The Neighbourhood Group went to visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse not once but twice last week. They had tea and biscuits and a guided tour of the many rooms and gardens.
The Tuesday group endured torrential rain to get there, but agreed that it was well worth it. The Friday group travelled in style and even managed to get a picture with the PEP bus at the palace entrance!
Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. It takes place from 1st-7th June every year.
For our celebrations PEP invited some of our amazing volunteers round for a chat with Paul Wilson, PEP volunteer and Chief Executive Officer of Volunteer Edinburgh and Local Councillor Eleanor Bird.
Espe from the ‘Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust’, paid PEP several visits this week to start the planting up of the office side garden. The Neighbourhood Group helped out, choosing areas, digging holes and planting a selection of currants, blueberries and herbs. They also filled the upcycled hanging baskets preparing them for planting. The Weekend Resource joined in too and helped Espe fill the recycled tyre planters with rhubarb, strawberries and carrots.
Exciting News: PEP has been chosen by the ‘Tesco Bags of Help’ scheme to be included in the May and June community vote!
Bags of Help is Tesco’s exciting local community grant scheme, where the money raised from the 5p bag charge is being used to fund thousands of local projects in communities right across the UK. This time it’s PEP’s chance to have money raised by the local community for its Summer Programme of Events.
Last week PEP exhibited at a Third Sector Careers Day’ at Edinburgh College’s Sighthill Campus.
The event ‘Inspiring Young Minds for a Career in the Third Sector’ was expertly organised by Edinburgh College, Cyrenians, EVOC and Developing the Young Workforce. It brought together a variety of Third Sector Organisations from across Edinburgh to allow them to promote job and volunteering opportunities to the students at the college.
The Neighbourhood Group have been busy getting out and about and enjoying the nicer spring time weather.
Recent visits have included Leith Links and Lauriston Castle and have allowed the group to indulge in a bit of dog and bird watching on the way! They also had time to admire the amazing daffodil displays around the grounds of Lauriston Castle
PEP’s Arts and Crafts group were delighted to be invited back to the Queens Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Nine lucky ‘crafters’ came along to see the latest exhibition from the Royal Collection, which is one of the largest and most important art collections in the world and one of the last great European royal collections to remain intact.
PEP’s sensory garden at the rear of the office has always been a favourite spot for people to sit out at and enjoy the famous elusive Scottish sun. But over the years the garden has become more and more wild, with large plants taking over and ivy covering half of the area!
Today PEP were delighted to welcome Sue and Eileen from the Hibernian Football club … and even more delighted to welcome the famous Scottish Cup. May 2016 saw Hibs win the cup after 114 years and Sue, Hibs Community Engagement Officer, and volunteer Eileen have been on the road ever since bringing the cup into the community. Tomorrow they will have visited 114 schools across the whole of Scotland; one for each year!
The last part of 2016 was a busy time for the neighbourhood group. Not only were they getting ready for the Christmas celebrations and Pantomime; but during October and November they were also making bird boxes!
