WHALE Arts Community Anchor Organisation Community Response to the Covid-19 Crisis in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh Update Report on Activity Between March - July 2020
Art & Wellbeing Packs
2
We have now sent over 1500 packs to families and
schools
Government
and
thanks
funding
Communities
we
to
the
from
were
able
Scottish
Supporting to
buy
high
Food
quality materials to include in the packs. After responding quickly to the need to get
By September this figure is likely to be over 2000.
We
recently
sent
Art
Packs
to
all
3
local primary schools (Clovenstone, Sighthill and
Canal
View
Primary
Schools)
and
the
local high school (WHEC) for pupils over the summer holidays and the response has been hugely
positive
from
the
headteachers
/
food
out
local
locally
and
organisations
with
help
we
now
from
other
have
an
operation that works well with a combination of staff and volunteers cooking 150 hot meals a
week
most
sent
out
to
families
and
individuals with around 30 picked up on a Friday.
teachers. The goal over the next few weeks - working
This
has
been
outstanding WHALE
and
work our
possible of
Kate
through and
freelance
the
Kirsty
from
artists
and
towards the end of August - is to reduce the number of hot meal deliveries and increase pick-ups from the takeaway.
volunteers. We have had a small group of volunteers and staff
including
Barnwell
who
our
have
dedicated made
this
chef
happen
Paul and
each week improved the service and we are hugely grateful to all those who have given their time for free including drivers and those helping with food preparation.
3
Online Classes Our freelance artist team have been - since March
-
creating
participants children's
for
groups.
online
both These
adult have
classes
for
groups
and
ranged
from
watercolour salt painting with Let's Create, a simple apron and a scrunchie with Stich n Time to handstands at home and shadow art with Street Arts.
These
online
classes
have
been
complemented by materials and packs which
Digital Access We
have been buying tablets, laptops and
have been posted or delivered to participants phones
for
local
people
and
groups
and
undertaking a range of remote digital skills These can be viewed here. support to build confidence in using digital devices.
This work is part of a wider area-wide project called
Wester
Prospect
Hailes
Community
partnership
with
Connects Housing
WHALE,
led
by
working
in
SCOREscotland,
CHAI and Open Heavens Church.
We
have
secured
funding
from
Supporting
Communities to expand on this between now and September and we have plans to start a new digital drop-in on zoom for those looking to
take
stage.
their
new
digital
skills
to
the
next
Community Newspaper
4
Digital Sentinel – printed version - has been created by Craig from WHALE. This paper will be circulated in the coming weeks and talks about the community effort during lockdown and
how
community
groups,
organisations
and residents have come together to support eachother. It also includes some reflections on
how
lockdown
has
been
for
local
residents.
Friendship Calls These have continued throughout the phases of
lockdown
with
the
team
and
volunteers
during lockdown talking to participants and This
was
Seven
produced
in
Kingdoms
University
and
with
partnership
project
with
Prospect
with
the
Napier
any
new
people
who
signed
up
for
calls
through the referral system.
Community
Housing.
We have a conversation, a catch up and if needed we refer people into other services
Local partners were supportive of this - the original Sentinel Newspaper was loved locally by residents and it was agreed that getting a 'happy news' community newspaper through their doors would be welcome.
We plan to create another printed newspaper in the autumn.
locally where required - counselling, therapy, food packages.
CoProduction As
part
of
our
'Growing
Our
Own
5
Artists'
project funded by Creative Scotland and the William
Grant
Foundation
our
Artist
in
Residence Morven Odling has been working with
our
freelance
artist
team
and
participants of the adult creative programme on the Treasured Tree project.
1:1 Creative Sessions As
part
of
Creative
Placemaking
Rebecca
The goal is to create a large collaborative from
WHALE
has
been
doing
1:1
creative
sculpture and the aim to keep all participants sessions with local residents during lockdown who
usually
attend
the
adults
groups by post, phone and online.
connected, entertained and actively creative.
Content has been developed at request of Every single member who participates in the participants to try something new. This has adult programmes at WHALE has been invited included: to participate from their own homes helping Buying
plants
and
developing
a
mural
to build it in three different stages for which with a new residents gardening group; they receive art packs with craft materials to Drumming by phone; firstly, design the Leaves, then the Blossom Painting with a local artist who has not and finally the Fruits. used oil paints before; Trying
out
abstract
painting
with
The end result is to symbolically plant the Tree someone
who
has
only
ever
tried
at WHALE at the end of Summer, share it on representational painting. social media and invite everyone to view it once the building is re-open. Also open to We are now looking at developing 1:1 sessions give
it
continuity
byÂ
travelling
around
the as part of our post-lockdown programme.
area
making
the
wide
connected by its roots.
community
feel
Small Community Grants
6
We received organisations,
£20,000 projects
from Scottish Government Supporting Communities Fund to distribute to and
community
groups
in
Wester
Hailes
in
May
2020.
This
is
Scottish
Government Funding which is being distributed and administered by National Lottery Community Fund. These are small grants of up to
£2000 to be used by organisations and groups to support the
community of Wester Hailes during the recovery phase of Covid-19.
Funding allocated locally at 15th July: Edible Estates – Building wooden shelters at Canal View Primary School About Youth – A partnership with Bridge 8 Hub to get young people accessing outdoor activities on the canal Calders Residents Association – Purchasing outdoor toys, clothes, bereavement counselling and a thank you event for volunteers Grass Roots Remedies – Grass Roots Remedies Co-op – producing & distributing free herbal remedies locally Dove Centre – Fuel costs for distributing food locally and provision and delivery of activity packs for people locally Wester Hailes Litter Picking Group – Purchasing litter grabbers, bags and other items such as fishing magnets to accommodate more litter picking across the area. Hailesland Gardeners – Purchasing plants, stones, equipment and other such items for a new volunteer-led gardening group Open Heavens Church – Buying and sending out board games to families in the area. Holy Trinity Church – Buying equipment to move worship as well as the CAP debt services online Murrayburn and Hailesland Community Park Association – Purchasing play and art materials for families locally The Health Agency – Development of the Willow Garden as a space for people to visit and enjoy post-lockdown With Kids – Continuation of play therapy for vulnerable children where their therapy was cut short by lockdown Mums Into Business – Start-up and development grants for mums running small businesses locally
Wester Go Beyond Hailes Together / Living Well Wester Hailes Go
Beyond
was
established
as
a
7
crisis
response network for SW Edinburgh initally by Bridie Ashrowan from Space and Broomhouse Hub and Leah Black from WHALE as co-chairs of the SW Voluntary Sector Forum soon joined by Craig Wilson from Big Hearts.
The group has focused areas such as food provision, mental health, young people and the summer holidays.
These meetings have
been supported by Kate Barrett from EVOC, Kate Barlow, Public Heath Practitioner NHS, and Ally Hunter from Be More Human. Kirsty
WHALE Arts worked with partners to set up Frankland from WHALE has been working with Wester
Hailes
Together
which
was
a
crisis Go
Beyond
on
a
plan
for
mental
health
response for Wester Hailes, with Leah Black beyond from
WHALE
chairing
fortnightly
the
crisis
and
developed
a
zoom Community
Resources
Map
(initially
a
food
meetings with with Emma Cormack the new map)
which
has
been
supported
by
Craig
CEO at The Health Agency. Tyrie and Fabien Merville from WHALE.
This network has been very helpful and has Our
Supporting
Communities
(Scottish
led to some of the fantastic ideas that have Government
funds
supported
by
National
come through the small grants fund. Lottery Community Fund) applications were made using a joined up approach across SW Living
Well
Wester
Hailes
is
an
established Edinburgh.
network set up by an innovative GP in Wester Hailes,
Peter
Cairns.
Because
these
are We
are
energised
about
what
we
can
similar groupings of people and ideas Wester achieve together as a locality network, with Hailes Together has been merged into Living plans to explore Community Wealth Building Well Wester Hailes and Emma Cormack and and
a
Leah Black will soon take over as co-chairs of space... Living Well Wester Hailes.
Wellbeing
Economy.
Watch
this
What Next...
8
Programme As we move towards the end of July 2020 we are getting ready to communicate what we
Lessons Learned
think our adult and young people’s creative programme might look like from August 2020
The last few months have been challenging in
onwards.
a number of ways: adapting how we deliver activity and how we continue to co-produce
Very
tentatively
Government considering some garden
and
Phase that
outdoor and
we
in 3
line
guidance
may
groups
with
be
we to
are start
with
local
residents;
losing
months
of
our
earned income, overnight; being a dispersed team
when
our in
reason
and
for
the
WHALE
embedded
across
Wester
community in Wester Hailes.
using
greenspaces
able
Scottish
being
working
is
to
alongside
be our
Hailes from August 2020. We
have
take
learned
forward
lessons
Festival in the autumn, exploring the use of
working that we would never have considered
outdoor projections, using phones, and linked
before. And to leave behind some of the less
in with the Little Free Libraries project.
positive approaches.
We are carrying out detailed risk assessments
So
to allow for a safe transition of some groups
Back/Move
back into the building starting initially with 1:1
volunteers and freelancers. We plan to share
creative sessions.
this learning and we are happy to talk over
we
Forward
are
new
ways
we
want
September
some
and
We are planning a Children’s Film and Book
in
to
however
planning
session
with
this with locals, partners and funders.
a
of
Look staff,
This has been possible thanks to... Staff Team
9
Our (Amazing) Volunteers!
Craig Tyrie
Laura Tyrrell
Danielle McPhilemy
Leah Black
Dawn Borthwick
Michael Bowdidge
Claire Dancer
Susan Gibson
Fabien Merville
Paul Barnwell
Jodie Johnstone
Louize Gibson
Jill Scott
Rebecca Green
John McClarey
Mark Howden
Kate Griffin
Rob Davidson
Jonny Taylor
Dean Wright
Kirsty Frankland
Verity Combe
Lesley Chalmers
CharlieÂ
Donna Heritage
Kevin O'Rourke
Laura Delahunt
Freelance Artists & Leads
Trustees
Debbie Wright
Rene Sommer Lindsay
Andrew McNiven
Grant Williams
Gemma Smith
Marion Preez
Charlotte Binstead
Jade Jackson
Lillian Shipton
Pam Van De Brug
Denise Young
Kenneth Fowler
Liz Waterston
Jill McKirdy
Emily Stevenson
Ross Campbell
Mirja Koponen
Rachael Hunter
Euan MacLean
Susan Gibson
Morvern Odling
Sindy Santos
Eunice Main
Kirstin Cunningham
Denise Allan
And Huge Thanks to All Our Funders
9
For Their Support, Kindness and Flexibility City of Edinburgh Council Robertson Trust The William Grant Foundation SCVO One City Trust Bupa Foundation UK Scottish Government Power Up & JP Morgan Wester Hailes Community Trust Creative Scotland Stafford Trust Erskine Cunningham Hill Edinburgh Airport Community Fund Nancy Massie Trust Children in Need John Watson Trust
New Park Dr Guthrie's Association Lothian Buses Mickel Trefoil Batchworth Trust Mbili Trust Algrade Trust STV Foundation Foundation Scotland & National Emergencies Trust Travers Smith Soil Association Ryvoan Trust Clothworkers RS McDonald National Lottery Community Fund