Some of life’s best moments come with a soundtrack – whether it’s at a music event, a festival or a night out with friends. It’s how many people connect, celebrate, and make memories. To keep it that way it’s really important to protect your hearing health.
Our new research found that a startling 83% of young people aged 20-29 have experienced ringing, buzzing or muffled hearing after listening to loud music or attending an event, and 10% experience it regularly. This could be you, your children or your grandchildren.
While these effects can initially be temporary, repeated exposure to loud sounds can risk hearing damage becoming permanent, leaving people to manage hearing loss or invasive tinnitus for the rest of their lives.
Despite this, only 7% of young people said they wore earplugs at music events in the last 12 months, and just one in five said they wear them often.
The good news is that protecting your hearing doesn’t have to be complicated. Small actions such as wearing good quality earplugs, which also make a thoughtful gift for festival lovers, stepping away from the speakers, or taking listening breaks can make a big difference and improve their experience.
By following these simple steps, you can enjoy music more safely while keeping sound quality clear.
RNID’s ‘Don’t Lose the Music’ campaign is helping music lovers understand the risks of loud music and take simple steps to look after their hearing.
Legislation to protect pupils’ education and wellbeing
Pupils, parents and teachers are among those being encouraged to share their views about restricting phones in schools with the launch of a public consultation today.
The Scottish Government’s consultation will inform the development of legislation to restrict phone use in schools, given concerns about the harmful effect on pupils’ education and wellbeing. Views are sought on the extent, scope and potential impact of any restrictions, as well as any possible exemptions.
Updated guidance, published in June, already encourages schools to restrict the use of phones during teaching and learning time as a minimum while the proposed mandatory legal restrictions are being developed.
The consultation has been published alongside practical guidance for parents to keep their children safe online and manage their screen time – with the advice being posted from today on Scottish Government social media channels.
Speaking ahead of a visit to Perth Grammar School, Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Smartphones are a fact of modern life, and it is important that we equip the next generation with the necessary skills, knowledge and resilience to thrive.
“However, the evidence of the risks that phones can pose to young people is compelling – from disruption to education, sleep and wellbeing, to more severe harms including bullying, harassment and radicalisation.
“The Scottish Government is treating this as a public health issue. We are publishing content from today about how parents can help keep their children safe online, alongside surveys to seek views on what more can be done to support families.
“We have already used guidance to encourage headteachers to restrict the use of phones, but we know teachers, parents, carers and pupils want a consistent approach across Scotland. That’s why national legislation is important.
“This consultation gives children, young people, parents and carers, school staff and education authorities the opportunity to share their views on what this legislation should look like.”
Senior Pupil Warns of Barriers Young People with Visual Impairment Face in the Workplace
A Portobello High School pupil is speaking out about the challenges visually impaired young people face in securing work experience and employment opportunities, after overcoming barriers of her own through a summer internship with Sight Scotland.
Millie Williams, who is in sixth year and has the rare genetic eye condition Leber’s congenital amaurosis, says many young people with sight loss struggle to gain employment and valuable workplace experience because employers are often unsure how to support them.
Millie, who has been visually impaired since birth but was not diagnosed until the age of five because of the rarity of her condition, faced repeated challenges in securing work experience, with many employers uncertain about what adjustments might be needed for a young person with a visual impairment.
Determined not to let those barriers stand in her way, she secured a placement through the Career Ready programme with Sight Scotland. Millie joined Sight Scotland’s People and Culture team earlier this summer, where she used her lived experience to help improve accessibility, engagement and recruitment processes across the organisation.
The four-week internship has boosted her confidence, developed valuable workplace skills and given her first-hand experience of professional life, leaving her feeling ready to enter the world of work when she completes her studies.
She said: “I’d never had any work experience before, and finding opportunities can be really challenging when you have a visual impairment.
“Some employers simply haven’t worked with someone who has sight loss before, so they can be unsure about what support might be needed and are sometimes reluctant to offer placements. That can be really discouraging when you’re trying to gain experience and build your confidence.
“When I was matched with Sight Scotland, I was delighted. It felt like the perfect place to start because everyone understood the challenges that I face on a daily basis, but more importantly they also focused on what I can do rather than what I can’t. I’ve had the chance to learn new skills, meet new people and gain valuable experience in a real working environment.
“During my placement, I had the opportunity to visit a range of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans services, including the Royal Blind School, the Scottish Braille Press and the Veterans Activity Centres.
“I was also involved in the People and Culture team’s ARO project, which stands for Attraction, Recruitment and Onboarding. As part of this, I reviewed websites and digital platforms used by the organisation to see how welcoming and engaging they were, particularly for younger people like me.
“I also looked at how accessible they were for people with visual impairments, helping to identify ways to make them more inclusive for everyone.
“Working with Sight Scotland has been an amazing experience. Being part of an organisation where people genuinely understand visual impairment has made a huge difference. The team has been incredibly welcoming and supportive from day one. They’ve given me opportunities to learn, develop new skills and gain experience that will help me in the future.”
Millie added: “Before I started, I could be quite nervous about introducing myself or asking for help when I needed it.
“Now, I feel much more comfortable communicating with others and taking part in conversations. It’s also given me a real insight into what working life is like and what it means to be part of a team. The placement has really boosted my confidence and shown me that my visual impairment doesn’t have to hold me back.”
Carol Ann Boyer, Director of People and Culture at Sight Scotland, said: “It has been fantastic to welcome Millie to the team and watch her grow in confidence throughout her placement.
“Work experience plays a vital role in helping young people develop skills, explore career options and prepare for the future, and we are proud to provide those opportunities in an inclusive and supportive environment.
“Young people with vision impairments should have the same opportunities to gain workplace experience and pursue their career ambitions as anyone else. We hope Millie’s story encourages more organisations to open their doors to disabled young people and recognise the talent, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives they can bring to the workplace.”
Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans’ 2027 internship programme is now open for applications. To register an interest or find out more, visit sightscotland.org.uk or email Lesley Sweeney at lesley.sweeney@sightscotland.org.uk.
Residents and staff at one of Edinburgh’s leading care homes enjoyed a colourful celebration of Indian culture as part of its annual summer fête.
Cramond Residence, located on Cramond Road in the north-west Edinburgh, brought residents, staff and loved ones together for an Indian-themed celebration, complete with traditional food, music, dancing and dress.
The event saw members of the care home’s Indian team take centre stage, sharing elements of their culture with residents by preparing a selection of traditional dishes and performing songs and dances in the gardens while dressed in traditional clothing.
Residents were encouraged to get involved throughout the day, with many joining staff on the dance floor and embracing the music and celebrations.
The summer fête formed part of Cramond Residence’s wider commitment to creating an inclusive community where the cultures, backgrounds and traditions of both residents and team members are recognised and celebrated.
With people from a range of backgrounds making up the team at Cramond Residence, the event also offered an opportunity for staff to share an important part of their identity with the people they care for every day.
The celebration reflects the home’s belief that providing exceptional care extends beyond meeting residents’ physical needs. Creating a genuine sense of belonging, where people feel respected and connected to the community around them is considered equally important.
Ross Bijak, General Manager of Cramond Residence, said: “Our summer fête is always a wonderful occasion for residents and the team, but this year was particularly special.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and cultures within our team and giving them the opportunity to share their traditions with our residents was particularly valuable.
“A care home should feel like a community, and an important part of creating that is making sure everyone feels welcome, regardless of where they come from. Celebrating the culture represented within our team helps us learn from one another, while also showing families that their traditions and identities will always be respected here.”
Cramond Residence provides luxury care in a peaceful setting on the outskirts of Edinburgh, offering residents beautifully designed accommodation alongside a range of facilities and services tailored to support physical, emotional and social wellbeing. The residence is committed to delivering exceptional care while creating opportunities for residents to remain active, engaged and connected.
For more information about Cramond Residence, please visit:
CHARITY EVENT: South Queensferry onSunday 30 August 2026
A group of 20 women are taking on a 12-hour continuous football match to raise money for St Columba’s Hospice Care. Two teams will play 7-a-side football from 8am until 8pm at South Queensferry Hub, with only three substitutes per team, so it’s going to be a real endurance challenge!
We’re hoping to raise at least £2,000 for St Columba’s Hospice Care, which provides vital care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across Edinburgh and the Lothians. St Columba’s have also very kindly provided our playing strips for the day.
We’re getting incredibly close to our target and would love to spread the word as widely as possible. (JustGiving)
KSQ Football Club have kindly donated the use of their facilities for the event, and we’d love to welcome anyone who wants to come along, support us and cheer the women through the 12 hours.
New figures published by Public Health Scotland reveal that after adjusting for age, people who live in the most deprived areas of Scotland are 22% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than people who live in the least deprived areas.
Peter Hastie, External Affairs Manager Scotland at Macmillan Cancer Support said:“It’s shameful that in 2026, we’re still seeing that people living in the most deprived areas of Scotland are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than those living in the least deprived areas.
“Worse still, we know someone’s experience of cancer can be made much worse simply because of who they are or where they live.
“As we’ve seen with today’s data, we need to grasp the nettle by ensuring all routinely published cancer data includes a breakdown for deprivation as standard. It’s only by understanding where people are getting left behind that we can tackle this inequity once and for all.”
Key facts
The latest official statistics for Scotland show that after adjusting for age, people who live in the most deprived areas of Scotland are 22% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than people who live in the least deprived areas[i]
The deprivation gap remains even greater for certain types of cancer, with people who live in the most deprived areas of Scotland more than three times as likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer and around twice as likely to be diagnosed with head and neck cancer, compared to people in the least deprived areas[ii]
Women and people assigned female at birth who live in the most deprived areas of Scotland are also 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than those in the least deprived areas[iii]
Macmillan’s analysis of other recent official data for 2024 shows people who live in the most deprived areas of Scotland have a 78% higher risk of dying of cancer than people who live in the least deprived areas[iv]
There are around 3.5 million people living with cancer in the UK, the highest figure ever reported for the UK and including around 290,000 people in Scotland[v]
If you or someone you love is affected by cancer, we’re here, whatever you need to ask. Call Macmillan’s free support line on 0808 808 00 00, open every day 8am to 8pm or visit our website at www.macmillan.org.uk.
All welcome at our monthly meeting on Monday 31 August, 6.30pm at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. This is our first meeting back since the summer break and will also include our Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Do feel free to come and raise issues for discussion. If you’d like to attend online, please get in touch for the MS Teams link.
Alternatively, we can raise any issues for discussion on your behalf. Simply email engagement@grantoncc.scot
Inspiring local youngsters to become the next generation of eco-champions
Utilita is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Summer Sustainability Club, a free programme of fun, hands-on activities for children and families, taking place across all 12 of its high street Energy Hubs.
Designed to inspire the next generation of eco-champions, the Summer Sustainability Club blends creativity, education and play to help children understand sustainability in an engaging and accessible way.
The initiative builds on Utilita’s award-winning High 5 campaign, which encourages households to adopt simple, everyday behaviours to save energy, reduce waste and lower bills.
Children and families visiting the Leith Utilita Energy Hub at 41 Newkirkgate, Edinburgh, EH6 6AA will be able to take part in a series of free sustainability-themed activities throughout the summer.
Next up, youngsters will be able to take part in the following interactive sessions:
Friday, 28August 12-3pm: Energy and Saving Power at Home
Through interactive games, activities and discussions, children and families will discover what’s wasting electricity in the home and learn practical ways to reduce energy consumption and save money.
Friday, 4 September 12pm-3pm:Food Waste
This engaging session will explore ways to waste less food through interactive discussions and activities. Participants will also take part in a fun “grow your own pumpkin” task, encouraging sustainable food habits from an early age.
Natasha Baillie, Hub Supervisor in Leith, said: ” The school holidays will no doubt have been an expensive time for many families. Keeping children entertained, managing household costs and, during the warmer months, trying to keep homes comfortable can all put added pressure on family budgets.
“That’s why we’re proud to offer free activities that give children the chance to learn, create and have fun, while parents and carers can access practical support and advice on saving energy and reducing household bills.
“Our Summer Sustainability Clubs have proven to be very popular, helping to bring the community together and showing that small changes at home can make a real difference to both the environment and household finances.”
A key part of the programme is the support and expertise provided by Utilita’s Energy Hub Eco Experts, who are on hand to guide families through each activity, offer practical advice and share simple ways to reduce energy use at home. These specialists play a vital role in helping communities build sustainable habits, ensuring that lessons learned during the workshops can be carried into everyday life.
The Summer Sustainability Club reinforces Utilita’s commitment to community engagement, education and environmental responsibility. By combining hands-on learning with real-world advice, the initiative aims to empower families to make small, meaningful changes that contribute to a more sustainable future.
All activities are free to attend and open to children of all ages.
For more information about Utilita’s energy-saving advice or the High 5 campaign, visit your local Energy Hub or go to www.utilita.co.uk.
Providing every child with the best start to school
Around 47,000 children starting Primary One in the next academic year, 2027-28, will be the first to receive a Welcome to School backpack in a variety of colours, to help them start school feeling excited, supported and ready to learn.
Procurement of the first bags is now underway following engagement with children, families and teachers to ensure they provide the practical contents and equipment that will help cut the cost for families as children start school.
The bags will be lightweight, made of durable, recycled materials, have multiple versatile compartments and pockets, reflective piping for safety, and space for name tags and a window in which children can place a drawing to personalise their backpack. Each one will contain:
a pencil case
stationery including pens, pencils, coloured crayons and a notebook
a water bottle
resources to encourage reading, writing and maths practice at home
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan met children at Orbiston Community Hub in North Lanarkshire, who will be among the first to receive the bag, to work on designs they could personalise their bag with.
Ms McAllan said: “Every child and family should feel excited and ready for their first day of school, which is why the Scottish Government is offering Primary Ones their very own Welcome to School Bag, filled with things to help them learn.
“We worked with children, families and teachers to create the design and ensure it provides what a child needs as they take their first steps into school life.
“Building on the success of the Baby Box, alongside the School Clothing Grant, Best Start Grant School Age Payments, breakfast clubs and free school meals, the Welcome to School Bag will help ensure that no child’s start to school is determined by their family’s financial circumstances.
“This is an essential component of our determined focus to eradicate child poverty, which is why we have prioritised work during the first 100 days of Government to ensure the first bags reach children by the time they start school next year.”
