June Update
Since our February Members’ Meeting, much of life has been overtaken by the coronavirus. We admire the efforts of our National Health Service and countless volunteers to respond to the challenges the virus has posed. We are grateful to our fellow community members for taking the necessary but difficult steps to mitigate the virus’s spread. We owe much to all those workers—too often overlooked, underappreciated, and underpaid but now understood to be essential—who continue to ensure we have access to healthy food, clean water, and safe transport. We sympathize deeply with all who have struggled during these difficult times, especially those who have lost family members or friends and those for whom shielding has meant extended periods of loneliness.
If anything, the effects of this virus underscore the urgency of our mission—to build a resilient community for all in which we cultivate deeper connections with nature and each other, and the importance of green space for our health and wellbeing.
As with everything else, the virus has posed challenges to AACT‘s activities. However, our efforts have continued, and we would like to bring you up to date on the state of our campaign for community control of the Astley Ainslie site.
In this update:
Annual General Meeting
New Development Manager
Hiring Consultants for Feasibility Study and Business Plan
Funding Applications and Major Donations
Appeal for Donations
‘Leaves’ Journal
The Film, Astley Ainslie Voices
Trees Group
Website
Thank you all so much for your continuing support even in these challenging times. There is much work ahead of us, but we are making strides towards retaining the Astley Ainslie site for the community. We will be in touch in the coming days and weeks with further updates on funding our feasibility study as well as plans for our AGM.
(1) Annual General Meeting
We had planned to hold our our first annual general meeting for this coming August. Unfortunately, the virus has necessarily changed the nature and feasibility of large gatherings. We will be in touch soon to ask you how you might be able to participate in our AGM, whether online or in person.
(2) New Development Manager
Given the scope of our vision, and to ease the burden on our dedicated volunteers on the executive and supporting committees, we have hired Nathan Bower-Bir as a part-time development officer. Nathan has a wealth of experience working with community-led groups—including volunteering at AACT, serving on the board of the Marchmont & Sciennes Development Trust, and co-founding the Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative within our community area in Bruntsfield and the national Student Co-op Homes. He is working from the USA while he awaits a new UK visa, and he will return to Edinburgh as soon as possible.
(3) Hiring Consultants for Feasibility Study and Business Plan
In February, AACT invited consultants to tender to develop a feasibility study and viable business plan for community ownership, development, and maintenance of the Astley Ainslie. Nick Wright (who helped us in 2019 with the community consultation) facilitated a robust tender process with an evaluation panel that consisted of members from AACT Exec Committee, the wider AACT membership and the Grange Association/AACEG. In March, our panel evaluated the 12 submissions, selecting a team led by Oliver Chapman Architects as our preferred consultants from a shortlist of four. We look forward to appointing our consultants as soon as we have secured sufficient funding.
(4) Funding Applications and Major Donations
To help cover the consultants’ fees for the feasibility study and business plan, we have applied for funding from multiple sources.
In view of the historical significance of the site, we applied to the Architectural Heritage Fund, and we are delighted to report that AHF have awarded AACT up to £7,500 towards the study.
We have also applied to the Scottish Land Fund (SLF). After our initial application to SLF in March for £30,000 was unfortunately declined, and several rounds of feedback with SLF, we submitted a revised application for £25,000 in May. We look forward to updating you on the outcome of that submission soon.
We are pleased to share that a UK charitable trust (which wishes to remain anonymous for the time being), has donated £10,000 towards our vision. We are also grateful for the generous contributions from individual supporters, which amount to more than £3,100 to date.
(5) Appeal for Donations
To fully cover the study costs as well as general operating expenses, we continue to rely on private donations. If you are able, please consider supporting our mission with a financial contribution.
Ways to contribute:
Bank transfer: If you would like to donate by bank transfer, please send us an email, and we will reply with our details. (This donation method incurs no processing fees, and is preferred especially for larger donations.)
PayPal: You can quickly, easily, and securely donate via PayPal by clicking here.
Support us while you shop! Sign up for easyfundraising to donate a small amount from your purchases to the AACT at no extra cost. Click here to find out how.
(6) Leaves Journal
AACT has collaborated with Studies in Photography to publish a new journal called Leaves, which promotes the Astley Ainslie legacy while addressing themes in nature, health, wellbeing, and creativity. The first issue contains contributions from 26 writers and photographers, whose foci span local issues through to international concerns. The journal is now ready for the press and we are currently looking for sponsorship for the production costs.
(7) The Film, Astley Ainslie Voices
As we announced in the February Members’ Meeting, Trina McKendrick and Kev Theaker of Written in Film have documented experiences of the AAH, the first two of which are available online here and here.
The filmmakers have now received permission from the NHS to proceed with further interviews once public access to the site is restored. They have donated their remarkable work to the Astley Ainslie cause.
(8) Trees Group
The February Members’ Meeting established a tree and wildlife group, which now has at least 15 volunteers, and is further supported by advisers from the Grange Association and the Friends of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links. We are planning to develop a web map of the trees on the AA site once public access is restored to the site, and we hope more people will join us then.
(Image: Plantation at Astley Ainslie, by Max Blinkhorn)
(9) Website
We are proceeding to update and improve our website. Check back frequently for new and restored content.