Edlife - Summer 2016 - East Dunbartonshire Council

Transcription

Edlife - Summer 2016 - East Dunbartonshire Council
Connecting Council and Community Summer 2016
ed
Comic
Con
comes
to town
see page 3
Amanda Toms (Head of Medusa Cosplay
and Props) as Sakuyamon Cosplay
Inside your Council magazine: Big in Japan, Award Success, Bearsden Community HUB
2 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Contents
Welcome to the
Summer 2016 edition
of Edlife, the Council
magazine for the
people of East
Dunbartonshire.
This edition is packed full of ideas
on how to entertain the kids this
summer and there is a sneak
preview of what is in store at this
year’s Kirkintilloch Canal Festival
on pages 10 and 11.
125ml glass campaign
3
Big in Japan
4
Business Awards 2016
5
School news
6
Kilmardinny House latest
7
Huntershill Sports Hub
8
What’s on this summer
9
Kirkintilloch Canal Festival 10
Find out about what is happening
with East Dunbartonshire’s major
development projects including the
Bearsden Community Hub (page 8)
and the new Lenzie Meadow
Primary School (page 6).
This year’s Business Awards
winners are featured along with
the Council’s STARs 2016 and some
recent award successes for our
schools and pioneering road
improvements.
Smoke-free play park 12
Awards success 14
Your local Councillor 17
As always we hope you enjoy this
edition of Edlife. If you have any
comments, then please email us at
edlife@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Fostercare appeal 18
Thank you
Pioneering
partnership
in store
Residents of East Dunbartonshire are being
offered a 10% discount by a leading builders'
merchant as part of a pioneering new
partnership.
Grafton Merchanting GB has
been awarded a contract to
supply all of the Council's
building, plumbing and
heating, electrical and
maintenance materials.
The five-year arrangement which will be handled by the
company's Buildbase and Plumbase
branches - includes a 10% discount
for all residents of East
Dunbartonshire.
In addition to the community
benefit, the contract will save
public money, reduce waste and
increase efficiency. The partnership
involves a hi-tech managed stores
system, using mobile handsets
with real-time stock updates to
ensure materials are only purchased
when they are needed.
Grafton is now responsible for
providing the full range of
construction materials to the
Council’s maintenance teams
working on housing stock - such
as kitchens and bathrooms - and
general infrastructure, including
street lighting.
This document can be provided in large print, Braille, or on CD and can be translated into other
community languages. Please contact the Council’s Communications Team on 0300 123 4510.
Ann Davie, Depute Chief Executive
- Education, People & Business,
said, "This contract is a win-win not just for the authority, but for
the whole of East Dunbartonshire.
It's focused on helping the Council
to save money and remove waste
from its maintenance and capital
programme work.
"Not only that, the agreement
reached with Grafton includes the
offer of a 10% discount to all
residents. That means a saving not
just for the public purse, but local
residents direct."
East Dunbartonshire residents
will be able to access a 10%
discount by showing ID and a valid
proof of address (eg utility bill) at
the Glasgow branch of Buildbase 528b Blochairn Road, G21 2DZ and
the Kirkintilloch branch of Plumbase
- Unit 8-9 Eastside Industrial
Estate, Kilsyth Road, G66 1QG.
The new contract is part of the
Council's ongoing transformation
programme to ensure it delivers
the most effective services possible
for its people and communities - as
efficiently as possible.
Contact us
To contact the Council, whatever your enquiry,
contact Customer Services:
0300 123 4510
Customer Services can also be contacted in
person at the Kirkintilloch Community Hub
or at one of the two interim Hubs in
Bishopbriggs Library or in Brookwood
Library in Bearsden. You can also email:
customerservices@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Edlife is produced by the Communications Team, East Dunbartonshire Council,
12 Strathkelvin Place, Kirkintilloch, G66 1TJ. Email: edlife@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
For further information: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk Please get in touch if you have
comments on this magazine or if there are any future features you would like to see.
Printed on
recycled paper
East Dunbartonshire Council takes no responsibility for advice or information contained on external websites.
Acceptance of advertising does ont imply endorsement of the goods or services. Readers considering purchase
or major investment decisions are advised to seek appropriate professional advice.
A wide range of information on the
Council is available at:
@
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 3
East Dunbartonshire
licensees first to offer smaller
wine glasses
Over 90 licensees in East Dunbartonshire are the first in Scotland to trial
an important new consumer campaign offering a smaller 125ml wine
measure alongside the more traditional sizes of 175ml and 250ml.
Speaking at the launch in the
new boutique Boclair House
Hotel, Bearsden, Paul
Waterson, Chief Executive of
The Scottish Licensed Trade
Association said, “It’s
becoming increasingly clear
that what consumers expect
is more choice. The 125ml
wine glass campaign is
responding to that trend.
“It’s very encouraging that every
possible venue in the area that
could get on board with the
125ml wine glass campaign did
just that. We hope there’s some
learning and best practice to
bring to other areas in
Scotland.”
Evonne Bauer, the Council’s
Community Protection Manager
added, “The Council is blazing a
trail with this four week pilot
consumer campaign and is
proud to be at the forefront of
something so important for the
nation’s health and wellbeing.”
L-R: Paul Waterson (Chief
Executive of SLTN), Olivia McPike
(Mariana, Kirkintilloch), Mark
Baird (Scottish Alcohol Industry
Partnership), Amie McCormick
(Mariana, Kirkintilloch), Mark
Currie (General Manager, Boclair
House Hotel), and Neil Miller
(Licensing Advisor, East
Dunbartonshire Council).
Ronz Meikle as Rhino
from Rustworthy Cosplay
First ever East Dunbartonshire
Comic Con 2016
Superhero fans in East Dunbartonshire sprang into action to
help make the area's first ever
comic book convention go off
with a bang.
More than 1,200 people flocked
to the Woodhill Evangelical Church
in Bishopbriggs for the Comic Con
event, which was organised by the
East Dunbartonshire Health and
Social Care Partnership and the Big
Glasgow Comic Page as an innovative way of raising awareness about
Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Many took their hobby to heart
by dressing for Comic Con's cosplay
costume competition, while Still
Game actors Sanjeev Kohli and Jane
McCarry were the guests of honour.
An eclectic choice of stalls
crammed with collectibles and crafts
based on comics and pop culture
was available for visitors to browse
through and add to their collections.
Photograph, including the front cover image, courtesy of Anthony Macleod - Hairy Monster Digital Arts & Big Glasgow Comic Page
You can read the Council’s
Autism Strategy and find
out more at
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
4 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Big in
Japan
Over 1000 people, including the Vice-Consul General of the
Japanese Consulate, joined in the fun at the ‘Big in Japan’
event at the Auld Kirk Museum in May
The event, which celebrated
East Dunbartonshire’s unique
links to the Japanese town
of Yoichi, was part of the
national Festival of Museums
weekend.
The weekend began with a
‘Night at the Museum’ event which
saw guests enjoy Japanese whisky
tasting while Reza Wood from
Milngavie gave wood turning
demonstrations. This was followed
by a successful family fun day
which had martial arts
demonstrations as well as origami
workshops and face painting.
Sunday saw Yoshie Campbell
performing Japanese dance, the
‘Sirens of Titan’ choir sang beautiful
Japanese songs, and the event
finished with the wonderful Mio
Shapley and her assistants
performing the Japanese Tea
Ceremony.
Irene McCafferty, Team Leader
at the Auld Kirk Museum, said,
“The weekend was a tremendous
success and we were honoured
to be visited by the Vice-Consul
General of the Japanese Consulate,
Yoko Murata.
“East Dunbartonshire has been
twinned with Yoichi Town in
Hokkaido since 1988. Masataka
Taketsuru came to Scotland in 1918
to study at Glasgow University and
trained at various distilleries in the
Highlands.
“Rita Cowan met Masataka
while he was teaching her younger
brother jujitsu at the family home
in Kirkintilloch.
Rita and Masataka were married
in 1920, and returned to Japan in
1921.
“Rita is known as the ‘Muse of
Japanese Whisky’ and I thought
her story would be a good theme
for the festival.
“Japanese visitors come
regularly to the Auld Kirk Museum
to see her display and we have all
of our information for Rita’s story
translated into Japanese.”
Safety first
for Bearsden’s new Junior Wardens
Pupils from Castlehill Primary
and St. Andrew’s Primary in
Bearsden are the latest to take
part in the Council’s Junior
Warden Scheme - designed to
help children be responsible
citizens and avoid antisocial
behaviour.
P6/7 pupils took part in classroom lessons and external activities
to learn about community safety
and what it means to them and
their families.
As part of the scheme, officers from
Milngavie Fire Station brought an
appliance along to the school and
discussed fire safety. Pupils also
enjoyed talks from local
Community Police Officers and the
Council’s Young Persons’ Education
and Prevention Officer on drugs and
alcohol awareness as well as an
input from the Mugdock Rangers.
Thomas Glen, the Council’s
Depute Chief Executive - Place,
Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets
said, “We’ve run this scheme in a
number of schools over the years
and it is a great way of helping
children understand the impact
that antisocial behaviour can have
on communities.
“It’s a chance for them to
meet representatives of agencies
like the Council, Police Scotland
and Scottish Fire and Rescue
Service and is important in
building positive relationships.”
During the scheme, pupils kept
notebooks detailing what they
learned.
Mirren and Lana above from
St. Andrew’s Primary were
presented with £10 gift vouchers
as their notebooks were judged to
be the best.
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 5
Can we be tobacco-free?
The East Dunbartonshire Tobacco Alliance (the Alliance)
has signed up to support a national bid to make Scotland
‘tobacco free’.
The Alliance recently signed
up to ASH Scotland’s Charter
for a Tobacco-Free Generation,
which aims for fewer than 5%
of Scots to be lighting up by
2034.
Half of smokers in East Dunbartonshire want to quit for good,
while a third of deaths amongst
those aged 35 to 69 in Greater
Glasgow and Clyde are said to be
caused by smoking.
The Alliance’s Tobacco Control
Strategy, which sets out local
targets and priorities, was also
launched at the charter signing.
Karen Murray, Chief Officer of the
East Dunbartonshire Health and
Social Care Partnership, said,
“Awareness that smoking is responsible for a vast range of health
problems has increased in the
decade since the smoking ban came
into effect, but too many people are
still lighting up. The aim of the Alliance is to create a climate where
less people are smoking, and this
initiative will certainly help us to
achieve this.”
See page 12 for more on the
work of the Alliance to create
smoke-free play parks.
Top businesses
The Business Awards winners 2016
The stars were shining
as a stellar line-up of
East Dunbartonshire
businesses and
enterprises were
honoured with
prestigious awards.
Dozens of contenders were
in the running for the 2016
awards - organised by East
Dunbartonshire Council to
shine a light on local success
stories.
The winners - chosen by a
judging panel involving representatives of the Council, local
businesses and Dunbartonshire
Chamber of Commerce - were
announced at a fundraising awards
night in The Eagle Lodge,
Bishopbriggs, on Friday 20 May.
The winner of the 2016 East
Dunbartonshire Business of the
Year was Training Initiatives Ltd
T/A TIGERS, based at Huntershill
Village, Bishopbriggs.
crowned at Awards
The 2016 winners are:
Business of the Year - Training Initiatives Ltd T/A TIGERS
Social Enterprise of the Year - Freedom Bakery
Community Champion - Kirkintilloch Baptist Church
Start-up Business of the Year - Alessio's Cafe & Bistro
Independent Retailer of the Year - Elba Artisan Gallery
Tourism, Leisure & Hospitality Business of the Year - Billington’s of Lenzie
Service Business of the Year - Ouzman IP Ltd
Growth Business of the Year - Training Initiatives Ltd T/A TIGERS
Best Use of E-Commerce by a Business - 121 HR Solutions
The event involved a fundraising raffle and auction to
support a range of good
causes locally, raising £8,000
for 10 causes. Thanks go to
all the companies, enterprises
and organisations which
partnered with the Council
to very kindly sponsor the
2016 East Dunbartonshire
Business Awards.
6 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
School News
At the start of the new school term in August,
pupils from Lenzie Primary and Lenzie Moss
Primary will come together for the first time
in their brand new £11.5m school – Lenzie
Meadow Primary.
The new school and nursery class is the second success story
from the Council’s Primary School Improvement Programme
(PSIP). The first was the award-winning Lairdsland Primary in
Kirkintilloch (see page 14).
Pupils will benefit from flexible, open, learning spaces that support
class teaching, project work and individual learning. Some of the school’s
features include classrooms with LCD touchscreens, Wi-Fi throughout,
multi-use games area and covered outdoor learning areas.
Work is also continuing elsewhere:
l In Bishopbriggs, construction of the new building to replace
Auchinairn and Woodhill Primaries and Cleddens Learning & Childcare
Centre is progressing well.
l Morgan Sindall was named as the contractor to build a new school in
Kirkintilloch to replace St. Agatha’s and St. Flannan’s Primaries. Early
groundworks got underway this Spring.
l A series of consultation events was held with pupils, staff, parents
and the wider community in June to look at the propsed design for
the new school to be built on the site of St. Andrew’s PS in Bearsden
to replace it and St. Joseph’s in Milngavie.
Head Teacher Greg Bremner and
pupils Lay the first bricks at
Lenzie Meadow Primary School
Gordon Currie, Director of Education & Children’s Services, said, “Good
progress is being made to deliver new schools across East Dunbartonshire.
By continuing to invest in buildings
we are investing in our young people, giving them the best possible
Check out the Schools &
start to their educational lives.”
Learning section of our website
Town Hall
Rejuvenation
Breathing new life into one
of East Dunbartonshire's
most iconic buildings.
Kirkintilloch Town Hall will be
transformed into a modern
centre for heritage, arts,
culture, weddings and community use. Approximately
£5.5m will be invested in the
project.
Times have changed since the
building’s heyday, so to be able to
accommodate a variety of uses, the
interior will be radically different
and have a seating capacity of up
to 300.
The Council has been working with
development partner hub West
Scotland, contractors and East
Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture
(EDLC) Trust to develop the new
design which includes:
l ground-floor event space
l new entrance, reception
and vestibule
l first-floor heritage display
l office and community space
l kitchen, store room, toilets
and locker room.
(www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk)
for more about our PSIP
Kirkintilloch Town Hall
Apprentices dig in
at new Huntershill
Sports Hub
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 7
Work is underway on a major new sports
facility in Bishopbriggs, with young apprentices
digging in to help make it a reality.
The Council is developing a
community sports hub at
Huntershill, in partnership
with East Dunbartonshire
Leisure and Culture (EDLC)
Trust.
Plans for the development,
which is due to be completed by
spring 2017, include:
l Full-size, all-weather sports
pitch with floodlighting and
fencing
l Sports pavilion with 10
changing rooms, recreation
hall and more
l Three floodlit, all-weather
tennis courts
l Six-lane athletics track
l Access road and associated
parking.
Thomas Glen, the Council’s Depute
Chief Executive - Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets said,
“These new facilities will give local
people easy access to a superb
range of sport & leisure activities
on their doorstep. Delivering this
sports hub has been a long standing aspiration for the Council and it
will contribute to regeneration in
the Huntershill area.
“To see it get off the ground is a
very welcome milestone.”
Contractor Robertson Group is
working with Training Initiatives
Ltd T/A TIGERS*, based at Huntershill Village, to offer apprenticeships to local young people.
As well as funding from the
Council and the Trust, financial
support for the £7.8m project has
been secured from sportscotland.
*See p5 for more news on TIGERS
House Proud
Work has officially started to transform Bearsden’s
Kilmardinny House into a new venue for conferences,
weddings, arts and other events.
The £2.73m project is being delivered by the
Council in conjunction with East Dunbartonshire
Leisure and Culture (EDLC) Trust, development
partner hub West Scotland and contractor Clark
Contracts.
The main construction works are expected to be
completed in late December 2016, with the facility due to
open to the public in spring 2017. The existing house will
be partially refurbished, inside and out and a new garden
pavilion extension will be created, providing a modern,
flexible space ideal for local arts, performance and
community groups.
David Cooper, Director of Clark Contracts said,
"It’s fantastic to be working on such a historic project,
so important to the local community. The refurbishment
works will enhance the Category A-listed building’s
features and, along with the extension, will provide
attractive, modern new facilities fit for purpose for
many years to come.”
Artist’s impression
8 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Ground broken
as work starts on brand new
Bearsden Community Hub
Work to transform Bearsden Burgh Hall in to a new
Community Hub for the town is well underway.
Construction of the £3m
community facility began in
April and it is set to run for
completion in early 2017.
The new Community Hub,
which is based on a reconfiguration
of the Burgh Hall site on Drymen
Road, will include the re-provisioning of the library and community
archives from Brookwood as well
as enhancing the current hall facilities through a full refurbishment.
The fantastic new facility, which
will bring together Council, library,
leisure and cultural services in a
single building, will also contain
new public meeting rooms and
social work facilities, new public
toilets as well as an entire upgrade
of the current accommodation.
The on-site customer services team
will make it easier for residents to
access and get information about a
variety of different Council services
and make payments for them in
just one visit.
Ann Davie, Depute Chief Executive
of East Dunbartonshire Council,
said, "The new Community Hub
will provide everyone in Bearsden
with a state-of-the-art facility and
will bring a number of benefits to
the town.
"Community Hubs, like the one
just opened in Lennoxtown, are an
important element of the Council’s
long term vision for effective,
efficient, customer focussed
services delivered locally
throughout East Dunbartonshire.
"Bringing together a wide
range of council services under one
roof in an exciting and innovative
way will help us deliver services
more efficiently to our residents
and improve their experience of
dealing with the Council.”
Forging
ahead
with
relief
road
Work is forging ahead on the
next section of Bishopbriggs
Relief Road, which aims to cut
congestion, support new investment, improve air quality
and encourage active travel.
Phase four - an investment
of £6.5m - will replace the
existing Westerhill Road and
tie into the third section at
the roundabout on Wester
Cleddens Road. It involves
the creation of:
l A two-lane 50mph road stretching 600 metres between
Wester Cleddens Roundabout
and a new roundabout, with
another 100 metres of road on
the north side of the railway
l A new bridge over the main
Edinburgh-Glasgow railway line
l A new access road into Cadder
Yard
l Two Sustainable Urban
Drainage ponds.
Following completion of phase
four, the existing Westerhill Road
and bridge will become an active
travel corridor for pedestrians and
cyclists. The road will be upgraded
and crossings installed, and the
possibility of further links to Lenzie
and Bishopbriggs town centre are
also being explored.
The aim is to have phase four
completed by summer 2017. Westerhill Road will be closed from 24
June 2016 to 17 April 2017 to accommodate the works, with diversions in place.
The road is part of the Council's
10-year capital programme and is
being part-funded through developers' contributions from the Bishopbriggs East housing
development.
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 9
What’s on
this summer 2016
During the school summer holidays, the EDLC Trust has a host of varied
children’s activities on offer to suit every taste. From reading challenges
to gaming tournaments - mask making to 3D scanning and printing - the
programme is so diverse and exciting there will be something for every
boy and girl to enjoy.
This year’s summer reading
challenge is celebrating 100
years of the world’s favourite
storyteller, Roald Dahl, and is
entitled the Big Friendly Read
(BFR). It’s running from
Saturday 25 June to Saturday
20 August and kids of all ages
can register at their local
libraries to collect their BFR
membership wallets and
collect limited edition Quentin
Blake collectors’ cards every
time they read a book (there
are six to collect). Some of the
other activities this summer
include:
Big Friendly Read on
the Barge (5 - 8 years)
Join author-illustrator John Fardell
for a fun interactive session
enjoying some of his picture books
aboard the Gypsy Princess barge.
No landlubbers allowed.
Venue: Townhead Bridge,
Kirkintilloch (meeting)
Date: Wednesday 27 July
Time: 11.30am-12.30pm
Cost: £7.00 per child (includes
one adult per family)
Book by calling 0141 777 3143 or
online at www.booking.edlc.co.uk
/horizons/culture
Gaelic Storytelling An Gruffalo (2 - 6 years)
Bilingual Gaelic / English interactive
storytelling in the great outdoors!
(In inclement weather, please meet
at Brookwood Library, Bearsden
instead).
Venue: Gruffalo carving at
Kilmardinny Loch entrance
from Kilmardinny Avenue
Date: Wednesday 10 August
Time: 10.30am - 11.30am
Cost: Free
Book by contacting the Children &
Families Team on 0141 777 3036
Venue: William Patrick Library,
Kirkintilloch
Date: Wednesday 3 August
Time: 11am - 1pm
Cost: £8.00
Book by calling 0141 777 3143 or
online at www.booking.edlc.co.uk
/horizons/culture
Dying to Design
(8 - 11 years)
This fun workshop will teach
young designers how to tie dye a
t-shirt, looking at the importance
of colour and pattern to make a
striking modern design. Please
remember to bring a plain white
t-shirt.
Venue: The Barony Chambers
(Auld Kirk Museum),
Kirkintilloch
Date: Tuesday 26 July
Time: 11am - 4pm
Cost: £16.00
Book by calling 0141 777 3143 or
online at www.booking.edlc.co.uk
/horizons/culture
Mini Me 3D Scanning /
Printing
(12 Years +)
3D scanning and printing using
mind bending technology. Learn
how to scan, scale and then print
yourself out as a mini me!
No experience is necessary
Venue: Lillie Art Gallery,
Milngavie
Date: Thursday 21 July
Time: 11am - 1pm
Cost: £8.00
There is plenty going on in
East Dunbartonshire for adults
too this summer - with a
packed programme of
activities at this year’s adult
summer school. Running from
Monday 27 June to Friday 8
July - why not book yourself
on a course and explore your
creative side? Some of the
activities on offer include:
Freeing Yourself Up –
Expressive Mark
Making & Mixed Media
A wonderful opportunity to be
inspired and free yourself up, while
discussing and experimenting with
expressive mark making and mixed
media. A fun and engaging workshop focussing on how to tackle
scale, texture and mark making
through artists methods.
Venue: Lillie Art Gallery,
Milngavie
Date: Friday 1 July
Time: 9.30am - 1pm
Cost: Half day: £15
Oil Painting:
Beginners and Beyond
This course is for students with
some painting experience who
want to develop their skills and
techniques in oil and will begin with
still life and structured exercises
with a focus on tone, form, composition and colour. There will be
step by step demonstration of
different approaches to painting
with oils.
Venue: The Barony Chambers
(Auld Kirk Museum),
Kirkintilloch
Date: Wed 6 - Fri 8 July
Time: 10am - 4pm
Cost: 3 days: £90.00
To book call 0141 777 3143 or
visit www.booking.edlc.co.uk/
horizons/culture
MORE INFORMATION visit
www.edlc.co.uk
10 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Naut
A History of East
Dunbartonshire
in 110 Objects
There’s still time to enjoy a
fascinating look at the rich
and colourful past of East
Dunbartonshire’s 11 settlements through an eclectic
selection of objects
spanning the years.
A free exhibition is running in
Kirkintilloch’s award-winning Auld
Kirk Museum until 16 July. It marks
the culmination of a two year
programme run by the Leisure &
Culture Trust to involve local people
in chronicling life in the area’s
towns and villages through the
ages.
It will feature a curated time
line of objects from the Trust’s
Museum and Archive Collections,
from a Neolithic carved stone ball
to a rather more modern Garvie’s
lemonade water jug. As well as
objects from the collection, the
exhibition will display photographs
of people and artists who took part
in the popular ‘Trails and Tales
programme’ which caught the
imagination of hundreds of people
at dozens of events and workshop
activities over the past two years.
There will also be access to the
full online time line of objects and
an opportunity for visitors to
contribute their own ideas and
objects to a ‘community’ time line
of local archives and treasures.
Please note the museum is
open Tuesday-Saturday from
10am-1pm and 2-5pm (closed
Sunday and Monday). For more
information on Trails and Tales
see www.trailsandtales.org
Walk a way
to help out
Volunteers are needed to
put their best foot forward
to help lead health walks
across East Dunbartonshire.
Health walks are an ideal way
to keep physically active as well as
being fun, free and sociable. They
are low level and suitable for
everyone who wants to become
active, but also perfect for anyone
recovering from a health issue or
injury.
A number of walks are already
established across the area which
last between 30 minutes and an
hour but volunteers are needed to
take on the role of walk leader or
assistant leader.
Walk Development Officer Andy
Lynch explained, "With summer
here it would be great to get lots
of people involved and exploring
the many great walks we have in
East Dunbartonshire. To do this we
need more volunteers to come
forward and take part in training to
become walk leaders.
"The role of walk leader is ideal
for someone who has a willingness
to help others and enjoys being
physically active and spending time
outdoors. Once volunteer walk
leaders are trained they will be able
to risk assess and plan their own
routes while still being offered
support from me and other walk
leaders."
If you want to participate,
volunteer or are interested in
starting up a health walk,
contact Andy on 07919624722
or email Andy.Lynch@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk.
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 11
Photographs, courtesy of Alan Duncan - Kirkintilloch & District Classic Vehicle Club
tical and nice
Set sail for a splashing
feast of family fun as
the amazing Kirkintilloch
Canal Festival returns
this August.
ear's
"Last y val
esti
Canal F
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2
August
A range of
improvement works are
currently underway in the
town centre, but that won't
dampen any of the
enthusiasm or entertainment at this year's
nautical-based bonanza.
The 2016 Kirkintilloch Canal
Festival will run from Monday 15
August to Sunday 21 August, with
a range of boat trips during the
week - combining canal, culinary
delights and culture.
Excitement will reach a
crescendo over the festival weekend - with Get Active Saturday
(featuring live concert and firework
spectacular) and the Gala Sunday
around the Marina, Barleybank, the
grassed area at Sainsbury’s and
New College Lanarkshire Kirkintilloch Campus.
Saturday's festivities will culminate
in a live concert at the Marina starting at 7pm, followed at
9.30pm by a fireworks spectacular
set to music.
The festival is organised by
East Dunbartonshire Council and
partners such as the Leisure and
Culture (EDLC) Trust, Police Scotland,
Scottish Fire and Rescue,
Kirkintilloch Baptist Church, the
Regent Centre, New College
Lanarkshire - Kirkintilloch, Seagull
Trust, Scottish Canals and the Forth
and Clyde Canal Society.
The Gala Sunday - on 21 August - includes:
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Pirates street theatre and stilt walkers
Funfair and carousel
Walk on Water, canoe sessions and boat trips
Kirkintilloch Male Voice Choir
Coppers on the Canal
Tours of Lairdsland Primary
Market Stalls and Classic Cars
Glasgow Barnstormers - remote-controlled airplanes
Trails and Tails - Stone Carving Taster Sessions (with EDLC)
More information is available at www.kirkintillochcanalfestival.org and
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/canalfestival. The Council is working with
East Dunbartonshire Tobacco Alliance to promote the canal festival as a
Clean Air Event - with tobacco-free areas.
12 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Smoke-free parks
Fun at Langmuir Park
Our first smoke-free
playgrounds were launched this
year with the help of local pupils.
The first was Baljaffray
playpark in Bearsden, closely
followed by Langmuir park in
Harestanes, Kirkintilloch.
Children from Baljaffray Primary
and Harestanes Primary got on
board with the project, learning
about the effects of smoking
following visits from the NHSGGC
Health Improvement Team and the
Council’s Community Wardens.
They designed the new signs for the
parks.
The concept was developed by
East Dunbartonshire Tobacco
Alliance, a partnership bringing
together local organisations with an
interest in reducing and regulating
tobacco use.
The project got the ultimate
seal of approval from Ali, a P7 pupil
at Baljaffray PS who said, “I enjoyed
taking part in designing a sign for
the improved park. I have a lot of
fun playing in the park, especially
on the roundabout which is my
favourite. It was nice to be part of
the park’s opening and I am glad
that the park has new, fun
equipment.”
Swinging
in to summer
Summer is set to be a
lot more fun for children
in East Dunbartonshire
thanks to three new
play areas.
The play parks which have
been opened recently are
located in Cloan Crescent,
Bishopbriggs, Langmuir in
Harestanes and Rosebank
in Kirkintilloch.
Gillian Telfer, Team Leader of
the Council's Streetscene Technical
Support attended the recent launch
of the new £53,000 play facility in
Rosebank, together with children
from nearby Oxgang Primary
School.
One hundred households
nearby were consulted about what
they wanted for their park and the
Streetscene Technical Support team
used their feedback to design an
impressive new community facility.
The children's play area, which is
accessed off Merkland Drive,
Gillian Telfer with pupils
from Oxgang Primary
incorporates a wide variety of new
modern play equipment including
toddler swings, Tom Thumb
climbing unit, low pedestal slide,
Ladybird Springer and comet
roundabout while for older children
there is a basket swing, Rock 'n'
Bowl Roundabout and Xtreme
climbing unit.
An adult fitness area was also
created at the northern end of
Blackburn Crescent with a chest
press, step box multi-gym and skier
all installed.
Gillian said, "I'm sure these
fantastic new community facilities
are going to be much-welcomed
amenities for local children and
families for many years to come.
“These parks have been
transformed and I hope these
improvements will encourage more
children and adults to get out in
the fresh air and stay active."
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 13
Respecting
The rights of children across the world
A group of pupils in
Castlehill Primary
School have been
learning about the
rights of children both
at home and abroad
and have been raising
funds to support
their cause.
Day for change at
Castlehill Primary
The Triple C Group (Children
Can Choose) is the Rights
Respecting Group at the
school and they have been
working tirelessly to help
improve the lives of people
less fortunate than
themselves.
In the last year the group has:
l Organised food bank collections
for families living in East
Dunbartonshire which were
donated to the Trussell Trust in
Kirkintilloch.
l Donated sensory items to make
toys for babies and young
children in Tajikistan to make
sure they can access their right
to education.
l Campaigned to raise £150 to
continue their work with
Tajikstan in the coming year.
l Hosted ‘Money Monday’ where
children from the school and
nursery bring in some pennies
or small amounts of money to
place on a large map of Syria.
So far £315.02 has been raised
for UNICEF which could help
52 children receive life-saving
treatment for pneumonia,
malaria or diarrhoea.
l Been fundraising for UNICEF to
support children affected by
humanitarian emergencies
throughout the world culminating in UNICEF Day for Change
on Friday 13 May. The children
boosted their fundraising by
hosting a ‘Wear blue for
UNICEF’ day and taking part in
lessons which highlighted the
difficulties faced by children
globally due to war, famine
and natural disasters.
Rights Respecting lead teacher at
Castlehill Primary School, Karen
Cuthbert, is really proud of what
the group has achieved so far. She
told edlife, “The pupils are really
passionate about helping children
in other countries and they
contacted edlife themselves as
they are keen to promote their
work and raise more money for the
UNICEF humanitarian emergencies
fund.
encouragement and great ideas
have been a real boost to the group.
Both Ms Bell and I are extremely
proud of the outstanding
contribution the young people
involved in the Triple C Group are
making to children’s rights within
their own community and further
afield.”
If you would like to donate
to the UNICEF fund go to
www.unicef.org.uk/donate
“The children have been supported
in their work by parent volunteer
Ms Bell who has been giving up
her time to help the Triple C Group
over the last two years. Ms Bell’s
Get your skates on in Kirkintilloch
Novice skateboarders can
now catch some air and
perfect their ollies at a new
£35,000 state-of-the-art
beginners skate park in
Kirkintilloch.
The skate park, located within
Luggie Park, is a new resource to
enable people of all ages to develop
their skating, scooter and biking
abilities before moving on to the
adjacent larger facility which had
previously been delivered by the
Kirkintilloch Skate Park Initiative.
The Council's Streetscene Technical
Support team worked with the
contractor, Concreate Skateparks,
to develop the new facility.
It incorporates quarter pipes at
various heights which in turn
creates two different mini-ramps
for training and progression. The
facility also includes flatbanks of
differing steepness, a mini-jump
box, small driveway, rail and ledge
and manual pad.
The project benefitted from
£15,000 funding from sportscot-
land, as part of their Legacy 2014
Active Places Fund. The Fund
supports the Scottish Government’s
legacy ambitions to encourage
more people to be active and take
part in sport by providing funding
for capital projects which create or
improve places in local communities
where people can go to get active.
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said, "At
sportscotland, our key objective
is to build a world-class sporting
system at every level where people
have the opportunity to develop
and progress in their chosen sport.
By building a new beginners park
to complement the existing skate
park, East Dunbartonshire Council
and its partners have made that
possible for local skaters and
bikers.
"We were delighted to invest
£15,000 from the Active Places
Fund in this exciting project which
will be a fantastic addition to the
community."
14 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
A grand design
Top marks for Lairdsland Primary School in Kirkintilloch
which has scooped two prestigious awards since opening
its doors to pupils just over a year ago.
To date the building has won at
the Scottish Property Awards
2016 in the Development of
the Year (category for public
buildings), the Drum Scottish
Design Awards 2016 in the
Education Building category
and the RIAS (Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
Awards 2016). The school has
also been shortlisted for a SPACES
award - we will find out whether
or not it has been successful later
on this year.
Gordon Currie, the Council’s
Director of Education & Children’s
Services is not surprised. He said,
“Lairdsland is a truly fantastic
building which is beautifully
situated at the Southbank Marina
alongside the Forth and Clyde
Canal in Kirkintilloch. It boasts
excellent outdoor space as well as
airy, multi-functioning indoor learning areas and is a big hit with
pupils and teachers alike.
“Feedback from visitors and
parents is always excellent and the
building has been established as a
reference design for primary
schools in Scotland.”
The £7.7m school was designed to
support Curriculum for Excellence
and the open indoor learning
spaces, covered outdoor areas,
multi-use games pitch and other
bespoke facilities have been of
great benefit to pupils and staff.
Mr Currie continued, “Since the
official opening in May 2015 Lairdsland has received accolade after
accolade for its inspirational design
and functionality. I am delighted
that we have opened a school in
East Dunbartonshire that has been
recognised at these prestigious
awards ceremonies.”
Lairdsland is the first of the five
new build schools being delivered
by the Council as part of the £48m
Primary School Improvement
Programme (PSIP) and Lenzie
Meadow Primary School and Early
Years Centre will be the next to
open in August 2016.
On the road
to success
The Council is streets ahead when it comes to
pioneering road improvements having been
shortlisted for FIVE 2016 Scottish Transport
Awards and winning the Achievements in
Cycling Award.
It is national recognition for
the Council's work to improve
active travel and the public
realm in Bearsden and
Milngavie - focusing on the
A81 and the innovative Bears
Way - which provides
protected space for children
and families to cycle.
Out of more than 100 entries
the Council was shortlisted in the
following categories:
l Most Effective Road Safety,
Traffic Management and
Enforcement Project - Bears Way
l Integrated Transport Project of
the Year - A81 sustainable
transport corridor scheme
l Excellence in Walking & Public
Realm - A81 sustainable
transport corridor scheme
l Achievements in Cycling Bears Way
l Most Innovative Transport
Project of the Year - Bears Way
The Council went on to scoop the
Achievements in Cycling Award at
the ceremony in Glasgow in June.
Depute Chief Executive - Place,
Neighbourhood & Corporate
Assets, Thomas Glen, said, “We are
absolutley delighted to have won
this prestigious award and to have
been shortlisted in five categories.”
“This award shows that we
are moving in the right
direction to improve
active travel and the public
realm for local people,
businesses and visitors in
East Dunbartonshire.”
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 15
St. Ninian’s
makes the grade
St Ninian’s High
School in
Kirkintilloch has
beaten off stiff
competition to be
selected as a finalist
at both this year’s
Scottish Education
Awards and TES
awards.
The school was shortlisted
for two Scottish Education
Awards - the learning
through technology award
and the raising attainment
in numeracy award but was
pipped at the post at the
recent awards ceremony.
However there is still a chance
that the school will be receiving an
award this summer as it has been
selected from schools throughout
the United Kingdom for two
prestigious TES Awards. The school
is in the running for the ‘secondary
school of the year’ award and the
‘community and collaboration’
award.
Director of Education and
Children Services, Gordon Currie, is
hopeful the school will scoop a TES
Award. He told edlife, “St Ninian’s
has a fantastic track record - this is
the third year in a row that that the
school has been recognised at the
Scottish Education Awards and to
have been selected for the
‘secondary school of the year’
TES Award is really quite an
achievement.”
He continued, “St Ninian’s High
School is going from strength
to strength and this is testament to
the hard work of Headteacher Paul
McLaughlin, all the teaching staff
and of course the pupils themselves who are a credit to the
school.”
16 edlife www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Introducing our
STARs 2016
The judging panel for the Council's Special Thanks and Recognition Scheme,
or STARS Awards, recognising employee commitment and achievement
across the organisation, has found its 2016 winners.
Five awards were given out at a ceremony in June
to the following people and teams:
l Employee Award (Internally nominated)
Bill Reside, Youth Development Worker (Education)
l Employee Award (Externally nominated)
Jane Ferguson, Instrumental Music Team Leader (Education)
l Young Employee Award
Charlotte Malcolm, Lennoxtown Nursery (Early Years)
l Team Award (Internally nominated)
Business Awards Team (multiple services)
l Team Award (Externally nominated)
Holy Family Primary School (whole school team)
Chief Executive Gerry Cornes congratulated the winners
and thanked them all for their contribution to the Council:
“These awards recognise colleagues
who go the extra mile and it is right that
we reward that level of commitment.
Well done to all our latest
STARs award winners!”
Employees enjoy
the STARs event
New travel card
on the way
If you are over 60 and have a National Entitlement Card
for concessionary travel then you should soon receive a
new card from Transport Scotland.
When you get your new card:
l start using it immediately and destroy any old ones.
l check that the photo and personal details are correct.
If any are not, or if the card is for someone who is no longer at the
address, please ring the number on the back of the card to report it.
The new card has the mygovscot logo and no longer has a ‘valid to’ date.
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk edlife 17
your local councillor
For details of Councillors’ surgeries or if you would like to speak to your Councillor,
please call the number above his/her photograph. To find out who your Councillor
is, please check the website at www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk or call 0141 578 8086.
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Conservative (Con)
Independent (Ind)
Labour (Lab)
Liberal Democrat (LD)
Scottish National
Party (SNP)
Maureen Henry (Lab)
Ward 1 - Milngavie
Tel: 0141 578 8163
Email: maureen.henry@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Jim Gibbons (SNP)
Ward 1 - Milngavie
Tel: 0141 578 8163
Email: jim.gibbons@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Eric Gotts (LD)
Ward 1 - Milngavie
Tel: 0141 578 8163
Email: eric.gotts@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Duncan Cumming (Ind)
Ward 2 - Bearsden North
Tel: 0141 578 8016
Email: duncan.cumming@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Ian Mackay (SNP)
Ward 2 - Bearsden North
Tel: 0141 578 8016
Email: ian.mackay@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Ashay Ghai (LD)
Ward 2 - Bearsden North
Tel: 0141 578 8o16
Email: ashay.ghai@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Keith Small (SNP)
Ward 3 - Bearsden South
Tel: 0141 578 8163
Email: keith.small@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Manjinder Shergill (Lab)
Ward 3 - Bearsden South
Tel: 0141 578 8163
Email: manjinder.shergill@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Vaughan Moody (LD)
Ward 3 - Bearsden South
Tel: 0141 578 8163
Email: vaughan.moody@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
John Dempsey (Lab)
Ward 4 - Campsie
& Kirkintilloch North
Tel: 0141 578 8072
Email: john.dempsey@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Gemma Welsh (Lab)
Ward 4 - Campsie
& Kirkintilloch North
Tel: 0141 578 8072
Email: gemma.welsh@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
David Ritchie (SNP)
Ward 4 - Campsie
& Kirkintilloch North
Tel: 0141 578 8072
Email: david.ritchie@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Billy Hendry (Con)
Ward 5 - Bishopbriggs
North & Torrance
Tel: 0141 578 8016
Email: billy.hendry@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Anne McNair (SNP)
Ward 5 - Bishopbriggs
North & Torrance
Tel: 0141 578 8016
Email: anne.mcnair@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Provost Walker (Lab)
Ward 5 - Bishopbriggs
North & Torrance
Tel: 0141 578 8086
Email: una.walker@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Alan Moir (Lab)
Ward 6 - Bishopbriggs
South
Tel: 0141 578 8072
Email: alan.moir@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Gordan Low (SNP)
Ward 6 - Bishopbriggs
South
Tel: 0141 578 8072
Email: gordan.low@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Michael O’Donnell (Lab)
Ward 6 - Bishopbriggs
South
Tel: 0141 578 8072
Email: michael.o’donnell@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Rhondda Geekie (Lab)
Ward 7 - Lenzie &
Kirkintilloch South
Tel: 0141 578 8038
Email: rhondda.geekie@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Anne Jarvis (Con)
Ward 7 - Lenzie &
Kirkintilloch South
Tel: 0141 578 8038
Email: anne.jarvis@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Gillian Renwick (SNP)
Ward 7 - Lenzie &
Kirkintilloch South
Tel: 0141 578 8038
Email: gillian.renwick@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
John Jamieson (SNP)
Ward 8 - Kirkintilloch East
& Twechar
Tel: 0141 578 8038
Email: john.jamieson@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Stewart MacDonald (Lab)
Ward 8 - Kirkintilloch East
& Twechar
Tel: 0141 578 8038
Email: stewart.macdonald
@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Jack Young (Ind A)
Ward 8 - Kirkintilloch East
& Twechar
Tel: 0141 578 8038
Email: jack.young@
eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Did you know?
Anyone can attend Council
meetings. Meetings now
take place at the new
headquarters at Southbank
Marina, Kirkintilloch.
The next meetings are
planned for Thursday
29 September and
Thursday 10 November.
Could you make a
difference?
Sandra McFadyen and Mairi
Macdonald of the Care
Planning and Placement Team
The 'People like you Fostercare'
campaign was launched in
May as the Council embarks on
a recruitment drive for foster
carers.
There has been a good
response to the campaign so far,
but with approximately 40 children
and young people coming into care
every year in East Dunbartonshire,
the Council needs to attract more
foster carers.
Sandra McFadyen, Team Manager
for the Care Planning and Placement Team, said, "It's great that
there's been a positive response to
the campaign so far, but we still
need more people to come forward
and help make a difference to some
of the area’s most vulnerable
children and young people. For the
vast majority of children, a foster
home can provide the stability and
support needed to secure a better
future. "It's a challenging, but
highly rewarding role. The process
of becoming a foster carer may
seem daunting to start with, but
the team are on hand to offer you
support every step of the way.
"Successful applicants will receive
support, guidance and training
from a supervising social worker to
ensure that you are equipped for the
role and confident in how best to
respond to a child or young person’s
individual needs. Both a fee and
allowance will be paid to cover the
cost of being a foster carer.
"We welcome enquiries from
individuals or couples from all
cultures and backgrounds.
“Almost anyone can apply, however
potential foster carers must have a
spare room."
For further information please
contact the Council on 0300
123 4510 and ask to speak to
the Care Planning & Placement
Team, who will be happy to
discuss Foster Care in further
detail with you.
Alternatively email CPPT.socialwork@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
or visit www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/fostercare