Portobello Beach: disabled access project

Izzie · Post by **Izzie** » 29 Aug 2006, 14:34

rapunzell

I have just seen your report and have to say well done

I can only speak for some off the kids in chairs, in saying thank you for bringing a dream a bit closer

If there is anything I can do please just ask

Well done

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 29 Aug 2006, 17:50

Marya wrote:
Last night's CC Meeting lasted longer than anticipated, leaving a frustratingly short length of time ( despite it being placed high on the Agenda) to fully present your findings Rapunzell. However, I made sure that the topic was raised, albeit in an abridged version of your presentation and am pleased to say that Robert Gatliffe, Chair of the Community Council, expressed positive support for the campaign and requested that I email everyone on the Community Council the full text of your report. For those without computer access, I provided some paper copies.

It was also agreed that I should present further details to the next meeting of the Community Council on Sept. 25th . This may be of special interest to others, such as Izzie, who may wish to attend and help call for the fullest support possible from our local Councils.

Thanks for doing that Marya! I wish I could have been there, and really appreciate your help. I am so glad that we've headed into official territory now, and I hope we can really bowl them over with new things on the 25th.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 29 Aug 2006, 17:56

Izzie wrote:rapunzell

I have just seen your report and have to say well done

I can only speak for some off the kids in chairs, in saying thank you for bringing a dream a bit closer

If there is anything I can do please just ask

Well done

Thanks for your support Izzie; it has only been possible to get to this stage because people have been so keen to support the idea. I know it is all still only on paper, but every time I look at that beach I can almost imagine whizzing across the sand!

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 29 Aug 2006, 18:17

Well, we're official! Porty Council knows about us!

There has been a slight setback on the publicity front as the Portobello Reporter is now full so I'm too late to submit the article for September coverage.

Of course, the project doesn't actually have a name yet. 'Porty beach access project' sounds a bit FBI, and the pc 'enabled beach access project' sounds like a cryptic crossword clue.

In other news, the proposed beach on Islay turned out to be an unfeasable choice of site for an all-ability access path, but the good news is that up near Aberdeen the latest section of the all-ability North Sea Trail will be opened this weekend and will enable access across the sand dunes near Balmedie using a boardwalk of heavy reconstituted plastic that I'm just off to ask them more about now

Izzie · Post by **Izzie** » 29 Aug 2006, 18:22

Is it to early to ask about funding

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 29 Aug 2006, 19:09

Izzie wrote:Is it to early to ask about funding

Never too early to ask about funding! There might be a deadline each year for putting in requests for community council money, I don't know how they divide up their resources. I'm hoping we will be lucky this year.

I'm sure the City of Edinburgh Council will offer their own suggestions when they eventually reply to my emails, but Scottish Natural Heritage have already offered to consider part funding, and would like us to send them a proposal of possible costs and timescale to see if there is a way they can help. I should quickly add that while the CEC haven't spoken up yet, the East Lothian Coastal Rangers, who I believe are part of the CEC, have been extremely helpful and offered a lot of practical help including site surveying.

The NAVE Nortrail project is a network of coastal footpaths that covers seven countries around the North Sea and their intention is that the Scottish leg of the journey will run from the Borders right up the East coast to Orkney and Shetland. They are part funding the all-ability Balmedie beach access part of the Aberdeenshire North Sea trail (most of which is definately not all-ability) so it might just be possible to ask them about the East Lothian stretch of the journey, and if there would be anything on offer to a community who wanted to achieve something similar to Balmedie, although up there, the main aim was to give access to the beach across the dunes, and they haven't (yet) aimed for the path to reach the water.

Izzie · Post by **Izzie** » 29 Aug 2006, 19:20

There is pockets off money in lots off places.

How about

LDC,Lottery,Radio Forth,Children in Need,Capabillty Scotland.

Anyone else can chip in here

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 29 Aug 2006, 21:23

Izzie wrote:There is pockets off money in lots off places.

How about

LDC,Lottery,Radio Forth,Children in Need,Capabillty Scotland.

Anyone else can chip in here

I think we have lots of potential

Radio Forth etc will be useful for publicity when we have something (like a website for example) to point people towards; Capability Scotland aren't involved in projects like this surprisingly, but did give lots of helpful links to organisations who might be interested; Children in Need probably need more funds themselves but the children's access angle may be a useful one to pursue, especially if headed by a group of local kids; and the lottery is definately worth applying for.

East Lothian District Council give Funding and Social Economic Support in the form of the 'Signpost to Funding' newsletter containing possible funding from the UK and Europe.

I'm looking forward to hearing from the City of Edinburgh Council about how they are offering to help..

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 29 Aug 2006, 21:48

Morag, I think Marya has already suggested a dedicated forum for the project and that would only take minutes to set up. A website is a bit more complicated but as you know it's easy enough for anyone to post news, updates, links, photos etc on the forum. And we can add audio and video as well if required. If you think this might be of use to you just let us know.

seanie · Post by **seanie** » 29 Aug 2006, 23:53

rapunzell wrote:I should quickly add that while the CEC haven't spoken up yet, the East Lothian Coastal Rangers, who I believe are part of the CEC, have been extremely helpful and offered a lot of practical help including site surveying.

I've not heard of the East Lothian Coastal Rangers but the East Lothian bit suggests they're not part of CEC. ELC do have a Countryside Ranger service and given the extensive coastline they may have some experience of this type of thing. I might know some people I could approach for advice. I'll see what I can find out.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 30 Aug 2006, 09:04

Bob Jefferson wrote:Morag, I think Marya has already suggested a dedicated forum for the project and that would only take minutes to set up. A website is a bit more complicated but as you know it's easy enough for anyone to post news, updates, links, photos etc on the forum. And we can add audio and video as well if required. If you think this might be of use to you just let us know.

About to pm you both about that!

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 30 Aug 2006, 09:17

seanie wrote:
rapunzell wrote:I should quickly add that while the CEC haven't spoken up yet, the East Lothian Coastal Rangers, who I believe are part of the CEC, have been extremely helpful and offered a lot of practical help including site surveying.
I've not heard of the East Lothian Coastal Rangers but the East Lothian bit suggests they're not part of CEC. ELC do have a Countryside Ranger service and given the extensive coastline they may have some experience of this type of thing. I might know some people I could approach for advice. I'll see what I can find out.

I'm getting my authorities confused, never mind the departments.. They call themselves different things to what they call each other too, which doesn't help. I'll edit that typo.

The East Lothian Council countryside ranger has been very helpful already and sent some photos of the boardwalk construction work on Yellowcraigs beach in case it helped with visualising things on Porty sand. The CEC ranger hasn't replied yet.

Denise · Post by **Denise** » 30 Aug 2006, 10:40

how about these folks...

http://www.pathsforall.org.uk/index.shtml

they seem to be a sort of coordinating body with links to a lot of the others you mentioned. Maybe they could help with communications and organising things. They could maybe even advise on funding available?
D

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 30 Aug 2006, 21:21

I think the Paths for all Partnership are going to be very handy. Phil Clarke, their technical officer has offered to come down to Porty and do a site survey and give advice from that, if we want. They seem very keen to encourage coastal projects.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 30 Aug 2006, 23:42

Aberdeenshire Council have replied with a contact for the environmental manager who is overseeing the Balmedie beach access project - that was quick!

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 31 Aug 2006, 19:04

I think you need a short and snappy name for your project. How about ABC - Access Beach Campaign?

I suppose you could extend it to ABCD - access beach campaign for disabled?

SAND - Seaside Access Now (for) Disabled?

Anyone else?

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 31 Aug 2006, 20:00

How about SWIM

Seaside With Improved Mobility???

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 31 Aug 2006, 20:18

Excellent, keep 'em coming

You think we might get away with calling it Big Wheels on the Beach or Porty Open Water?

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 31 Aug 2006, 20:24

Or ... F.L.O.U.N.D.E.R.

We can work out later what that could mean ....

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 01 Sep 2006, 15:33

Cleopas wrote:Or ... F.L.O.U.N.D.E.R.

We can work out later what that could mean ....

I thought that might happen..

Acronyms aside, we also have variations on:

Sand Paths Sand Wheels

Water Wheelies Beach Wheels

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 01 Sep 2006, 20:33

beach and everyone

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 01 Sep 2006, 21:12

howzabout ...

Access to Beach By All

or

A.B.B.A. for short!!!

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 02 Sep 2006, 19:15

Oh, we're spoilt for choice now..

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 03 Sep 2006, 13:36

Hey ... you started it! Reap the wind, baby ... reap the wind!!!

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 03 Sep 2006, 20:02

Cleopas wrote:Hey ... you started it! Reap the wind, baby ... reap the wind!!!

Still need more suggestions! My favourite so far is Everybody's Beach but I am hoping to be grabbed by something better

Marguerite-the-Poet · Post by **Marguerite-the-Poet** » 03 Sep 2006, 22:41

Rapunzell, here is my response to your request for a suggestion ~

POETS Beach

(People of Extraordinary Talent survive aka PoETs)

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 04 Sep 2006, 17:02

How about LIFE'S A BEACH???

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 04 Sep 2006, 19:15

I've just been sent something that may be of interest. It comes via the Fieldfare Trust and is a publication from the National Center on Accessiblity in the US.

Providing Access to Beaches

Cleopas · Post by **Cleopas** » 05 Sep 2006, 09:16

Can't we just give them sandbuggies and watch them turn into Seaside vandals, kicking over sandcastles, doing wheelies in the shallows and upsetting the sunbathers by throwing sunblock over them?

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 05 Sep 2006, 17:23

Tsk, look what happens when I'm not paying attention

I'm mainly waiting for replies from a few folk before I can finish writing a kind of press release, but I think we should just go ahead and start the POL page if we don't have a good name soon. We can make that a feature: "read POL, join in and help choose a name for the mission"

Phil from the 'Paths for All Partnership' has reiterated a brave offer to come along and have a technically minded design look at the beach when we get to the next stage, so we have something to aim for

Denise · Post by **Denise** » 06 Sep 2006, 08:19

things are really moving along. Glad the paths for all folks are getting involved, it takes a lot of energy and time to deal with different public bodies. Let me know if you want some help when the Phil person comes to do surveys. I'd be really interested to hear what they say too.

suggestions for forum name? "Portobello Waterline?"
D

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 07 Sep 2006, 17:41

Denise wrote:things are really moving along. Glad the paths for all folks are getting involved, it takes a lot of energy and time to deal with different public bodies. Let me know if you want some help when the Phil person comes to do surveys. I'd be really interested to hear what they say too.

suggestions for forum name? "Portobello Waterline?"

D

Portobello Waterline sounds good

Thanks, it will be great to have that kind of help. I think we're down to a very slow emaily stage of the organisation/ interest gathering this week, but soon we'll be able to expose ourselves in public and hopefully gather a lot of interest and direction

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 07 Sep 2006, 17:56

rapunzell wrote: but soon we'll be able to expose ourselves in public ....

I believe Novastar is there already.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 07 Sep 2006, 22:01

Porty wrote:
rapunzell wrote: but soon we'll be able to expose ourselves in public ....
I believe Novastar is there already.

Well, it is a lovely warm night..

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 08 Sep 2006, 17:51

Just received a very helpful reply from Dr Freedman, head of design at the specialist civil engineering unit of the Forestry Commission. He enclosed a photo of a non-slip surface that they used to construct a treetop pathway, which has completely distracted me from the sand for the moment. Does Porty have a forest?..

Anyway, they are a commercial business but are willing to give some free engineering advice to charities. We could be in luck! Or are we commerical too? What are we? (apart from optimistic..)

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Portobello Beach: disabled access project

paths for all...

wow!...

Re: wow!...

Re: wow!...

Re: wow!...