Police Scotland is appealing to the public to help trace 15-year-old Hollie Thompson, who is reported missing from Grangemouth.
Hollie was last seen walking in the North Bridge and West Regent Street areas of Edinburgh city centre around 5pm on Friday, 5 June, 2026.
She is described as around 5ft 1 in height, of slim build with long brown hair. When last seen, Hollie was wearing a grey leather jacket, a pink top with cherries on it, black leggings and leopard print shoes.
Inspector Thomas Gorman said: “We are looking to trace Hollie who hasn’t been seen for around 24 hours now.
“She was last seen in Edinburgh city centre however several hours have passed so she could have travelled away from that area.
“I would ask anyone who may have seen Hollie, or has any information on her whereabouts to contact Police Scotland, on 101, quoting reference 2912 of 5 June, 2026.”
£4 million funding boost over three years for business debt advice services support an additional 16,000 small businesses and sole traders
Strengthened debt advice services to provide expert advice to small businesses struggling with finances
Funding builds on the success of the Business Debtline delivered by Money Advice Trust
Additional £2 million funding this year to help modernise debt advice
Small businesses and the self-employed struggling with their finances to receive a helping hand through new £4 million funding boost to business debt advice services through the Money and Pensions Service.
The funding will go towards expanding access to expert support to help them get back on track, giving a leg up to an additional 16,000 businesses over the next three years to total 75,000 businesses.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury Rachel Blake said:“From the plumber fixing your radiator to your local café, small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we know they sometimes need a helping hand when times get tough.
“We’re building on the success of our expert debt services to help tens of thousands more get back on their feet.”
Money and Pensions Service CEO Oliver Morley said:“When financial pressures mount, knowing where to turn can make all the difference.
“This vital funding will help more small business owners and sole traders get trusted advice when they need it, so they can regain control of their finances and plan for the future.”
Money Advice Trust CEO Steve Vaid said:“The Financial Inclusion Strategy has highlighted the need, and our long-term ambition, to deliver more debt advice for small business owners.
“This enhanced funding further strengthens the partnership between the Money and Pensions Service and Money Advice Trust and will help Business Debtline offer additional support to over 16,000 small business owners, sole traders and the self-employed – a group that often struggles to find tailored help.”
This builds on the £3 million a year put forward by the Money and Pensions Service from 2024 for the Business Debtline service designed to provide support at the point where personal and business finances often cross over.
Business Debtline has since been able to support around 50,000 people with more than 90% of clients seeing their debts reduce or stabilise, and demand has continued to grow for its services. Today’s funding will go towards meeting that growing demand.
The new funding will support the government’s Plan for Small Business – the most comprehensive package of support for SMEs in a generation – that helps small businesses access the tools and support they need to unleash their full potential with boosted access to finance measures and the most significant reforms to late payments in 25 years.
Alongside support for small businesses, a further £2 million of funding will go towards modernising debt advice on top of the £4.8 million already invested as part of the government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy. Launched last November, the Strategy looks to remove barriers to financial participation and to build household financial resilience.
Debt advisers play an invaluable role in supporting people to get their finances back on track. This modernisation fund will allow them to spend more time helping their clients, particularly complex cases who may need additional support.
Previous recipients of the funding have delivered a diverse range of projects, from AI pilots and digital referral pathways to upgraded infrastructure and more inclusive service design.
For example, Money Advice Plus, a community-based debt advice charity, invested £49,000 in technology, including AI-supported transcription and upgraded equipment. This has significantly increased their capacity, nearly halved the time to first appointments, and enabled advisers to spend more time supporting people in financial difficulty.
We’re bringing back our Junior Aerial Summer Camp!
Kick off the summer holidays with aerial fun!
Our camp is all about building confidence and creativity by learning tricks on aerial silks and trapeze. All welcome, including new beginners. Classes will be split by experience, so whatever your level, you can join and learn new things.
Come hang, spin, and fly with us!
Open to all junior students (P4-P7) at Out of the Blue Drill Hall from Monday 29th June – Friday 3rd July, 1:30 – 4:30pm
What if the solution to flooding, rising temperatures and biodiversity loss was right under our noses? Visitors are invited to discover how plants can help tackle some of today’s most critical environmental challenges through the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s Nature-based Solutions tour on June 12.
The guided tour takes visitors behind the scenes of the Garden’s Nature-based Solutions programme which showcases real-life examples of how plants are being used to address environmental challenges.
Along the tour, visitors can explore stormwater planters, living lawns, bioretention ponds and Edinburgh’s flagship rain garden, while learning how these projects help reduce flooding, regulate temperatures, and create valuable habitats for wildlife
A highlight of the tour is the Garden’s Rain Garden, which was created in 2019 to tackle persistent flooding was developed through a collaboration between Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh scientists, horticulturists, and researchers from Heriot-Watt University.
The project transformed a regularly flooded lawn and pathway into a thriving planted landscape. The surrounding paths no longer flood, the Garden is sustained entirely by rainfall, and the planting continues to thrive, demonstrating how nature-based solutions can deliver practical and lasing benefits.
The tour also provides an insight into the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s wider Nature-based Solutions programme and its Plants with Purpose initiative.
Through research and real -world testing, the programme investigates how plants can help reduce flood risk, regulate temperatures and restore biodiversity in urban environments, as cities adapt to the impacts of climate change, this work is helping build the evidence needed to create greener, healthier and more resilient communities
Whether you’re passionate about climate action, conservation or sustainable gardening, the Nature-based Solutions tour offers a unique opportunity to explore how plants can help create healthier and more resilient communities.
As well as learning about the science behind these projects, visitors will discover practical ideas that can be applied in gardens, neighborhoods and urban spaces, demonstrating how nature can play a vital role in addressing the environment challenges of today and tomorrow.
Caitlyn Johnstone one of the nature-based solutions scientists explains, “The ecosystem is incredibly connected, and plants are changing the world around them: soaking up floodwater, stabilizing land, providing food and shelter to insects and birds, improving human wellbeing, even actively cooling the air!
“When we learn from nature and apply the power of those plants to specific problems, we improve our world in so many ways.”
As cost-of-living crisis worsens, Islamic Relief UK deliver food packs across the country to struggling families as part of Qurbani
Islamic Relief UK will be working with over 40 local partners, from this week as part of the religious festival of Qurbani to deliver food packs to vulnerable families and individuals affected by the country’s worsening cost-of-living crisis.
More people throughout the country are struggling with the cost-of-living, and pressure is starting to build up against local charities and foodbanks as demand rises. According to Islamic Relief UK’s recent survey, over a quarter (28%) of their local partners have had to turn people away as they cannot keep up with the intensifying demand. Now with the added impact of the Middle East crisis, the economic situation will only further push more families into poverty.
Qurbani is one of the most important months of the Islamic calendar, as Muslims across the UK donate what they can to those struggling to afford food for their families.
This year, Islamic Relief is working partners throughout the UK, in cities such as London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester, Burnley, Cambridge, Glasgow, Exeter and more, and will be working with local charities, food banks, mosques and football clubs to deliver for those who need it most.
Nadeem Baqir, UK programme manager for Islamic Relief UK said: “This Qurbani should be a time for us all to reflect on the most vulnerable. Far too many families across the country are struggling with the cost of food, and too often we hear reports from our local partners about parents who must go without to make sure their children can eat.
“But at the same time, we can see communities pulling together and looking after each other, just like our wonderful partners, who provide food to those who cannot afford it, even as they themselves are put under increasing pressure as the number of people in need rises.
“As more families struggle to make ends meet, there is a clear need for government action to ensure the support families receive is sufficient to help them afford their essential needs and prevent more households from falling into poverty.”
Please join us this Sunday , 7th June, for this month’s litter pick.
It will be a joint event with Friends of Cammo, collecting rubbish in and around Cammo Estate. We’ll meet at 10am at the entrance to the Estate by the gatehouse, at the junction of Cammo Walk and Cammo Road.
All equipment will be provided.
We’d encourage you to wear a Hi Viz if you have one.
We usually finish at 11am with Tunnock’s caramel wafers for all participants!
People in Edinburgh can vote for local school and community projects supporting children’s access to healthy food
Tesco customers in Edinburgh can now vote for one of three local school and community projects to receive a grant of up to £1,500.
Corstorphine Village Playgroup, Liberton High School and What? Why? Children in Hospital are shortlisted, with funding set to support children and young people’s access to healthy food in the community.
Voting takes place in-store by dropping the blue token into the relevant box at checkout, and local schools/community groups can apply for future rounds.
A trio of Edinburgh schools and good causes are in the running for much-needed funds to help young people.
Corstorphine Village Playgroup, Liberton High School, and What? Why? Children in Hospital have been selected in the latest round of voting in Tesco’s Free Fruit & Veg grants programme with £500, £1,000 and £1,500 available – and customers can now vote for the one they want to support.
The programme is open to initiatives in Edinburgh that have a clear food focus for young people, including breakfast clubs, holiday food provision, access to healthy snacks for youth groups, community pantries, cookery and nutrition sessions, and food-growing projects that help children learn where food comes from.
The grants form part of Tesco’s wider Fruit & Veg for Schools ambition, giving schools and community groups funding for healthy food projects as the retailer works to help more than one million schoolchildren get fruit and vegetables through its school and community programmes, ran in partnership with community charity Groundwork.
Corstorphine Village Playgroup is keen to receive funding so that it can educate young children on healthy eating.
Also in line for funding is Liberton High School, which is looking to use the money it receives to host a breakfast club every morning for all young people, and deliver food parcels to pupils and their families.
Lastly, What? Why? Children in Hospital will use the grant it gets to help children and parents prepare for a hospital visit to the cardiology department, and answer some of their questions starting with What? and Why?
Claire de Silva, head of community at Tesco, said:“Every child deserves the chance to enjoy healthy food and build the foundations for a stronger future, so we want to support the brilliant schools and community groups in Edinburgh helping children and young people access nutritious food.
“Whether that’s a breakfast club, a pantry, cookery sessions or a project that helps children grow and try new foods, we’d encourage local organisations to apply for the grants – and we’d love shoppers to get involved when the customer vote comes to their local store.”
Customers can vote for the good cause they want to support by dropping the Tesco token they receive at the checkout into the relevant voting box as they leave the store. Each funding round features three local projects, with grants awarded based on the number of tokens received.
Schools and community groups in Edinburgh can apply for funding in future rounds via Tesco, as the retailer looks to support more local projects helping children and young people access healthy, nutritious food. In recent years, thousands of pounds have been donated to Edinburgh good causes.
Living Streets Edinburgh to host special speakers and community discussion on 11 June
Residents from across Edinburgh are being invited to attend Living Streets Edinburgh’s annual public meeting on Thursday 11 June, bringing together campaigners, community leaders and local people passionate about making the city safer, healthier and more accessible for walking.
The event will take place from 6pm to 7.30pm at the Friends Meeting House, Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh (EH1 2JL), and is free and open to all.
Attendees will hear from two guest speakers who have made significant contributions to creating people-friendly places and improving public health:
Malcolm Fraser, architect, cyclist and pedestrian advocate, known for championing the renovation of existing buildings and promoting development that serves local communities.
Helga Rhein, former GP and trustee of B Healthy Together, who has campaigned extensively for healthier neighbourhoods and improved pavements in Broomhouse.
The meeting will also provide an opportunity for Edinburgh residents to share their experiences, identify walking-related problem hotspots across the city, and help shape Living Streets Edinburgh’s priorities for the coming year.
The organisation will celebrate a number of recent successes, including helping secure reduced waiting times at 24 standalone pedestrian crossings and supporting the pedestrianisation of the Lawnmarket in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
David Hunter, Convenor of Living Streets Edinburgh, said:“Walking is the most accessible form of transport and one of the simplest ways to improve our health and strengthen communities.
“We’re delighted to welcome Malcolm Fraser and Helga Rhein to this year’s meeting, and just as importantly, we want to hear directly from Edinburgh residents about their experiences and ideas.
“We’ve seen real progress over the past year, from shorter waiting times at pedestrian crossings to more space being given over to people rather than traffic. But there’s still much more to do.
“Whether you’re a regular campaigner, a local resident concerned about a particular street, or simply interested in making Edinburgh a better place to walk, I’d encourage you to come along and join the conversation.”
Living Streets Edinburgh is the local branch of the UK’s charity for everyday walking and works to improve conditions for pedestrians across the city.
Event details:
Living Streets Edinburgh Annual Public Meeting Thursday 11 June 6.00pm – 7.30pm Friends Meeting House Victoria Terrace Edinburgh EH1 2JL
From life-changing recoveries to community impact: Edinburgh Leisure showcases its role through Seriously Social campaign:
As part of the UK-wide #SeriouslySocial campaign this June, Edinburgh Leisure is showcasing how it puts people above profit every day, sharing real stories that show how community leisure transforms lives across Edinburgh.
Led by Community Leisure UK, the campaign runs from Monday 8 to Saturday 13 June and highlights the vital role charitable leisure trusts play in supporting healthier, more connected and inclusive communities across the UK.
Reflecting this shared purpose, Edinburgh Leisure will spotlight five key themes: health and wellbeing, the community, employment and skills, inclusion, and the environment. Each is brought to life through the experiences of the people and communities it supports.
Supporting a healthier, more resilient city
Edinburgh Leisure plays a key role in improving health and wellbeing across the city by reducing barriers to physical activity and creating inclusive opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
As the largest provider of sport and leisure facilities in Edinburgh, it creates opportunities for people at every stage of life to be active, connect with others and build healthier habits within their communities.
Real stories behind the impact
The Seriously Social campaign shares a series of real-life stories that demonstrate this impact in action.
One example is Jennifer, a participant in Edinburgh Leisure’s community-based falls prevention programme, Balanced Life. After a broken back and serious illness left her relying on a walker, the programme helped her rebuild strength and confidence step by step, leading to a moment that she thought she might have lost: picking up her grandchildren from school.
At Gracemount Leisure Centre, Edinburgh Leisure’s swimming and multisport sessions for children with additional support needs have transformed weekends for Danny, Andor and their families. With consistent support and tailored activities, the sessions have built confidence and created space for both participation and respite.
These are just a few examples from across the week. The campaign brings together a wider range of stories, highlighting the many ways Edinburgh Leisure supports communities, from health and wellbeing, connection and confidence to careers and environmental action.
You can explore all stories and follow the campaign at
Jen Holland, CEO of Edinburgh Leisure, said: “What makes Edinburgh Leisure special is the impact we have on people’s everyday lives. These stories show that it’s not just about being active, it’s about rebuilding confidence, creating connections and opening up opportunities.
“Whether it’s someone regaining their independence, a young person taking their first steps into employment, or communities coming together to support each other, this is what putting people above profit really looks like using the power of sport and physical activity.
“Seriously Social is a great opportunity to highlight these moments and the impact Edinburgh Leisure makes across the city every single day.”
A sector driven by social purpose
Kirsty Cumming, CEO of Community Leisure UK, said: “Our members serve everyone in their communities regardless of age or ability.
“They are places where arts can power mental wellbeing, physical activity can create social connections and where health programmes meet community need. Seriously Social is a campaign that focuses on our sector’s greatest USP, our social heart.
“As social enterprises and charities, they put people above profit. Reinvesting money for the betterment of society. And that is why we developed Seriously Social, to celebrate the difference they make.”
