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New Fraser Centre plans community open day 9th June

The Fraser Centre, formerly the Winton Cinema in Tranent, is being given a new lease of life as a learning, development, arts and entertainment centre.

The former Winton Cinema will now be a community trust backed venue.

Set up as a community trust, the intention is to be able to offer the former cinema to various community groups as a venue for holding educational, arts and entertainment activities. The aim is to include conferences, training projects, concerts, as well as a cinema; harking back to the origins of the building.

The Fraser Centre Community Trust (FCCT) was formed in 2011 with the aim of providing an Arts, Learning and Development Centre in Tranent. The 700 seater 1900’s style cinema is in the Fa’side constituency which has around 14,000 residents with varying needs for just such a nearby venue for their communities.

In 2011 a long term lease with the FCCT culminated in the latest revival of this unique venue.

For further information on activities planned at the centre visit the website.

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East Lothian communities survey locals to assess bus needs

Following the success of the recent meeting to discuss bus service provision in the area, we have joined forces with Humbie, East & West Saltoun and Bolton, Gifford and Ormiston Community Councils to find out what local people really want from their bus service.

Click here to take part in the communities bus survey

A copy of the survey will be dropping through your letter box within the next week or so but if you prefer to register your response online, the survey can be found by clicking here.

The survey results will ultimately be presented to East Lothian Council and the service providers to help build a more efficient and effective service for local residents.

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Rare Plants for Rare Diseases Sale raises over £850

From 10am on Sunday the StopwatchGardener (aka Sheila Averbuch) ran a sale of rare and unusual plants in order to raise funds for the neurodegenerative disorder Neuroacanthocytosis.

Only 10 people in the UK are known to have the genetic disease.

Rare Plants for Rare Diseases Sale - Sunday 6 May 2012

Despite the weather threatening to close in once again, most of the sale remained dry and sunny, with many crowding into the garden to enjoy locally baked goods and hot drinks.

Almost £900 was raised (now £930), with more proceeds expected over the next fortnight.

Huge thanks to all the plant specialists who donated rare or unusual examples towards the fundraiser and for all the help from many locals who produced some excellent baking for the day.

You can get further background on the plant sale by visiting the Stopwatchgardener website.

Below are a few photos from the day.

Or some video…

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Rare Plant Sale tomorrow (& cake!)

Keen gardeners will love the selection of rare and unusual garden plants on offer tomorrow, donated by the UK’s top nurseries.

Starting at 10am the sale, opposite the Spar in Pencaitland, offers unusual and familiar plants plus teas and cakes.

All proceeds go to research into NA, one of Britain’s rarest rare diseases. For more details go to http://bit.ly/RarePlant

Rare plants for rare diseases sale by the StopwatchGardener Sunday 6th May from 10am. Click for more information.

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PTA Spring Fayre set for 26th May

This year’s Spring Fayre, run by the Parent and Teachers Association of Pencaitland Primary, takes place on the 26th of May (Saturday), from 1 to 4pm in the grounds of the school.

Face-painting at the Pencaitland PTA Spring Fayre last year...

As well as parents and extended family, all members of the community are very welcome to come along and enjoy, “a fun packed activity filled afternoon with all the usual attractions and a few more! This year come ready to race! There will be traditional games for parents and children to test their speed and dexterity, including a tug-of-war!”

There will also be a Science tent looking at the eye and optics, the return of the polymer slime and coke geysers, plus the new hexbug nano races.

Look out for the usual assortment of tractors and emergency vehicles plus a variety of four legged friends will be joining the fun from the Cadzow’s farm and Boggs Hogs.

Amongst items sought are:

  • Donations of home baking
  • Donations of used toys, books and DVDs/CDs
  • Donations of new toys and books suitable for a children’s tombola or lucky dip
  • Donations of bottles or chocolate suitable for the adults’ tombola
  • Donations of bicycles

If you think you can also help out on the day contact Charlotte on 01875 340 987 or check out the PTA’s letter [PDF].

Donations of toys and books and tombola items can be made directly to the school from the 21st May but if you would like someone to collect your items please email PPSPTA1@gmail.com or ring Charlotte as above.

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Labour ousts Ruth Currie in Fa’side ward

With the outcome of East Lothian’s Council elections still in the balance across the county, the results for the Fa’side ward are now in.

Shamin Akhtar with agent Christine Russell & Liz Grant before campaigning.

Long time councillors for Labour Jim Gillies and Donald Grant have been re-elected. Joining them for Labour is new recruit Shamin Akhtar (pictured centre front). For the SNP Kenny Macleod held his seat but his colleague Ruth Currie suffered at the hands of a strong local Labour campaign across Fa’side.

Congratulations to all the re-elected and newly elected members for Fa’side. Pencaitland Community Council hopes to enjoy both fruitful and regular contact with all the elected councillors for the ward.

UPDATE: The results have now been declared with Labour holding 10 councillors, the SNP 9, Conservatives with 3 and 1 independent. The Lib-dems have therefore been wiped from the political landscape in East Lothian. A full breakdown on the voting results can be found on East Lothian Council’s website.

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Pencaitland’s After School Club plans to open over summer

Pencaitland’s The After School Club plans to open for three weeks during the 2012 summer holidays, numbers permitting.

afterschoolclub

Both full and half day options will be available costing £20 and £12 respectively. Full Day session times are from 8.30am -5.30pm. Families not already registered with the club incur a £15 registration fee.

For anyone wanting to know more, or to get application forms, email committee@pascinfo.co.uk or telephone: 01875 341 466.

You can view the Pencaitland After School Club Bulletin — May 2012 [PDF] where there is also news on places available after the school’s summer holidays and a Job Vacancy for a Bookkeeper/Administrator for around eight to ten hours per month.

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Ormiston & Pencaitland bus meeting fills hall to capacity

The public meeting to allow bus users of rural East Lothian to voice their concerns to Council leaders filled Trevelyan Hall to capacity, with many standing at the entrance to listen in.

A full house at Trevelyan Hall

In attendance were Council leader Paul McLennan (SNP), Councillor Donald Grant (Labour) and both the MSP Iain Gray and MP Fiona O’Donnell. There were also a number of other sitting and prospective councillors hoping to be elected and re-elected in a few days time.

Whilst there was some inevitable party political banter Ormiston community council leader Jim Blane kept a lid on proceedings, focussing on permitting members of the public to air their concerns.

Some of the key points to emerge were:

  • Lothian buses is to take over the moment First withdraws its services to Ormiston & Pencaitland
  • Fares will follow the model already applied by Lothian across the whole of its existing network. This should mean they are below First’s fares.
  • Paul McLennan indicated a willingness to see more active involvement from actual bus users, Rural East Lothian Bus Users (RELBUS) and Community Councils on ELC’s decision-making on buses.

Less clear was the fate of other uncommercial services such as the Gifford Circle (now the 123) and services for Elphinstone, Glenkinchie and New Winton. In the latter case Councillor Jim Gillies claimed he had received concerns from 23 residents when their bus service stopped around a year ago, and still have no means of getting to other parts of the county.

Many expressed relief that a rural transport crisis has been avoided and welcomed the news that Lothian will take up when First withdraws. However, just as many expressed doubts about whether wider issues surrounding non-commercial connections to and between rural parts of East Lothian, would be pursued or dropped once a new Council is elected.

Q. Would you like to join in and be consulted on ELC decisions affecting rural bus service provision?

If yes, then send your email and contact details to website@pencaitland.org.

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Great turnout for 2012 Pencaitland Litter Pick-Up

Many thanks to all those who helped make our annual Litter Pick-up a success this year, despite the constant threat of rain. We had over 50 kids and parents, plus our local MP Fiona O’Donnell and primary school Head Mary McCall at the event.

Pencaitland's Litter Pick-up 2012What did we find?

  • Rugby Ball
  • Clothes
  • Woolly hat
  • Car bonnet
  • Old garage sign blown away during the winter storms
  • Drinks cans
  • Huge numbers of cigarette butts
  • Glass and plastic bottles and much more…

Next year let’s get even more of you out on the day.

You can also view more snaps on the Pencaitland photo page on Facebook.

Finally, we ran a raffle for all kids who took part in this year’s event with head teacher Mary McCall doing the honours and selecting the winning ticket. Heather Hamilton (lucky number 20) was the winner of the prize of a Fujifilm digital camera, case and 4GB memory card, making her the official event photographer for next year’s litter pick-up.

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Today is Pencaitland’s Litter Pick 2012… did you know?

Did you know, according to the Word Wildlife Fund each tonne of paper (about 1000 kilos) recycled saves fifteen average-sized trees, as well as their surrounding habitat and wildlife?

recycling paper - copyright Lisabatty @ flickr

Reclaimed waste paper now represents something like 63 percent of the fibre used to produce paper and cardboard in the UK.

Today is Pencaitland’s Annual Litter Pick Up. The aim is to start at around 2pm. All kids taking part (and bringing parents with them) will be in with a chance of winning a digital camera.

TODAY is Pencaitland’s Litter Pick-up… please come along and support your community.

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