A new service to help expectant parents with their emotional wellbeing during pregnancy has been launched in NHS Lothian by NSPCC Scotland this Maternal Mental Health Week (4-10 May).
Pregnancy in Mind (PiM) is an online group service that supports parents, who are expecting a baby, with complicated feelings that can arise during pregnancy. It is designed to create a safe and reassuring space for parents in weeks 12-26 of pregnancy so they can reflect on any concerns, worries, or low mood they may be experiencing.
PiM encourages them to reflect on their pregnancy as it progresses and their connection to their growing baby, encourages social support with other parents-to-be, and builds confidence for when their baby is born.
The programme has eight online group sessions, usually delivered weekly (for 90-120 minutes), from the start of the second trimester (12 weeks) plus two one-to-one online post-birth sessions.
The service is delivered by practitioners who are experienced in creating a warm, safe and supportive space where expectant parents can build confidence, develop helpful ways of coping, and connect with others as they navigate pregnancy and prepare for the arrival of their new baby.
The service brings together a range of evidence informed approaches, including mindfulness, relaxation, coping strategies, building confidence in understanding emotional wellbeing and developing supportive social connections.
Parents do not need to be experiencing severe symptoms to take part, the service is open to those who feel they would benefit from extra support during pregnancy. Introductions by health and social care workers to the service can be made at any point up to 26 weeks of pregnancy. The pregnant person, their partner, support person or the baby’s other parent can take part in the programme.
Alison MacDonald, Executive Nurse Director for NHS Lothian, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the NSPCC to add this programme to the range of support available to expectant parents.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health and this service offers early, practical support to parents who need it most, helping them to give their babies and children the best possible start in life.”
Jen Dixon, Team Manager at NSPCC Scotland, said: “Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week reminds us of the importance of emotional wellbeing during pregnancy.
When parents are finding things difficult, offering support to them as early as possible, can help them feel less alone as they prepare to meet their baby.
“Often parents join Pregnancy in Mind feeling uncertain, isolated or overwhelmed. Through the sessions, they connect with other parents who are experiencing similar feelings. The programme supports them to develop ways to improve their own wellbeing, leading them to feel more hopeful, confident and less overwhelmed when their baby is born.
“This supports their ability to create nurturing foundations and connections with their babies from the very beginning, including during pregnancy.”
For further information about PiM contact NSPCC Scotland by email:
A service providing emergency accommodation for people sleeping rough over winter will be able to continue throughout the year, thanks to a funding commitment by the City of Edinburgh Council.
The Welcome Centre, run by Bethany Christian Trust at the Council-owned ELS House on Gorgie Road, was due to cease operations at the end of April. The service will now be provided until March 2027, following a funding decision by Finance and Resources Committee on 28 April.
The Centre currently accommodates 64 households who have been rough sleeping in Edinburgh. Service users are offered three meals a day and support from Bethany paid staff, volunteers and Council officers to help access further accommodation.
Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Bethany Christian Trust provides an essential service for people facing rough sleeping in Edinburgh and over the last three decades has helped thousands of people to secure a warm and safe place to sleep, particularly over the colder winter months.
“We don’t want people to have to sleep rough at any time of the year though, so I’m really pleased that we’ll be able to keep the Welcome Centre open throughout 2026.
“Reducing homelessness, and where possible preventing it in the first place, is central to our Housing Emergency Action Plan, alongside ambitious plans to increase the city’s housing supply, making sure everyone has somewhere to live.”
Alasdair Bennett, Chief Executive, Bethany Christian Trust, said: “It is a desperate circumstance to face the prospect of sleeping rough, and worse still to experience the trauma and harms involved.
“The Welcome Centre is a service borne out of adversity to relieve suffering and meet long-term needs when people have nowhere else to stay. I am deeply grateful to the many volunteers, supporters, churches, and our charitable and statutory partners who together enable this life-saving work, sharing a commitment to offer not only shelter and sustenance, but hope, dignity and the opportunity for a new start.
“We are very grateful to the City of Edinburgh Council for making this significant next step possible, and for the shared commitment to provide both immediate support and pathways out of homelessness all year round. As someone said to me recently: ‘when is it ever warm enough to be homeless?’
“Finally, I want to thank our staff team. Their dedication to love and service is inspiring. In the last 30 weeks alone, 400 people have been accommodated, supported and helped to move forward, each knowing that they are valued and cared for.”
Bethany Christian Trust has operated winter care shelters in Edinburgh since 1996 and the service has since evolved to provide 24/7 accommodation and support for people who would be otherwise sleeping rough from October to May each year.
The Welcome Centre moved to ELS house on Gorgie Road in 2025.
The Council’s Housing Emergency Action Plan sets out the requirement for a year-round Welcome Centre to meet increasing demand in the city.
Latest information on cases including British nationals
Statement from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO):
The UK government continues to work with international authorities in preparing for the arrival of British nationals to the UK from the MV Hondius cruise ship where an outbreak of Hantavirus was confirmed by the World Health Organization.
Two British nationals have confirmed hantavirus, with an additional suspected case of a British national on Tristan da Cunha. None of the British citizens onboard are currently reporting symptoms but they are being closely monitored.
The ship is expected to dock in Tenerife on Sunday, according to the latest updates from the Spanish Health Ministry. UK government staff will be on the ground ready to support the British nationals disembarking. British Passengers and ship crew not displaying any symptoms of hantavirus will be escorted by UK Government staff to an airport and given free passage back to the UK.
FCDO and UKHSA teams will be on the ground to support these arrangements, bolstered by a Rapid Deployment Team sent from the UK. The FCDO is chartering a dedicated repatriation flight for British ship passengers and crew only. This flight will be free of charge.
UKHSA is working with partners to ensure the flight operates under strict infection control measures. Public health and infectious disease specialists from UKHSA and the NHS will be on board to monitor British Nationals whilst on the flight, to ensure that preventative measures are in place and to provide any care in the unlikely event that any passengers become unwell on the flight.
All British passengers and crew on board the MV Hondius will be asked to isolate for 45 days upon returning to the UK and UKHSA will closely monitor these individuals, with testing as required.
Follow up is already underway for individuals who may have been in contact with cases and have since returned to the UK or are in in UK Overseas Territories. The UK government will ensure those self-isolating are given appropriate support.
UKHSA is aware of seven British Nationals who disembarked the ship at St Helena on 24 April.
Two of those people have returned to the UK independently and are isolating at home in the UK. Neither of these individuals is currently reporting symptoms. They are receiving advice and support from UKHSA and have been advised to self-isolate.
Four of these individuals remain in St Helena. A seventh individual has been traced outside of the UK.
The FCDO is in direct contact with the ship and British nationals on board and has stood up consular teams across multiple countries to support British nationals.
UK government is working very closely with international partners in response to this incident, including the cruise ship operator and the governments of UK overseas territories which were visited by the ship.
UK government teams are working at pace to get medical support to all affected Overseas Territories. The Ministry of Defence has worked with UKHSA to provide vital diagnostic supplies, including PCR tests, which were delivered to Ascension Island via a military plane on 7 May.
The risk to the general public remains very low.
Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Officer at UKHSA, said: “This is an evolving situation, and we are working closely with partners to support British Nationals on board the MV Hondius.
“The risk to the general population remains very low and the public can be reassured that established infection control measures will be put in place at every step of the journey to ensure the safe repatriation of British passengers on board.”
Further information on the repatriation of British nationals will be provided in due course.
JOURNALISTS and technical staff at STV will strike over pay, with the action affecting coverage of the Scottish election results today.
Around 100 workers will form picket lines outside the STV offices in Glasgow (Pacific Quay) and Aberdeen (Craigshaw Business Park) from 8:30am.
Please share solidarity messages with campaigns@nuj.org.uk or join them in-person if you’re in the area.
In March, members of both the NUJ and Bectu at STV voted for the industrial action over management’s decision to offer a 0% pay award, in one of the first strike ballots to be held under the new Employment Rights Act.
NUJ members also went on strike as part of a separate dispute in January, braving cold weather and heavy snow to oppose damaging cuts to jobs and local news.
Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ Scotland organiser,said: “It’s frustrating that due to the stubbornness of STV management, on the biggest news day in Scotland for years, Scottish viewers, listeners and readers won’t be able to hear what some of the most well-respected journalists, reporters and producers in Scottish broadcasting have to say.
“Our members would much rather be reporting the election results than standing on picket lines, but they have been driven to this action by management’s indifference as to how overworked and underpaid they are.
“CEO Rufus Radcliffe has once again failed to grasp the opportunity to end this dispute, and it is personally embarrassing for him that STV will be broadcasting reruns instead of the biggest news story in Scotland.”
Vote counting in the Scottish Parliament election will commence this morning, after Scotland went to the polls yesterday.
Ballot boxes will be opened at 9am at designated counting centres across the county and the first constituencies are expected to be declared around midday.
If English council results are a guide, it promises to be a long and difficult day for the beleaguered Labour party in particular. Will spectacular Reform advances be mirrored north of the border, or can the SNP deliver an unlikely outright majority?
This week (4-10 May) marks Deaf Awareness Week, which aims to raise awareness of deafness while celebrating the UK’s deaf community.
This year, the National Deaf Children’s Society is highlighting the early signs of deafness in children and reassuring families that support is available from the very start.
Deafness isn’t always obvious. Many children have mild or one‑sided hearing loss, meaning signs can be easy to miss. A child might not respond when called, struggle in noisy places, seem tired or withdrawn, or miss parts of conversations.
Spotting these signs early can be life‑changing. With the right support, deaf children can develop strong communication skills and grow up confident and proud of who they are. Sometimes, simply knowing what to look for makes all the difference.
If you’re worried about your child’s hearing, it’s important not to dismiss concerns. The National Deaf Children’s Society supports families of children with all levels of hearing loss, offering free information and advice.
National Theatre of Scotland announces programme for Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the company’s 20th anniversary year
The acclaimed Through the Shortbread Tin, written and performed by Martin O’Connor at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of the Made in Scotland programme.
One Hundred Voices – a new immersive installation, bringing creative insight into living in the care system, opening at the Scottish Parliament and running during the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics. Part of Caring Scotland, a major project documenting the lives of care experienced people in Scotland.
Marking 20 years of NTS Edinburgh Festival presentations, with 42 productions across the Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival, from Black Watch to Make it Happen.
National Theatre of Scotland presents
Through the Shortbread Tin
Written and performed by Martin O’Connor
Remount directed by Joanna Bowman Original production directed by Lu Kemp
With Josie Duncan and Iona Mairead
Musical Director and Composer – Oliver Searle, Sound and Video Designer – Rob Willoughby, Set and Costume designed by Emma Bailey and Rachel O’Neill, Lighting Designer – Michaella Fee, Gaelic Consultant – Alasdair Whyte
At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from 7 to 31 August at 4.45pm with a preview performance on 6 August 2026.
Opening press performance at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Friday 7 August 2026 at 4.45pm.
Part of the Made in Scotland Showcase
The story of the greatest literary hoax of all time.
Returning to the stage following a critically acclaimed and award-nominated Scotland-wide tour in 2025, Martin O’Connor’s Through the Shortbread Tin is a poetic, poignant and playful show, performed in Scots with Gaelic songs, which explores Scottish culture, myths, history and identity.
“Fierce, Funny and Challenging” The Scotsman ★★★★
“an entertaining and intelligent investigation into the illusions and inconsistencies of Scottish history, culture and identity.” The Stage ★★★★
“A tartan wrapped gift of a show” The Herald ★★★★
Through the Shortbread Tin will open in Edinburgh at the Scottish Storytelling Centre as part of the Made in Scotland Programme at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Friday 7 August 2026.
Twenty years since the internationally acclaimed production of Black Watch premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Through the Shortbread Tin marks National Theatre of Scotland’s 42 productions at the Edinburgh festivals, including last year’s Edinburgh International Festival sell out success, Make It Happen.
Through the Shortbread Tin is remounted for this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe by Joanna Bowman, whose previous productions include the award-winning Tron Theatre Company production of Escaped Alone; Doubt: A Parable (Dundee Rep) and most recently, Sweat (Citizens Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh). Joanna won the 2024 CATS Award for Best Director.
In 1760 Scottish poet James Macpherson set the world ablaze with stories of the third-century Scottish bard, Ossian. This tartan-trimmed tale of Highland history spread far and wide, capturing the imagination of thousands– but was it built on a deception?
In 2026 Scottish poet Martin O’Connor decides to revisit Macpherson’s epic and begins to question his own relationship with Scottish culture. The sporrans, the stags, the shortbread – do these ‘gift-shop’ images of Scotland hold us back or bring us forward? What does it mean to be authentic, and is the truth sometimes better told in a lie?
Imagine that you were telt tae ignore the myths?
Imagine you didnae know anything about the country you came fae?
But imagine you started askin questions?
Imagine that you could jist replace wan myth wi another?
Martin will be joined on stage by Josie Duncan and Iona Mairead, distinctive Gaelic choral singers, singing original songs composed by Oliver Searle.
Audiences are invited to join Martin and Macpherson on an oral odyssey spanning centuries of Scottish history, exploring the myths we tell each other and the stories we tell ourselves.
A tour to sited venues in Scotland in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland will be announced at a later date.
Through the Shortbread Tin was nominated for Best New Play in both the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland 2025 and the UK Theatre Awards 2025.
Through the Shortbread Tin is part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s 20th birthday programme, marking twenty years of game-changing theatre.
National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to be part of the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s 20th anniversary celebrations, as well by being part of their specially curated Festival Fringe programme, the centre piece of their year’s anniversary offering.
BACKGROUND TO OSSIAN
In 1760 Highlander Macpherson published Fragments of Ancient Poetry to great critical and commercial acclaim. The poems were collected from oral sources around Scotland and were presented as the work of a third century bard, Ossian, soon dubbed The Homer of the North. There soon followed two other publications, Fingal and Temora, and together they set the Scottish and European literary world alight. The ‘Ossian effect’ soon saw a rise in interest in Scottish and Highland ways of life and an increase in tourism and cultural interest. The impact of Ossian was immediate and permanent, even if the individual poems eventually fell out of fashion. But soon after publication, debates over Ossian’s aesthetic and moral ‘legitimacy’ surfaced, which plagued the writer and the impact and legacy of the work.
Martin O’Connor is an award-winning theatre-maker, performer and poet from Glasgow. He is interested in exploring ideas of voice and identity through theatre and poetry, with particular interest in Scots, Gaelic and verbatim. Martin won Scots Performer of the Year Award at the Scots Language Awards 2024.
He was granted a Gavin Wallace Fellowship in 2018, hosted by Playwrights’ Studio Scotland and the Lyceum Theatre, marking the first stage in his research into James Macpherson and Ossian.
He makes work for solo performance as well as with, and for, other people. He was the National Theatre of Scotland Writer in Residence in 2020. Previous projects include Turntable (MJ McCarthy/Red Bridge Arts), Mark of the Beast (Martin O’Connor/Platform), Togail Nàisean/ Building a Nation (Glasgow Life).
This remount of Through the Shortbread Tin is directed by Joanna Bowman. Joanna has directed for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Citizens Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre, Tron Theatre, Dundee Rep Theatre, Perth Theatre, and Òran Mór. Previous productions include the award-winning Tron Theatre Company production of Escaped Alone, Doubt:A Parable (Dundee Rep) and most recently, Sweat (Citizens Theatre and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh). She was Associate Director of the Tron Theatre between 2022 and 2025 and is Associate Artist with the Citizens Theatre. Joanna won the 2024 CATS Award for Best Director.
The original production of Through the Shortbread Tin was directed by Lu Kemp, a theatre director and dramaturg with a distinctive reputation for her work in new writing. Lu was Artistic Director of Perth Theatre between 2016 to 2023. Her tenure was notable for supporting the creation of new work by Scottish artists and community engaged productions. As a freelance director, Lu has worked for The Citizens, The Royal Lyceum Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, Artangel, London, The Tricycle, Almeida and The Royal Shakespeare Company.
Josie Duncan is a folk-inspired songwriter and award-winning singer from the Isle of Lewis. Her songs have been showcased worldwide from the Hebridean Celtic Festival Opening Concert to the National Celtic Festival Australia. Josie’s music features in National Theatre of Scotland’s Carry Me Home – A Ferry Tale, an award-winning short film directed by Seth Hardwick.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue: Scottish Storytelling Centre
Dates: Thursday 6 August (Preview); Friday 7 August to Monday 31 August (no shows on Wed 12, Sat 15, Wed 19, Wed 26 August)
One Hundred Voices interactive installation opens at the Scottish Parliament as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics 2026 before touring Scotland alongside the Ten Portraits photographic exhibition, as part of Caring Scotland
One Hundred Voices and Ten Portraits at the Scottish Parliament from 12 to 28 August and during the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics 2026 on 27 and 28 August
Then touring across Scotland from 2 September to 10 October 2026: Citizens Theatre, Studio Theatre and exhibition wall; Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries; Millenium Centre, Stranraer; Reid Hall, Forfar; Hall B, Rothes Halls, Glenrothes.
A National Theatre of Scotland project in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, funded with an award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Lead Artist and script by Nicola McCartney
Designer - Karen Tennant, Lighting Designer - Kai Fischer, Sound Design - Niroshini Thambar and Dramaturg - Roxana Cole
Artist Facilitators: Kevin Gilday, Jo Mango, Roxana Cole, Sara Shaarawi and Mal Fraser
Ten Portraits Exhibition Photographer - Chris Scott
Opening in Edinburgh at the Scottish Parliament and part of the Festival of Politics in August 2026, One Hundred Voices is an interactive installation responding to real life stories of care experienced people.
The stories were recorded for Caring Scotland, a three-year listening project, led by acclaimed playwright Nicola McCartney documenting and recording the lives of care experienced people in Scotland.
One Hundred Voices is created by a leading team of Scottish artists and theatre-makers with design by Karen Tennant, lighting design by Kai Fischer, sound design by Niroshini Thambar, script by Nicola McCartney and dramaturgy by Roxana Cole.
“Good. You’re here. Well, come on in… We understand that for many of you, this journey will be a new experience for you. We want you to feel safe with us.”
The audience is led through the installation by an audio guide. Each room presents an intimate landscape of memory, resilience and imagination, drawn from the lives of one hundred voices from Scotland’s care experienced community. Fragments of stories unfold through sound, light, and space.
This interactive installation transforms oral history into artistic encounters and asks the audience to imagine together a more compassionate Scotland where every child is cherished, every voice amplified, every future honoured. It serves as an artistic act of recognition and celebration of the one hundred testimonies recorded through the Caring Scotland project.
The experience is audio narrated by Scott Kyle and Genna Allan. Both are actors who are also involved in the wider Caring Scotland project. Scott Kyle is one of the Ten Portraits subjects and Genna worked in the project team during the story collection phase. Both are care experienced.
The Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics takes place in the home of Scottish politics on 27 and 28 August; and will feature over 30 events tackling some of the big political, cultural and social issues of the day.
Ten Portraits exhibition, by Caring Scotland photographer in residence Chris Scott, opened at Inverness Museum on 05 May ahead of touring to Shetland, Aberdeen and Edinburgh as well as touring alongside the One Hundred Voices installation at the Scottish Parliament and beyond.
The Sound Collection –a collection of stories forms part of the audio archive of the National Library of Scotland with short excerpts also available on the NTS website.
The Sound Collectionextracts can be listened to here.
Supported by The Weir Charitable Trust and The Rayne Foundation
The Sound Collection, Ten Portraits and One Hundred Voices are the public culmination of Caring Scotland, a three-year listening project led and inspired by the practice of playwright and socially engaged theatre-maker, Nicola McCartney, documenting the lives of care experienced people in Scotland since 2024.
The project is a unique partnership between National Theatre of Scotland, Who Cares? Scotland and the National Library of Scotland and is funded with an award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Ten Portraits is a touring photographic exhibition of photographs captured by Chris Scott, inspired and informed by the Caring Scotland listening project. Chris is a Scottish photographer with a care experienced background, whose style is contemporary with a dramatic and atmospheric feel. Chris’s unobtrusive photography style captures the essence and personality of the people he photographs. He has taken individual portraiture photographs of ten of the personal story contributors during the project.
The Sound Collection – all stories gathered from the listening project have been safely deposited in a new Caring Scotland oral history audio archive, housed in perpetuity at the National Library of Scotland for public access as well as excerpts being made available online via the NTS website.
A team of multi-disciplinary artists worked with Nicola on the research into Caring Scotland. Artists Kevin Gilday (poet), Jo Mango (musician & songwriter), Roxana Cole (director) and Mal Fraser (filmmaker) and Sara Shaarawi (playwright), engaging with care experienced people from across Scotland, collecting their stories for this unprecedented oral history audio archive.
Lead artist, Nicola McCartney, has worked on many artistic projects with the care experienced community, and has worked within the system as a member of the Children’s Panel and a foster parent.
Caring Scotland is a continuation of her creative practice and her ongoing research into the care system in Scotland. Previously, in 2021, Nicola was commissioned by National Theatre of Scotland to create Holding/Holding On as part of their Care in Contemporary Scotland – A Creative Enquiry programme.
Nicola’s practice of active listening enables participants to take control of their narratives. Caring Scotland empowers the care experienced community by offering members a platform for their voices to be heard by the people of Scotland.
Nicola McCartney, lead artist, said: “It has been an honour and a challenge to lead such a large project, documenting the lives of Care Experienced people in Scotland in their own words.
“We look forward to now sharing these stories with the nation in many different and innovative ways. The testimonies we have listened to of how the Care system has impacted on people’s lives are a vital and often overlooked part of what Scotland’s story was, is now and what we can become.”
With The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support, the project has been open to all members of the care experienced community across Scotland to contribute to and take part in.
One Hundred Voices and Ten Portraits at the Scottish Parliament as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Wed 12 to Fri 28 August 26; Festival of Politics, Thu 27 to Fri 28 August 26 then touring to
Citizens Theatre, Studio Theatre and exhibition wall, Wed 2 to Sat 12 September 26;
Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries, Thu 17 to Sat 19 September 26;
Millenium Centre, Stranraer, Thu 24 to Sat 26 September 26;
Reid Hall, Forfar Thu 1 to Sat 3 October 26;
Hall B, Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, Thu 8 to Sat 10 October 26.
Tickets are Pay What You Decide pricing.
Ten Portraits touring to Inverness Museum, Tue 5 to Fri 29 May 26;
Mareel, Shetland, Tue 2 to Fri 26 June 26;
Aberdeen Music Hall Gallery Space, Wed 1 to Fri 31 July 26;
Gallery Space, Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, Sat 10 to Friday 30 October;
Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, presented with Tonic Arts, Sun 1 November 26 to Sat 27 February 27.
More details on the Caring Scotland project can be found here.
After trying new ways to move this spring, Edinburgh Leisure is inviting the city to keep going. Throughout May, new customers can join Edinburgh Leisure with a £0 joining fee, making it easier than ever to turn new routines into lasting habits.
The limited‑time offer removes a key barrier to commitment, encouraging people who have already started getting active – or are thinking about starting – to make movement part of everyday life.
The campaign follows April’s popular Spring Pass, which gave Edinburgh residents the freedom to explore gyms, pools and fitness classes without pressure. Now, the focus moves from trying things out to staying with what works.
Keep What You Started
Whether it’s energetic gym sessions, swimming lengths, group fitness classes or a slower, wellness‑led routine, Edinburgh Leisure memberships are designed to be flexible. Members can move in different ways across the week and adapt their routine as life and energy levels change. There’s no single “right” way to be active. Edinburgh Leisure supports real people, real schedules and real lives.
Designed for Real Life
Starting something new is one thing – keeping it going is often harder. Busy schedules, rising costs and uncertainty about commitment can all get in the way.
By removing the joining fee, Edinburgh Leisure is making it easier for people to maintain momentum and build routines that fit around work, family and everyday demands. Memberships include access to gyms, swimming, fitness classes and social sports across venues city‑wide, giving members the freedom to change how they move without starting again.
Supporting Activity Across the City
The £0 joining fee offer supports participation across Edinburgh Leisure’s network of venues, including Meadowbank Sports Centre, Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and the Royal Commonwealth Pool, helping more people stay active in ways that work for them.
The £0 joining fee offer is available for a limited time throughout May.
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity dedicated to helping people lead more active, healthy lives. With more than 75 sport, leisure and school venues across the city, it creates opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get active and stay active.
Original Weasley cast members have reunited at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, stepping back onto the iconic film sets where they first brought the beloved wizarding family to life 25 years ago
From The Burrow to Platform 9 ¾, the Weasley family revisited their most memorable sets and reminisced on all their filmmaking stories alongside behind-the-scenes filmmakers such as Head Propmaker, Pierre Bohanna, Makeup Artist, Amanda Knight and Art Director, Gary Tomkins
The family reunion comes as research reveals that Harry Potter meeting the Weasley’s on the way to Platform 9 ¾ is one of the top three favourite scenes of the film
The reunion celebrates the launch of the new summer feature ‘First Year at Hogwarts – Where the Filmmaking Magic Began’, marking 25 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – giving fans the chance to explore Harry Potter’s first-year adventures on the authentic film sets
It feels like only yesterday since ‘the boy who lived’ made his debut on the big screen as Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone launched in cinemas.
To celebrate this anniversary, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter today hosted a magical reunion as actors Bonnie Wright, James and Oliver Phelps and Mark Williams – who played Ginny, Fred, George and Arthur Weasley, respectively – came together to revisit the enchanting film sets where the adventures came to life, 25 years ago.
Taking part in the celebration, the wizarding world’s most adored family came together to relive their time on set and surprise Studio Tour visitors.
From the very first time the world saw the Weasleys help Harry onto Platform 9 ¾, to the family’s quaint kitchen in The Burrow, the stars shared memories from filming and offered a rare glimpse into the filmmaking magic behind one of the most iconic and expansive film franchises of all time.
So successful, in fact, that Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone broke the record for the highest-opening weekend ever and was the highest grossing film of 2001- grossing an astonishing $974 million at the box office worldwide during its initial run and subsequently grossing over $1 billion.
Speaking on the reunion, Mark Williams said: “I love coming back to the wizarding world, and the new summer feature is a real delight.
“It was an enormous part of our experience filming The Harry Potter film series – to be involved with the amazing work of the design department. To be reminded of that has made my day.”
Oliver Phelps added: “Being back on the set reunited with Bonnie and Mark has been absolutely superb – it’s like coming into a time warp, like no time has passed at all since we were last together.”
The family reunion at the Studio Tour is well timed, as research reveals that when asked to rank their top three favourite scenes, fans voted Harry Potter meeting the Weasleys on the way to Platform 9 ¾ on average as their third most-loved moment from the film (29%).
Taking the top spot is the iconic scene where Harry Potter receives his Hogwarts letter at Number Four Privet Drive (31%) – brought to life at the Studio Tour with hundreds of acceptance letters flying from the fireplace. Close behind in second place is Harry’s first visit to Ollivanders to receive his wand (30%), which fans can also visit at the Studio Tour as they make their way through Diagon Alley.
And it’s not just Weasleys getting back together, as a number of behind-the-scenes filmmakers also joined the magical reunion. Pierre Bohanna (Head Prop Maker), Gary Tomkins (Art Director), Nick Pelham (Storyboard Artist), Glen Gathard (Sound Designer), MinaLima (Graphic Design duo), Amanda Knight (Makeup Designer) and Rob Bliss (Concept Artist) all took part in the celebrations, reflecting on the film making legacy of the series.;
Commenting on the reunion, Gary Tomkins said: “My main role on the first film was to help create the drawings for the Hogwarts castle model that you can still see today at the Studio Tour.
“It feels fantastic to see so many of the crew and actors back on the sets we all worked on all those years ago that everyone knows and loves so much. I always love coming back here – it really keeps the magic alive and is such a great opportunity to show the close-up details of the film.”
For fans’ second favourite scene of the film, the Graphics and the Props Departments joined forces to create over 17,000 wand boxes at Ollivanders Wand Shop in Diagon Alley. And Harry Potter’s first broomstick? The Props Department went through 25 different iterations of the Nimbus 2000 before settling on the final version.
Not to mention the iconic Great Hall set which took 18 whole weeks to build! Now, 25 years later fans are invited to discover the craftsmanship behind these moments first-hand at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.
To continue the 25th anniversary celebrations, the Studio Tour is taking fans back to the very beginning, with the launch of its summer feature, ‘First Year at Hogwarts – Where the Filmmaking Magic Began’, bringing classic moments to life from Harry Potter’s first-year of adventures.
From 7th May 2026, before beginning the tour, visitors will be able to relive the moment where Harry Potter experiences the Sorting Hat. In the Great Hall, Gryffindor house banners and floating hats will hang proudly above the tables – capturing the moment first-year students toss them into the air in celebration of Neville winning Gryffindor the House Cup.
The new feature also showcases other beloved moments, including Hermione Granger casting the Petrificus Totalus spell on Neville Longbottom in the Gryffindor common room, plus, how flying lessons and Quidditch matches were brought to life on the demonstration stage and even a brand-new Wizard’s Chess photo opportunity, featuring moving pieces.
Geoff Spooner, Senior Vice President, WBD Global Experiences EMEA, says: “This summer, we’re celebrating 25 years since Harry Potter first began his journey at Hogwarts, a story that has enchanted generations, and our new summer feature invites fans right back into the very heart of that magic.
“Reuniting Bonnie, James, Oliver, and Mark to the original authentic film sets for this milestone makes it all the more special, as they step back into those unforgettable moments and reminisce about the film that started it all.”
‘First Year at Hogwarts – Where the Filmmaking Magic Began’ is a brand-new special feature running from 7th May to 7th September 2026, with all new additions included in the ticket price.
The top ten favourite scenes in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone are:
Hogwarts letters arrive at Privet Drive – 31%
Harry gets his wand at Ollivanders – 30%
Harry meets the Weasleys on the way to Platform 9 ¾ – 29%
Harry and Hagrid visit Diagon Alley to get supplies – 28%
Harry has his first Quidditch match – 22%
We see the moving staircase for the first time – 22%
The students get sorted into their Houses in the Great Hall – 21%
Madame Hooch teaches the students how to fly a broom – 14%
Harry, Ron and Hermione play Wizard’s Chess – 14%
Harry, Ron and Hermione fight a troll in the girl’s bathroom – 13%
Six new mainstage productions: The Galloping Cure, Turandot, Alcina, Fidelio, Madama Butterfly, and Così fan tutte
Commitment to bringing opera right across Scotland with a new touring production of Hansel & Gretel with local children’s chorus, threePop-up Opera shows and a newly commissioned Primary Schools Tour, visiting over 80 locations in total
Season championed by female creative talent with a world premiere by Grammy-nominated Missy Mazzoli, and productions directed by Olivia Fuchs, Ruth Knight, Daisy Evans, Rebecca Meltzer and Lucy Bradley
Britten: Music for Voice and Orchestra concert marks the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death
Scottish Opera General Director, Alex Reedijk OBE, celebrates 20 years with the Company
BUILD brings together a range of initiatives for young people, nurturing the creative arts in Scotland and developing the professionals of tomorrow, on stage and behind the scenes
Tickets on general sale from 28 May for mainstage productions with affordable pricing from £23, £15 for under-26s and £12.50 for Access Opera
WATCH THE 2026/27 TRAILER, READ THE SEASON BROCHURE AND LISTEN TO THE SCOTTISH OPERA PODCAST HERE
In its 2026/27 Season, which is unveiled today (7 May), Scottish Opera presents seven new productions spanning almost 300 years of operatic innovation. Ambitious, outward-looking, socially committed and artistically uncompromising, the Company remains as devoted as ever, holding its artistic nerve in challenging times, producing exceptional work at every scale and creating opera for everyone in Scotland.
As Scotland’s largest arts organisation and an industry leader which currently employs 188 staff, and 450 freelancers, it is also dedicated to cultivating the creative arts pipeline of audiences and professionals for the next era of opera. This includes new initiatives such as BUILD, and a new collaboration with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Alex ReedijkOBE, Scottish Opera General Director said: ‘Opera is not a luxury, it is a necessity. At Scottish Opera, we believe in the power of music, drama, and great art to provoke thought and move people to their core, and in my 20th year as General Director, that conviction has never been stronger. Nothing matters more to us than bringing opera to everyone across Scotland.
‘The mainstage shows at the centre of the Season centre on brilliant, complex, powerful female characters. We also make a concrete, visible commitment to the women shaping the next era of opera including the work of composers and directors Missy Mazzoli, Olivia Fuchs, Ruth Knight, Daisy Evans, Rebecca Meltzer and Lucy Bradley.
‘There are new co-productions and co-commissions with Irish National Opera, Opera Ventures Productions, NorrlandsOperan, Canadian Opera Company, San Francisco Opera, State Opera of South Australia, and Edinburgh International Festival.
‘Our impact and reach will also be evident as we tour the country, visiting 34 communities with Opera on Your Doorstep, as well as Pop-up Opera, schools shows and outreach and education projects.
‘We are immensely grateful to everyone who buys a ticket and generously supports the Company as a Patron or a Friend, and indeed all our funders. We look forward to welcoming you to one of our performances.’
Stuart Stratford, Scottish Opera Music Director said: ‘Our unwavering dedication to new work and opera’s future comes to the fore with the world premiere of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s The Galloping Cure – a dazzlingly inventive and urgent opera exploring the human toll of the opioid crisis – at the Edinburgh International Festival.
“Our five subsequent mainstage productions – Puccini’s Turandot and Madama Butterfly, Handel’s Alcina, Beethoven’s Fidelio, and Mozart’s Così fan tutte in collaboration with the new Advanced Artist Diploma in Opera programme at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – are no less vibrant and urgent for today’s audiences.
‘These works are not museum pieces. They ask us difficult questions about identity, freedom and betrayal – questions that constantly re-emerge in our own world. We hope you find something to treasure here.’
SEASON 2026/27
At the core of the new Season are remarkable tales of transformation and transcendence, love and loss, finding oneself, and standing up for truth and goodness in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
At Edinburgh International Festival this August is the world premiere of Grammy-nominated composer Missy Mazzoli’sThe Galloping Cure. Co-commissioned with Opera Ventures Productions, it is directed by Tony Award-winning Tom Morris and conducted by Stuart Stratford. Mazzoli’s score blends orchestral and choral writing with club rhythms and DJ textures, and it is performed by a cast including Daniela Mack, Justin Austin and Susan Bullock with Gabrielle Turgeon joining the cast as Noy. This ambitious production has already been picked up by opera houses on three continents for future performances.
This October, Sir David McVicar, who first directed for Scottish Opera in 1996, returns to the Company to stage a new, visually opulent production of Puccini’s Turandot, featuring the more expansive Alfano One ending. Stuart Stratford conducts Trine Bastrup Møller in the title role, alongside Victor Starsky, Insung Sim, and Hye-Youn Lee in what promises to be a production like no other. Reuniting with the creative team behind 2023’s award-winning Il trittico, McVicar confronts the darkness of Puccini’s work head on.
In February 2027, Olivia Fuchs directs Handel’s romantic fantasy, Alcina. For the Company’s first Handel in over a decade, renowned conductor Dmitri Jurowski is on the podium, and the cast includes Madeline Boreham, 2026/27 Emerging Artists Charlotte Clapperton, Charlotte Jane Kennedy, and Luvo Maranti; and Emerging Artist alumni Chloe Harris and Edward Jowle.
In the same month, Ruth Knight directs Beethoven’s Fidelio, to mark the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death. Beethoven’s only opera, conducted by Kensho Watanabe, features a cast including Julia Sporsén and Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy. Fidelio has been designed on the same set as Alcina, demonstrating how the Company is consistently thinking of more sustainable and innovative ways to present opera.
In May 2027, Daisy Evans directs Puccini’s heartbreaking masterpiece, Madama Butterfly. Stuart Stratford conducts a cast led by Sunyoung Seo, with Andrés Presno, Lea Shaw and Phillip Rhodes. Hailed in the press as a ‘Butterfly for the ages’, it reimagines Cio-Cio-San’s story as a journey through memory and identity. There are also two relaxed Access Opera performances of Madama Butterfly, in Glasgow and Edinburgh, which make coming to a favourite title as easy and stress-free as possible.
Rebecca Meltzer directs Mozart and Da Ponte’s biting social satire, Così fan tutte, also in May of next year. In this first opera presented in collaboration with the RCS Advanced Artist Diploma in Opera, John Butt conducts The Orchestra of Scottish Opera and a cast of hand-picked, international singers in the final stages of their training.
At the mainstage shows, those who are visually impaired can also take advantage of audio-described performances, free Touch Tours and pre-show talks, all of which enhance the audience enjoyment and extend their knowledge of the piece.
CONCERTS
Britten: Music for Voice and Orchestra this September marks the 50th anniversary of the renowned British composer’s death. The concert at Lammermuir Festival features Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten, and Britten’s Les Illuminations, Our Hunting Fathers and Phaedra. Douglas Boyd conducts 2026/27 Emerging Artists Charlotte Jane Kennedy, Avery Lafrentz and Charlotte Clapperton.
This November,to celebrate 120 years of His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, The Orchestra of Scottish Opera and soloists including Jamie MacDougall unite for a one-off concert. The programme includes the Great American Songbook and opera and operetta’s best-loved composers.
Presented in November by much-loved broadcaster and tenor Jamie MacDougall, and with the full forces of The Orchestra of Scottish Opera is an evening at Eden Court Inverness, which celebrates its 50th year. From Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves to iconic arias from Carmen, Madama Butterfly, and The Magic Flute, this is opera at its most vivid. As a special treat, Jamie also performs a collection of irresistible songs popularised by Harry Lauder.
TOURING
Opera On Your Doorstep returns with a staged production of Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel, directed by Lucy Bradley. Thanks to a new funding partnership with Laidlaw Opera Trust, it istouring to 34 locations across Scotland in Autumn 2026 and Spring 2027.
The Music Director/Pianists JoséJavier Ucendo and Alistair Burton are joined by Charlotte Clapperton, Charlotte Jane Kennedy, Holly Teague, Avery Lafrentz, Rosie Lavery, Alexey Gusev, Ross Cumming, Emily Wishart and Audrey Tsang. In each location on the tour, local children will have the unique opportunity to perform in the production.
Pop-up Opera tours to audiences all over the country from May, with performances of A Little Bit of The Elixir of Love,A Little Bit of Rigoletto, and children’s opera,Be a Sport, Spike!, for children aged four to eight. Directed by Darren Brownlie,these 30-minute, miniaturised classics are ideal for anyone new to the artform. There will also be free school performances plus free illustration workshops for kids at select venues. Storytellers Marc MacKinnon and Dani Heron, along with singers Holly Teague, Marie Claire Breen, Ross Cumming, Colin Murray, cellist Andrew Drummond Huggan and guitarist Sasha Savaloni — present the story.
EMERGING ARTISTS, NATIONAL OPERA STUDIO & ROYAL CONSERVATOIRE PARTNERSHIP
The Scottish Opera Emerging Artistsprogramme offers rising talent a period of full-time work with the Company to help launch their careers. The Company is delighted to welcome sopranos Charlotte Jane Kennedy, Avery Lafrentz, mezzo-soprano Charlotte Clapperton, tenor Luvo Maranti, baritone Daniel Barrett, repetiteur Alistair Burton and casting officer Joseph Hookway, with the name of the Elizabeth Salvesen Costume Trainee to be announced. The Emerging Artist singers perform in several of this Season’s productions and tours, and a recital at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Scottish Opera is once again partnering with National Opera Studio, hostingthe 2026/27 cohort – a group comprising some of the brightest rising star singers and repetiteurs from around the world, for a brand-new showcase performance of operatic scenes and extracts on the set of Alcina.
Scottish Opera’s Music Director Stuart Stratford is a regular guest tutor at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; he and The Orchestra of Scottish Opera are helping to train the next generation of conductors studying at the Conservatoire. RCS MMus conductors enjoy concerto workshop sessions with The Orchestra of Scottish Opera and RCS student soloists, under Stuart’s guidance.
The Company also supports the Leverhulme Conducting Fellowship, facilitated through RCS, with each year’s Fellow closely involved with Scottish Opera. This Season’s Fellow, Stefano Boccacci, will receive coaching and performance opportunities, including on Così fan tutte, and other professional classical music organisations across Scotland.
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
BUILD, supported by The William Syson Foundation, is new for the 2026/27 Season and brings together a range of initiatives for young people looking to further their knowledge of the arts industry. Through practical and transferrable experiences, the Company aims to equip budding artists and arts professionals for future employment and help them make informed and ambitious choices – to fulfil their potential and define opera’s next era with confidence, passion, and skill.
Over the years, the Scottish Opera Primary Schools Tour has inspired over 850,000 children across all 32 Local Authority areas. This year’s show is newly commissioned work, Vive La Révolution, with a live tour, supported digital package and on-demand digital packages all available to prepare for a performance in costume in front of friends and family. Music is by Alan Penman with words by Natalie Arle-Toyne, and through song and stagecraft, pupils will find out what really happened in 1789 when the people of Paris stormed the infamous Bastille.
The Elixir of Love: Three Ways to Stagean Operais a free teaching resource for teachers, where Secondary School pupils learn about music, drama, and art and design – incorporating elements of history, storytelling, and critical thinking – as they explore Donizetti’s comedy.
Disney Musicals in Schools collaborates with primary schools facing challenges in engaging with the arts. Teaching Artists guide pupils through rehearsals for special adaptations of Disney musicals and, crucially, provide training for teachers to build their pupils’ skills and confidence through the performing arts, creating a sustainable arts legacy for the future. Scottish Opera is Disney Musicals in Schools’ first Scottish partner, and this sixth successful year of the programme is the third year to engage with Additional Support Needs Schools.
Scottish Opera partners with key specialist music schools across Scotland, Aberdeen City Music School at Dyce Academy, St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh, and Douglas Academy in Glasgow, to support and mentor young singers exploring opera as a career. In 2026/27, the Company now expands this very successful programme to engage with secondary age students at other institutions who are exploring classical music as a career, giving more students a chance to engage with the operatic repertoire. The aim is to bolster arts industry career pathways and support the classical music industry in Scotland.
Scottish Opera’s Children’s Chorus led by Chorus Director Susannah Wapshott and the Company’s Outreach & Education Department, for youngsters aged 8-11, continues, as doesEdinburgh Tonic Arts Chorusfor NHS Lothian staff.
Expanding the Company’s partnership with Tonic Arts and NHS Lothian is a new dual-strand pilot programme in West Lothian to offer extra support, build physical strength and promote emotional wellbeing for new parents. It will offer therapeutic singing for families of premature babies, to encourage bonds when the baby might still be in an incubator, and specialised yoga, stretching and breath control.
Another new project this Season is for young instrumentalists, led by The Orchestra of Scottish Opera, alongside award-winning composer Karen MacIver and renowned playwright, poet and theatre-maker Martin O’Connor. The players will mentor secondary school-aged pupils, and encourage new ways of thinking about composition, collaboration and creating new work.
Scottish Opera is once again running Memory Spinners for those living with dementia, with the free project using music, storytelling, movement, and visual arts to help Glasgow-based people living with dementia get creative and form new support networks.
The ground-breaking, online programme, Breath Cycle, winner of the 2025 Classical:NEXT Innovation Award, continues to benefit those living with conditions affecting lung health – particularly Long COVID – with free resources that introduce participants to vocal exercises and breathing techniques.
Places are available in Scottish Opera’s Community Choir, open to adults of all ages and conducted by Katy Lavinia Cooper. It gives members an opportunity to sing a wide variety of music in a supportive atmosphere, with sharings each term and chances to perform in full operas.
Resources forThe Small Magician, a trauma-aware, inclusive, accessible vocal education resource, are available online. These enable participants to healthily challenge and build their vocal technique and knowledge from the comfort of their own home or chosen space.
Further information on the 2026/27 Season can be found at:
Competition launched in celebration of National Year of Reading 2026, encouraging children to ‘Go All In’ on reading with 25‑word book review challenge
TGJones has launched a nationwide competition for UK primary schoolchildren and primary schools, with a total prize value of over £17,000 up for grabs.
The ‘Bitesize Bookworms’ competition supports the National Year of Reading 2026, the biggest campaign in a generation designed to inspire everyone to discover a passion for reading and embed it into our everyday lives.
A Department for Education initiative supported by the National Literacy Trust, the National Year of Reading is delivered with the support of major sponsors and partners, including TG Jones. Primary school children across the country will be asked to share what they love about their favourite book – in 25 words or less.
Each winner will receive a £200 TGJones Gift Card, plus £4,000 of books and stationery for their school, while runners-up will win a £50 TGJones Gift Card and £500 of equipment for their school.
All entrants will be in with a chance of winning the huge prize, with three winners and nine runners up to be selected by an expert panel of literary judges, including primary school teacher turned rapper MC Grammar, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.
Competition entries will be split across three primary school age groups, with one winner and three runners-up from each group.
Reception – Year Two (England & Wales) / Primary 1-3 (Scotland & Northern Ireland)
Year Three – Year Four (England & Wales) / Primary 4-5 (Scotland & Northern Ireland)
Year Five – Year Six (England & Wales) / Primary 6-7 (Scotland & Northern Ireland)
The competition has been launched after a poll of 1,500 schoolchildren between the ages of 5 and 12 years old found that they spend over 6.8 hours a week reading, with an average of 3.8 hours spent reading for pleasure, and 3 hours a week spent reading for homework.
This trumps time spent on other activities including gaming (5.5 hours a week), playing outside (6.2 hours) and even chatting with their friends (5.8 hours).
The National Year of Reading aims to change the perception of reading, and redefine it as a modern, relevant and social activity. The campaign encourages the nation to Go All In in 2026, reading into our passions and interests to get more out of the things we already love, whether it’s football, gaming, music, sci-fi, or baking.
The competition adds to the momentum, providing an opportunity to encourage new readers to pick up a book, and share their recommendations with others to spark a conversation about reading.
MC Grammar (Jacob Mitchell) commented: “I can’t wait to hear of the adventures and wonders that kids have discovered within the pages of the books they’ve loved.
“The knowledge they have gained will help shape their lives, and now they have the chance to share that magic with the world – inspiring more readers, everywhere, to open a book and dream.”
David Hayman, Director of the National Year of Reading 2026 said: “Reading has the power to open doors, spark imagination and build confidence in every child.
“Through the National Year of Reading 2026, we’re encouraging families, schools and communities to rediscover the joy of books and inspire a lifelong love of reading.
“We’re incredibly grateful to TG Jones and all of our partners for their support and their shared commitment to making reading a relevant and rewarding part of everyday life.”
Alex Willson, CEO of TGJones and Head Judge of Bitesize Bookworms, said: “Nothing is more creative than a child’s imagination and we want to celebrate that unfiltered, accidental comedy that comes from a child giving their honest opinion about their favourite book.
“Reading is so important for a child’s development, and as partners of the National Year of Reading 2026 we hope this campaign encourages more children to pick up their favourite book.”
When it comes to why children want to read more, polling showed that 52% are driven by the desire to learn new things, 40% said they were inspired to pick up a book based on its cover, while 33% want to keep up with what their friends are reading.
The surge in engagement is fuelled by a love of enduring characters and stories that continue to capture children’s imaginations. The research revealed that JK Rowling’s boy wizard Harry Potter (36%) was the most popular storybook character among primary school-aged children.
In second place was Julia Donaldson’s The Gruffalo with 20%, followed by Roald Dahl’s Matilda with 18%. Marmalade loving Paddington Bear came in fourth place with 16% of the vote, with 15% voting for Peter Rabbit.
When it came to the nation’s favourite children’s authors, JK Rowling topped the charts with 28% of the vote. Roald Dahl was in second place with 23%, followed by Julia Donaldson with 18%. Jeff Kinney, best known as the author and illustrator of ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ secured 10% of the nation’s vote, and ‘The Cat In The Hat’ author Dr. Seuss came fifth with 9% of the vote.
School children who want to share why they love their favourite books can enter via the online entry page, which remains open until 23:59 on Friday 5th June 2026.
