Shows
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 Podcast177 Art Walk Porty 2020Send us a textIt's September - which means it's time for Art Walk Porty. However, these are not usual times. Some of us seriously wondered if there would an event at all. Those fears were thankfully unfounded - but it is a very different event to that of previous years. There are no Art Houses, for example, and everything is having to be managed to suit the rules on social distancing. But, as we'll hear, it has had the beneficial effect of making the organisers think in depth about the Art Walk, now and into the...
2020-09-0412 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 Podcast173 Lothian Dance AcademySend us a textAs we’ve heard through the weeks, many organisations which work with young people have struggled to keep going through the lock-down. They’ve turned to the Internet to keep in contact with their students, be it theatre, film or dance. In many respects, dance has proved the most difficult. The teachers try their best by making videos for YouTube or by demonstrating the lessons they would have given in the studio on Zoom. However, it’s much more stressful, deciding on content, recording it and coping with unfamiliar technology. On top of that...
2020-06-0609 min
Porty Podcast172 Active StreetsSend us a textA major piece of research involving Portobello High School and its five ‘feeder’ primaries should have been coming to an end by the end of next month. The objective, which came originally from Parsons Green Parent Council, was to find out how young people made their way to the High School and whether alternatives involving active travel – such as walking or cycling – could be encouraged. The project, called ‘Active Streets’, was thrown completely off course by Covid-19 and had to be moved online. It’s not entirely clear how many parents and pupils have heard of...
2020-05-3005 min
Porty Podcast171 Rosie Nimmo and HomeSongs4LunchSend us a textWe’ve heard how local musicians are creating their own concerts or ceilidhs online. However, it was really good to hear that singer-songwriter Rosie Nimmo had been invited to sing, almost out of the blue, in a relatively new online service called Home Songs for Lunch. It was created in Campbeltown by David Fee, a full-time foster carer who also has a side line in running concerts in people’s own homes. When that became impossible, he was encouraged to offer something similar using Facebook; and he then drew on his substantial contacts book...
2020-05-2307 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 Podcast166 Supportobello and Body BeautifulSend us a textWalking or cycling along the High Street, it's unnaturally quiet. a lot of shops are closed - and those that are open are enforcing, rightly, a one person at a time policy. We know that some are providing delivery services - but, just like the supermarkets, it can be hard to sign up to get a slot. And, in any case, how do people hear about them? We've been speaking to the founder of a service for small businesses like them - Supportobello! And from one small business as well - Body Beautiful...
2020-04-1810 min
Porty Podcast165 Jed and Jo - Dalriada Sunday Sessions OnlineSend us a textThe Dalriada has been a fundamental part of life in Portobello for many years. Music has played a large part of that with both organised and impromptu sessions regularly taking place in the bar. The Sunday Sessions were particularly popular with musicians and the public alike. They were the brainchild of Jed Milroy who was looking for a new venue – he had been hosting sessions at a pub near the university. The Dalriada not only welcomed him – but also played cupid because Jed met Jo and they became a duo in every sense of t...
2020-04-1108 min
Porty Podcast164 Porty Coronavirus ActionSend us a textWhat has emerged from the current near-lock-down is even more evidence of the strength of community spirit in Portobello. Individual streets have been forming WhatsApp groups to keep in touch with each other and especially with those who may be self-isolating for whatever reason. And there’s now been a group set up to help those confined to their home with their shopping. It’s called Porty Coronavirus Action. Here’s how it works.To volunteer, follow this link for Porty Coronavirus Action https://tinyurl.com/tn43tasASDA’s Volunt...
2020-04-0608 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 Podcast162 Living with LockdownSend us a textBeing in a locked down country is pretty hard; but the current pandemic may be in the process of changing all our lives in ways we don’t expect and can’t predict. Over the coming weeks, the plan it to use technology to keep the podcast running, to find out how people are coping and caring for each other when we can’t get out and about as we used to. This week, we hear from a couple of people whose entire raison-d'être was being involved in the community – and who are now s...
2020-03-2813 min
Porty Podcast161 Warm Efficient HomesSend us a textJust last night, the Prime Minister ordered all pubs and clubs, cafes and restaurants, leisure centres and theatres to close in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus. We’ve already seen Tumbles and the Porty Swim Centre shut down for the duration as well as community projects such as Tribe Porty; Bellfield is about to follow suit. With the school year effectively ending yesterday as well and many people choosing or having to work at home, some people have been taking a closer look at their own homes and wondering what th...
2020-03-2116 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 Podcast159 Save Porty Town HallSend us a textThe future of Portobello Town Hall is in the balance. It’s been neglected for years and it’s showing! It was forced to close its doors last year – we spoke then to Morag Phillips of the Lothian Dance Academy who almost had to cancel its annual show. It only went ahead after urgent work was carried out. Subsequently, a detailed inspection confirmed that it needed a huge amount of expenditure to bring it not just up to standard but to make it safe enough for people to use. The City of Edinburgh Counci...
2020-03-0709 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 Podcast156 CrackersSend us a textIt’s one thing to dream about writing a play and seeing it on a stage. It’s a completely different game to write play and actually book a venue at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe! However, that is what Claire Wood has done. We’ve heard from Claire once before when staging a show at Bellfield this time last year. But her ambition this time is to reach out to a much wider audience.
2020-02-0809 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 Podcast152 GoGo BeetsSend us a textPortobello seems quite well served for places to eat. However, this past week we’ve seen quite a buzz on social media – mainly Twitter – about a new vegetarian and vegan takeaway on the High Street. It’s called GoGo Beets and it only opened a week ago right on the cross roads between the High Street and Brighton Place. We decided to find out more.GoGo Beets is open 7 days a week - 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat-Sunhttps://www.facebook.com/gogobeets/
2020-01-1105 min
Porty Podcast151 Spokes PortySend us a textHappy New Year! May 2020 be good to the people of Portobello!Let's start with a good, heart-warming story. As some of you may have seen, Spokes Porty has this week produced the first in a series of videos about the pleasures of cycling. However, not many people may have heard of Spokes Porty and what it stands for - it is after all a relatively new organisation, run entirely by volunteers. Time to find out more.To watch the video, click this link https://tinyurl.com/rnm22ek
2020-01-0407 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 Podcast148 SpoondriftSend us a textYou may have seen their work during the Porty Art Walk. You may have seen them in their own exhibitions at the arts complex in St Margaret’s House near Meadowbank, where they have their studios. However, Jacqui Higgs, Jude Nixon and Mary Walters have got together this year to put on a ‘pop-up’ gallery in the New Town, at 17 Dundas Street, a street that’s also home to some of the best private galleries in the city. The exhibition, called ‘Spoondrift’, displays their combined talents – and shows just how complementary they are.https...
2019-12-0708 min
Porty Podcast147 Portobello - Greatest NeighbourhoodSend us a textWell! Now we know. Portobello is OFFICIALLY the best neighbourhood in the UK! A delegation was presented with the award on Wednesday evening in London by the Academy of Urbanism. This was set up around 15 years ago to identify and promote the best in urban design, designs which involved local communities and helped to foster community spirit. It also hopes that, by highlighting these, others will be able to learn and apply the lessons within their own areas. They found lots of GREAT things about Porty!The certificate has the following...
2019-11-3008 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 Podcast144 Pentlands to Portobello WalkSend us a textYou may have seen in Cllr Maureen Child’s most recent newsletter that the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust had completed a feasibility study for a walking and cycling route between the Pentlands and Portobello. The idea would be to start from the Prom and create a safe route along the main road until it reaches the start of the Brunstane Burn Path. From there, it would follow the burn through its various names – Niddrie and Burdiehouse – until it reaches its source up near Swanston. We thought we should find out more.To r...
2019-11-0908 min
Porty Podcast143 Mortal MagicSend us a textA Porty-based poet will be launching her first book at the Portobello Library this coming week. Hannah McCooke’s ‘Mortal Magic’ is a collection of work inspired in part by living here and in part by life and events in her native Northern Ireland. She will be sharing the platform with fellow poet, Stella Birrell: both will be performing their work on Tuesday evening. Let's have a preview!
2019-11-0207 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 Podcast139 Community Council ElectionsSend us a textYou may have seen the posts here on social media about the upcoming elections to community councils. In recent years, the one in Portobello has had quite a high profile. It has been conducting online surveys on a range of issues, the latest about the future status of Kings Place. They are supposed to be the ‘voice of the community’ but there may be a tendency for them to be self-selecting, for the same people to put their names forward. Both Mary Campbell and Maureen Child regularly attending their meetings and reflect the view...
2019-09-1407 min
Porty Podcast138 Art Walk Porty 2019Send us a textThis year’s Art Walk Porty is bigger than ever – and full of surprises. This is ‘art’ in its broadest possible sense. For example, you will be able to walk into someone’s house, sit down by a window and listen to the sounds of a night walk through the Amazon jungle. You’ll be able to take part in walks and cycle rides through parts of the area you may never have visited before. And while it officially lasts just a short time in September, aspects of it will last all though until next y...
2019-09-0714 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 Podcast136 Teresa Gordon - Portobello ArtistSend us a textLocal artist Teresa Gordon has an exhibition called ‘Ebb and Flow – Saltworks 2019’ which opens today. It explores the fragility of memory because both of her parents and other members of her family had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. As a result, she is intrigued by memory and its loss and hopes her work will raise awareness about the condition – as well as funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. We went along to the preview to find out more.
2019-08-2407 min
Porty Podcast135 Kings Place Re-imaginedSend us a textFor months, there has been a lot of heated debate on assorted online forums about Kings Place. In recent years, it has turned into a completely unregulated car and caravan park which has caused occasional distress to local residents. This week, two things have taken place. The first is a consultation from Portobello Community Council, asking our opinion on what changes (if any) should be made. The second is an appeal for ideas about what the area could look like from the new Facebook page – Kings Place Re-imagined.Follow this link to...
2019-08-1706 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 Podcast132 David Williams - From 88 PlacesSend us a textA new exhibition of photographs has just opened at the Skylark. They’re the work of David Williams, formerly Head of Photography at Edinburgh School of Art. Called “From 88 Places”, it’s an extract from a much larger work, a series of photographs carefully taken at each of the 88 Shrines around a hillside in Kyoto in Japan. It took him several years to complete.
2019-07-2706 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 Podcast126 Sheila McWhirter and The Blue Moon TravellersSend us a textYou may have come across the Porty songstress, Sheila McWhirter, the lead singer with The Blue Moon Travellers. Sheila has had many roles throughout her life – she’s currently teaching English as a foreign language – but she really wants to focus on her music and on helping others to find their voices. The group has just produced its first CD, called ‘Into the Blue’, which highlights the beauty and quality of Sheila's own voice – as you’ll hear in this week’s Porty Podcast.To buy the CD or book a Mindful Singer c...
2019-06-1506 min
Porty Podcast125 Children 1stSend us a textSome of you may have seen a group of people from Children 1st out on Porty High Street recently. They were canvassing opinion about a piece of legislation which has just started making its way through the Scottish Parliament. The new law, which some find controversial, would make it illegal for parents to smack or otherwise physically punish their children. Children 1st, now in its 134th year, understandably supports the bill and has taken to the streets around Scotland to explain why. The organisation’s Policy Manager, Portobello resident Mark Ballard, told us mo...
2019-06-0810 min
Porty Podcast124 Porty Book BlogSend us a textBook blogs are very popular – there are well over 100 in the UK alone. They’re liked by the public because they help their readers find new books they might enjoy. They’re also liked by authors and publishers because they help to raise the profile of new titles. The Porty Book Blog has just celebrated its 4th anniversary. It was created by Joanne Baird because she is an enthusiastic, voracious reader and she’s keen to share that enthusiasm with others. As you’ll hear, she now has around 7,000 followers on social media, which is w...
2019-06-0111 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 Podcast115 Portobello Drama Group - Brodie the MusicalSend us a textThis coming week, the Portobello Drama Group celebrates its 50th anniversary. It started off in a small way as the Drama Group for St Philip’s (now Portobello and Joppa Parish Church). But it quickly grew in numbers and ambition, moving from one-act plays to musicals. For this anniversary year, the company has revived one of its own creations: Brodie – the Musical. It’s the story of that upright citizen cum gambler and thief, Deacon Brodie; the eponymous tavern on the High Street is on the site of one he frequented. We went to mee...
2019-03-1609 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 Podcast113 Samos VolunteersSend us a textThe Greek island of Samos may seem a long way from Portobello. Some people may have been there on holiday, enjoying the sandy beaches and the warm waters of the Aegean. But the island is just a mile from the Turkish coast, which makes it a target for refugees fleeing war zones and trying to find a haven in Europe. There are now around 5,000 of them, housed (if that's the right word) in makeshift camps. It's a miserable existence for the men, women and children waiting, painfully slowly, for the Greek authorities to...
2019-03-0212 min
Porty Podcast112 The Big LunchSend us a textThere’s an open invitation on Monday to come along to a workshop at Bellfield. The aim is to start thinking about – and planning – a Big Lunch in Portobello at the start of June. The Big Lunch is an idea which came out of the Eden Project; you may have seen television programmes about this, a popular attraction in Cornwall. Located in a reclaimed china clay pit are two huge biomes (massive glasshouses if you like) in which plants, collected from many diverse climates and environments, are grown. But the project as a whole...
2019-02-1608 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 Podcast109 Amnesty InternationalSend us a textThe Portobello branch of Amnesty International was founded a little over 40 years ago, about seven years after the creation of the organisation. You may have seen their stall at the regular market in Brighton Park or at the annual Village Fair. When lawyer Peter Benenson first set up Amnesty back in 1961, the idea was to win an amnesty for prisoners of conscience all over the world. What he and his colleagues may have underestimated was the sheer size of the problem - the number of prisoners of conscience was and remains enormous. And...
2019-01-2610 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 Podcast107 Brighton Place 2Send us a textBrighton Place - Setts! It’s an argument that won’t go away, even though the decision was final and the work is well under way again – the street has been closed again after the Christmas break. Towards the end of last year, we carried an interview with the ‘Stop the Setts’ campaign. But that prompted comments that it had been one-sided and that we needed to redress the balance. There were, they insisted, a significant number of people who felt strongly about maintaining the historic nature of the area, first built in 1823, and they w...
2019-01-1206 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 Podcast105 Porty Street FestSend us a textThe Porty Street Fest is now an annual tradition. But this year, it takes on a special significance with the closure of Brighton Place. There may be signs insisting that Porty is ‘open for business’ but the High Street is quieter than usual at this time of year. Traders are hoping that the event this coming Thursday will attract people to shop locally – and to bring in extra customers as well.
2018-12-0108 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 Podcast101 RemembranceSend us a textThis weekend, much of the world remembers the carnage that was the First World War. At the time, it was hoped that this would have been “the war to end all wars”. It was not to be. As you’ll hear in today’s episode, the historian Trevor Royle argues that the War marked the practical start of the 20th century which ended in 1991 with the collapse of communism; and all through that time, the world was either at war or under the threat of conflict. This weekend, people will remember those who died wit...
2018-11-1011 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 Podcast98 Sounds of Porty 1Send us a textOne of the pleasures of living in Portobello is being by the sea. How many of you come down to the beach on a quiet day – and just ponder, looking out at the far horizon and letting your mind wander. It’s a great way to deal with mental block. However, we know that there are people who used to live in Porty – but now live far away, some of them far from the sea. There is in broadcasting a new trend for slow radio and TV – simply showing pictures or playing sounds without...
2018-10-2002 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 Podcast92 SéanceSend us a textArtists in Portobello cover a wide spectrum. One of the more unusual ones connected to this year’s Art Walk is called Séance, a series of carefully crafted short stories, most of which draw their inspiration from Portobello, its houses, the sea, the people. It’s the creation of Chris Dooks and Eleanor Thom who will launch it tonight at the Beach Lance Social Club.
2018-09-0708 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 Podcast86 Portobello Tool LibrarySend us a textWhen Earthy closed its doors in Portobello, many people wondered what would happen with the space. Well, now we know. It's currently under a pretty major refurbishment by Tribe Porty which has taken over the whole building - we'll hear more about its plans later in the year. But what they have done is open up the space to other social enterprises - including the Edinburgh Tool Library. Its part of the building is now ready - but they can't open to the public just yet as other sections are still construction sites. However...
2018-07-2809 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
Porty Podcast81 Porty Regatta and Bellfield ReopensSend us a textIt’s going to be very busy in Portobello this weekend. On the beach, crews from around the country will gather for the Porty Regatta, a day of fun and frolics on the water plus some serious racing. And it’s also the day that Bellfield opens as Portobello’s Community Hub – a great venue for all kinds of activity from youth theatre to coffee mornings, from bike maintenance classes to…well, it’s up to the people of Porty to decide. We’ve been to hear more about both:
2018-06-2209 min
Porty Podcast80 Julia Barton - Environmental ArtistSend us a textLast month, we reported on the Edinburgh Shoreline Project and how, over the coming year, scientists and conservationists will work with local people to search for little-known species, explore rock pools and mudflats and undertake practical conservation work. One part of this will be an exhibition by the award-winning sculptor Julia Barton. Although based in Portobello, Julia’s work is part of a much bigger, Scotland-wide project – the Littoral Art Project – aimed at explaining the harm that plastic does to our shoreline and the value of all that material that’s just been thrown away. Sh...
2018-06-1610 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