BANZAI

Bruntsfield Area Net Zero Action Initiative

Category: Event

  • People’s Assembly 1: Our Neighbourhood in 2040

    People’s Assembly 1: Our Neighbourhood in 2040

    On a dreich day we assembled at the Bruntsfield Pianodrome, first to enjoy the mesmerizing voices from the Northern Light Singers, then to embark next door at the St Oswald’s community centre for our first People’s Assembly. Around 40 members of the public flocked in to make their voices heard around what makes our neighbourhood – Bruntsfield, Tollcross, Merchiston, Marchmont and Sciennes – great. What could be done to make it even better? 

    The event was structured and facilitated by Kate Nevens and broadly tackled three key questions: 

    1. What we like about the place we live and work,  
    2. What we’d like to see for our neighbourhood in the future
    3. Ideas for improvements to achieve that vision

    Councillor Joan Griffiths joined our People’s Assembly and stressed that the residents know their area best, which is why it is crucial that their views feed into the Edinburgh City Plan 2040. What is life like in your area? Who lives here? What are ideas for improvement and planning? One aspect she stressed is to try and engage with children and youth groups. They are the ones who will be around in 2040 and live through the changes we create! 

    We will congregate again at the end of February for the second of our People’s Assemblies where we particularly encourage under-represented groups to attend. To book a place, click here.

    Join us to bring it all together at the end of March to consolidate and develop our local place plan feeding into the Edinburgh City Plan 2040. Book here to save your space!

  • Launching our cargo bike library

    Launching our cargo bike library

    Our launch event

    Whether you are a cargo bike pro or have never tried one, come and join us at our launch event at Bruntsfield Links (just opposite the top of Leamington Terrace), 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm, Saturday October 26th. Hop on a cargo bike, enjoy a cake and hot drink, bring the kids and let them enjoy the Halloween-themed activities. 

    Since it’s the last Saturday of the month, Critical Mass will be organising a ride from Middle Meadow Walk and we hope that they will join us in the course of the afternoon — this could be a great opportunity to find out more about their initiative.

    Here’s a map of where we will be:

    Map showing the location of the event
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/vTHXrW3x5o4ixP3b7?g_st=iw
    https://w3w.co/large.mobile.supper

    Using the library

    We still have a few loose ends to tie up before we make cargo bikes available for loan — we are aiming to go live on Monday 4th November. In the meantime, you can check out the Bike Library page where you will be able to register to be a member of the bike library and make a reservation.

    Thanks…

    We are grateful to Cargo Bike Movement for their sustained help and encouragement and to the Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN) GreenLight Fund and CEC Community Grants Fund for financial support.

  • Across Europe, nature is making a dramatic recovery – could Scotland be next?

    Across Europe, nature is making a dramatic recovery – could Scotland be next?

    Poster of Why not Scotland film

    On Thursday 9th May, 6:30 pm, BANZAI will be showing a new documentary: Why Not Scotland?  The screening will be held at Bruntsfield Evangelical Church, 70 Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh, EH10 4JU.

    Event Details

    6.30 pm: Doors open
    7.00 pm: Film (60 mins)
    8.00 pm: Discussion and close

    The event is free but ticketed. Please register on Eventbrite.

    There will be refreshments, by donation. If possible, please bring cash.

    Why Not Scotland?

    Why Not Scotland?  is a brand new feature-length documentary from SCOTLAND: The Big Picture. As we stand at a vital crossroads in the future of our land and seas, the film explores the Scottish landscape through the eyes of Flo, a young Scot from Glasgow. Seeing the depleted state of nature across her own country, Flo feels dispirited and, like many of her generation, increasingly fearful about an uncertain future. However, on a journey around Europe, Flo encounters a different story, finding places where nature is making a dramatic comeback and revitalising human communities. Encouraged by these stories of hope and renewal, she is prompted to wonder: if this is possible elsewhere, then why not Scotland? We really hope to see you for this informative and inspiring event.

    Rewilding Scotland

    Why Not Scotland? is the central pillar of the Rewilding Nation campaign, led by the Scottish Rewilding Alliance. The campaign calls on Scotland to declare itself the world’s first Rewilding Nation, committing to nature recovery across 30% of land and seas — for nature, climate and people. If you want Scotland to become the world’s first Rewilding Nation, please support the campaign by signing the charter.

    Find out more about Rewilding Scotland:

  • Cargo Bike Community Event: the Video!

    Cargo Bike Community Event: the Video!

    We already published a brief post on our cargo bike event from 23rd September 2023. Here’s an update for you: more photos, video footage and an explainer by the Cargo Bike Movement.

  • Forwards with Cargo Bikes!

    Forwards with Cargo Bikes!

    To cargo or not to cargo? Our cargo bike event, organised by BANZAI and the Cargo Bike Movement, turned out to be brilliant. On the afternoon of Saturday September 23rd, over 80 adults and children made their way to Bruntsfield’s Montpelier to try out a cargo bike.

    Many members of the local community visited stalls outside Boroughmuir Primary School
    Young woman setting off on cargo bike with child in the cargo seat
    The Urban Arrow Family cargo bike that was lent for the event by Cargo Bike Movement.

    Most people had never sat on a cargo bike before. There was apprehension at first. How to steer such a monstrous beast? It turned out to not be too difficult despite having to make U-turns on a narrow street. The pedal-assist electric motor gives you the power to comfortably master any hill, even with a heavy load. The end result was smiles all around and the kids loved being cargoed. 

    People would love to borrow a cargo bike if it were freely available. Guess what, they are! The Cargo Bike Movement will generously lend you one for free. Why don’t most people take up the offer? The sticking point is where to store these big machines. 

    So, to all City of Edinburgh Councillors and local politicians: please sort out cargo bike storage, as they are a fantastic way to move around the city, and families love them! Plus, it will help Edinburgh meet its ambitious net zero targets in the process.

    Complete with rain cover for the occasional dreich day
    Just pedal and the smoothie blade rotates — the very popular smoothie bike provided by Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative.
  • BANZAI Cargo Bike Community Event

    BANZAI Cargo Bike Community Event

    Have you ever wondered what it is like to ride a cargo bike? Now is your chance! Come along to the Bruntsfield cargo bike event on Saturday 23rd September, 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm — organised by BANZAI in collaboration with Cargo Bike Movement.

    There will be something for all ages:

    The event will take place on Montpelier (EH10 NA), just in front of Bruntsfield Primary School.

    Everyone welcome, young and old!