Digital Sentinel Print Run: Wester Hailes Together During Lockdown

Special Print Edition of YOUR Local News Site

JUNE 2020

Wester Hailes Together During Lockdown Wester Hailes Together is a new group established by several local groups and organisations which aims to support the residents of Wester Hailes by ensuring essential work continues during the Coronavirus lockdown. he group is made up of: About Youth Calders Residents Association he Dove Centre WHALE Arts SCOREscotland he Health Agency Holy Trinity Church CHAI Prospect Community Housing he Youth Agency Bethany Christian Trust Edible Estates Grass Roots Remedies Open Heavens Edinburgh With Kids Over the course of the lockdown the group has been hard at work making sure people are supported and have ac‐ cess to the essential services they need. hey have been providing food delivery, friendship calls, mental health and well‐ being services, online support and youth activities, puzzle packs, art packs, and i‐ nancial and welfare advice amongst oth‐ ers. he Digital Sentinel has put together this special print edition to promote some of the great work being done by the organi‐ sations (there's far too much to it it all in this!) and to share some feedback from local residents on how the lock‐ down has impacted them. Be sure to have a look at the back page as well which details how you can help create a new Community Map for Wester Hailes

as part of the 7 Kingdoms of Wester Hailes project.

Wester Hailes Together was irst estab‐ lished from members of Living Well Wester Hailes. Living Well is a partner‐ ship made up of Wester Hailes residents, and staff from local organisations, City of Edinburgh Council and NHS which aims to work together to ensure that the people of Wester Hailes receive the best support they can.

Since the start of lockdown they have

been releasing weekly updates on Wednesdays in the Digital Sentinel www.digitalsentinel.net - detailing the latest developments on the services they offer. You can read the latest develop‐ ments there every Wednesday.

We hope you will enjoy reading this spe‐ cial print edition of the Digital Sentinel

and that you are keeping healthy and safe during these hard times. his print run was paid for by Prospect Communi‐ ty Housing and Edinburgh Napier Uni‐ versity 7 Kingdoms Project. For more in‐ formation about anything in this print run contact us at digitalsentinel@whalearts.co.uk.

Read some of the great work being done across Wester Hailes - Page 2 Read feedback from local people on the impact of lockdown - Page 3 Find out how you can help design a new community map - Page 4

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Digital Sentinel: Special Edition

Supporting People Together Updates on the Great Work being done during Lockdown by Organisations across Wester Hailes The Dove Centre

The Health Agency he Health Agency received Scottish Government funding that has enabled them and partner organisations to deliv‐ er a range of services in response to COVID-19. hese services include addi‐ tional mental health support, prepara‐ tion and delivery of hot meals and distri‐ bution of emergency food packs (in con‐ junction with the team at SCOREscot‐ land).

For those who don't know, the Dove Centre is a social activity centre for over 50s which offers daily hot lunches and weekly classes like gentle exercise and art therapy.

Since 17th March they have been run‐ ning what has become affectionately known as "Alternative Dove" delivering hot, healthy and tasty meals straight to their clients and making weekly activity packs full of puzzles, colouring and other fun things to help keep minds active. hey have also started making pies and crumbles for a tasty treat when the mood strikes.

In the now 13 weeks since Alternative Dove began, they have delivered over 1,000 meals, over 200 pies and crumbles, 547 activity packs, made over 60 essen‐ tial shopping trips and 658 support and check-in calls.

"We're so glad we've been able to keep looking ater our clients. We're all in this together and we're happy not only to be #TeamDove but also part of #TeamWest‐ erHailes! We've been able to support the Health Agency with their fab work and we've been lucky enough to share re‐ sources and donations with several other local organisations, too."

To ind out more you can visit their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ dovecentre) and Twitter feed: @thedove‐ centre. Stay safe everyone!

SCOREscotland are doing their utmost to meet the complex needs of local com‐ munities. he Wester Hailes Connects Team has been busy connecting families to elec‐ tronic devices and digital support, to en‐ sure children and families can access their online sessions and inancial sup‐ port.

SCOREscotland's Youth Work team has been holding online activities and ses‐ sion for young people in South West Ed‐ inburgh. hese not only promote cre‐ ative learning but also provide support with homework and volunteering oppor‐ tunities. hey have launched a new Wellbeing project providing a 6-week course of Mindfulness and Meditation to parents/ carers as a form of stress relief and re‐ ducing anxiety. he Green Futures Team have coordinat‐ ed weekly food deliveries to people across South West Edinburgh, and helped support essential workers with monthly Doctor Bike sessions and a new bike loan scheme.

For more information contact SCOREscotland on 0131 442 2341.

he Team from Tasting Change and South West Edible Estates are sending out over 120 meals twice a week, and these are delivered by volunteers from he Health Agency, Prospect Communi‐ ty Housing and the Dove Centre. With Kids and Games at the Gate are also sup‐ porting the distribution of meals to chil‐ dren and families across the area. hey have launched a new Wellbeing service, offering a range of services, in‐ cluding check-in calls, counselling and other talking therapies and online group work on topics such as anxiety manage‐ ment. he Westerhaven cancer support service has continued to provide infor‐ mation and support for anyone affected by cancer and long-term conditions such as COPD. For more information call them on 0131 453 9400 or visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Wester‐ HailesHealthAgency/

Over the last months, Prospect has worked to provide as full a service as possible, with their staff contactable by email, phone and text during office hours. hey have been in contact with many tenants in self-isolating categories to make sure they have the help they need.

"We want to thank tenants for continu‐ ing to support each other during these challenging times. It has been very en‐ couraging to hear about many examples of help from neighbours, who have been making a real difference right where they live.

We have also been very pleased to be able to work with the great local partner‐ ship Wester Hailes Together to provide essential support, using our vans to de‐ liver meals, food parcels and emergency packs. Many thanks to the staff who have made this possible, and to all our staff for continuing to deliver the majority of our services.

Many of our tenants are facing difficult inancial circumstances at this time. Our Welfare Rights Service is still providing advice to Prospect tenants on beneits and debt issues."

You can arrange a telephone appoint‐ ment with Fiona McLuckie by calling 07908951297 or by emailing iona.mcluckie@prospectch.org.uk You can contact Prospect by email, en‐ quiries@prospectch.org.uk, phone 0131 458 5480 or text 07860 047548.

Digital Sentinel: Special Edition

WHALE Arts hroughout the lockdown WHALE Arts has transitioned many programmes and activities online to make them lockdown friendly and compatible with social dis‐ tancing. he Friday Community Meal became a Community Takeaway and delivery ser‐ vice. Every Friday thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers 150 home-cooked meals are distributed to local residents all across Wester Hailes - 1121 hot meals have been provided since lockdown be‐ gan. heir team of artists and tutors have pro‐ duced weekly online guides and courses of activities you can do at home to keep the creativity lowing!

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With support from the Scottish Govern‐ ment they have created and sent out over 1500 art and wellbeing packs, containing art and crat supplies. hese are being distributed to local families and school pupils in Wester Hailes.

WHALE received £20,000 from Scottish Government and National Lottery Com‐ munity Fund to distribute to groups and organisations to support ongoing Covid response and recovery services and ac‐ tivities. Activities supported so far are litter picking, board games for families, activity packs, gardening, herbal reme‐ dies and more.

For more information visit their website - www.whalearts.co.uk or get in touch at info@whalearts.co.uk or 0131 458 3267.

To help people gain access to online ser‐ vices and keep in touch, their Digital Team have been distributing equipment to local residents and isolated groups, providing remote support. And have been checking in with regular Friendship Calls.

he Wester Hailes Connects project aims to increase the number of people in our community who have more conidence and control over their economic circum‐ stances through the development of their digital skills.

It is a multi-agency project run by Prospect Community Housing in part‐ nership with WHALE Arts Agency, CHAI, SCOREscotland and Open Heav‐ ens Church. he project is supported by the Edinburgh Power Up initiative.

Edinburgh Power Up is an initiative by Good hings Foundation, with the i‐ nancial support of J.P Morgan. It aims to drive economic and social inclusion through digital skills, powering up peo‐ ple, provision and places. 15 projects will take place in four areas of the UK; Bournemouth, East London, Edinburgh

and Glasgow, and will help organisations to embed digital skills into support for employability, inancial inclusion and small businesses.

he project is currently supporting peo‐ ple by providing digital support and equipment to local groups and residents to help them keep in touch with friends and family, access inancial and welfare advice, or carry out essential works. he Open Heavens Church is also running regular web design courses digitally on Zoom. For more information call or text 07398603969 or email joanne@scorescotland.org.uk.

How has Lockdown Impacted you?

The Digital Sentinel put out a call to local residents asking: What has been difficult for you during lockdown?

What good things have been happening or what things have organisations done differently that you think they should try to do more of ater lockdown?

Here is a selction of some of the responses we received: Lockdown hasn't meant much change for me as I'm still working full time as a caregiver to clients in their own homes. I have had to increase hand washing/ sani‐ tising and have to be more aware of con‐ tact with people. he positives for me are that there is less traffic on the roads, I see more people out enjoying nature, people have become more friendly and it's an experience which is shared with everyone.

home but this time will never come again, so I have enjoyed it spending time with my family. Making earrings during the lockdown has kept me busy with everyone helping me get orders done. It has helped me work on business ideas that I had put on hold due to work. he homeschooling part is a bit chaotic for me trying to get all my children to get their activities done. I just go with the low and catch up when I have any spare time.

was supposed to start said I had to wait because of lockdown and this week they sent me an email to say they will not be able to give me employment and have withdrawn the offer which I accepted 3 months ago. So I lost my job. Waited for nothing. And doubt I will be able to even ind employment in my sector he best I could spend more time with my angel baby Rumilla

Ili Even though it's a short distance I ind walking difficult over any distance now and the lockdown is taking its toll on my legs and feet. I used to love being out and about but now I am stuck indoors more than ever due to it all and I know I am probably not the only one that is in the same situation. It has been good hav‐ ing the lunches though. Pasta ones being the best so many thanks to all.

Not being able to go outside. UK web‐ sites talking about England, confusing for Scotland.

Francine

It was quite distressing with people dy‐ ing. Been going out for walks. Missing the groups. Hardest thing been quite boring.

Westburn Resident Susi

I have enjoyed my time at home actually or maybe it's just me lol. I try to handle each day as it comes with positivity. A bit noisy & crazy to have everyone at

Local resident Eoghan Howard has writ‐ ten a poem relecting on the here and now, and a brighter future ater Covid-19.

WATCH THIS SPACE When thinking of how things once were Or what they might become It's worth relecting for a while On what the Old World meant for some One small step back to seize the time To Plan. To Hope. To Dream.

Both standing still whilst moving on Towards where better days belong Dark sunsets may well turn to gold Where colours shine through black & white A future, bright, and fresh, and bold Carved out of where belief comes from And Giant Steps are what we'll take When things are looking up again Embracing all that life can bring Just Watch his Space Eoghan Howard

Keith I had to leave my job and only they can pay me furlough (because it has to be via your current/previous job but they are refusing to re-employ me claiming that it will cost them money to furlough through the government. he new job I

Watching too much TV. Hard that all ac‐ tivities have stopped. Missing having contact with people.

Michelle

We hope that however lockdown and Covid-19 has impacted you, you and your family are healthy and safe. If you have any feedback you would like to share contact digitalsentinel@Whalearts.co.uk.

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Digital Sentinel: Special Edition

Help create a new Community Map of the Seven Kingdoms of Wester Hailes Edinburgh Napier University is working with Wester Hailes Community Trust, WHALE Arts, and a host of local organisations as part of the new 'Seven Kingdoms' project to involve local residents in re-drawing the community map of Wester Hailes that was produced in the partnership days in the 1970s.

As part of the Seven Kingdoms" project researchers at Edinburgh Napier Univer‐ sity are looking to collaborate with resi‐ dents of the seven areas of Wester Hailes - Dumbryden, Murrayburn, Hailesland, Harvesters, Clovenstone, Westburn and Calders - to collect ideas, images and stories about their local area. he project follows on from the initial stages of the Local Place Plan project and conference which took place in February 2020 and gives people from across the seven neighbourhood the opportunity to con‐ sider how the locality affects them, and what they'd like Wester Hailes to look like in the future.

Get Involved!

Have you got opinions about the open spaces? Local playgrounds or public transport infrastructure? Is there enough green space and do you have access to it?

What's the view like from your window?

We want to hear your views!

Seven free, interactive Wester Hailesbased challenges will be posted during the summer and there will be a prize draw of £20 among participants on every challenge. he challenges have been de‐ signed with social distancing in mind and can be safely carried out from your home or local neighbourhood. You can learn more about the challenges and how to take part by visiting the Seven King‐ doms website or inding the project on Facebook.

he Seven Kingdoms project will be re‐ cruiting Area Champions who want to make Wester Hailes a better place to live in. Together, the Napier researchers and area champions will collect ideas and knowledge about how residents feel about living in Wester Hailes; what they think could be improved in their homes and open spaces; how the area can be better served with public transport and cycling connections; how arts and busi‐ ness can thrive in the area; and how local residents can inluence and challenge the decisions made about their local area.

All the local knowledge which is pro‐ duced by the Seven Kingdoms project will feed into a Local Place Plan for Wester Hailes and a planned exhibition to be held later in the year.

ing something for your local neighbour‐ hood and at the same time learning new skills to bring changes to your area. he Seven Kingdom challenges are sent out to residents on postcards like the one that is included with this newspaper. It's the irst time we have been able to dis‐ tribute the postcard challenges to every household in Wester Hailes and this challenge is asking residents to send a picture of their favourite place in Wester Hailes for a chance to win £20. It can also simply be a place, a building, a tree, or similar, which is important for Wester Hailes and should be included on the map. An example is the beautiful draw‐ ing of the Hailesland highrises by Allan Small, a local resident.

he work of producing a Local Place Plan has already started. It began last year and is being led by the Wester Hailes Community Trust and the local residents and organisations that were part of improving the Westside Plaza. If you are interested in re-drawing the map of Wester Hailes this is your chance to become involved and have some fun do‐

If you haven't received the previous post‐ cards, you can see all challenges on the Digital Sentinel website (digitalsen‐ tinel.net). here is also the possibility of signing up for our newsletter or connect on social media to get updates on the upcoming challenges.

Get in touch For more information about the Seven Kingdoms project and to get involved: Find us online: http://www.digitalsen‐ tinel.net/seven-kingdoms-of-westerhailes/ Email us: westerhailesplaceplan@gmail.‐ com Phone, text or Whatsapp: 07377 995047 Follow us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ westerhaileslocalplaceplan/ Twitter: @7KWesterHailes he Seven Kingdoms project is funded

by UK Research and Innovation and Ed‐ inburgh Napier University.

Drawing courtesy of Allan Small