This week is #KnifeCrimeAwarenessWeek – an important moment to highlight knife crime prevention across the UK.
Fearless is here for young people who want to speak up about crime and make a positive change.
We want to make sure young people – and the parents, carers and teachers who support them – know about Fearless.org.
Find out more: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/fear…/professionals/resources
Dear Editor
It is shameful to note reports that Edinburgh University has pulled the plug on financial support for a proposed £750,000 sculpture in the heart of the city’s Old Town, marking the capital’s historic links with the slave trade in the Caribbean.
This comes less than a year after a review of its own historic links to slavery and racism revealed that the university had received the equivalent of at least £30m in “philanthropic gifts” that can be traced to the profits of colonial commodities like tobacco, sugar and cotton.
Based on present-day earnings, that is equivalent to £202m today, or as much as £845m based on the UK’s growth in overall wealth and productivity since then.
The Edinburgh report found 27 specific endowments from donors directly linked to the slave trade and colonial profiteering. These were responsible for funding professorial chairs in music, agriculture, and engineering, as well as student bursaries, prizes, and scholarships. Funding also contributed to the construction of university buildings, including Old College, New College and the Medical School.
To put matters in context, in its most recent financial year, the university reported a surplus of £43 million on a total income of £1,477 million.
It is quite disgraceful that a university that has benefited so extensively from the wealth created on the back of slavery is not willing to contribute what is a relatively paltry sum to deliver a memorial to mark this hideous trade.
Yours faithfully
Alex Orr
2/3 Marchmont Road
Edinburgh EH9 1HZ
‘Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country?’ – At Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026
5th – 31st August / 11.50am / Gilded Balloon – The Turret at Teviot
What happens when an ancient queen of war becomes a modern refugee at the UK border?
In “Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country?”, Palestinian Syrian actor Arwa Omaren combines Euripides’ “The Trojan Women” with her own story of displacement in a raw, urgent solo performance that condenses 2,500 years of history into one voice.
Directed and co-written by award-winning filmmaker William Stirling, produced by Scottish founded Trojan Women Project, and recently nominated for an Offie (Off West End Award) – recognising the show’s powerful fusion of classical text and contemporary testimony, as well as Omaren’s extraordinary solo performance – this strikingly original production asks not only how we tell stories of exile, but who gets to tell them.
Performed at the renowned Gilded Balloon as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the show runs at The Turret at Teviot at 11:50am from 5-31 August 2026.
Arwa Omaren, a trained actor from Damascus, brings both classical know-how and lived experience to the role of Hecuba, the fallen Queen of Troy.
A Palestinian Syrian who fled the Syrian war, Omaren performs the myth alongside her own testimony as a “double refugee” seeking asylum in Britain – dealing with the horrors of homelessness, sleeping on the streets in the UK – and the battle to be re-united with her beloved golden retriever, Jacko, the dog she had to leave behind when she fled Syria.
The result is a really inventive, emotionally engaging piece that blurs the boundary between performer and subject, and myth and memory.
The production is led by the Trojan Women Project, an international initiative pairing and mentoring refugee performers with Greek tragedy as a means of processing displacement and reclaiming their narrative through their very own voices and expertise – they get to do what they know, including writing, acting and more. It has previously been presented at the Voila! Festival, where it drew attention for its intimate storytelling and political resonance.
Developed in community drama workshops supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, it is supported by the Mackintosh Foundation.
At its core, “Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country?” asks important questions about the language and systems surrounding refuge: borders, bureaucracy, hospitality, and exclusion.
At a time when conversations around migration and identity are increasingly polarised, this production offers a work that is both deeply personal and unmistakably universal.
The Gilded Balloon, one of the Fringe’s longest-running and most respected venues, provides an ideal platform for bold, artist-driven work. Set within the historic Teviot complex, The Turret offers an intimate space that brings audiences into close proximity with Omaren’s performance.
Trojan Women Project is currently welcoming sponsorship and partnership support to help bring this urgent and timely work to its audience and continue its work with refugees, and welcomes conversations with organisations aligned with its themes of displacement, cultural dialogue, and social impact.
SHOW INFORMATION
Title: Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country?
Dates: 5–31 August 2026
Time: 11:50am
Venue: Gilded Balloon – The Turret at Teviot
Tickets link: ‘Hecuba? Why Am I In Your Country?’ at Gilded Balloon
Language: English
Duration: 55 mins
Age Guidance: 14 plus guideline
Performer/Creator: Arwa Omaren
Directed and co-written by: Award-winning filmmaker William Stirling
Presented by: Gilded Balloon
Produced by: Trojan Women Project
Content Warnings: Themes of war, violence, death, and rape are discussed
Harbour Homes is celebrating success after winning the Care Innovation Award at the Care at Home and Housing Support Awards 2026 ceremony in Glasgow on Friday.
The award recognises the outstanding work taking place across its sheltered housing developments, where the team is creating vibrant, connected communities for older people. Harbour Homes’ Sheltered Housing team was at the heart of this achievement, with its commitment to fostering inclusive and engaging environments for tenants.
One standout initiative, ‘March to the Match,’ has captured attention across Edinburgh. A group of tenants known as the ‘Leith Legends’ have been collectively walking the 3,070 miles from Edinburgh to Boston ahead of Scotland’s first World Cup appearance since 1998. As part of the challenge, participants aged 60-95 took part in a group walk at Easter Road Stadium, home of Hibernian Football Club, bringing many back into a local landmark for the first time in years.
The initiative is one of many designed to promote health, wellbeing and connection. Led by manager Maureen Combe, the team combines day-to-day support with a wide range of activities and events that help tenants feel valued and part of a strong community.
Maureen Combe, Older Person Manager at Harbour Homes, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won the Care Innovation Award. It is a fantastic achievement and reflects the passion and dedication of our colleagues, who go above and beyond to help tenants feel valued and connected.
“Creating new experiences is central to our approach. We are proud to support people to live well, stay active and enjoy life as part of a strong community.”
Organised crime gangs operating across Britain’s high streets will be hit with a major police offensive in a new nationwide crackdown on dodgy shops.
Rogue barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops linked to organised crime will face raids, closures and cash seizures under a new £30 million crackdown targeting money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal working over 3 years.
£20 million of funding will go towards an enhanced law enforcement response, including establishing a new multi-agency co-ordination cell based out of the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Police officers will also be uplifted across forces in hotspot regions. Altogether, 75 new police officers will be recruited across the NCA, Greater Manchester Police, West Midlands Police and a joint Kent Police and Essex Police Unit, to build intelligence at a national level and increase the number of dedicated officers tackling organised crime on the ground.
Trading Standards will also be backed with £6 million in new funding to bolster the response to sham businesses in at-risk local authorities. New officer training will be rolled out to identify suspicious businesses, strengthen business compliance, and boost enforcement.
A new High Street Organised Crime Unit has also been established to bring together government departments, policing partners, and Trading Standards. Together, the additional funding and new unit builds on strong enforcement action such as Operation Machinize, to boost the national and local response to targeting criminal networks operating in plain sight on Britain’s high streets.
Overseen by the Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, the unit will be responsible for identifying what more is needed – from stronger powers to better co-ordination – to stop this criminal activity from happening in the first place.
A rapid review of local responders’ powers is underway to explore how these can be strengthened, starting with a consultation on extending the duration of closure orders, where appropriate, to shut criminal businesses down for longer.
Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said: “Criminal gangs have exploited our high streets to launder their dirty money and undercut honest businesses.
“We are hitting back with a nationwide crackdown to shut these fronts down, seize dirty cash and drive organised crime off our high streets and put bosses behind bars”
It comes as the NCA estimate at least £12 billion of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year, with £1 billion laundered through high street businesses like mini-marts, barber shops, vape stores and sweet shops. Some businesses are also connected to the sale of fake goods, tax evasion, illegal working, and illegal drug supply.
Thousands of businesses are expected to be raided, hundreds of arrests made and millions in cash seized as a national intensification campaign will be put on permanent footing annually to drive co-ordinated enforcement across the country.
Sal Melki, Deputy Director of Illicit Finance at the National Crime Agency, said: “For the past 18 months, the NCA, in conjunction with policing partners, has led Operation Machinize, the largest operation against economic crime on our high streets.
“By bringing together policing, HMRC, Immigration Enforcement, Trading Standards, and other partners in a co-ordinated approach, over 950 people have been arrested and over £10 million worth of criminal value seized.
“This criminal activity makes our communities less safe and less prosperous. It undermines legitimate business, deprives public services of tax revenues, and fuels a range of predicate offences such as the drugs trade, illicit goods, trafficking, and organised immigration crime.
“We will not stop and having the support of the High Street Organised Crime Unit to grow the Machinize partnership will enable us to target and disrupt more high harm offenders.
“The HSOCU will be key to a whole of government response, where enforcement action is backed up with the laws, policies and powers required at all levels to get this criminal element out of our high streets.”
Lord Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said: “Organised high street crime, including the illegal sale of tobacco and counterfeit goods, is damaging communities across the country.
“These criminal networks undercut honest businesses, draw money away from local economies and expose consumers to unregulated and potentially unsafe products. They are also often linked to wider offending, including money laundering, exploitation, and violence.
“The creation of a new High Street Organised Crime Unit will help drive a co-ordinated national response while strengthening local enforcement capability through additional support and funding for Trading Standards, police and partner agencies on the ground, who will work together to disrupt organised offenders, protect the public and support honest businesses that play by the rules.”
The latest Operation Machinize in November saw 2,734 premises visited and raided, 924 individuals arrested, over £13 million of suspected criminal proceeds seized or restrained, and more than £2.7 million worth of illicit commodities destroyed. It builds on the £300 million in criminal assets recovered by law enforcement last year, with money invested back to the front lines to support agencies leading the fight against crime.
The new National Police Service will go further by bringing together the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, and regional organised crime units’ capabilities to strengthen the response to serious and organised crime.
Deputy Commissioner Nik Adams, City of London Police and National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Financial Investigation and Asset Recovery, said: “Our high streets should be places where legitimate businesses can grow, not places where organised criminals hide behind shopfronts.
“This task force will harness the efforts of the National Crime Agency, national economic crime leads, local community policing, specialist officers and partners to target the businesses being used to launder criminal money, recover criminal assets and protect legitimate traders.
“Operation Machinize has shown that the most effective response comes when neighbourhood officers, financial investigators and national agencies work as one team. Local officers understand their communities and can identify suspicious activity, while financial investigators, the City of London Police as national lead force, and the NCA help connect that activity to the organised crime groups and the money flows behind it.
“The message to organised criminals is clear. If criminal cash is being pushed through high street businesses, policing and our partners will act. Through the High Street Organised Crime Unit, we will use intelligence, asset recovery and financial investigation to turn local disruption into lasting national impact.”
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The new High Street Organised Crime Unit will be welcome news for people across the country.
“Illegitimate businesses and retail theft are major issues and too often linked to criminal gang activity. Stolen goods are commonly funnelled through illicit supply chains and resold through unscrupulous businesses, helping fund further criminality. This harms businesses, puts colleagues at risk, and pushes up prices for honest shoppers.
“Tackling it requires prioritisation from police and government, and co-or2dination and intelligence sharing between retailers, law enforcement, and local partners. We look forward to working together to deliver real progress.”
John Herriman, Chief Executive of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, (CTSI), said: “CTSI welcomes the introduction of the High Street Organised Crime Unit, which will bring together partner agencies – including Trading Standards – to tackle organised criminality on our high streets.
“The proliferation of so called “dodgy shops” puts consumers at significant risk and undermines the legitimate businesses who drive economic growth across the UK. The new unit will bring a much-needed focus to help clamp down on a blight on our high streets and communities.”
Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive Ed Woodall said: “Local shops tell us that rogue traders on high streets are causing massive damage to their businesses and the wider community, so we strongly welcome this Government action to back responsible retailers and crack down on the organised crime gangs that are fuelling the illicit trade.“
A 56-year-old man has been jailed following the murder of a woman in Restalrig. Momodou Bobb was given a life sentence, with a minimum of 16 years and eight months, at the High Court in Edinburgh today (Tuesday, 19 May, 2026), following the death of Ndata Bobb.
Around 1am on Thursday, 28 August, 2025, officers were called to a report of a disturbance at a property on Restalrig Avenue in the city.
Emergency services attended and a 43-year-old woman was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment, where she died a short time later.
Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Ndata at this extremely difficult time.
“This was a heartbreaking and senseless crime that took the life of a much-loved woman and devoted mother.
“We remain committed to bringing those who commit such violent acts to justice.”
Chief Inspector Kieran Dougal said: “We understand that such a tragic incident has had a profound effect on Ndata’s family and friends, and it is important we continue to provide support at this difficult time.
“Our community advisors and community representatives helped shape our response during and after this incident, providing invaluable insight into Gambian culture and helping us to understand their needs.
“Crimes of this nature can also impact the wider public and we extensively engage and work directly with communities to address any concerns and provide reassurance.
“We are committed to continuing to strengthen our positive relationships with African communities in Edinburgh and ensuring that all the people we serve have trust and confidence in policing and feel able to speak to us, whether it is to report a crime or share information.”
ACROSS JUNE AND JULY, SCOTLAND’S FLAGSHIP CINEMA, FILMHOUSE IN EDINBURGH CELEBRATES ONE YEAR OF ITS DOORS BEING REOPENED
SPECIAL EVENTS INCLUDE IAN RANKIN AND JUSTIN JOHN DOHERTY IN CONVERSATION ON NIC ROEG’S ICONIC DON’T LOOK NOW
SPECIAL SCREENINGS OF BIG SCREEN CLASSICS 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY IN 70MMAND CINEMA PARADISO AND NEW HOMEGROWN GEMS INCLUDING THE FALL OF SIR DOUGLAS WEATHERFORD
A FILM LOVERS PARADISE WITH PROJECTION BOX TOURS, LIVE MUSIC AND SPECIAL DISCOUNTS ACROSS THE CINEMA’S BIRTHDAY WEEKEND
Edinburgh’s landmark cinema Filmhouse is marking one year of its doors being reopened to the public with a special series of birthday events which celebrate the big screen experience.
Across June, the cinema’s 1st birthday day weekend of 26th – 28th June and into July, Filmhouse will screen an extra special selection of films and events showcasing all that the cinema has to offer and is loved for.
Stanley Kubrick’s seminal 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968) will screen from 5 June in eye-popping 70mm alongside new cinematic visions screening in June including the darkly funny and eccentric new feature The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford from Edinburgh-born filmmaker Sean Robert Dunn starring Scottish screen legend Peter Mullan.
Other new films coming to the cinema soon include Steven Spielberg’s hotly anticipated Disclosure Day, Rohan Kanawade’s beautifully romantic Cactus Pears and back on the big screen, Paul Thomas Anderson’s cult hit Boogie Nights.
Audiences will also be treated to the first film that screened at the cinema when it reopened in June last year: an ode to the beauty of the cinemagoing experience, Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso (1988).
On 3 July, Filmhouse is excited to present a special screening of Nic Roeg’s iconic film Don’t Look Now followed by novelist Ian Rankin in conversation with writer Justin John Doherty to discuss Justin’s new book described as a ‘literary love letter’ to the film, Don’t Look Now and Then.
The discussion will not only touch upon their mutual love and fascination for the film, but also the detective work behind putting this sort of book together, finding the people who were there 50 years ago and uncovering never before seen archive and images that were thought lost to time.
The cinema’s recently launched We’ve Got a Cinema and We’re Not Afraid to Use It strand will see members vote on classic films that they are most excited to see on the big screen alongside the Team Birthday Picks strand which showcases staff favourites as well as highlights from across the programme since the cinema’s doors reopened.
Across the birthday weekend, cineastes can also get a glimpse into the hallowed ground of the Filmhouse’s projection boxes and there will be evening birthday party celebrations with live music. There will be special discounts on food and drink over the birthday weekend to coincide with the launch of a brand-new menu in the Filmhouse Bar Café.
Exclusive rewards will also run up to and across the birthday weekend for Filmhouse members, including the chance to be entered into a draw to win a Filmhouse lifetime membership. Special themed children’s screenings, craft activities, family face painting and games will take place as well as lots of birthday cake!
Filmhouse reopened to the public on 27 June 2025 after a remarkable three-year campaign to save the historic cinema backed by film lovers in Scotland and around the world and by A-list film talent including patrons Jack Lowden and Charlotte Wells, as well as Dougray Scott, Brian Cox, and Emma Thompson.
Filmhouse continues to be celebrated as a cultural cornerstone, showcasing world cinema in all its brilliance and diversity, from crowd-pleasing favourites and to avant-garde arthouse works, restored classics, and curated retrospectives.
With, a total capacity of 350 seats, the four-screen cinema is a hub for film enthusiasts, offering a cutting-edge cinematic experience, a vibrant social space, and a platform for film lovers and filmmakers to engage with the very best in global cinema.
Filmhouse’s technical capabilities include 70mm, 35mm, 16mm, 8mm, and digital projection. The cinema also includes a Clipster Unit for creating Digital Cinema Packages (DCPs) required for festival and theatrical distribution.
Built in a repurposed church on Edinburgh’s Lothian Road, Filmhouse has been a cinematic landmark since 1978. Following a £2 million refurbishment, Scotland’s leading independent cinema has been thriving since its reopening under new leadership and a vision which builds on the venue’s legacy as a space for learning and discovery, and a commitment to building a sustainable future for this iconic cultural landmark.
The completely refurbished Filmhouse Bar seats 100 people for lunch and dinner, with drinks available throughout the day, catering for many different communities with a welcoming atmosphere, and an emphasis on produce from Edinburgh and Scotland, offering great food and drink alongside environmental sustainability.
The glorious story of Filmhouse continues.
Andrew Simpson, Executive Director of Filmhouse, said:”The first year of the new Filmhouse has been quite a ride. Since June 2025, 125,000 people have sat down to watch a film here, and more than 200,000 have walked through the doors of our building.
“Re-establishing Filmhouse as a place for people to meet, socialise, eat and drink, enjoy themselves, and most thrillingly of all, experience the magic of cinema in all its forms has been a very special experience for all of us here.
“We welcomed the public back to the new Filmhouse ten days after finishing the first part of a huge refurbishment project, with a lot of work, including the opening of the brand-new Screen 4, carrying on after we had opened the doors.
“That we’ve delivered an enormously varied programme of films, events, educational work, and hosted dozens of festivals – from EIFF and the BFI London Film Festival to the French and Spanish Film Festivals, the Jali African Film Weekender, Take One Action, and many more – is a massive testament to our team, all the people we work with, and our brilliant audience.
“We’ve got lots of things we want to improve and build upon, and we’ve got big ambitions for the future. The first birthday celebrations are an important marker for us on that journey, and we want to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past year, and to extend an invitation to those who are yet to try out Filmhouse, by inviting you all to party with us in June.
“There’s something for everyone, and it’s going to be a lot of fun, and we hope to see you there (we’ll bring the cake). Cinema lives. ‘mon the hoose!”
On Wednesday 17 June Lymphoma Action will be holding an in-person Live your Life workshop for anyone in Edinburgh who has been affected by lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
Lymphoma Action’s Live your Life workshops have been developed to support people who have come to the end of their treatment for lymphoma, or who are being monitored by their healthcare team as their lymphoma doesn’t need treatment straight away (also known as ‘active monitoring’ or ‘watch and wait’.)
These unique and interactive workshops are led by someone with a personal experience of lymphoma, and aim to provide support in managing the emotional aspects of the condition, as well as treatment side effects.
They also provide useful information around staying active, nutrition and practical tips to support the general wellbeing of those living with and beyond lymphoma, and give people the chance to talk to others and to share their experiences.
Attendees are welcome to bring a friend or family member to the workshop too.
Whilst the in person Live your Life event is free to attend, booking is essential. Please note that these workshops are not recorded, so the only way to experience them is to be there!
To find out more, or to book a place, or to book a place, visit:
https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/events/live-your-life-workshop-edinburgh
Lymphoma Action is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to supporting people affected by lymphoma, the most common blood cancer. We are here for everyone affected by lymphoma and provide expert information, dedicated support and a community that understands – right from day one.
This year marks our 40-year anniversary, and we are grateful to all those who have supported us along the way in our mission to make sure no one has to face lymphoma alone.
For further information visit: https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/events/live-your-life-workshop-edinburgh
Edinburgh Green Councillors have announced a new team to serve as their Co-Convenors. Cllr Alys Mumford and Cllr Ben Parker were chosen by their fellow Green councillors to lead the group for the final year of this council term at a group meeting on Monday 18 May.
The announcement comes after serving Co-Convenor Cllr Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill stepped down from the role after being elected an MSP, while her colleague Cllr Chas Booth came to the end of his two-year term.
Edinburgh Green councillors have a two-year term limit on convening the group, in order reflect the principle that power should not be concentrated, that diversity of experience and skills is an asset, and that everybody should have the opportunity to take on leadership positions.
Alys and Ben have previously acted as Co-Convenors for the group from 2022-2024.
Incoming Co-Convenor Cllr Alys Mumford said: “We are entering a pivotal year for the Green group, as we hope to build on the success of the Holyrood election and see the biggest group of Green Councillors in the chamber in 2027.
“At the same time, we need to continue our strong record of holding this failing ultra-minority Labour administration to account and fighting for our constituents to have the public services they deserve.
“Over the past four years, Green Councillors in Edinburgh have secured massive investment in social housing, protected our residents from the worst of the cuts to public services, and won long-overdue action to tackle the climate crisis.
“I’m delighted that the group have put their faith in me and Ben to be their co-conveners once again and we can’t wait to get to work on some of the pressing issues facing this Council.”
Fellow incoming Co-Convenor Cllr Ben Parker said: “Coming off the back of a fantastic set of election results for Holyrood, I’m excited to take over the reins as Co-Convener with Alys.
“Having already worked together as group Co-Conveners in the first couple of years of this Council term, I’m sure we will be able to pick up where we left off. I also want to say a big thank you to outgoing Co-Conveners Chas Booth and Kayleigh Kinross O’Neill who have left big shoes to fill.
“We have an exciting year ahead preparing for the Council elections in 2027. Already, we have an excellent pipeline of candidates and a fantastic manifesto in development. With less than a year to go before polling day, momentum is with the Greens and I’m excited to see where the next year (and beyond) will take us.”
Outgoing Co-Convenor Cllr Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill said: “Co-convening with Chas has been a pleasure in this Council term and I have immensely enjoyed having oversight of our brilliant Green group.
“Being elected to Holyrood is such a privilege and knowing that the Green group are in such good hands for the next year means I can cheer on from the sidelines as we come towards May 2027.“
Outgoing Co-Convenor Cllr Chas Booth said: “I’m delighted that Edinburgh Green Councillors have selected such a strong team to take over from Kayleigh and I and to steer the group towards the council elections in 2027.
“Following the Green surge at Holyrood less than a fortnight ago, this is an exciting time to be a Green councillor and I’m looking forward to supporting the incoming co-convenors as we prepare for the council elections next year.“
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to co-convene the group alongside Kayleigh for the last year. Her hard work, strategic wisdom and dry sense of humour have brought passion and insight to the role. The Green Group’s loss is Holyrood’s gain and while she will be missed as co-convenor, I am delighted she is staying on as a councillor for the remainder of the term.”
SATURDAY 30 MAY from 11am – 1pm
Summer Fair Saturday 30th May
– this year we also have a pet stall and pet blessing!
