Last night in the City Chambers, the Cockburn Association celebrated its first 150 years of campaigning to preserve and enhance the best of the capital's built and natural environments.
Members, supporters, local politicians and other interested invitees gathered to hobnob, listen to 3 speakers, and turn burgundy-red in the maroon glow of overly generous Edinburgh Council central heating.
The long view
Cllr Robert Aldridge, the Rt Hon Lord Prov and Lord Lieut of the C of E, spoke at some length of Cockburn past achievements.
He began with 19th-century efforts to save trees in Bruntsfield Links and moved forward through 15 decades to more recent and equally successful efforts to resist turning the old Royal High School into a luxury hotel. That last mention raised at least one cheer in the audience.
No end in sight
The Cockburn’s new chair Lesley Martin acknowledged that the Cockburn’s work will never be finished in shaping the 'heritage of the future'. She emphasised the need for inclusive policy formation to ‘ensure that the quieter, less powerful voices’ of Edinburgh’s community are heard and listened to.
She described the Association’s role as ‘civic action for civic good’.
Collaboration and cooperation
Another new appointee, Director Rowan Brown (Issue 355), praised the contribution of volunteers to the Cockburn’s success and the importance of a cherished good relationship with the capital’s Council.
She stressed the need for collaboration and cooperation in articulating and making effective the capital's disparate voices.
‘Edinburgh has been shaped by ordinary citizens willing to stand up for its built and natural heritage, access to green spaces, dramatic beauty and unique identity.’
She called for 'bold thinking about the city we want to create for future generations'.
Strategic priorities
The Cockburn Association is one of the world’s oldest conservation and civic charities. It describes its role as promoting ‘responsible development, community participation, and long-term stewardship of the city’.
Current and challenging strategic priorities include: securing improved funding streams, expanding membership and communicating better the Association's relevance to a wider range of social, economic and generational demographics.
[This article was posted early on 10 December. Additional Cockburn Association images of the event may be added later in the day, in which case we'll acknowledge the fact here.]
