the hub corstorphine - edition 2

Business Spotlight: Philip Politi is a stalwart of the local business community.

To advertise please call 0131 603 5290www.thehub-community.com

November / December 2012

Corstorphinethe centre of your community

© photography by Mike Pollard

www.thehub-community.com For advertising and features - 0131 603 5290 / [email protected]


Welcome to the this month’s edition of

The Hub: Corstorphine

Hello and here we are again!

It’s hard to believe that two months have passed since we last pushed a copy of The Hub: Corstorphine through your door… it’s certainly gone by in a flash for us.

I seem to remember settling down to write my Welcome note on one of the very few hot days of summer and now look at the weather. The year is getting cold and Christmas will soon be here.

Of course, time does flash by when you’re busy and there’s been an awful lot going on in our world since August so I thought I’d take stock of what’s happened over the past few weeks.

Firstly, our new website is almost ready to go. We’re gathering more and more articles and information. But we still want more. Tell us about your sports team, how your school is doing or about a local event for your club or society. We’ll put the info on our website and may well feature you in the magazine.

One of the key resources we want to build on the website is a ‘living history’ page. By recording conversations with people from around Corstorphine about what it was like to live here over the decades we can help preserve the memories for future generations.

In this edition of The Hub: Corstorphine we say ‘thanks’ to Mike Pollard for his fantastic shot of Corstorphine Kirk. There are articles about the importance of Estate Planning, hints and tips on reducing your carbon footprint and maybe saving a few pounds in the process as well as interviews with Paul Dempsey of Truebuild and Philip Politi – a stalwart of the Corstorphine community.

I know it’s just a little early but do have a Happy Christmas and prosperous New-Year.

See you next time.

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...more people are waking up to the importance of all things local...

Love LocalWhat could be nicer than a thriving town center, buzzing with local shops and cafés doing a roaring trade?

What could be nicer than a thriving town center, buzzing with local shops and cafés doing a roaring trade? It’s a real pleasure to be able to walk into a shop and have a good chat with familiar people, finding local products that can’t be found anywhere else. It’s an essential part of any community.

In my novel Dovetail Diaries (available for free on the website wattpad) the main characters live in a village with a center full of prosperous shops and cafes. It’s the beautiful villages

of Lancashire where I grew up that inspired the fictional village in my book.

I was brought up in a family that always shopped locally – buying meat from the butchers and fresh bread from the

bakery. We even bought most of our clothes from nearby shops. Trips to the village high street were a central and enjoyable part of our life.

Since my youth (which wasn’t that long ago!) I can’t help but notice that our villages, towns and cities have been – over time and to varying degrees – infiltrated by superstores and a certain amount of trade is being given over to internet shopping.

Really, how much would it benefit us to live in

empty town centers? It’s undeniable. Loving local is important. Creating a more direct, natural way of consuming and buying our food, clothes and homeware on our own doorstep not only helps ourselves and our

families – it helps the community.

Fortunately more and more people are waking up to the importance of all things local and Corstorphine itself certainly sets a great example of a thriving high street full of great shops and cafes – each offering something that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

It’s tough but maybe it’s time to pick up our shopping bags, walk out the front door and start shopping!

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Creative Spotlight:With Mike Pollard, Amateur Photographer

In fact Mike, a dedicated amateur photographer, is never without his camera and loves to take spontaneous landscape shots especially when the light is just right.

‘It’s not always possible to plan for those shots,’ says Mike. ‘You just have to be in the right place at the right time… and you have to have your camera with you.’

That’s why Mike swears by his high quality compact camera. ‘I’d look pretty stupid cycling the highways and byways with a telescope hung around my neck! And a small camera produces brilliant results.’

We agree, Mike.

Mike’s shot of Corstorphine Kirk was taken just a few days ago with the early morning sunshine turning the stones of the old building a golden colour. ‘I love that shot… I think I caught the light really well.

Mike Pollard is a long distance cyclist and a keen walker… and being out in the fresh air so much has given him a keen eye for a great photograph.


But there’s a more serious side to these shoots. ‘I’m more than happy to work with budding models to create professional pictures which they can post on websites where, hopefully, they’ll get spotted by an agency.’

Do you have a business or hobby you would like us to spotlight?

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And it’s certainly not a one-off as you can see from the other examples of Mike’s landscape shots we’ve published here.

It’ll not have escaped your notice, either, that there’s a more ‘playful’ side to Mike’s photography. Yes, he enjoys organising photoshoots with a ‘Goth’ theme to them. ‘I’ve even done the occasional Goth wedding,’ says Mike with a smile.

But there’s a more serious side to these shoots. ‘I’m more than happy to work with budding models to create professional pictures which they can post on

websites where, hopefully, they’ll get spotted by an agency.’

We were a bit sceptical.

‘Oh, I’ve had quite some success with this, models I’ve worked with have gone on to do professional modelling work… and we have a lot of fun, too.’

We’d just like to say ‘Thanks Mike’ for your fantastic picture of the Kirk.

If you’d like to contact Mike you can drop him a line at [email protected]


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Renewable Energy, the Green Agenda, Recycling… looking after our planet’s resources has never been more important or higher in peoples’ minds than right now.

But until now there have been a couple of problems getting the majority of people really fired up about saving the Earth.

The first issue is one of image or at least the perception of how difficult it is to be environmentally friendly. And, in a way, it does take a bit of effort to ‘go green’. But there are lots of things that are easy to make part of every-day routine which will mean you are doing your bit for the planet. Things like:

• Switching the tap off when you clean your teeth – fill a mug of water instead: it uses a fraction of the water than a running tap

• Turning down heating in rooms you don’t use and closing the door will save you loads, as will switching off the lights when you leave a room rather than leaving them burning

• Buying your food in bulk might mean fewer trips to the shops but it also makes it more likely that you will buy too much and end up throwing some of it away. Did you know the average UK household spends £420 on food that could have been eaten but is thrown away?

With a little more effort you can help the environment and help yourself to some extra fitness, too… walk to work or bike down to the shops.

The second issue is more straightforward… money.

We’re told it makes financial sense to have a well insulated home. For example, up to 35% of your home’s heat can be lost through the walls. But getting your cavity walls filled can involve quite an outlay of cash up front. Fortunately, the Scottish government recognises the issue and is offering financial help to get the work done, which can then save you up to £250 a year on your energy bill.

We got to know Home Energy UK pretty well over the past few weeks and would recommend their website (www.homeenergyuk.com) as a great starting point to find out more.


Think about a hair and beauty salon in Corstorphine and chances are you have Philip Politi in mind. But Why?The salon has been there for a while (22 years, in fact) and that certainly helps. But dig deeper and it becomes clear why Philip and his partner Freda are so successful. We thought we’d ask them about their views on business and the future.

‘From the outset we’ve always made our clients the focus of everything we do… the biggest compliment any client can offer is to walk through our door.’

This philosophy is reflected in the modern, comfortable

surrounding clients find themselves in. Philip and Freda are constantly thinking about the salon and the client experience and after getting together professionally 10 years ago decided to take the salon from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’.

‘When we began the journey of converting our salon into a top-end hair and beauty experience, we made a decision to work only with the best.’ Philip pauses for a moment to think about his achievements.

‘Our team is often complimented on the warm, friendly environment and clients often comment they feel part of something very special… that means a lot to me.’

The salon is a fantastic place, but surely there’s more to it than that?

Philip Agrees. ‘We have such a dedicated team who take great pride in what they do. We see it as a privilege and a major responsibility to ensure that our team are kept trained, motivated and fulfilled in their career.’

This philosophy has been well repaid by the team, many of whom have been with Philip and Freda for many years. Consistency is important to clients who see a visit to the salon as a well-earned luxury.

That all makes sense but sure you have to be good at

Business Spotlight: Philip Politi


what you do as well?

Philip looks at me and laughs as if it goes without saying!

‘Our team of stylists are brilliant at what they do. And we only use the highest quality hair products.’

That may be why it’s really important to book in advance.

‘And we’re always thinking about what else we can do for our clients. We have set aside a great private area for our gents and offer our ladies a top to toe pampering service under one roof.’

Philip goes on to explain more: ‘Freda followed a life-long passion, decided to train at the LA Academy of Makeup and completed a Diploma in Bridal, Photographic and Fashion Makeup. We now offer our clients a Full Makeup

Service for Weddings, Party nights or Girls Nights In. Freda works from her studio in the salon or goes to see her clients wherever suits them.’

So that’s it, right? There can’t be much more you can do.

Philip shakes his head. ‘There’s loads and we’ve

already started on the next phase.

We’ve been lucky to meet Nicola Baillie who is a fully qualified beauty therapist with over 10 years experience in the spa

industry. Nicola has worked all over the world and many of her treatments have been developed and inspired from her international experience. Nicola has brought a unique experience to Philip Politi Hair and Beauty. She is an official Darphin® salon and Nicola uses their award winning products in many of her treatments.’

22 years of hard work and dedication have really paid off. With high client retention, a fantastic team and brilliant salon, Philip Politi Hair and Beauty looks set to be part of Corstorphine for at least another 2 decades!

Business Spotlight: Philip Politi

www.philippoliti.com 0131 334 0088


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Solicitors you’ll enjoy talking to

If you need a solicitor chances are life is already complicated.

At DMD Law we recognise this and deliver the very best service to our clients as well as top quality legal advice.

Whether you’re buying or selling a property, you need help with divorce or separation, are looking for advice on inheritance tax or want to set up a will or Power of Attorney we’ll make sure you understand what’s happening at every stage of the process… before you have to ask.

Call us for more information about what we can do for you.

It won’t cost you anything and you can make your mind up after we’ve had a chat. We offer flexible appointments, on site car parking or can come to you if you prefer.

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Here’s Jo’s advice.As Winter draws in, we snuggle in winter woollies, light fires and celebrate evenings such as bonfire night. With these warming treats come certain dangers including the risk of burns. Whilst avoidance is always the main priority it’s also good to know what to do in the event of a burn.

Here’s my 1, 2, 3... for treating a burn:

Cool the burn under cold running water for at least ten minutes. This reduces pain, swelling and the risk of scarring. It may seem like a long time but it’s important to keep the affected area under cold water for at least ten minutes.

Loosely cover the burn with cling film, or a clean plastic bag leave loose if it’s a foot or hand. Once someone has suffered a

burn and you have cooled the burn under running water one of the main risks is infection. By covering the burn you will help prevent infection by keeping the area clean.

If necessary, call 999 or get to an A & E. Of course, the best place for anyone who has burned themselves is A & E. The burn may need urgent medical treatment. Always seek medical advice for a baby or child that has been burned as even a small burn can be potentially life-threatening to a baby or child.

There’s always lots of advice passed down from one generation to the next; some of it good, some of it not so good. Here are a few more top tips and myth busters so you can sift the facts from old wives’ tales:

If there is clothing stuck to the burn area you should leave the clothing in place. However, if the clothing is not stuck to the burn, and you can remove it quickly, you should do so.

With babies and children concentrate the cool running water on the area of the burn. DO NOT put them in a bath of cold water as you can risk giving them hypothermia.

Never use fats such as butter or lotions or creams on a burn these keep the heat in and will have to be removed in the hospital before they can treat it!

Remember, if in doubt call 999 immediately. Never ‘guess’ what’s best.

You can find out more about Jo and Twist Training by visiting www.twist-training.com

Jo Worrall of Twist Training

Winter First Aid Tips - Burns

Last edition we asked Jo Worrall of Twist Training for some very simple but important first aid tips. This time round we asked Jo for her essential first aid for burns.


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Winter First Aid Tips - Burns


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No, he does the real thing and off the cold waters of Scotland, too. But Paul is a hardy soul – he has to be: he runs his own ‘all trades’ building business in and around Edinburgh.

Originally from Larne, in Northern Ireland, Paul is softly spoken with a shock of curly blond hair – not the stereotypical image of an ‘all trades’ builder. And he’s thought carefully about the service he provides, too.

‘Listen,’ says Paul, ‘For me it’s all about understanding what the customer wants to achieve. If they can describe it to me I can usually make it work for them.’

He’s not wrong. I talked to one of Paul’s customers about the service he provided. ‘I needed a new storage system in my office because we were chronically short of space.

‘I’d seen the particular system I wanted just once

and I told Paul about it in the vaguest of terms. He researched the best approach, found all the materials that were needed and built exactly what I was looking for.’

Okay, that’s all great, but what about the quality of the work itself?

‘Well, put it this way,’ said my contact, ‘Paul’s team was on the doorstep waiting for me when I got to my office, he finished on time and vacuumed after he was done. I didn’t have to tidy up!’

When I told him that I’d spoken to one of his customers and what they said Paul looked a little embarrassed. ‘Well, you know, that’s what we try to do every single time. Sometimes they need my input to what they’re trying

to achieve but we always get there in the end.’

Truebuild Trade Services really is an ‘all trades’ service. Paul and his team can build an entire house or decorate a single room. It’s a well-used phrase, but no job really is too small.

‘After all,’ says Paul, ‘Provide an outstanding service and who knows what might come from it… most of our business comes from recommendations.’

We’re not surprised given the feedback we got from one of his customers.

For more information call Paul on: 07713 115 213

www.truebuildltd.com

Business Spotlight:With Paul Dempsey of Truebuild.

“Paul and his team can build an entire house or decorate a single room. It’s a well-used phrase, but no job really is too small.”

The closest I get to surfing is on the net… but not so with Paul Dempsey of Truebuild Trade services.


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Business Spotlight

Why is having a Will so important?

This is the genuine story of Bob and Jessie and it’s by no means unique!

My grandparents never expected to own a house.

They were from a generation where home ownership was always for someone else and certainly beyond their reach.

Coming from a working class background they worked all their life to pay

their rent, cover their bills and save enough for the occasional holiday.

When they retired they were renting a top floor council flat but the stairs proved too much so applied for a swap to a ground floor flat nearer to my parents.

This was during the 1980’s when the ‘Right to Buy’ your council house was popular. Encouraged by the discount available and a flat which would now suit them for the rest of their lives, my grandparents applied and were accepted.

Their choice to buy was actively encouraged by the government and by their own personal drive to own the one thing they never expected to have - a house, which in turn would eventually leave a legacy to my Dad.

As with most home owners, they spent time improving and upgrading the property, adding to an increase in value.

Unfortunately within a couple of years of buying the flat, Grandad passed away and because he had never arranged a Will, my Granny ended up being the sole owner. What we didn’t expect was 15 years later when Granny was diagnosed with Dementia she would have to go into a nursing home.

With Neil Johnston of est8 planning


Business Spotlight

This was a really difficult time but what made everything more poignant was the fact my dad was forced to sell the flat they had worked so hard to buy to pay for care costs.

If only Grandad had a Will, it would have been very different.

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We are well aware that Estate Planning & Will Writing can be confusing and not something any of us want to think about. We will explain everything as simply as possible so you can make the decision that suits you.

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Which means today we can provide a broad range of advice on how to protect the family home from being sold to pay for Long Term Care.

It was this personal family experience which is core to our passion and principles in delivering the right solutions to our clients.

And create the correct legal documents to ensure the right things happen, for the right people and at the right time.

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Corstorphinethe centre of your community

We want to hear from you if:

• You are a local club or society and want to promote your organisation

• You want to tell us about a Local Hero and their work

• You would like us to spotlight a local business

• You want to advertise your business in The Hub or on our website

Contact us now...

0131 603 [email protected]

www.thehub-community.com

www.truebuildltd.comwww.truebuildltd.com

Your free quote is just a phone call away 07713 115 213Let’s discuss your ideas! 07713 115 213call now

[email protected]

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At True Build we aim to deliver the highest possible quality in all that we do and we have a genuine belief that we can make every project a success.We are a full-service company with a wide range of experience covering domestic and commercial contracts throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians. At True Build we pride ourselves in a high quality finish. Our goal is to not only help you build your dream home, but to make the process easy, affordable and enjoyable for you. We are a full-service company with a wide range of experience. From loft conversions and extensions to new bathroom and kitchen installations. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals.

Get it done!

the hub corstorphine - edition 2

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corstorphine community

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