The PTA & Playgroup Fun Run takes place on Saturday the 13th of April from 2pm in the grounds on Pencaitland Primary School.
If you’d like to take part then follow the links to the forms. If you can spare time to help out as a Marshal (30 are needed) Contact Charlotte Taylor on 01875 340 987 or PPCPTA1@gmail.com.
You can see a selection of snaps from last year’s Fun Run here.
Pencaitland Primary’s Parents & Teachers Association is holding a Ceilidh in the school hall on Friday 2nd March.
The fun kicks off at 5.30pm and finishes at 8pm. Tickets cost £4 for adults, £3 for kids or £12 for Families. Children under 2 go free.
Come along and enjoy a fun few hours, which not only provides the opportunity to take part in a social activity with others for a good cause, but also gives you an excuse not to collapse in front of the telly on a Friday evening!
For further detail contact Charlotte via email.
Pencaitland has seen its fair share of potholes and other pavement problems over the winter but thanks to email and the web it’s never been easier to report.
The final tally on last Saturday’s fundraiser for kid’s bereavement charity Richmond’s Hope came to £4,794.50
A letter from Emma Hack from Monday 4th March 2013
“Dear everyone
I can’t begin to tell you how touched I am by everyone’s support and generosity. I hope (and think!) that those of you who were there last Saturday night had a really enjoyable evening, I certainly haven’t laughed as much in a long time! There were a lot of very special people who all worked very hard to make the event happen, so Jim and Lynn Fraser, Scott and Lydia MacDonald, Stella and Derek Birrell, Caroline Wolfe Murray, Shirley Hamilton, Christine Galvin, Natasha Ingram-Phoenix, Amy Baillie, The Domestics, Ray & Charlie and everyone who donated food and homebaking – a HUGE thank you for being so generous with your time, skills and support x.
So the part that everyone has been waiting for, we have managed to raise an absolutely amazing £5395.00 for Richmond’s Hope. That will enable Aimée and another 8 children from East Lothian to receive the help they really need following a bereavement, as well as having a bit left over to help towards the cost of the activities they do.
Can I also put a shout out on Richmond’s Hope behalf – they are looking for pasta bake type jars to use for the children to make memory jars out of. If you have any you were going to put into recycling I can pick up and take into Richmond’s Hope.”
You can see more photos of the event by clicking on the image below.
Or just view them right here…
A new website is attempting to help Scots band together to bulk buy energy and save money.
Here’s how it works:
1. Find a recent utilities bill
2. Go online to scotstogether.com
3. Enter your details and have a look at the deal Scots Together has organised by getting lots of people in Scotland together to bulk buy electricity and gas. The more people that sign up, the better the deal gets. If there’s a different deal that’s better for you or you’re already on the best possible price then they will let you know.
4. Decide whether to switch or not. There is no obligation. If you decide you want to switch, you need to accept the offer by 17 March 2013.
5. Pass it on. The more people that sign up, the better the deal for everyone else.
If you want to talk to an adviser first or you want to refer someone that doesn’t have internet access, there’s a freephone advice line 0800 408 0155.
Environmental charity Changeworks is co-ordinating the initiative in Scotland and will engage with householders in areas covered by the five partner Councils — one of which is East Lothian Council. There is also a Consumer Frequently Asked Questions PDF you can view for further background on the scheme.
A fundraiser was held at Pencaitland Bowling Club on Saturday the 23rd, raising around £4000 for child bereavement charity Richmond’s Hope.
Unfortunately the charity, which receives support funding for places for bereaved kids in Edinburgh and Midlothian, receives nothing from East Lothian Council despite past requests. The money raised yesterday will help bereaved kids from the county to receive counselling they would otherwise be unable to access.
The cash was raised through a combination of ticket sales for last night’s event and a range of raffles, auction prizes and a coin toss. Fundraising culminated in a ‘slave’ auction where willing local volunteers offered their expertise as a prize to the winning bidder.
Music came in the form of singer-songwriter Amy Baillie and local (one-time?) band The Domestics.
Expertly compering the evening’s activities was Pencaitland’s Jim Fraser who all agreed did an excellent job and helped make the event all the more entertaining. Jim is available for births, deaths, bar mitzvahs and funerals but only on the 29th of February during leap years.
We have a selection of snaps from the evening which you can view here or just below.
The final tally on all the funds raised at the Saturday event has come in at £4,794.50.
After a number of years at the helm of Pencaitland Guides Lorna Craft is soon stepping down as Group Leader. To remain open Guides needs new people to step forward.
When current Group Leader Lorna Craft moved to the area there had not been any Guides for a number of years. Lorna reopened Guides for business in 2009 with eight girls and gradually grew to a massive group of 42 at its peak. Currently there are 18 girls and a waiting list for Brownies.
That’s why we are putting out the call for new volunteers to help keep Guides open in Pencaitland. To remain open they need one or a group of women over the age of 18 to be able and willing to run the Unit and to work towards a leaders warrant. Male helpers are also very welcome.
A leader runs a varied, interesting, girl-led weekly programme. Amongst other things, they keep basic records up to date, plan and organise activity weekends and ensure the safety of the girls in all that they do. Attending area meetings roughly once per session are also required, as well as taking part training sessions for those new to Guiding leadership.
In the past four years Pencaitland Guides have had several weekends away — from a weekend in Stirling visiting the tourist spots, to a weekend in Mull, camping and wild camping, sleepovers, weekends at activity centres and day trips into towns and cities. Last summer three of the girls had the experience of a lifetime on a ten day trip to Switzerland with East Lothian Guiding.
Two of the oldest Guides recently completed the Baden Powell Award, the highest award a Guide can achieve. This has taken nearly two years to complete, proving how dedicated our girls can be!
A past outdoor wild camping trip consisted of a hill walk, camping rough, star gazing and survival skills which was lead by a qualified instructor who worked with Pencaitland’s Group Leader. This can either be a qualified volunteer or a company with relevant qualifications. Pencaitland Guides frequently contact agencies such as the Ambulance Service, Zoo Society, Women’s Refuge, etc., to visit and involve the girls with their cause/role.
Potential volunteers can initially contact Lorna for more information via email .
Pencaitland Youth FC has successfully been awarded the Scottish Football Association ‘Development’ Quality Mark Award.
The award is recognition from the SFA of the good practice that has been demonstrated within the Club through the promotion of safe play as well as player and volunteer development.
Pictured: Ian Archer (Chair) and Alastair Dutton (Child Protection Officer) at Easter Road to accept the award from SFA President Campbell Ogilvie.
Pencaitland Football Club was established in 1993 and include Ormiston and surrounding areas. The club currently have over 90 girls and boys registered from P2 to P6, taking part in weekly coaching sessions and regional leagues. More details can be found on the PYFC website.
Following the recent revival of Cubs in Pencaitland after a seven year hiatus, Beaver Scouts are also set to return this March.
Beaver Scouts are the youngest section of the Scouting family aimed at roughly six to eight year olds. Their activities are based around making things, outdoor activities, singing, playing games, going out on visits, investigating nature, listening to stories, learning how to be safe and most importantly, making new friends.
As David Donohoe, who is championing the revival of the Beaver Scouts in Pencaitland, explains: “We’ve already had a fantastic response to the return of the Cub Scouts which started late last year. Now we want to build on that success and encourage parents to sign up their kids to Beavers. Beavers is for those in the six to eight age bracket and will provide a safe and controlled environment on a weekly basis for children to engage in all sorts of group activities to help them develop, learn and most importantly have fun.”
You can find out more about Scouts by checking out the Parents FAQ.
NEXT STEPS: Would you like to add your child to the waiting list for Beavers and/or give your details to help? Read on…
Scottish Water has launched a major consultation encouraging customers to help shape the future of water services in Scotland to 2040.
The company wants to hear whether customers think it has identified the right priorities to build on past efforts.
As Scottish Water explains, “We are seeking your views regarding the future of your water and waste water services and our strategy for these services. We have conducted extensive research and held discussion with customer groups and stakeholders which has informed this consultation.”
“We believe it is important that we consult widely on our future strategy to ensure that our customers and stakeholders can share their views on the future and have confidence that our services will meet their expectations.”
The consultation runs until 12th February 2013 and anyone participating is in with a chance of winning £100 of M&S vouchers.
You can also download a PDF of the booklet Consultation Guide 2012.