September Members Update

Homebakers Wanted

We are looking for homebakers for our Friday Café at Bellfield which runs from 10-12:30. The Café is growing in popularity and helping those most affected by the pandemic to get out and about and socialise. So far volunteers have been bringing home bakes in on a Friday morning. We now need some local bakers to help support us. You can either bake at home and bring into the cafe on a Friday, (equally we'd be happy to collect) or bake from our kitchen on a Thursday/ early Friday morning. Equipment and ingredients can be provided/ reimbursed. We will support you to grow and develop your baking skills and complete REHIS food health and hygiene certificate.

This is what our existing volunteers say about the Friday Café
Read more about our volunteering opportunities

Warm spaces

Heart Talk Porty event at Bellfield Mon 10th Oct 2022 7-9pm (young people are very welcome to join in)

Bellfield Volunteer Weed-a-thon Sat 29th Oct 2022

The front garden space at Bellfield is needing another good weed. We're hoping for a wee crowd to come and help us get this space back under control- in return for some tea/coffee/cake and chat.
If you fancy joining us, ideally please let us know by emailing ella@actionporty.com- it will help us get the catering and tool requirements right but ultimately, just turn up on the day and we'll be very grateful (time TBC)!

Ceilidh at Bellfield Sat 5th Nov 2022 2-10pm

Everyone is welcome at this family friendly Fair about reducing energy consumption, particularly heating in private and public buildings in Portobello. It is a collaboration between Porty Community Energy and Portobello Central, in the interest of saving carbon and reducing fuel poverty. Then, in the evening there will be some body heat generated with a Ceilidh and some good simple food, a fantastic live band, a bar and a raffle.

You can buy your tickets here

Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) Action Porty Response

Portobello Community Council held an open meeting on Monday 26 September to discuss traffic and the proposed CPZ in Portobello. Many residents, and local councillors attended, as did Cllr Scott Arthur (convener of Edinburgh Council’s Transport Committee).

The Board of Action Porty supports the CPZ in principle, and would like your views on the following points, which we can feed into forthcoming consultations on traffic, parking and accessibility in a way that aligns with our purpose of enabling and helping build community resilience and well-being.

  • We recognise that Bellfield is a busy venue, where a lot of users travel by car, and that there is very limited on-street parking.

  • Our terms & conditions ask users to travel by foot / bike / public transport where possible, and not to double park (and are reminded of this regularly), however we have no jurisdiction to manage / restrict traffic volume and malpractice on our own.

  • We support the CPZ in principle, however it needs enforcement, alongside double parking and engine idling enforcement.

  • There is a need for more disabled parking on Bellfield and surrounding streets.

  • We support improved pedestrian and cycle infrastructure and free public transport for residents and visitors.

  • Resident parking should be prioritised over visitor parking, including by:

    • Ensuring there are sufficient specific parking bays for those with mobility issues and those supporting those with mobility issues.

    • Extending the CPZ to the east end of the Promenade, and making it 24/7.

    • Introducing and expanding car share, car club and bike rental schemes.

  • Rethinking street layouts and the layout of the Promenade to maximise the well-being of those who live here, (including increasing the number of dropped kerbs and improving accessibility), and reducing the through flow of traffic.

This is a working draft, and not a final statement, therefore if you have any points that you’d like to make in relation to the above please email us at friendsofbellfield@gmail.com

Equally, please take the time to individually respond to consultations with your own views.

Planning application for e-cargo bike shed and bike parking hoops

We have been working in partnership with Cycling Scotland and Porty Community Energy to build a shed to store e-cargo bikes and other equipment, and to install bike hoops to the front and rear of the building. Unfortunately our recent planning application was refused due to Bellfield being a listed building.

After many months of work, and a considerable number of volunteer hours, as well as engagement with the city archaeologist and cemeteries team, we are very disappointed with this decision. We therefore intend to re-submit the application, and are seeking community support to ensure that it is considered by the Council’s planning committee, rather than a planning officer.

Please keep an eye out for further communication in relation to this, and take the time to support our application.

About the Team

Hear from some of our amazing staff & volunteers and find out why they want to be part of Bellfield. This time, we ask John Muir, our new treasurer to tell us a bit about himself:

1. Tell us about yourself
I'm originally from Perthshire and have lived in Portobello for the last ten years with my wife and two children. I'm a data analyst by trade, and by passion, and I currently lead a team in a well-known UK bank which specialises in fixing inaccurate or poor-quality data across the whole organisation. When I'm not obsessing over data, I'm obsessing over my football team and attending Scotland matches at home, and occasionally abroad. Time with family is most often spent walking our dog, Selkie, or exploring lochs, forests, islands and music festivals in our campervan.

2. What attracted you to work with Bellfield?
I was inspired to volunteer with Action Porty by the hard work of others and the realisation that I have the ability to add some value to the community myself.

3. What are you most looking forward to about working with Bellfield?
I'm most looking forward to applying my skills and experience to something completely different to banking and understanding how an organisation like Action Porty works differently, where its goals are set differently, and how it feels to help it be successful.

4. If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I think my superpower would have to be flight. I'm actually scared of heights, but I'm assuming that I would lose that fear if I was able to fly.

Gifts By Donation

Your generosity keeps us going. As a charity, we rely on your donations (one off or regular) to enable us to support Bellfield and make a difference to the community of Portobello. Don't forget that, in addition to gifts by donation, you can find out more about ways to donate here.

Lastly, you can also support us each time you shop on Amazon, then please use AmazonSmile and Amazon will donate to Actio Porty, at no cost to you.

Till the next update,

Yours Aye

The Action Porty Board for Bellfield

Website Bellfield