Guilty Pleasures II

Pickin' ma beak.

From the moment I awake, at various and unspecified times throughout the day, I'm in there investigating for any new development. I hide behind a screen at work a lot, although I am aware that sometimes I'm in full sight of someone and this cannot be pleasant viewing.

This is probably my most unappealing habit but one I take a strange enjoyment in when there's a result.

Getting a hold of a long and wirey hair and removing it with one sharp tug between my thumb and index finger is a particular joy - up there with getting back a sneeze that you almost lost. Both bring a tear to my eye.

GUILTY!


















For my North Edina and Leith comrades - I'm away at the time of this meeting but it sure looks like something positive. Any blippers who can make it - try and go along and report back if there's any solid initiative or if it's lip-service-a-go-go:




I am writing to you to tell you about proposals to establish a "Community Energy" initiative centred round North Edinburgh & Leith. As you may know, for the past year or so, I have been working with representatives from a number of organisations to set up such a project. We have now reached the stage where it would be appropriate to involve the wider community in this initiative. I thought you might be interested in hearing more about the idea, and hopefully become involved.

This initiative aims, as the title suggests, to involve the local community in a project which would encourage and assist the take-up and development of sustainable and renewable energy in the North Edinburgh and Leith area. We are still working up various options how to do this; we are looking at possibilities ranging from larger scale projects potentially involving substantial numbers of properties, to smaller scale work involving just individual households. We may also look at ways of encouraging and assisting individuals and organisations to take other steps to improve the environmental sustainability of their local community.

The common theme to all these ideas, however, is that they will be firmly based in he local community, and to do that it is proposed that a "local community energy company" be set up in this area. It will be established on a cooperative basis. The company will be open to any individuals and organisations with an interest in this initiative, although the focus will initially be on the North Edinburgh and Leith area because of the potential in that area as a result both of new developments, and its renewable energy opportunities.

I am writing to invite you to come along to a meeting where details of the proposals will be presented, and where there will be a report on the progress made to date. We will also hear about other "community energy" initiatives which are operating elsewhere in Scotland and the UK, from which we can learn in this area. You will be able to find out more about, and if you wish join up to, the new local community energy company.

The meeting will be held on Saturday 17th November, from 11 am - 1 pm, at South Leith Parish Church Halls, 6 Henderson Street, Leith (22 bus to door, and lots of other buses to Great Junction Street nearby). The programme for the morning is as follows:

Introduction: why a community energy project, why North Edinburgh and Leith Mark Lazarowicz MP

How community energy projects are already transforming communities in Scotland Alan Hobbett, Senior Manager Social Housing, Dunfermline Building Society and a Director of the Highlands & Islands Community Energy Company

Progress report on possibilities for local community energy project Speaker from Changeworks

Setting up the local community energy company: the mechanics Hugh Donnelly, Business Development Manager, Co-operative Development Scotland.

I do hope you will be able to join us on Saturday 17th November. If you intend to, do please reply to me at this email address as it would be helpful to have an idea of the likely numbers. If you are unable to do so, but would like to be kept informed, let me know and I will make sure you are kept on our mailing list. If you have any queries, do get in touch. Please do feel free to pass on details of this event to anyone else you know who you think might be interested in this initiative.




Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North & Leith
www.marklazarowicz.org.uk