69 Sing in the City

 Singing is a very popular pastime. Last year, we learned about the Portobello Community Choir which meets in the Baptist Church Hall. There are other groups which meet in people's homes. However, there's an Edinburgh-wide group of choirs which is planning to expand.

Sing in the City, founded eight years ago, now has over a dozen choirs in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. Its founder, Kirsty Baird, is organising another - this time in Porty! Find out more here!

 Sing in the City

68 Royal Vountary Service

Today's episode is what you might describe as a public service announcement. The Royal Voluntary Service, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, is setting up a group in Portobello to help older people who may be suffering from social isolation. . 

This first group will focus on crafts - but others will follow. The RVS held a "Welcome Event" this week at the Cake and Candy Tearoom. Its first official meeting will take place there on Monday the 9th of April. We went along to find out more.

 RVS
.

67 Velvet Easel

Portobello has a large community of artists. There are dozens of painters, print makers, ceramicists and many other highly talented people. There are however only a few galleries and the Velvet Easel is one of the most successful

Former social worker Roz Walker took a leap of faith when she decided to set it up in Portobello High Street. Today, she runs a successful operation, part business, part hobby, in which local artists mingle with those from further afield, vying for space on the gallery walls.

This weekend, a new show opens - Spring they name is Colour - and we have been to have a look. 

Velvet Easel

66 Portobello Timebank

 DIY can be a tricky business. Yes, a lot of people have good skills - but they can often find themselves facing a problem where they have absolutely no experience and possibly even no idea of where to begin! That's where the Portobello Timebank  comes in.

The time bank has been operating for a number of years. Its aim - to help people share their skills with others in the community. So if you need help, for instance, around the house or in the garden, then, if you are member of the Timebank, you can ask for help and  find someone to take on the tasks you can't. Here's how it works.

Portobello Timebank 

65 Pals of Porty Prom (and Beach)

It's an idea that's been around for some time - but last weekend, Porty People were invited to share their vision of Porty Prom and the Beach! 

Porty Beach

The brainchild of local Councillor Mary Campbell, Friends of Porty Prom will be set up on a similar model to the Friends of Figgate Park. It will be a place where people who care about the Prom can share their ideas and help make it a great place for sport and play now and in the future. 
 

Cllr Mary Campbell

In this episode, we find out more about her ideas.

Pals of Porty Prom

64 Community Police

Portobello in generally a peaceful place, more so in recent years. The installation of CCTV cameras and, in particular, much better lighting on parts of the Prom have substantially cut problems of drunken youths on the beach! However, you can still find out about local people's worries about antisocial behaviour and bike theft, for example, on online forums.  
 

Community Police Office Matt McPherson

It's almost a year since we last spoke to the community police in Portobello. Here, PC Matt McPherson talks about this and other issues being handled by himself and his colleagues.

 Porty Police

63 Action Westbank

You may remember that, about six months ago, there were quite a storm over plans by the City of Edinburgh Council to sell off land where Tumbles and the Powerleague 5-a-side pitches are currently located. People protested that there had been no consultation over the sale, adding that there had been promises made that this area would ALWAYS be for recreational use.

Well, after several very successful public meetings, an organisation called Action Westbank was formed and is now working on a report to give to the City of Edinburgh Council. The aim is to make sure that Councillors and officials understand that their existing proposals are not acceptable to the people of Portobello.

Action Westbank 

62 239 High Street Portobello

There's a colourful new addition to Porty High Street. For years, the shop at Number 239 was home to RACE Couriers. But now, its grey exterior and empty interior - apart from a reception desk - have gone, replaced by bright blue paint and an array of goods for sale inside. 
 

The New Interior to the Shop

 In particular, this will be THE place for Harris Tweed jackets, caps, shoes and handbags. It will have lots of Porty paraphernalia from mugs to  hessian carrier bags. So what prompted the change?

 239 The High Street

61 Bellfield - Behind Closed Doors

It's been several months since Action Porty received the keys to the former Bellfield Church and became the proud owner of what will become a wonderful community resource.  The plan is to turn it into a hub for all kinds of activity, from town meetings to coffee mornings, from sports events to music and the arts.
 

The Community Hub To Be

But from the outside, nothing much seems to be happening. The gates are locked for instance! However, work is under way to ensure the building is indeed ready by summer. Time to find out just what's going on.

Bellfield Update

60 Prostate Cancer

The chemotherapy and radiotherapy are over and the consultant at the Western General is happy with my progress - so now, it's just a question of getting back to some semblance of normality.

However, it did occur to us that Prostate Cancer isn't talked about often enough - well, it certainly hasn't been until recently. In reality, it has suddenly become a 'hot topic' which several reports in the news - Stephen Fry is its latest victim! 
 

Alarming Statistics

Since this is the main reason why the Porty Podcast has been missing for several months, we thought we should offer our own take on the subject and the figures are alarming. In Portobello alone, more than 600 men and boys living here today can expect to get the disease at some point in their lives. And yet, it's highly likely that most don't know anything about it. So in this episode, it's time to learn from those who have the disease!

Prostate Cancer

Another enforced break

Unfortunately, I have been diagnosed with Advanced Prostate Cancer and have to go in to the Western General for assorted treatments, all of which will seriously affect my immune system. 
 

The Western General's Cancer Centre

This means that I have been advised by the doctors not to travel on public transport or go into crowded places, especially in the winter months where the many cold and flu viruses around at this time can be caught in sometimes surprising ways (I never knew that stair rails, handles and poles on buses are alive with nasty bugs at this time of year).

Yes - I have been through this scanner!

We plan to restart the podcast when the treatment has been (hopefully) successfully completed. So Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our listeners.

59 Councillor Callum Laidlaw

May feel like quite a long time ago - that's when the last local elections were held. So it's time to meet another of our new Councillors - Callum Laidlaw of the Tories. 
 

Cllr Callum Laidlaw

He was elected back in May along with Kate Campbell of the SNP, Mary Campbell for the Greens and Maureen Child, the long established representative of Labour.

We wondered how he had found the past six months both in the Council Chamber -  and also  with his constituents.

Cllr Callum Laidlaw 

58 Beach Wheelchairs

The Indian Summer we enjoyed in September may have gone but people still come to Portobello Beach whatever the weather. However, until now those with disabilities weren't really catered for - you certainly can't push an ordinary wheelchair along the sand as we have discovered!
 

There are now two beach wheelchairs in Porty

The arrival of the Beach Wheelchairs at the West end of the Prom (in the Tumbles Car Park) solves that. 

 Beach Wheelchairs

Book and find out more at info@portobellobeachwheelchairs.co.uk