March Newsround |
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‘Africa Here We Come’ as Knox Pupils Win Project Trust Awards.
Two Knox Academy pupils will enjoy a gap year with a difference after impressing a gap year charity, ‘Project Trust’.
James Turvill from Spittalrig and Tom Macgill of East Linton are in the process of raising the £4,500 which they will each require in order to make their African dream a reality. James plans to run activities for disadvantaged children in South Africa while Tom will be working with teenage boys in Botswana. The duo have already run a successful Christmas disco and a Project Trust Africa Coffee Morning and are being fully supported by friends and family.
Both boys will start university next year but are expected to return to Knox Academy prior to that to report on their adventures and hopefully encourage others to consider similar humanitarian activities.
Nominations Sought for John Lochart Trophy
The Royal Burgh of Haddington and District Community Council are seeking nominations for the 2009 John Lochart Award. The award is open to young people between the ages of 4 and 18 who have helped make a positive difference to the lives of others. The award is now in its10th year and was originally set up to in memory of John Lochart, a promising footballer who lost his battle with heroin addiction at the age of 21. |
At the time of its inception, John’s sister, Angela said ‘The aim of the award is to commemorate John’s short life, to say thank you to the community of Haddington, to encourage and reward achievement in young people and to keep the drug menace firmly in the public eye.’ Nominations should be made to Emily Armitage on 01620 880339 before 10th of May. |
New Chapter in Historic Building’s Story
The prominent building on the market Street/Newton Port corner, which housed the ‘East Lothian Courier’ and its predecessor ‘The Haddingtonshire Courier’ for almost one hundred and fifty years has been granted a new lease of life. The building will become the new headquarters for East Lothian Housing Association and subject to planning and funding issues being resolved should be up and running by summer of next year. |
The new office building along with 14 ‘affordable’ flats will be built in association with a local developer, Haddington Regeneration Limited and on completion, will be an important addition to the 1,110 properties currently managed by the organisation. Meantime, the Courier continues to flourish in its new premises at 56 Court Street in the Clydesdale Bank building. |
Supergran Elza makes ‘Life and death’ Difference
Haddington grandmother and popular cleaner at the Haddington and District Day Centre for the Elderly, Elza Sproule, has literally had a lifesaving impact on hundreds of African babies and children. Thanks to her generosity and knitting skills countless parcels of hand knitted baby clothes have been sent to aids ravaged districts of South Africa where otherwise, the new born may find themselves wrapped in old newspapers. |
Elza gives freely of her time to the ‘Baby Bear Project’ which supports new mothers in Southern Africa who cannot afford basic baby items and since her story first appeared in the ‘East Lothian Courier’, she has received hundreds of donations of wool and baby clothes from kind hearted readers. Her work must continue, and anyone wishing to donate wool can do so at the Day Centre in Church Street. Well done Elza! |
Newsround’s Ed in Book Joy.
Bob Mitchell, the editor of this column is delighted to have joined the ranks of published authors on the publication of his debut novel ‘An Early Hairst’ earlier this year. The story tells the fictional account of a 12 year old Edinburgh boy’s experience during his summer holidays in rural Aberdeenshire in 1959. |
Bob hopes that the tale will produce a lot of laughs and just a few tears in its readers whilst evoking some memories amongst those who can recall 50 years ago. It costs £5.99 and is available from Bob (822029), Kesley’s Bookshop, Haddington Day Centre, or at Amazon.co.uk |
Jan’s Festival Message
Jan Wilson, Chairperson of the Royal Burgh of Haddington and District Community Council is delighted to announce that plans for this year’s festival are almost complete and the programme is currently at the printers.
The official opening is on Sunday 24th of May and programmes will soon be available from a variety of local outlets and from the Festival Office in the Corn Exchange from Tuesday 19th of May. In this special Year of Homecoming, some events will be taking place at Lennoxlove House and its grounds for the first time ever. Also included on the programme are a 60’s, 70’s and 80’s evening, dancing to live band KAVRIN, a jazz evening, a Lamp of Lothian concert, a ‘East Lothian’s Got Talent’ competition and much, much more.
Jan is convinced that there is something to meet all tastes and urges the public to come out and support the events which take their fancy. That way, a great festival will be guaranteed!