^^^ Above: Left to right (with Margo Macdonald, Leith Provost for the
day in robes, centre) Mark Lazarowicz and Malcolm Chisholm, (MP and MSP for Edinburgh
Leith & North,) Cllr Gordon Munro, (MC, Chair of Leith Ferstival, and Leith
Ward Councillor,) and Cllrs Marjorie Thomans and Rob Munn (also Councillors for
Leith Ward).
More pictures of Leith Gala Day 2009 on Leith & North >>>
Margo Macdonald, MSP for the Lothians and Leith Provost for the day, opened the entertainments on Leith Links after the open skies started to let up a little; she joked that for once the sun wasn't shining on Leith. Margo gave out several awards, chief of which was the first presentation of the Elizabeth Laidlaw Memorial Award to Mary Moriarty of Leith Festival and Port o' Leith bar.
The award takes the form of a crocus to mark a guerilla gardening campaign by Cllr Elizabeth Laidlaw and friends. They planted crocuses on Leith Links, as the Council had refused to do so. These crocuses were then mowed down by the Council's Parks Department, when tending the grass. As a result of Elizabeth's complaints, the Council went on to plant more crocuses by way of redress. Thus, Leith Links benefited from double the number of flowers.
Mark Lazarowicz, and Malcolm Chisholm, local MP and MSP, also gave out dozens of prizes to children from schools throughout Leith, for their efforts in the poster competition.
Left <<<: Margo Macdonald (Provost of Leith for the
day) presents Mary Moriarty with the Elizabeth Laidlaw Memorial award.Right
>>>: Malcolm Chisholm and Mark Lazararowicz present prizes for
the primary schools poster competition.
Leith Links was covered with stalls, activities and campaigners of all stripes. Local groups and individuals sold food, and bric a brac, and plants and all manner of hand made crafts.
They were joined by people campaigning on a wide variety of issues, both local and international.On these pages you will find pictures of and links to Leith Central Community Council, Campaigns for the opening of a Leith Museum and the reopening of Leith Theatre, Leith Churches spreading the word ,and of course, Leith's own community radio service, Leith FM. But also out to spread their message were Amnesty International, the Scottish Campaign for Solidarity with Palestine, and the International Voluntary Service. Leith & North profers apologies to anyone we missed.
Left <<<: Rob Munn at the Leith
Central Community consultation stall.Right >>>:Community activist Joan Robertson voting in the consultation.
Leith Central Community Council invited residents to vote on their local priorities for the Leith area. Well over 1500 people took part, commenting on issues such as facilities for young people, housing, a clean green Leith, the trams, the Seafield stench, crime, and alcohol. The most numerous calls were for affordable rented housing, more beat officers, scrapping future tram plans, ending the Seafield stench and cracking down on dog fouling and littering.
Visit the Leith Community Council web site to learn more.
Left <<<: Philip Neave shows his commitment to the
reopening of Leith Theatre.Right >>>:Leith Central Community Council Chair, Stewart Blaik lingers at the World Kitchen. Read more about the campaign for a Leith Theatre on Leith & North >>>
Leith Theatre Trust web site >>>
Read more about the World Kitchen project on the Leith Open Space web site >>>
Left <<<: Tom and Vanesa of Scottish
Palestine Solidarity Campaign highlighting the activities of Veolia Water.Right >>>: Leith FM's Gary Tait helping a lost dog look for its owner.
More pictures of Leith Gala Day 2009 on Leith & North >>>
Leith churches web site >>>
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign web site >>>
Leith FM web site >>>
Below: Pam McNamee on the Leith FM stall
