Porty Podcast

Oli Furness co-director of Oi Musica chats to Hazel from her office in Tribe Porty about the Let it Grow Project. After releasing the Enough is Enough video last year to mark when COP26 was originally planned they received so much interest that they hope to create a tidal wave of music contributions on the internet over the coming weeks. Listen to find out how you can join in and hear more about the project coming together.There's music by Karine Polwart, the Soundhouse Choir and Oi Musica, also Luc Mishalle, Jo Zanders and MetX, and a Brass Blast collaboration arranged by young people from lead partner Kinetika Bloco, youth company in residence at London’s Southbank CentrePhoto credit Heather Longwelloimusica.co.ukletitgrow.scot

Three members of the Stitches for Survival organising group, Cathy Holman, Jane Lewis and Anne-Marte Bergseng talk about their Craftivism project coming together in the run up to COP 26.  The idea (conceived in Jane's garden during lockdown in Portobello) is to create a mile and a half long scarf, made out of stitched and knitted panels.“if we want our world to be a more beautiful, kind and fair place then shouldn’t our activism be more beautiful, kind and fair.” Sarah Corbett, How to be a CraftivistIf you’d like to find out more about the project the facebook group is very lively and full of inspiring images of the panels. The project website is www.stitchesforsurvival.earth

This is an episode for coffee lovers and anyone interested in what it means for small business startups and entrepreneurs to have their community behind them. I went to Bellfield to meet Regan Black, who is the brains behind the beans of Kawa coffee. Regan was keen to show me the coffee roaster that he has recently had imported from Italy, and has set up in the kitchen of the community owned buildings at Bellfield. Find out more at www.u2kawa.com 

Portobello beach is a mile long public park and the only public park in Edinburgh in which you are allowed to have a fire. But local firestarter Paul Lambie has been trying to reimagine the way that we do that and has set up a business with his friend Lewis Gourlay creating fire boxes. It’s everything that you need to have a fire on the beach: matches, firestarter, kindling, logs, packed in a box. I found him in a garage near Rosefield park, amid boxes and bits of wood. In this episode he describes how the idea came about and some of the work that's gone in to getting the business to this point.If you’d like to see what the boxes look like and find out more about the Unco story, the website is www.unco.equipment. Unco equipment

If someone asks you to take them on a walk around your neighbourhood, where would you go? This is what May East is asking from participants in her research in Portobello. I volunteered to get involved and had a very enjoyable walk and talk with May down Fishwives Causeway, then we sat on a bench at the Prom so I could find out a bit more about her study into how cities might be different if they were designed by women.May is looking for more volunteers, so if you identify as female and would be interested to find out more, you can contact her at m.east@dundee.ac.uk. "There is a historic urban planning gender gap. And this research intends to bridge that gap.""I’m triangulating parameters of sense of place, green spaces and active travel... I’m looking at the edges between these topics.""There would be much more community, about people, liveability, about connectivity, proximity, belonging, beauty. These are some of the key words that are recurrent through the eyes of the women from di

In a world where there’s an assumption that endeavours will want to expand and grow, I find it comforting to talk to one of the Porty book festival organisers Joanne Baird about a festival, that despite it’s popularity is proud to be a local festival for the Portobello community. In this episode you’ll also hear from three of the authors featured at this years festival Emma Christie, Lesley Kelley and Grahame Howard.Emma Christie's debut Crime Thriller, called The Silent Daughter, is partly set in Portobello and has been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize this year.Lesley Kelley wrote a series of novels based in Edinburgh during an imagined pandemic. She started writing them long before we lived through a real life pandemic so we hear how the two worlds compare. Graeme Howard is a local Portobello author and talks about his latest publications Norris Sanction and Coda, Fantaisie and an Intermezzo,.Public Domain Music: Chopin Impromtu Fantasie https://orangefreesounds.com/chopin-impromptu-fantasie/#goog

A new women-only bootcamp has started in Rosefield Park run by Fit and Happy. In this episode the founder and Head Coach of Fit and Happy, Julia McCabe talks about how she’s realising the role these group classes can have in building communities. Coach Iona Steadman tells us a bit more about what to expect in the class and we hear from group members about what it has meant for them.Portobello Classes are at 7.30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Rosefield Park.  To find out more about the class and to book check out the website here www.fitandhappy.co.uk

Although Parkrun is now a global phenomenon, each one takes on a unique local feel complete with quirks, rituals and characters. Local runners were delighted that the Porty Parkrun has now been able to start up again in Figgate Park. But behind the scenes things aren’t exactly as they were.I spoke with Ciara Webb who is the event director, and was involved from the outset when it was first established in 2015 after a year and a half of getting it organised.  This episode features runners Ian and Greta McMillan AKA Team Greta, Mark Ballard, Eleanor and Fiona. And Parkrun Volunteers, Laura Prentice and Trisha Brown.

Action Porty, the group of local people who originally came together in 2016 to bring Bellfield into community ownership are planning a large scale community led conversation or more accurately many different conversations that will take place on and around an event on the 9th and 10th October called Heart Talk Porty. The question they are asking is How do we draw on the resourcefulness of the people living here so that everyone is included in a caring community now and into the future? Jayne Saywell talks about asking What Is, What If and What next?There’s a real sense at the meeting that this ‘Patchwork of local blethers’ as they call it would like to include as many people as possible. You can get in touch with Action Porty using the address hearttalkporty@gmail.com. "I was influenced by the start of the pandemic when I could hear the waves. I'd never heard the waves before over the noise of the traffic" Jayne Saywell"I thought about the water being teeming with life, rather than swimmi

You know a community project is working well when you can step out temporarily and take a break if you need to, trusting someone else to look after things for a bit. Listen in as David temporarily hands the Porty Podcast over to Hazel for a while, but rest assured - he is only taking a break and will be back on the podcast soon. This is an opportunity to get to know Hazel a little before she comes knocking on the door to get to know you and hear about all the wonderful things happening in Portobello. Hazel Darwin-Clements is a mother, Porty Parkrun runner, wild swimmer, book lover, foodie and e-cargo Trike rider. She's been listening to Porty Podcast for a while and really hopes no to mess it up! Hazel's other podcasts include Small Small Rainbows (quirky, original 5 minute stories for families) People to People (10 part series about the relationship between Scotland and Malawi) and CliMates (100 conversations about Climate Change.) 

You may have noticed the new mural at the Toddler Hut on the Prom – or seen some of the photographs posted online. It’s a striking, colourful and beautiful piece of what’s known as ‘graffiti art’. It was sponsored  by ‘Keep Porty Tidy’ and features ‘Lawrence the Lobster’ (a grown-up version of Larry) and other aspects of  life in the waters just off our coast. The artist is Dallas Henderson-Smith who joined Porty Podcast Producer David Calder on the sea wall just opposite the Hut.Facebook and Instagram  @dullartist24 (Twitter coming soon)Website under development

When the Oscar’s Group opened its new gelateria on Brighton Place yesterday, it confirmed the company as the largest employer in Portobello – and it has ambitious expansion plans with two more businesses due to open here later this year, plus one in Stockbridge. It’s been making and selling its gelato for some time now, both from the caravan on the Prom and from St Andrews Fish Bar on the High Street. But owner Harem Murdochy wanted to have a special place in the centre of town. 

The past year has seen a great increase in the number of people looking for a cat or dog to help them cope through the lockdown. One problem that many have found has been where to find one. Organisations such as the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home had to stop their rehoming service; they have only recently restarted. They have however been able to help in other ways, such as greatly expanding their ‘Paws’ Pantry’, a pet food bank. Like the rest of the country, they are looking forward to being able to open their doors once again – but are also concerned that they may face a flood of animals once their owners go back to work and either can’t properly look after their new pets or find that their dog or cat is troubled by the loss of constant companionship.https://edch.org.uk/

There’s been quite a lot of discussion over the past few months about the introduction of “20 minute neighbourhoods”. In her regular community updates, Cllr Maureen Child has talked about the way Portobello could perhaps lead the way in Edinburgh as most of the conditions have been met. However, Porty Podcast producer David Calder has found that many people locally have little grasp of the concept in reality. What will it mean for them? Well, the Council has just appointed Daisy Narayanan to lead a group which will start to turn the idea into practice.

Today sees the start of the Edinburgh Science Festival – and Portobello has its part to play in the form of a photographic exhibition installed on ten scaffold frames on the Prom. It’s entitled ‘Human Nature’ but the theme is very much about the impact – good as well as bad – we are having on the planet. It first appeared a few days ago and has attracted a lot of attention locally, though Festival organisers fully expect the exhibition to draw visitors down from the city to view it. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder has been to take a long look.https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/

Portobello Library opens its door once again on Monday – but it will be a very different service from that which people were used to before the lockdown. We won’t just be able to turn up but, like so many other services, will have to book a specific time-slot in order to pick up or return a book, get a new bus pass or use one of the three computers – there had previously been six. It will be less family-friendly as there won’t be a play area any more (at least for the time being). What is obvious when you first walk into the building is how much effort the staff have put into making it safe, following all the guidelines laid down by the Scottish Government. Earlier this week, Porty podcast Producer David Calder visited the library and asked manager Paul Hudson what people could expect from the moment they came in through the door.To book a slot, click here: https://bit.ly/3xtBxaG or call 529 5558Opening Hours:      Monday and Wednesday            1pm to 5pm                                         Tuesday and

The Friends of the Prom was formally set up three years ago as a charity. Its objectives include the organisation of recreational activities on the Prom, helping to promote the arts, heritage, and culture present on the Prom and working to improve and protect the environment of the Promenade itself, the beach and the waters of the Forth. Understandably, its activities have been fairly quiet over the last 15 months; however, it held its AGM by Zoom on Thursday evening to take a look forward, to how it might work as restrictions are eased.https://www.facebook.com/friendsofportyprom/https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/https://www.facebook.com/groups/keep.porty.tidy/https://www.artwalkporty.co.uk/https://pskc.org.uk/https://www.beachwheelchairs.org/portobellohttps://www.facebook.com/EDINBURGHBEACHVC/https://www.facebook.com/groups/wildonesedinburgh/https://www.facebook.com/walktheforth/ 

Scotland has a new astronomer Royal, the first woman to be so honoured. It’s an honorary title but it carries immense weight and influence, and Professor Catherine Heymans is determined to use it to bring science to the masses, to inspire young people and to foster a better understanding of our place in the universe. Education is a key part of the Astronomer Royal’s work as we’ll hear in this week’s episode.https://www.roe.ac.uk/

Like so much else, Portobello’s Community Hub at Bellfield has been closed throughout the pandemic. The governing body that manages the building, Action Porty, has not been idle through this time. Work has been carried out to improve the building, they’ve invested in the equipment needed to re-open safely and they’ve been thinking about the future – not just the next few months but the next few years – and that’s involved thinking out changes in Action Porty’s role as we move forward. All of these were discussed at the AGM which was held by Zoom on Monday.https://www.bellfield.scot/

How did you spend your lockdown? Some people helped others in the community. Some turned to reading or writing – writing the limericks we heard about a few weeks ago for example. Some chose to take a hobby or an enthusiasm and turn it into a business. We’ll be hearing from some of them over the coming weeks. We’ll start with Caitlin Knox who turned her passion for baking into a small firm that’s gone from selling locally to sending out her ‘Cookies from Caity’ by mail order.https://www.facebook.com/cookiesfromcaityhttps://www.instagram.com/cookiesfromcaity/