Shows
Porty Podcast258 The Town Hall - at BellfieldSend us a textThis afternoon, the people of Portobello (and beyond) will be welcomed to Bellfield for the first Community Forum to hear about what’s going on at the Town Hall. It’s the first chance since 2019 that local people will be able to see the plans for the building and to discuss the plans for its possible future. Work on making the building suitable for use is now expected to start early in July so this is your chance to let the Trustees of Portobello Central hear your thoughts about your hopes and expectations for...
2022-06-1114 min
Porty Podcast257 Porty Vault and Vault City BrewingSend us a textA new bar/restaurant will very soon be opening on the High Street. Called Porty Vault, it will be moving into what used to be the Skylark. It’s a major expansion by Vault City Brewing which already is based in Portobello – its brewery is located in the A1 Industrial Estate, just off the Harry Lauder road. But the company is funding this in a slightly unusual way – as David Calder’s been finding out. And if you want to get involved in crowdfunding Porty Vault, just click here: https://www.crowdfund...
2022-06-0408 min
Porty Podcast256 Climate Café PortySend us a textClimate change is happening. It happens slowly but the pace is accelerating. We know the Greenland ice sheet is melting, as are glaciers from the Himalayas to the Alps and across to the Rockies and Andes. Much of the sea ice in the Arctic melts during the summer and ice shelves in the Antarctic are crumbling. So sea levels are rising. But the change is also causing unheard of heat waves in India and Pakistan as well as droughts in southern Africa and parts of the Americas. It can be so overwhelming that...
2022-05-2808 min
Porty Podcast254 The Portobello Macular Society GroupSend us a textNearly 1.5m people in the UK have macular disease. Every day, some 300 more are diagnosed. At the moment, not enough is known about why the condition occurs and, as yet, there is no cure. It affects people of all ages though mostly affecting those over the age of 55. The Macular Society was set up to support people who suffer from this condition, mainly through local groups like the one in Portobello. But its mission is also fund research until a cure can be found and the disease can be beaten. For the Porty...
2022-05-1413 min
Porty Podcast253 Porty Community Cargo BikeSend us a textThe Porty Community Cargo Bike has arrived in town. It’s one of the many projects which come under the banner of Porty Community Energy – there will be more about those later. When she’s not producing episodes of The Porty podcast, Hazel Darwin-Clements works as Project Manager with the local community interest organisation, helping to turn interesting ideas like this into reality. She told David Calder how excited she was about this one coming to fruition.To book a day for the bike register with portycommunitybike.myturn.com/library/An...
2022-05-0711 min
Porty Podcast250 Cahoots - the Artists' CollectiveSend us a textPortobello has a vibrant arts scene. From painting to photography, silverware to ceramics, design to dance, music, theatre and film, there is so much going on. For many budding artists however, the challenge is not in the creation but finding the audience. The annual Art Walk is a magical experience - but what of the rest of the year? Getting into a gallery can be random and, for some, expensive. And then there's Cahoots. David Calder's been to meet it's founder, Karen Mackay.https://www.cahootscollective.com/
2022-04-1608 min
Porty Podcast247 Music Broth - the instrument librarySend us a textDid you know that the Tool Library in Portobello has joined forces with an organisation called ‘Music Broth’? It’s a library for musical instruments which was founded in Glasgow about 4 years ago. The idea is simple. If someone wants to learn an instrument, they can borrow one to get a feel for it, and may just help them decide if they want to buy one of their own. David Calder has been finding out more.www.musicbroth.org
2022-03-2610 min
Porty Podcast246 Portobello Storytelling GroupSend us a textWhen was the last time you sat down with friends and listened to a story? Have you ever told such a story? Storytelling was once the only way we found out about life, the universe and everything going on around us. Thanks to the work of the Storytelling Centre up in the Royal Mile, the art has been going through something of a revival. But to do it well, you need to practice. So where do you get it? This week, David Calder went along to meet the local storytelling group here in...
2022-03-1915 min
Porty Podcast243 Cal MacAninch and the Atlantic ChallengeSend us a textIn December of this year, five members of the Eastern Amateur Rowing Club from here in Portobello will head off on the adventure of a lifetime - the Atlantic Challenge, a 3,000 mile trip in a specially-designed rowing boat from the Canaries to Antigua. It's the brainchild of actor Cal MacAninch who told David Calder about the mountain the team have to climb over the next few months. That team includes Matt Callis, Sean Watters, Ed van der Ven and Alec Martin. Their aim is to raise money for their chosen charity 'Body an...
2022-02-1915 min
Porty Podcast219 Dallas Henderson and the Toddler Hut Community MuralSend us a textYou 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)Webs...
2021-07-3110 min
Porty Podcast216 20 Minute NeighbourhoodsSend us a textThere’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 p...
2021-07-0308 min
Porty Podcast215 Edinburgh Science Festival in PortobelloSend us a textToday 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...
2021-06-2608 min
Porty Podcast213 Porty Library Re-opensSend us a textPortobello 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...
2021-06-1908 min
Porty Podcast204 LimericksSend us a textThere’s an intriguing book currently doing the rounds in Porty under the catchy title of “Life and other distractions in and around Portobello past and present”. But what makes it really different and thoroughly readable (in a dip into way) is that it’s presented in 200 limericks written and privately published by local resident Jim Hurford. He’s also persuaded 18 (mostly local) artists to illustrate the book. Porty Podcast Producer, David Calder met up with him to find out more – as well as hearing from two of the artists, Claire MacDonald and Jan Coventry...
2021-04-1710 min
Porty Podcast201 Jenny Martin - Artist in LockdownSend us a textThe past year has been hard for so many people and businesses. We have become used to working from home, online meetings on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or one of the other online services, as well as home schooling and not being able to travel far for work of leisure. The Chancellor offered some help through the furlough scheme – but it didn’t apply to everyone, such as the self-employed, artists and musicians. Portobello has a large community of artists and they have struggled because the galleries are closed. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder spok...
2021-03-2708 min
Porty Podcast200 The Porty Podcast Reaches a Major MilestoneSend us a textWhen David Calder set up the Porty Podcast back in 2016, he never thought it would last much beyond Christmas, much less 200 episodes four and a half years later. The thing about Portobello is that it has a strong community spirit with a lot of quite strong-minded and determined people wanting to make things happen and to make things better for the community. So in this episode, David looks back through the previous 199 – and starts by reminding us about why the podcast came about in the first place.
2021-03-2018 min
Porty PodcastPorty News Episode 7Send us a textIt’s Monday the 8th of February and welcome to the 7th edition of Porty News from the Porty Podcast. I’m David Calder Art Walk Porty has ambitions to involve more communities than just Portobello, though we’ll remain very much at its heart. One example of this is called ‘Line Walk Mindful Drawing’ which is part of an ongoing residency in Craigmillar and surrounding area. Led by the artist, Jonathan Baxter, and running throughout this year, it involves a monthly walk through Little France Park. The original plan was to hold the...
2021-02-0803 min
Porty Podcast197 Where Time Suspends - the new album from Rosie NimmoSend us a textPortobello Singer-songwriter Rosie Nimmo’s fourth album, “Where Time Suspends”, has just been released. Produced by Marc Pilley (ex-Hobotalk, and now Arksong) , its ten tracks have been a long time in the making – and the lockdown didn’t help though the internet has brought together several different musicians to produce a beautiful, polished sound. They include local artists Mairi Campbell on viola, Debbie Nimmo on backing vocals, Graham Smith on guitar and Tommy Nimmo on bass guitar. Over the past week, it’s been “Album of the Week” for Scotland-on-Sunday and several BBC radio...
2021-02-0610 min
Porty Podcast196 The Future for Community Action in PortySend us a textLast week, we heard from Geoff Pearson from Porty Central about their ambitions for the Town Hall. On Monday evening, those were discussed at length by Portobello Community Council. There is another proposal from by the Peter Schaufuss company who already run the St Stephen’s Centre in Stockbridge but no-one from that organisation turned up to put their case. In last week’s episode, Geoff Pearson talked about the need for coordination between the various venues in Portobello, including Bellfield and the Wash House for instance. The logical place for that...
2021-01-3014 min
Porty Podcast194 Year's End 2020Send us a text Looking back over 2020, the Porty Podcast has made the effort to keep going. But David Calder and his wife Penny both went down with a mild version of CoVid in the Spring which came back to affect them both – hard – during the summer. So in this, the final episode of the Porty Podcast for this year, David looks back, with thanks to everyone who has contributed, at what has been a difficult year for all of us.
2020-12-1908 min
Porty Podcast193 RNLI - The Kinghorn LifeboatSend us a textIn the past month, the RNLI lifeboat from Kinghorn has been called out to Portobello-Joppa Bay a number of times; but the crews have found themselves sent across here more this year than usual. In part, it’s the result of more people taking to the water – such as open-water swimming, paddle boarding and kayaking amongst other individual activities. In the past, there have been fund raising events for the lifeboats run for instance by the Portobello Sailing and Kayaking Club and Row Porty, but clearly none of that could take place this year...
2020-12-0512 min
Porty Podcast189 ShrapnelSend us a text Porty playwright and producer, Claire Wood, of Production Lines Theatre Co has a new play called ‘Shrapnel’ which opens for a short run online tomorrow night. The play is set in Scotland during the pandemic and is unlike most other online shows where theatre companies have simply taken an already established production and turned it into an online format. A dark comedy, it looks, amongst other things, at loneliness and the way a lockdown affects our mental and financial health. She’s been speaking about it, online of course, to David Calderhttps...
2020-11-1808 min
Porty Podcast187 Tragedy on the RoadsSend us a textRoad safety - the safety of cyclists in particular - was once again headline news this past week. The tragic death of a cyclist, killed by a lorry, brought into focus yet again just how vulnerable you are on two wheels. That complex junction at the end of Portobello High Street has seen more than its fair share of such tragedies over the years. And as David Calder reports for this week's episode, it's in danger of throwing the Scottish Government and Edinburgh Council's active travel policies into disarray.
2020-11-0712 min
Porty Podcast186 To Absent FriendsSend us a text Today’s episode is rather more serious and sombre than usual. It’s because tomorrow marks the start of a week-long event called “To Absent Friends”. It’s a festival of remembrance – but one that’s very different to Remembrance Day which falls the following week. It’s much quieter and reflective and is designed to give people across Scotland an excuse to remember, to tell stories about and celebrate those who have died. It’s all the more poignant as we’re living through a pandemic and, every day on the news, we’re told the grim t...
2020-10-3109 min
Porty Podcast185 Bross BagelsSend us a text Bross Bagels is a Portobello success story. From the one outlet on Porty High Street, the company has now expanded across Edinburgh. And the next stage in its story is about to begin as they plan to move into the former premises of the Royal Bank of Scotland on the main road. But founder Larah Bross is not funding this in a conventional way. Instead, she has launched a crowdfunding campaign, one which has exceeded her expectations, as Porty Podcast Producer David Calder's been finding out.www.brossbagels.com
2020-10-2811 min
Porty Podcast184 Safer CyclingSend us a text Within the past few days, Public Health Scotland has published a report which stresses the importance of getting out walking, cycling or wheeling if people are to get through the current pandemic. It’s good for our mental health as well as physical and it can also help those suffering the longer term effects of a Covid infection. However, there’s also evidence that many are being put off as a result of the recent increase in traffic as Porty Podcast Producer David Calder heard from Kirsty Lewin from Spokes Porty.
2020-10-2409 min
Porty Podcast183 Bellfield Community GardenSend us a textYou may have noticed bags filled with gravel outside Bellfield recently, at least on one side of the building. It’s currently being prepared for a new community garden by a group of volunteers. The idea was first proposed over a year ago – but progress drags slow when there’s pandemic. But now it seems, the first moves are being made to create a garden underneath the flowering cherry which dominates the space – as Porty Podcast Producer David Calder’s been finding out.
2020-10-1709 min
Porty Podcast182 Portobello Book Festival - a ReflectionSend us a textLast weekend saw an unique event – the Portobello Book Festival Online. It was very much a question of necessity being the mother of invention as the organisers had really no choice in the matter – go online...or cancel! In the event, it was more successful than anyone had hoped. People are still catching up with any of the features they had missed.Two weeks ago, we heard from Joanne Baird, a member of the committee, about the trials and tribulations they had to go through – so Porty Podcast Producer, David Calder, went b...
2020-10-1008 min
Porty Podcast181 Portobello Hornets AppealSend us a textYou may have seen an appeal from the local Rugby Club for funds to help the Portobello Hornets, the club’s junior teams. Thanks to the lockdown, the club, like every other sports organisation, has (as you’ll hear) been hit by a massive reduction in income. So they have resorted to crowd funding in order to raise the money to buy new kit for the growing number of young members, not just the club strips but more specialist equipment as well. The Hornets’ coach, Vic Rickis who's also Vice President of the Rugby...
2020-10-0308 min
Porty Podcast180 Portobello Book Festival OnlineSend us a textNext weekend, the 12th Portobello Book Festival will get under way; you may already have looked at the excellent programme on the website (link below). However, it will all be very different from those of previous years – the pandemic has seen to that! Like so many other events across the world, technology has come to the rescue. People will access every session online from the comfort of their own homes. There won’t be the same atmosphere around the High Street with people bustling from venue to venue. However, as Porty Podca...
2020-09-2612 min
Porty Podcast178 Kilt Walk 2020Send us a textThis weekend, you will see more tartan than usual out and about because the annual Kilt Walk is taking place. This year’s event is rather different – instead of people walking en masse, they’re choosing their own routes around Scotland. The idea is to raise money for assorted charities, clubs and others good causes. So what motivates them? Porty Podcast Producer David Calder has met some of those taking part.https://www.thistle.org.uk/https://teameastlothian.org.uk/https://www.thekiltwalk.co.uk/Maureen Child's fund r...
2020-09-1211 min
Porty Podcast176 Craigentinny and Telferton AllotmentsSend us a textFor some people, one of the escapes from the pressures of lockdown has been their ability to get into their allotments much more regularly than before. They are lucky – there are many more people who want an allotment than there are allotments available. And if you are fortunate enough to be given a place on the waiting list, you may have at least five years to wait. At the Craigentinny and Telferton Allotments, hidden away behind Inchview Terrace, they have managed to increase the total; when someone gives up one of the...
2020-07-0408 min
Porty Podcast175 MemoriesSend us a textHow much do you remember of life when you were growing up? How many remember a time before computers, the internet and mobile phones? Since lockdown began, a podcast produced by the Living Memory Association has been looking back to bygone eras and hearing about life from people who were born long ago. It’s based in the Wee Museum of Memory in Ocean Terminal where they also have a studio. That’s where they store their archives of music and pictures as well as audio and video recordings of people. These include memories from...
2020-06-2009 min
Porty Podcast174 Wander WomenSend us a textWander Women is a business based in Joppa. It was set up by Anna Neubert-Wood to encourage women to get out into the open, to get some (as she calls it) green therapy. As you’ll hear, she takes out small groups, introducing them to wild swimming, nature walks in the countryside and even wild camping on overnight adventures. It was working well. She had clients not just from Scotland but from overseas as well. However, the arrival of Covid-19 brought everything to a shuddering halt. But later this month, she will be st...
2020-06-1306 min
Porty Podcast170 Film Academy EdinburghSend us a textLast week, we heard how Edinburgh Youth Theatre is managing to keep going online through the lockdown. The company often works with the Film Academy Edinburgh which is also based locally. The academy usually uses the television studios of Edinburgh College at Milton Road; but, like everything else, it’s currently closed. However, the teachers and students (around 60 of them) get together at weekly sessions through Zoom. These are held on a Wednesday and Friday and are split into different age groups. When Porty Podcast Producer David Calder joined them, he found out th...
2020-05-1609 min
Porty Podcast169 Edinburgh Youth TheatreSend us a textEdinburgh Youth Theatre has been one of Portobello’s success stories. Led by the actor Shauna Macdonald, it has brought self-confidence to a generation of young people. But its base at Bellfield is currently closed. Staff, teachers and students have to stay at home thanks to the lockdown – but that DOESN’T mean to say they can’t get together and have some enjoyment online. Like so many others, they now deliver their programme through Zoom and YouTube. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder has been finding out more.For more information about Ed...
2020-05-0909 min
Porty Podcast168 Campbell's CeilidhsSend us a textSomething good has emerged from the current crisis – and that’s the way in which musicians are finding new ways to reach their audience. Local singer Mairi Campbell has an international following and is using technology – Zoom in particular – to bring them together in what she’s calling Campbell’s Ceilidhs. Once a week on a Sunday, people connect from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and even from Scotland either to join her in performing or just to be entertained. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder wanted to find out more.https://mairicampbell.scot/An...
2020-05-0206 min
Porty Podcast167 Four Seasons Financial ServicesSend us a textWhen you walk along the High Street or down along the Prom, it’s noticeable just how quiet everything is. With a number of exceptions, most shops are closed, as are the cafés, bars and restaurants. For the owners of those businesses, it’s a very worrying time despite the significant help coming from the Government. They don’t know when they’ll be able to open again or whether things will return to the same normality as we had before. It’s a time like this when good financial advice is important...
2020-04-2508 min
Porty Podcast163 Declaration of ArbroathSend us a textThe coronavirus is getting in the way of so many things. Events all over the world are being closed down and international travel restricted or banned. Last month, Dr Bruce Durie, historian, genealogist and fellow of Edinburgh University, should have been on his way to the USA. A former Fulbright professor in North Carolina, he’s a well-respected figure on the North American-Scottish lecture circuit. He had a major tour planned. Instead, he’s at home, looking out over the Firth of Forth from his home on the Esplanade. David Calder spoke to him...
2020-04-0414 min
Porty Podcast160 The Boat House etcSend us a textThe problems surrounding The Boat House at the western end of Portobello Prom are well known. It opened to great fanfare last year, just in time for the lucrative summer trade, It was a substantial expansion of the old Cropley's Bar and the vast majority of people saw it as considerable improvement. With a bar and restaurant, it was another reason to head to the bottom of King's Road. OK, the view wasn't perfect but the food, the service and the company were good. However, the City of Edinburgh Council threw a massive...
2020-03-1407 min
Porty Podcast158 The Decorators - Part 2Send us a textBack in the autumn, we heard about a project – a residence – which came out of the annual Porty Art Walk. For many years, Portobello had a thriving pottery industry. Portobello ware was exported all over the world. But homes now stand on the ground where the workshops had been – and all that remains are the two kilns on Bridge Street. But the people who worked there are still with us and the idea was to collect their memories through photographs and audio recordings. This weekend, you’ll be able to see and hear the resu...
2020-02-2908 min
Porty Podcast157 Portobello Older People's ProjectSend us a textFor some older people, there can be a problem of loneliness and isolation. They may live alone, their families may have moved away, and there are many other reasons why they don’t feel confident enough to get out of the house. It was an issue recognised some 27 years ago by what was then known as the Council of Churches in Portobello. They decided to get together to form the Portobello Older People’s Project. It started off as a lunch club but, as Porty Podcast producer David Calder found out, it now invo...
2020-02-1511 min
Porty Podcast155 Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home CampaignSend us a textSome of you may have had people knocking on your door asking you to sign up to make regular donations to the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. We have heard that some Porty residents have been put off by this approach, especially when given the impression that the Home has had a ‘difficult year’ financially. They also wonder why the charity is employing what one described as ‘door-to-door’ salesmen with quite strong Geordie accents who don’t quite seem to fit with an organisation with its home at the far end of the Prom. ...
2020-02-0107 min
Porty Podcast154 Portobello BookshopSend us a textThe Portobello Bookshop opened six months ago this week. It took the team six months to convert and renovate what had been Mike’s Fishing Tackle Shop. This allowed them to uncover the columns that are now a feature of the shop's interior – they had been hidden beneath plasterboard walls. The aim was to create a warm, modern, open space, one in which it was a pleasure to spend time browsing books (despite the currently squeaky door). So have they succeeded? Porty Podcast Producer David Calder went along to find out.https://www...
2020-01-2508 min
Porty Podcast153 Craigmillar NowSend us a textThis week, we’re moving a little outside our Portobello boundaries because, this year, our near neighbours in Craigmillar celebrate the centenary of their incorporation into the growing city of Edinburgh. A new local charity, Craigmillar Now, has been set up to mark this. Right at the end of last year, it got access to the former Craigmillar Community Arts building, itself the former St Andrew’s Church, just opposite the western entrance to Fort Kinnaird – its website which shows what the restored inside of the building looks like. But what plans does Craigm...
2020-01-1809 min
Porty Podcast150 Merry Christmas - a ReflectionSend us a textThis weekend’s episode of the Porty Podcast is a little different. This is the last one of 2019 – and it’s also the 150th, which, looking back, is something of an achievement. Everyone one of them (bar one) has been produced by David Calder, the only exception being the 50th episode where Bob Jefferson took control of the microphone. On this occasion, David has decided to reflect on the past three years – and to look forward to where the Porty Podcast might end up.Royalty Free Music from SmartSoundTrack: Rest Ye...
2019-12-2107 min
Porty Podcast149 Power to the People of PortySend us a textPortobello has looked in some detail at the idea of producing its own energy – or at least earning some money for the community by doing so. The project to have a wind turbine on a coastal site at Seafield made considerable progress almost 10 years ago, only to fall at one of the final hurdles. The idea has not gone away however – and, with the Scottish Government’s commitment for the country to become carbon neutral, there’s been growing interest in how Porty can contribute to this. Podcast Producer David Calder went to a meetin...
2019-12-1408 min
Porty Podcast146 Mary Cameron: Life in PaintSend us a textPortobello has a famous daughter whom you almost certainly have never heard of. In her day, at the turn of the 20th century, Mary Cameron was as famous as the Glasgow Boys or the Scottish Colourists who were working around the same time. She was respected enough to have solo exhibitions in Edinburgh, London and Paris almost every year until the start of the First World War. But an exhibition which opened this month at the City Art Centre will be the first to feature her work in over a century. Porty Podcast...
2019-11-2312 min
Porty Podcast145 The Decorators - Art Walk Porty ResidenceSend us a textYou may have thought that Art Walk Porty lasted just for two weekends in September. However, it has long been an ambition of curator Rosy Naylor to have events which last much longer. One of those starts this afternoon at the Kilns in Bridge Street. It’s a residency lasting through until the end of February in which the artist, Nicky Bird, seeks to commemorate the lives and work of a group of women known as ‘The Decorators’ who worked in the now long gone potteries in the area. She had conside...
2019-11-1607 min
Porty Podcast142 Portobello Book FestivalSend us a textIt’s October – so it has to be the Portobello Book Festival. And is so often the case, all but a few tickets have gone; there are a few kept available at the door for each event. Loads of exciting authors, such as Ian Rankin and Michel Faber, will be talking about their work; but there will be some very different events this year. For example, Pamela Gregory and Gica Loening will be discussing their experiences in the Samos Refugee Camp and how a recipe book, ‘Displaced Dishes’, emerged from them. David Calder’s been brows...
2019-10-0508 min
Porty Podcast141 Portobello Rotary ClubSend us a textPortobello Rotary Club is over 50 years old. It meets every Wednesday evening in the King’s Manor Hotel. It’s part of an international organisation with philanthropic and humanitarian objectives - Rotary International's motto is ‘Service Above Self’. One of the ways the club here raises money is by running the monthly car boot sales at Newcraighall Station; but it’s also involved with a number of youth related projects both in Scotland and abroad. However, the members insist that they don’t take themselves too seriously with fun and friendship a vital part of the...
2019-09-2810 min
Porty Podcast140 Powerleague InvestmentSend us a textBack in 2017, there was real concern about the future of the sports facilities at Westbank Street. The Council had announced plans to sell off the land used by Powerleague for 5-a-side football as a way of raising the money for the new Meadowbank Stadium. The cash would be shared between the Council and Powerleague.A campaign was started to 'Save the Porty 5s' and an organisation called Action Westbank was set up to consider what the community wanted for the site.Well, we heard recently on Porty People that Powerleague, far...
2019-09-2105 min
Porty Podcast137 Drawn to DanceSend us a textOne of the first workshops at Art Walk Porty which starts next weekend is rather unusual. It’s called ‘Drawn to Dance’ and will be held at Bellfield on Saturday morning. It’s part of series of workshops created by the artist Jenny Smith, all of which ask: “What are YOU drawn to?” The aim is to get people to express themselves, letting their imaginations run free. The workshop is a collaboration between Jenny and Sarena Wolfaard who has been working with what she describes as 'conscious dance' for 15 years. Between them, they en...
2019-08-3107 min
Porty Podcast134 Swarming BeesSend us a textWhat do you do if a swarm of bees lands in your garden? This week’s episode is something of a public information feature because that’s exactly what happened in the garden of Porty Podcast Producer, David Calder. He didn’t notice it at first – but his neighbour did! The family next door have two boys who love playing football and other ball games. They were afraid that a ball could land in the swarm – and were rather worried about what could happen then.https://www.edinburghbeekeepers.org.uk/swarms
2019-08-1006 min
Porty Podcast133 Portobello Golf CourseSend us a textAn online campaign has been launched to persuade the people of Portobello to use the golf course. Didn’t know Porty had a golf course? Well. it was once a very popular facility – the Sir Harry Lauder Championship was played here until three or four years ago. But a year ago, demand for golf on this small, 9-hole course had fallen so much that Edinburgh Leisure, who manage it, announced plans for it to close. The ground would remain in recreational use but the golf course as we know it would have to go.
2019-08-0309 min
Porty Podcast131 Rosie Nimmo's Latest AlbumSend us a textThe talented local musician, Rosie Nimmo, is about to release a new album – probably called ‘Music is Sunshine’. It’s been three years in the making, three years to produce what she believes is her best work to date. It’s a solo album of new material and she wanted to take the time to make sure they sounded just right. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder went to find out more.
2019-07-2007 min
Porty Podcast130 Portobello Community GreengrocerSend us a textAnyone who’s been to the monthly market in Brighton Park will have seen the stall run by the Greengrocer Project. Yes, they have fruit and veg to sell – but their main reason for being there is to keep up the profile for their longer-term ambition – to set up a shop. Their model is across on the other side of town, in Bruntsfield. It’s a community greengrocer called ‘Dig In’ which is now running successfully, although it took some time to become established. By a curious turn of fate, Karen Mackay, owner of ‘Cahoots’...
2019-07-1307 min
Porty Podcast129 Skiffie WorldsSend us a textYou may notice that Portobello – especially the beach and indeed the waters of the Forth – are a little quieter than usual this coming week. The reason for this is that the two local rowing clubs are off to the ‘Skiffie Worlds’ – in other words, the World Championships for the St Ayles Skiffs, the rowing boats you see out almost every day. Row Porty will be heading off with a crew of 25; the Eastern Amateur Rowing Club will have almost double at 48 – and both will have family and other supporters cheering them on.The ‘Skiff...
2019-07-0610 min
Porty Podcast128 A Spoonful of VintageSend us a textThere have been assorted fairs selling arts and crafts at Bellfield since it opened its doors. But a new one will arrive tomorrow which has a rather different theme. It’s called ‘A Spoonful of Vintage by the Sea’ and it’s organised by a couple who moved to Portobello 5 years ago. They are fascinated by everything to do with the 1950s – as David Calder discovered.Royalty Free Music from SonicfireTrack: Riviera (SS_4913)Album: Across BordersComposer: Daniel HoPublisher: Swarthy Publishing
2019-06-2907 min
Porty Podcast127 Portobello Town HallSend us a textThe petition to save Portobello Town Hall is growing and approaching 1500 signatures – it may even have reached that target by this morning. The building has been neglected for many years. But its condition has deteriorated to the point where the Lothian Dance Academy’s Annual Show almost had to be cancelled. With hours to go, the work was carried out in order to save it. However, when THAT work was being carried out, it became clear that the fabric of the building was worse than many officials had believed and now a more in d...
2019-06-2212 min
Porty Podcast123 Friends of Porty PromSend us a textPortobello Prom and Beach are well used by locals and visitors alike – one only has to think of the crowds who thronged here over the Easter Weekend to see this in action. However, there’s been a lot of interest in how to improve the area, to make everyone’s enjoyment of the beach that much better; and we’re not just talking about the area where most people tend to congregate, between Tumbles and the Swim Centre. The Prom after all stretches from Seafield all the way to the Pumping Station in Joppa, a...
2019-05-1808 min
Porty Podcast122 The Active Travel ChampionSend us a textBoth the police and the City of Edinburgh Council are keen to encourage people to take part in ‘active travel’. That means walking or cycling to work, walking or cycling to school. A substantial amount of the transport budget is already devoted to improving the infrastructure to let this happen. The 20mph speed limit was one part of it; the creation of dedicated cycle lanes or cycle paths is another. It’s a recognition that you won’t persuade anyone to take their bike out if they feel afraid or alarmed by the behaviou...
2019-05-1009 min
Porty Podcast121 The Seafield MuralSend us a textOver the last few days, you may have seen great changes at the Seafield end of the Prom. The wall at the back of the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (EDCH) had been covered with graffiti and frankly looked an embarrassment! All of that has now been covered with white paint and a huge 25m (80ft) mural has been installed as well. It’s a joint venture between EDCH and the Edinburgh Shoreline Project – we heard a couple of weeks ago how it was also involved with planting shrubs, trees and insect-friendly flowers alon...
2019-05-0407 min
Porty Podcast120 Meet Porty's New Community Police OfficerSend us a textPortobello has a new community police officer. PC Gemma Knox started here at the start of the year, following on from the excellent work done by Matt McPherson who’s moved on to become a School Link Officer. The job is becoming more challenging. The police station in Porty is no longer permanently staffed – PC Knox is based out of Craigmillar – and, for most of the time, she has to work alone as the number of community officers has been reduced. Never the less, she is thoroughly enjoying, as she puts it, ‘having an offic...
2019-04-2708 min
Porty Podcast119 Seafield Shoreline ProjectSend us a textWe’ve discussed the Edinburgh Shoreline Project before on the podcast. This weekend, volunteers from the Seafield Shoreline Group will be out planting saplings in the embankment from the Dog and Cat Home along towards King’s Road. The idea is to increase the diversity of plants in that part of the Prom which should, in turn, increase the diversity of wildlife in the area. At present, the Seafield section is the least popular part of Portobello Beach; and the aim of the Shoreline Group is to make that area more attractive. The coor...
2019-04-2006 min
Porty Podcast118 Edinburgh Tool Library - ProjectsSend us a textThe Edinburgh Tool Library has become a popular feature in Portobello. Its workshops, within the building run by Tribe Porty in Windsor Place, are filled with the kind of top of the range tools that cost a small fortune to buy. The concept is simple and works just like any other library – except, instead of books, you borrow all the tools you need for a project (and perhaps some of the wood as well). But its volunteers provide a service beyond the basics, a service bot just to individuals but to communities as we...
2019-04-1306 min
Porty Podcast117 United Sk8s - Getting People Rolling Again!Send us a textHow many of you were given roller skates as a child? And how many gave up after falling over a few times? There is a company based in Portobello whose mission is to change our minds and get people, adults as well as children, back on skates again. United Sk8s is run out of Tribe Porty and is the brainchild of founder, James Hunter. He insists there’s a lot more to this sport than just rolling up and down the Prom. In fact, most of what he offers takes place indoors – incl...
2019-04-0609 min
Porty Podcast116 Portobello to PortobelloSend us a textTomorrow morning, a group of intrepid cyclists will head out from Portobello High School, escorting Gordon Barclay as he sets out on a 500 mile ride to Portobello Road in London. The aim is to raise money for research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND). It all began on his 50th birthday. A friend from his days at Porty High, Ian Henderson - now a councillor in London, told him the tragic story of a woman called Clarrie who not only had lost people in the Grenfell Tower Fire but had just been diagnosed with...
2019-03-2307 min
Porty Podcast114 Fair Trade FestivalSend us a textYou may not have realised it but we’re just at the end of Fair Trade Fortnight – and it was marked by a special event today in Portobello Town Hall. Fair trade producers were represented along with the shops which sell those goods both locally and across the city. There is still time to get along. It closes at half past three this afternoon. There are lots of activities, including face painting for the kids. And when Porty Podcast Producer David Calder arrived, everyone was being entertained with songs from the Harmony Choir.
2019-03-0908 min
Porty Podcast111 HiFi CornerSend us a textHiFi Corner was founded almost 100 years ago, though not under its current name which first appeared in the 60s. What has been consistent however has been its commitment to supplying the best quality equipment - from gramophone and wireless to the latest amplifier and home cinema. Until now, its home has been in the centre of Edinburgh. But this week, it moved to Joppa Road. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder went to find out why.Royalty Free Music“It’s Cool” by Guy Moon from the album “Full Spectrum” (Sonic Desk...
2019-02-0909 min
Porty Podcast110 Fun FiddleSend us a textOne of the great things about living in Portobello is the wide range of clubs and activities you can get involved with. Take ‘Fun Fiddle’ for example. It started a little over 15 years ago as a small informal group of adult learners. Since then it has grown and today offers classes to children and adults, from absolute beginners to experienced performers. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder joined them in the Wash House to learn more.
2019-02-0208 min
Porty Podcast108 Get involved - Joan of Arc the Play at BellfieldSend us a textCalling all budding thespians and their helpers. Edinburgh Graduate Theatre will be staging a new production of Saint Joan – Joan of Arc to you and me - and, perhaps for the first time, it will be held in what is now known as the Celebration Hall at Bellfield. Although ‘The Grads’ – to give them their popular name - have a number of regular cast members, for this production the company is looking for local people, young people in particular, to be involved. Auditions start later this week – as Porty Podcast Producer David Calder has been f...
2019-01-1909 min
Porty Podcast106 Porty Panto - Snow White and the 7 DwarvesSend us a textYes, it's that time of year again - a time of contrived jokes, Porty references galore and lots of excited children screaming "he's behind you!"...and they're just in the cast! For the first time, the Panto - Snow White - will be in the Main Hall of Bellfield where the final rehearsals are currently taking place. For the final podcast of 2018, David Calder went to hear how things were progressing.
2018-12-0810 min
Porty Podcast104 BAFTA Scotland Winner Shauna MacdonaldSend us a textAnd the BAFTA goes to… Porty’s own Shauna Macdonald. Shauna has been an actress for some 20 years, working in film, television and theatre. But this year, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts rewarded her dedication. Officially, the award went for the film White Chamber but she sees it as an honour for her perseverance in one of the toughest industries around. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder met her once she’d come back down to earth!
2018-11-2409 min
Porty Podcast103 The Inspiring Cody McManusSend us a textOK! Christmas, I know, is still about 6 weeks away. But it’s really great to hear about someone who’s not focused on the selfish, commercial aspects of the season. Instead, a young lad has been so successful in raising money to help other, less fortunate young people that he’s won award after award, the latest being the prestigious Diana Award. And although he’s raising money for children in need, it’s not for the BBC’s annual telethon. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder has been finding out more.
2018-11-1705 min
Porty Podcast102 Democracy MattersSend us a textDemocracy Matters is a consultation currently being run by the Scottish Government. On Saturday, people gathered at Bellfield to discuss how this community should respond. It was, inevitably, a self-selecting group of those who were enthusiastic enough to come to a meeting on a sunny afternoon. However, some of the suggestions were interesting – and perhaps not what the Government might be expecting. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder joined them.
2018-11-1406 min
Porty Podcast100 RetrospectiveSend us a textToday, the Porty Podcast celebrates its 100th episode. It has reported on people and places as well as the assorted events that punctuate the year in Portobello. In this retrospective, the podcast’s founder and producer, David Calder, looks back on some of the highlights – and how the Podcast came about.
2018-11-0313 min
Porty Podcast99 Apple DaySend us a textSaturday is Apple Day in Portobello’s Community Orchard. It’s one of only two special events held there each year, the other being the wassailing of the tress in January – we featured this last year. Apple Day is a relatively modern ‘tradition’ having started back in 1990 and can be celebrated throughout October. The objective was to remind people that there are many more apple varieties than they realise – and to point out that many of these are in danger of being lost. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder went to the orchard to find out mor
2018-10-2407 min
Porty Podcast97 Brighton PlaceSend us a textAs you all will know, work has started on replacing the setts in Brighton Place. It was one of those Porty issues that set people apart! The traders on the High Street were – and remain – worried about the impact it’s going to have on their businesses – especially with Christmas not so far away (apologies for using the ‘C’ word in October). For former councillor Jimmy Burnett who has been heavily involved in the campaign to replace setts with asphalt, it’s been an exasperating few weeks. He told Porty Podcast producer David Calder that he...
2018-10-1307 min
Porty Podcast96 Portobello Book Festival - 10th AnniversarySend us a textThis is going to be a very busy weekend in Portobello. There’s the charity event, ‘In the Dog House’ at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home all day today and the Dalriada Comedy Night this evening; then there’s the organic market tomorrow and the Festival of Walking and Cycling on Sunday. But for many of us, the highlight will be the Portobello Book Festival which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. It runs over three days and is the culmination of a series of arts events from the Big Busk to the Porty Ar...
2018-10-0512 min
Porty Podcast95 All Change at the Baptist ChurchSend us a text“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven!” Andy Scarcliffe has decided that his season as minister of Portobello Baptist Church has run its course. This weekend, he takes his last service before handing over the reins to his successor, Glenn Innes, who moved down from Aberdeen with his family earlier this week. Andy has made an impact in his tenure at the church, so much so that local people have been asking Glenn “Are you the new Andy?” Porty Podcast producer David Calder went along to meet...
2018-09-2912 min
Porty Podcast94 First Ceilidh at BellfieldSend us a textTonight sees the first in a series of ceilidhs to be held at Bellfield. It’s the initiative of Ros Gasson, a local fiddle teacher and founder of Da Hooley Ceilidh Band. The band, which has been going for over 20 years, is certainly popular – it has bookings all the way through until September next year. But having moved to Portobello, Ros wanted to offer something to the community – and raise some money as well (in this case for Bellfield itself but other local causes will benefit later in the year). Porty Podcast Producer, David Calder...
2018-09-2207 min
Porty Podcast93 Keep Scotland Beautiful - Beach CleanSend us a textYou may have noticed that Porty Prom is a little brighter – or at least, the rubbish bins have taken on a new, brighter appearance. It’s part of a project, called My Beach, Your Beach, run by Keep Scotland Beautiful. The idea is to remind the people who use the beach and the prom that it’s THEIR responsibility to clean up after themselves. The project team leader, Aoife Hutton, has been paying weekly visits to Portobello to monitor the state of the beach in particular. It’s run in partnership with Scottish Water which ha...
2018-09-1507 min
Porty Podcast91 Art Walk PortySend us a textEvents like the Art Walk Porty make Portobello a great place to live. There are dozens of artists living here – painters, sculptors, ceramic makers and so many more with such diverse talents. This is the now annual opportunity to see what they’re producing and perhaps acquire something unique. This year, the Art Walk is four years old. Its theme is ‘PLEASURE GROUND’ with a mix of live music, writing, walks, installation and film screenings as well as everything else, as David Calder’s been finding out.
2018-09-0111 min
Porty Podcast90 The Big BuskSend us a textThis is the weekend of The Big Busk. Dozens of musicians descend on Porty Prom to perform, pretty well all day long. Now in its ninth year, it had simple beginnings – but even at the start, there were ambitions to make it something really special, to make it part of the Edinburgh Festival and that has happened although the founder, Paul Lambie, prefers to think of it as a ‘carnival’ as David Calder, the Porty Podcast Producer, has been finding out.
2018-08-2307 min
Porty Podcast89 Travelling GallerySend us a textYou may have noticed a highly decorated vehicle in Portobello High Street, outside the Town Hall, last night. That was the Travelling Gallery paying one of its regular visits to Porty. It will be back from 11 o’clock this morning. But this visit was special. The Gallery is celebrating its 40th anniversary and chose to launch its final tour of 2018 in Portobello, as Porty Podcast Producer, David Calder, found out.
2018-08-1807 min
Porty Podcast88 BG CyclesSend us a textCycling has seldom seen so popular. There’s never been such a choice of bikes with prices that range from the affordable to the “How Much!!!”. There have been new developments as well. Electric bikes are now coming down in price; and up in terms of how far they can travel. But just like a car, they need to be looked after, professionally. That too can be expensive, especially if you go to one of the many shops in the centre of Edinburgh. But why go there when you can find all the expertise you ne...
2018-08-1109 min
Porty Podcast87 Tommy Sheppard MPSend us a textIt's 18 months since we last heard from Tommy Sheppard, MP for Edinburgh East. It's been an exciting and extremely frustrating time for him and most of the other Scottish MPs in Westminster. He's watched as both Tory and Labour Parties have spent hours failing to agree internally and indeed almost seeming intent on tearing themselves apart over Brexit. That quickly became apparent when he spoke to Porty Podcast Producer, David Calder.
2018-08-0409 min
Porty Podcast85 Edinburgh Dog and Cat HomeSend us a textDriving in towards Portobello from the West, you can't help but notice the bright green signs advertising the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. It's a large, triangular site between the main road and the start of the Prom at Seafield. It's been there for almost 70 years - but it's story reaches back to the middle of the 19th century as Porty Podcast producer, David Calder, found out.
2018-07-2109 min
Porty Podcast84 Bellfield and Development TrustsSend us a textThe growth of Development Trusts across Scotland has been an undoubted success story. Over 40,000 people have been involved in buying land or property since the Community Right to Buy Legislation was passed in 2003. They now own assets worth almost £90m and have brought in £25m in regeneration funding. With a collective turnover of over £50m, they are economic success stories too. The trusts have transformed areas, especially rural ones, across the country. But as we know, the law was updated to allow for local communities to acquire buildings in towns and cities as well wit...
2018-07-1410 min
Porty Podcast83 Defying Sameness at the Velvet EaselSend us a textThe summer sun brings out the vibrancy in the colours we see around us. And vibrant colours are very much on display at the latest exhibition at the Velvet Easel Gallery which opens today. The work of many artists is on show - and not just from Scotland. Some of the paintings are exciting, others challenging; and that may be part of the reason for the curious title 'Defying Sameness'. Porty Podcast Producer David Calder asked gallery owner Roz Walker to explain.
2018-07-0707 min
Porty Podcast82 Summer Fun in the LibrarySend us a textYou may have noticed that most of the schools are now on holiday! On the good days (and we have had a few recently), the beach is bustling with families, the children splashing around in the sea, building sandcastles or burying granddad in the sand. But what happens on days when the weather is not so good? The kids may spend some time at home, at best playing games on assorted devices; at worst getting under everyone's feet. However. Portobello Library is offering some relief by a mix of challenges and crafts. Under the...
2018-06-3009 min
Spirit of Scotland12 The Whisky BardHis subject matter is unique, especially in its quantity. His popularity around Northern Europe means that his songs and poetry are probably better known in parts of Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia than they are in parts of Scotland. But it’s not for nothing that Robin Laing is known as The Whisky Bard! His latest book, Whisky Muse 2, has just been published. Producer David Calder met him to find out more.
2018-06-2507 min
Spirit of Scotland11 Victor BrierlyTo some, he’s been the ‘bad boy’ of whisky – the man who set himself up as the self-styled ‘thorn in the flesh’ of the industry. He would berate it for failing to exploit its potential as a tourist trap. He would attack the conservatism of the way whisky was presented – too much of the highland mist and leather arm chairs. He claimed it was aimed too much at the traditional drinkers and ignoring the younger generation, something he said it did at its peril. He was barred from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for criticising it. And he’s used his tutored...
2018-06-1006 min
Porty Podcast79 Bath Street CollectiveSend us a textA block of flats in Portobello has become an international talking point. The building at 26 Bath Street was unique in the way, not that it was constructed though that was unusual enough, but in the way it was financed and developed. It’s already won awards. For example just last month, it won the Wood Award for best use of wood in a building in Edinburgh, presented by the Edinburgh Architectural Association. Journalists from as far afield as California have come to learn about it. One magazine this past week went so far as to...
2018-06-0909 min
Spirit of Scotland10 Dufftown Whisky ShopIt’s an iconic establishment, located in a small town in Moray. The Dufftown Whisky Shop boasts that it’s the “Whisky Capital of the World” – quite a claim. However, when you walk through the doors and see the breadth of brands, of bottles on the shelves, you realise that the boast is justified. Spirit of Scotland producer David Calder met the owner Mike Lord and asked him about the origins of the shop.
2018-06-0405 min
Spirit of Scotland5 Spirit of Speyside FestivalFor five days in May, Speyside becomes the international focus for whisky lovers the world over. With some 500 events, visitors can taste a wide range of single malts, paid them with the excellent food of the area and tale trips by coach, train and even canoe. Podcast producer David Calder has been hearing about this year's up and coming event.
2018-04-2915 min
Spirit of Scotland4 Bellfield BreweryBenjamin Franklin is reputed to have said "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." But there are some people who cannot drink a traditional pint, those who have to live on a gluten-free diet for example. That was the reason behind the creation of the Bellfield Brewery in Portobello, Edinburgh’s seaside, as the Spirit of Scotland Podcast producer, David Calder, heard when he went to pay a visit. But he found that they had taken it one step further and were now registered vegan as well.
2018-04-2305 min
Spirit of Scotland3 Edinburgh GinThe production of gin in Scotland is definitely on the up! It seems that hardly a month goes by without news of another distillery opening. One of the early entrants in the recent upsurge is Edinburgh Gin. It boasts two distilleries in the Capital, a relatively new one in Leith almost dedicated to producing large quantities based on the original recipe. That one is not open to the public – but the one in the centre of town certainly is! And it’s one of the most unusual, unique distilleries in the country, as David Calder has been finding out:
2018-04-1612 min
Porty Podcast50 The 50th Podcast - the Tables are TurnedSend us a textTo mark the 50th episode, Bob Jefferson from Portobello Online grabs the microphone and turns the tables on David Calder, who created the Porty Podcast back in November.
2017-06-1013 min