants of £300, that can be used to deliver creative and engaging content for the local community.

The governance, monitoring and oversight of grant distribution will be undertaken by the office of the OneCity Trust.  The mission of the OneCity Trust is to fight inequality and exclusion in the City of Edinburgh.

Neil McKay, Managing Director, Urban Union, said: “At Urban Union we specialise in delivering new homes equipped for modern community living, but investing in these communities is just as important.

“We know that by working with residents, charities, and local groups we can help to create welcoming places to live and make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Kate Wimpress, Director, North Edinburgh Arts, said: “North Edinburgh Arts has worked with Urban Union for almost a decade, delivering creativity in the community and enhancing the local area. With support from the OneCity Trust, these fantastic individual projects allow us to build community engagement, we look forward to seeing these creative ideas come to fruition.”

Urban Union has developed 134 new homes and apartments as part of Phase 3 works at Pennywell Living and has been working in conjunction with the City of Edinburgh Council since 2014 to regenerate Pennywell, creating a vibrant residential area.

Councillor Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Our regeneration of North Edinburgh is a major project for the people of Pennywell and Muirhouse and a great success story. It’s all about working together to improve lives, tackle poverty and inequality in the area and create beautiful new homes and community spaces residents can be proud of.

“It is great news, then, that our contractors are making this pot of money available through the OneCity Trust to local projects and charities which also promote social inclusion. The whole project provides a perfect example of community empowerment, showing how great value can be added to an area when involving those who know it best.”

The application form to apply for a £300 grant is available to download here.

Please complete the application form and send to elaine@onecitytrust.com along with the associated documentation noted on page 2 of the application form. If you have any questions, please contact Elaine McCafferty – OneCity Trust at elaine.mccafferty@onecitytrust.com or telephone (0131) 469 3856

A letter from NW Edinburgh Community Policing Team, City of Edinburgh Council – North West Locality Team, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service City of Edinburgh Watch Commander

Over recent years, many parts of Edinburgh have suffered unprecedented levels of anti-social behaviour and disorder, criminal damage and attacks on Police Officers and other emergency service colleagues during annual Bonfire night celebrations.

The extent of the disorder carried out by a small number of people placed residents, members of the public and emergency services’ staff at significant risk of harm and injury.

City of Edinburgh Policing Division, working in partnership with colleagues from City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are here to protect the community and to keep those who work in our emergency services safe.

To prevent a repeat of these incidents, proactive steps are being taken to increase the safety of our local communities and those working within the emergency services. The policing of Bonfire night will be robust and we will take immediate action where individuals attempt to prevent or disrupt the work of the emergency services. Therefore those who choose to involve themselves in antisocial behaviour or disorder on or around the 5th November may be subject to prosecution.

We want our communities to enjoy the celebrations and we are working hard to ensure residents feel safe and able to participate in the celebrations. However, the safety of those who live in our communities remains our overarching priority and any behaviour that places people or property at risk will not be tolerated.
If you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact either:

• Your local Council Family and Household Support Team based at North West Locality office, 8 West Pilton Gardens. Telephone 0131 529 5014 to speak with a Family and Household Support Officer; or

• Kelly Bonner, North West Locality, 8 West Pilton Gardens, Edinburgh, EH4 4DP – telephone 0131 529 3448.

• Your local Community Policing Team based at Drylaw Police Station, 701 Ferry Road, EH4 2TY, telephone 101

• Or you can report criminal behaviour anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111

 

Pennywell to be Inspired by New Community Art

Together with the City of Edinburgh Council, award winning regeneration specialist Urban Union has appointed North Edinburgh Arts to deliver an engaging Art Strategy as part of its work at the Pennywell Living development in Edinburgh.

The strategy has community engagement at its core and will deliver three distinct outcomes: inspiring hoarding panels, a Creative Community Chest and new Pennywell Heritage/Art Trail.

Lead Artist Ross Macrae will kick start the strategy alongside a series of invited guests, who will create 10 engaging panels incorporating wayfinding and local icons to the existing hoarding around the Pennywell development. A key strand of the strategy is community engagement and local young people will have the opportunity to attend masterclass sessions with Ross and the guest artists where they will demonstrate skills and techniques in spray painting and other mediums. The workshops and artwork creation have been running since April and are expected to continue into August.

With £3,000 available through the Creative Community Chest for micro projects across the North Edinburgh Arts membership area, local charities and constituted groups will also be able to apply for one of 10 grants of up to £300 which will be used to deliver creative content for the local community. The Creative Community Chest will be managed by the One City Trust and open over the summer.

The final element will be the introduction of a heritage/art trail for Pennywell. Appointed through an open call, the selected artist will create and deliver six permanent artworks in and around the Pennywell area. With the aim of enhancing local pride, the artworks will become meeting points, way finders, conversation starters and points of connection. Local residents are invited to get involved in the process which will commence in September 2022 and over the following 12 months will include 24 engagement activities for all ages, culminating in the installation of the art in August 2023.

Neil McKay, Managing Director, Urban Union, said: “We have been an active member of the local community for the last eight years and we are pleased that our public art strategy for Pennywell is now in place. The regeneration that has already taken place in the area will only be further complemented and enhanced by these plans which will bring wider benefits.

“The key to making these three distinct programmes a success will be the involvement of the local community. The art which will be created needs to reflect the rich social heritage of the area and the character of the communities who live and work in and around the Pennywell area.

“We look forward to continuing our engagement with the local community as our Phase 3 works progress and to seeing their ideas come to life through the unique opportunity that our Arts Strategy will provide.”

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “There is going to be so much to enjoy in North Edinburgh this summer. This programme is a real celebration of local people and all of the regeneration which has taken place.

“We’ve supported significant investment in Pennywell and Muirhouse, with new green spaces and a civic heart, brilliant sport and culture on the doorstep and plans for new community hub – plus of course hundreds of much needed, quality, affordable and social homes. It’s one of our 20 minute neighbourhood projects and you really can see the area flourishing.

“What’s been so special throughout this redevelopment is that residents have been really involved, with projects empowering people to reconnect with their area and initiatives to welcome new neighbours in. North Edinburgh Arts has been central to this and will now help us to bring permanent artworks to the area, which local people will also shape. We can’t wait to see the entries.”

Kate Wimpress, Director, North Edinburgh Arts, said: “North Edinburgh Arts has worked with Urban Union over the last eight years bringing creativity and community to each stage of the development. This has ranged from one off craft workshops, and arts activities for young people, to the development of temporary play spaces, and the permanent, much loved, Butterfly Garden on Pennywell Road. With support from Urban Union and the City of Edinburgh Council this current set of projects allow us to tap into local interests, expertise and enthusiasm once again and we look forward to sharing the results and the pride of our place with local residents, neighbours and visitors alike.”

Urban Union is developing 134 new homes and apartments as part of Phase 3 works at Pennywell Living and has been working in conjunction with the City of Edinburgh Council since 2014 to regenerate Pennywell, creating a vibrant residential area.

The extensive development is the result of a major investment of £42 million by The City of Edinburgh Council and includes £7.9 million grant funding from the Scottish Government. The project is part of the wider Council led regeneration of Pennywell and Muirhouse which has seen over £100 million invested in new homes, infrastructure, retail and community facilities.

To find out more about any of the initiatives, please contact info@urbanunionltd.co.uk.