MUIRHOUSE MILLENNIUM CENTRE – WEDNESDAY 5th AUGUST 1 – 3pm
Kids’ Hawaiian Party!
Join us for a fun-filled Kids’ Hawaiian Party! 
Wednesday 5th August
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Muirhouse Millennium Centre
Come dressed in your favourite Hawaiian outfit and enjoy an afternoon of games, music, dancing, and tropical fun! 
We can’t wait to see you there! 
Please comment to book your space!!
DROP-IN SESSIONS NOW AVAILABLE
Drop-in sessions are now available.
Find clinic locations and timings:
https://nhslothian.scot/vaccinations/meningococcal-b-menb/
Edinburgh
Gyle Avenue, South Gyle Broadway, Edinburgh, EH12 9JY
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, from 08:30 – 17:00.
No appointment necessary. This clinic is open for drop-in visits.
Upper Level, Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ
Opening Hours: Sunday & Monday, from 08:30 – 17:00.
No appointment necessary. This clinic is open for drop-in visits.
Upper Level, Waverley Market Shopping Centre, 3/48 Waverley Bridge, EH1 1BQ
Opening Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday, from 08:30 – 17:00.
No appointment necessary. This clinic is open for drop-in visits.
To find out if you, or someone you know, is eligible for the free vaccine, visit:
Responding to the announcement that Prime Minister Andy Burnham is cutting business rates bills in England by 20%, CAMRA Chief Executive Tom Stainer said: “Pubgoers are crying out for a First Minister and Scottish Government that matches the new Prime Minister’s pro-pub stance, and which wants to protect and promote our pubs as vital community hubs.
“The First Minister should commit today to matching the announcement made for pubs in England and give our locals an extra 20% discount on their business rates bills too.
“Our business rates system is grossly unfair to pubs and social clubs, bricks and mortar businesses that are also vital social institutions for their communities.
“We desperately need proper reform of the system, so pubs aren’t forced to pay eye-watering business rates bills.
“A truly fair business rates system would permanently lower bills for pubs and end the need for these temporary reliefs once and for all.”
Celebrating its 20th anniversary as the world’s first purpose-built home for live storytelling, the Scottish Storytelling Centre (SSC) is marking Fringe 2026 with one of its most ambitious programmes to date – presenting 33 shows spanning storytelling, theatre, music and spoken word and becoming the first venue on the Craigmillar Tapestry’s city-wide exhibition tour.
This year for Fringe, audiences can journey from Shetland to Ancient Greece and beyond through contemporary retellings of myths, legends and traditional tales while acclaimed theatre explores Scottish language, identity, history and culture with exciting new work from home-grown and international artists.
The community-created Craigmillar Tapestry will take pride of place in the SSC’s exhibition space from 24 July to 31 August before continuing its tour across Edinburgh to Portobello, Craigmillar, Newcraighall and The Inch.
The Craigmillar Tapestry has been stitched by over 500 residents of Craigmillar and Niddrie, documenting the rich history of the area with makers weaving in elements of their own experience and cultures into the work – including traditional Syrian stitching, names of local activists and important landmarks around the area.
Each panel has been designed by Craigmillar-born artist Andrew Crummy MBE in consultation with communities around the Greater Craigmillar area. Crummy has also worked on the Great Tapestry of Scotland, now housed in a purpose-built venue in Galashiels, and several other community-stitched tapestries.
The Craigmillar Tapestry is a particularly personal project, as the artist returns to his roots in Craigmillar and honours the legacy of his mother, the extraordinary activist and founding leader of the pioneering Craigmillar Festival Society, Helen Crummy MBE.
Andrew Crummy said: “All the tapestries I am involved with, like The Great Tapestry of Scotland are based on Community Arts ethos developed by The Craigmillar Festival Society.
“A way of using the Arts that has inspired and travelled the world. It is an honour to be involved in developing this Tapestry, with many involved, telling fantastic stories from an amazing community.
“It was originally an idea from my mother, the late Helen Crummy in 2010, who wanted to celebrate not only the history of Craigmillar, but all those who helped Craigmillar become a vibrant and rich community. As Helen’s favourite song says “History will be made, when the people play their part.”
The twenty tapestry panels celebrate the area’s history – with many illustrating historic sites that can be visited today such as the Neolithic ‘Niddrie Standing Stone’ on Greendykes Road, the remarkable, Medieval Craigmillar Castle.
Other highlight pivotal historic contributions local people have made to Scottish life over the centuries, such as a panel dedicated to Agnes Moffat, a child coal-bearer who gave evidence to a national inquiry into child labour practices by the ‘Children’s Employment Commission’ in 1842.
Local stitcher Heather Henderson said: “I have been involved with the Craigmillar Tapestry since the start. I have enjoyed watching, taking part & teaching in helping to bring Andrew’s drawings for every panel, come alive with the stitches.
“I am so proud when I see every panel finished. It’s such an honour to see them. It’s done leaps and bounds with my mental health and it gives me a purpose to go out.”
Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Interim Head of Programming, Lauren Paterson says: ‘Our Fringe 2026 programme explores the connections and common ground we share across time, language and culture and it is therefore fitting that for Fringe 2026 and for the Centre’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, we can house this wonderful piece of art that champions community connection and collective local history.
“We’re so looking forward to welcoming the Tapestry and all those who will come to see it. The Tapestry will be displayed in the Storytelling Court, where every single audience member attending a show will get to see and engage with it, making it the real heart of our programme this year.”
SATURDAY 1st AUGUST from 10am – 3pm
Look out for Drumbrae Library’s Family Fun Day on Saturday 1st August from 10am!
There are lots of fun things to do including workshops with Stina Sparkles, a performance by Jed and Jo’s Acoustic Music, craft and refreshments.
Everything is totally free with no need to book, just bring your family along for a great time.
2026 is the National Year of Reading #GoAllIn
Families who fled the war in Ukraine and arrived in Scotland will take to the Edinburgh Fringe stage this August in a moving new performance exploring freedom, identity and belonging.
On 21 August, Mission of Innocents will present Liberty at C Aurora at Lauriston Halls for one night only. The production has been created and directed by Tetiana Hordiienko, an award-winning Ukrainian choreographer and director who built a career of more than two decades across theatre, television and film before rebuilding her own life in Scotland.
Drawing on both her professional experience and personal experience of the war, Liberty brings together Ukrainian families to tell a story of freedom, identity and belonging through dance, music and projected visuals.
Spanning the 1990s to the present day, Liberty reflects the history of Ukraine and its people, highlighting the strength they have shown through decades of fighting for freedom.
Featuring performers as young as eight-years-old, it draws on the performer’s own experiences of displacement following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
From living aboard temporary accommodation ships in Leith and Govan to finding friendship, confidence and a sense of belonging in Scotland, the production traces a journey from uncertainty and upheaval to hope and opportunity.
Tetiana Hordiienko, Creative Director of Liberty said: “When I came to Scotland, I wanted to create something that would help Ukrainian children reconnect with their culture while giving them confidence in their new home.
“Liberty has been created with and for the families taking part, and every scene reflects their own experiences.Ukrainian culture runs through every part of the show, from the music to the movement.
“Blending contemporary dance with traditional influences, Liberty celebrates not only the country’s rich heritage but also the creativity and spirit of its people. Full of energy and colour, it carries audiences with it on an unforgettable journey.”
For many of the families involved, Liberty is a celebration of how far they have come since arriving in Scotland. It reflects the confidence, friendships and brighter future they have built through Mission of Innocents’ creativity-led programmes.
Nataliia Pidruchna, Director of Children’s Programmes at Mission of Innocents, said: “These children have lived through experiences that most adults would struggle to comprehend. Some arrived in Scotland unable to speak English, having left behind family members, friends and everything familiar to them.
“What audiences will see on stage is a story about friendship, identity, hope and the extraordinary resilience of our performers. Every movement, piece of music and creative decision has been shaped by their own experiences and imagination.”
The show marks Mission of Innocents’ second appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe following last year’s successful performance of Life in One Suitcase. While the company’s debut told the story of arriving in Scotland, Liberty explores what it means to rebuild a life, create a sense of belonging and continue the fight for freedom.
Joyce Landry, Founder and CEO of Mission of Innocents, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the world’s great stages for storytelling and these young people have earned the right to have their stories heard.
“Many of the performers in Liberty first arrived in Scotland living in temporary accommodation, uncertain what the future would hold. To see them now standing on a Fringe stage, sharing their culture, their creativity and their voices with an international audience, feels incredibly special.
“Their journey is remarkable and says so much about the resilience of these young people and the power of creativity to help those rebuild confidence, connection and a sense of belonging.”
Performers hope the audiences will leave feeling hopeful and inspired, carried by the warmth, joy and energy that they bring to the stage.
Mission of Innocents is a Scottish charity which helps children displaced by war, conflict and crisis feel safe again, rebuild confidence and rediscover hope through creativity. Since 2022, it has worked with hundreds of young people from Ukraine and other conflict affected communities, using art, music, dance and storytelling to help restore confidence, connection and a sense of belonging.
To book tickets to the Liberty performance on the 21st August, please visit:
CORSTORPHINE LIBRARY – THURSDAY 4 AUGUST at 2pm
We are very happy to release the last of our special summer events to help you #ReadToTheBeat: “Once Upon a… What?” with award-winning storyteller Danyah Miller.
Using games, sound, movement and a very opinionated magic carpet, we need lots of families along to craft an exciting story with her!
This will be on Thursday 4th August at 2:30pm, for around an hour.
Please sign up on Eventbrite with the following link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/once-upon-a-what-with…
2026 is the National Year of Reading – #GoAllIn
Two of Glasgow’s greatest icons have come together in one spectacular artwork to mark the opening of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The Glasgow Rose will be visible high above the River Clyde, transforming the city’s iconic Finnieston Crane with a giant contemporary interpretation of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh’s celebrated roses.
Created by Glasgow artist Emer Tumilty in collaboration with internationally renowned creative studio NEWSUBSTANCE, the landmark commission brings together the city’s industrial and artistic heritage in a single, unforgettable image.
For generations, the Finnieston Crane has stood as a symbol of the engineering brilliance, shipbuilding and innovation that made Glasgow famous across the world. The Mackintosh rose has become an equally powerful emblem of the city’s creative imagination and influence on global art and design. Now for the first time, the two enduring symbols meet.
Suspended from one of Scotland’s most recognisable landmarks, The Glasgow Rose creates a bold new addition to Glasgow’s skyline and a striking welcome for athletes and visitors arriving for the Commonwealth Games.
Drawing inspiration from the work of the Mackintoshes, Tumilty has reimagined the iconic rose through a contemporary lens, celebrating a city that has never stopped making, creating and reinventing itself.
Emer Tumilty creates playful interventions in space using bold colours and abstract forms, and this commission is also a celebration of Glasgow’s creative future. While inspired by one of Scotland’s greatest artistic legacies, the work has been made by a new generation of Glasgow talent, reflecting the confidence and energy of the city’s thriving contemporary arts scene.
Phil Batty, Chief Executive of Glasgow 2026, said: “This is far more than a spectacular artwork. It is the coming together of two of Glasgow’s greatest icons.
“The Finnieston Crane tells the story of the city that built the world. The Mackintosh rose tells the story of the city that inspired the world. Together they create a powerful symbol of the Glasgow we are welcoming people to today – creative, confident, bold and proudly looking to the future.
“It feels entirely fitting that this has been created not only in honour of one of Glasgow’s greatest artistic legacies, but by one of Glasgow’s exciting new artistic voices. That’s exactly what these Games are about, celebrating where we’ve come from while championing the talent shaping where we’re going.”
Emer Tumilty said:”As someone who came to Glasgow to study at The Glasgow School of Art before making the city my home, this has been an extraordinary commission to create.
“The Mackintosh rose is recognised around the world, and to see it reimagined at this scale, suspended from the Finnieston Crane, has been incredibly special. I hope people see a work that celebrates Glasgow’s creativity, optimism and character, and feel the affection for the city that inspired every part of it.”
Patrick O’Mahoney, Founder and Creative Director of NEWSUBSTANCE, said: “Projects like this only happen when art, engineering and creative ambition come together. The Glasgow Rose is as much an engineering achievement as it is an artistic one.
“To transform one of Glasgow’s most iconic structures into a canvas at this scale has been an extraordinary challenge and a privilege. The result is something that belongs uniquely to Glasgow.”
Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and City Convener for Culture, Sport and International Relations said: “Glasgow has a world leading reputation for hosting ground-breaking international major events that seamlessly blend sport and culture and this contemporary rendering of Mackintosh’s iconic rose is a perfect example of this.
“Not only will The Glasgow Rose stand as a powerful symbol of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, it is a significant way marker as we approach the centenary of the death of Charles Rennie Mackintosh which will be commemorated in 2028.”
Matthew Williams, Director of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society has said: “Charles Rennie Mackintosh has been at the heart of Scottish culture for over 150 years so it’s exciting to see an interpretation of his work included as part of the Commonwealth Games and to showcase the work of emerging Glasgow-based artist Emer Tumilty.”
Visible across the Clyde throughout the Commonwealth Games, The Glasgow Rose is commissioned as part of Glasgow 2026 Festival, a ten-week celebration of the city’s creativity, culture and communities running alongside the Games.
PICTURES: Colin Mearns/Glasgow 2026
Following the fire which began in Holyrood Park on Sunday evening, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie has called for recognition of the impact that climate change is already having on our city while highlighting the need for better wildfire awareness.
While wildfires can be an important part of the ecological cycle, the rate and intensity that we are seeing them occur with is a clear indication of climate change and its impact on our day-to-day lives.
Longer, hotter and drier summers are becoming the norm within Scotland and now areas that previously rarely saw such fires are affected more often. Given the number of visitors and the variety of purposes it serves, Holyrood Park is particularly susceptible to fires that are started by human activity.
Holyrood Park is a uniquely important ecological site with a wide range of trees, plants and animals, including several rare and endangered species. The effects of climate change threaten the destruction of these species within our city, reshaping how the park will look, sound and feel for the future.
Commenting Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP said: – “I am deeply concerned by yet another fire in Holyrood Park and want to thank the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and all emergency responders for their swift and professional efforts to tackle the blaze.
“Holyrood Park is one of Edinburgh’s most striking natural landscapes which provides a vital habitat for wildlife and a valuable green space for residents and visitors alike. Fires of this nature can have a devastating impact on local ecosystems, destroying vegetation, disrupting breeding habitats and leaving long-lasting damage.
“The effects of climate change are not a distant threat and we are already seeing its impact across our city. As climate change contributes to more frequent periods of hot, dry weather we need investment in wildfire prevention. We also need better education about wildfire risks due to human activity such as campfires and discarded cigarettes.
“Above all, we must increase our efforts to reduce emissions, support renewable energy and step up adaptation measures in these ecologically important areas so that they can be safeguarded for future generations.”
FULL STATEMENT:
