New parents in Lothian could be missing out on free support to help with the cost of everyday baby essentials.
Britain’s biggest discounter is continuing to give away a £100 Aldi voucher to one family every week as part of its Mamia New Parent Fund, to be used on everything from nappies and wipes to toiletries.
It comes as new Aldi analysis reveals parents who choose Mamia nappies, baby wipes and formula could save over £550 during their baby’s first year compared with leading branded equivalents*.
Since the initiative launched earlier this year, Aldi has already gifted thousands of pounds in vouchers to parents across the UK.
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said:“The reality is that the costs don’t stop once you’ve bought the pram and decorated the nursery – it’s the everyday essentials that really add up week after week for parents.
“When you’re suddenly buying supplies like nappies and baby wipes alongside your normal shop, even small savings can make a meaningful difference over the course of a year.
“That’s exactly why we continue to invest in keeping everyday baby essentials affordable through our Mamia range, while our New Parent Fund is another way we’re helping families during those early years.”
New parents in Scotland who want to apply for Aldi’s Mamia New Parent Fund should email mamiaparentfund@aldi.co.uk with a receipt showing their latest Mamia purchase. One family will be chosen each week throughout 2026 to receive a £100 voucher to spend in any UK Aldi store.
Former Which? director and former board member of the FCA Richard Lloyd OBE, seeks views as he begins his Independent Review.
Evidence collected will help shape recommendations to Government ahead of the Review ‘s final recommendations in October 2026.
Government has been clear it will act quickly where the evidence shows action is needed to protect access to banking services in the UK.
Communities, businesses and organisations have been invited to share their views on accessing face-to-face banking services, as the independent review launches a Call for Evidence today.
The Review, commissioned by the Treasury last month, is examining the impact of changes in access to in person banking services and identifying whether this is causing detriment to consumers, communities and businesses.
The Call for Evidence sets out the key themes the Review is examining and is open to anyone with relevant views or experiences – including individuals who rely on in-person banking, community groups, businesses, and organisations working in financial services and inclusion.
Rachel Blake, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said: Banking services matter to communities and businesses across the UK – and that includes face-to-face services.
“Whether you are responding as an individual or a business, your experience could shape the recommendations this review makes to Government.
“Where evidence shows people are being left behind, we will act – including through legislation if necessary.”
Richard Lloyd OBE, Chair of Access to Banking review, said: “Banking is an essential service needed by every consumer, community and business in the UK.
“The Access to Banking Review wants to gather the best possible up-to-date evidence of the challenges faced by those who need in-person banking services. This evidence will help to establish the impact of changing services, identify who is most affected, and underpin our assessment of what further action may be required.”
The Call for Evidence will remain open for six weeks, closing on 20 July 2026.
Responses should be submitted no later than 20 July via the online Smart Survey.
The Review will use the evidence to assess customer needs, the scale of any detriment, and the future trajectory of in-person banking services, before making recommendations to Government in October 2026.
The Call for Evidence is available on the Review’s GOV.UKpage.
The Review follows the announcement of the Financial Services and Markets Bill in the King’s Speech, in which the Government has committed to act where necessary, including taking legislative action where the evidence supports intervention to protect access to banking services.
The Bill will also take forward some of the credit union common bond reforms announced in March, making it easier for credit unions in Great Britain to expand and broaden their membership.
The changes will see more people access affordable credit and a safe place to save. The move will strengthen community-based financial services, delivering on the manifesto pledge to grow the mutuals sector.
As part of the Bill, the Government is also introducing Commercial Credit Data Sharing (CCDS) to help small businesses access finance more easily.
It works by requiring certain banks to share SMEs’ credit information (with their consent) with credit reference agencies, who then make this available to other lenders – helping them make better decisions and boosting competition.
Don’t miss these 30 minute shows as part of your Dynamic Earth admission, or as a standalone experience.
What’s Up: Summer Skies | Presenter-led Show
In the latest version of our flagship live Planetarium show ‘What’s Up?’ we’ll go stargazing in the summer sky, and take a look at the incredible Artemis II mission! In our Planetarium, we’re going to (temporarily!) delete the Sun so we can stargaze in summer skies of perfect darkness to spot stars, planets and galaxies.
Under Pressure | Presenter-led Show
Come with us as we take a deep dive into the global ocean; we’ll explore dark, hidden ecosystems and see the collective efforts of hundreds of marine scientists and engineers. We’ll also ponder on our ability to shape the future of this global ocean we all depend on.
We Are Guardians | Dome Film
Explore the ecosystems of our world that are intrinsically connected. Discover how, with the help of satellites, we can examine the links between human activities and climate change.
Experience our We are Guardians show with BSL interpretation as part of our daily schedule, with additional BSL interpreted screenings available upon request.
Find out more about our Planetarium, and explore the full schedule of shows here:
To To kick-start the week, we’ve launched our Building Carer Friendly Communities report, making the case for action across the UK to improve recognition and support for unpaid carers.
Carer friendly communities are places, spaces, services and community groups where unpaid carers are recognised, understood and valued. They make support part of everyday life, ensuring carers get the opportunities and help they need.
While many communities are committed to supporting carers, this is not always the case. Concerningly, our new research found that nearly half (44%) of carers do not feel their role is understood or valued by their community.
When communities are not carer friendly, the impact can be significant. More than a third (36%) of current and former carers who felt that organisations or services were not carer friendly said this had affected their physical or mental health.
Our new report sets out the action needed by the Government and by communities across the UK to help make a lasting difference to the lives of unpaid carers.
The Government will not achieve its ambition of delivering the highest growth in the G7 unless it undertakes sweeping reforms to Britain’s investment institutions, the Business and Trade Committee has warned.
In a major new report, the Committee concludes that Britain suffers from a deep investment paradox.
The UK is home to one of the world’s leading financial centres, pension funds managing £3 trillion in assets, at least £264 billion of undeployed investment capital and world-class universities that have created more than 1,300 spin-out companies in the last twelve years – But an estimated 380,000 businesses that want finance cannot get it.
Decades of individually defensible policy decisions have collectively weakened the institutions that should connect British savings with British enterprise. And so Britain exports capital, sells promising scale-ups too early, and struggles to finance the growth companies that could power higher living standards.
The report concludes that Britain must mobilise an additional £180–200 billion of investment every year to match the investment performance of the strongest economies in the G7.
Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Business and Trade Committee, said: “Britain is not short of money. We are short of institutions capable of putting that money to work.
“We have £3 trillion in pension assets, £264 billion of undeployed investment capital, £610 billion sitting in cash savings accounts and one of the world’s great financial centres. Yet 380,000 businesses that want finance cannot get it.
“For too long we have exported our savings and sold our scale-ups and watched other countries capture the rewards.
“If Britain wants the highest growth rate in the G7, we need the best system in the G7 for turning savings into investment and ideas into world-leading companies.”
Exciting FREE open studios event returns to Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studios
Featuring the work of over 30 artists from paintings to photography and illustrations to fashion
Meet the artists and makers and get the chance to win an original piece of art in a free raffle
Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studios are delighted to be opening our doors to the public again this Summer for another exciting Open Studios weekend onSaturday 20th & Sunday 21st June from 12noon – 5pm.
Come along to meet the local designers and makers in their studios and browse a wide range of original artworks and gifts. Everything is handmade here in the heart of Edinburgh.
Fine art / painting / ceramics / illustration / animation / fashion / textiles / photography
There will also be a FREE raffle featuring exclusive prizes donated by Abbeymount Studios artists.
With over 30 artists and creatives taking part, there really is something for everyone. Artists include Edinburgh-born printmaker Rob Stevenson Art, who transforms his photography with bold, bright colours. His work is shaped by the cities he’s lived in and loved, blending precise imagery with the energy of larger-scale street art.
Also participating is up-and-coming wildlife artist Kirsten Mirrey whose work is inspired by the nature and wildlife around her growing up. The most recent collection of work spanning the past five years has been focusing on both exotic and endangered wildlife in a highly realistic style. Each piece is created “hair by hair” and can take many months to complete.
The world of textiles and fashion is also covered with the work of award-winning slow fashion designer Jen Byrne. Sustainability & ethics are at the heart of her process and inform every decision while impeccable quality and attention to detail are staples of the brand. Jen’s limited edition pieces reflect the changing landscape of a craft made using exclusively what can be found second hand or as waste textiles.
The poster for the Open Studios weekend was designed by Abbeymount-based illustrator and children’s book author Trista Yen. She works digitally but picked up her painting brushes again recently to explore more possibilities of illustration.
Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studio Manager Bob Guilianotti says: “We’re delighted to be opening the doors of Abbeymount to the public again for our Open Studios weekend.
“There’s an exciting choice of artists and makers to meet as well as the chance to explore this historic building. It’s a chance to meet our resident artists and makers as they demonstrate their work and discuss their inspirations.”
Out of the Blue CEO Rob Hoon adds. “Out of the Blue are delighted that Abbeymount Studios artists take the trouble to show their expertise to the world.
“Open Studios is an increasingly popular event that illustrates the breadth of creative talent working away all year round” .
Details of the Open Studios Weekend, as well as a list of participating artists and makers can be found on the Out of the Blue website.
Young people are facing a starter jobs drought after vacancies suitable for first-time workers fell by almost half over the past decade, according to new research.
Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data by the Work Foundation and Lancaster University found average weekly starter job vacancies dropped by 49%, from 139,000 in 2016-17 to 71,000 in 2025-26, tightening competition for young people seeking their first step into work.
The study, carried out in partnership with Liverpool City Council, also found that the number of starter jobs available in 2025-26 was at its lowest level since the Covid pandemic.
The researchers said there was only one starter job vacancy for every three young people aged 16 to 24 who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) across the UK in late 2025.
The picture was even more stark in some regions, with six NEET young people competing for every starter vacancy in the North East and five in the East Midlands.
Researchers warned that competition is significantly higher than these figures suggest, as young people who are NEET are also competing against students, workers seeking a new role and older people returning to the labour market.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said: “This research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.
“The Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people, particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.”
Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, commented: “Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives.
“They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”
Young people face jobs drought as ‘starter’ vacancies fall by half in last decade
· Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data shows ‘starter’ jobs – vacancies that would be accessible for someone entering the workforce for the first time – have fallen by 49% over the last decade
· Figures suggest the number of starter jobs available for young people in 2025-26, averaging 71,000 vacancies a week, is the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21
· Young people’s chances of finding work varies significantly depending on where they live – there are six young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the North East for every starter job vacancy, compared to a national average of three to one
· Researchers call on Government to prioritise a more localised approach to place-based barriers to youth employment, alongside a focus on job creation and more support for young people while they are in education.
The Government’s youth employment drive faces a significant challenge as young people face a ‘starter’ jobs drought.
Researchers from the Work Foundation and Lancaster University, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, studied job vacancy data and undertook focus groups with young people in Morecambe and Liverpool.
The research shows that nationally, average weekly starter job vacancies have fallen by almost half (49%) from 2016-17 to 2025-26. And while total vacancies have fallen in recent years, the decline in starter jobs has been 1.6 times faster than for other jobs in the last 12 months (8.1% compared to 12.8%).
The largest contributor to the fall in starter jobs are declines in associate professional occupations – such as roles in human resources, business sales executives, and advertising and marketing roles – with average weekly vacancies falling by 73% from 2016/17 to 2025/26. Roles in sales and customer service occupations (such as retail assistants and call centre operatives) have also fallen by 59% since 2016/17.
In Oct-Dec 2025, there was only one starter job vacancy per three NEET young people in the UK.[1] Competition for these jobs is even higher than these figures suggest, as NEET young people will be competing with applicants who are in education, those already in work and looking to change jobs, as well as older workers looking to re-enter the workforce.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said, “The Milburn Review has rightly highlighted the systemic failures that make it much harder for many young people to enter and remain in employment. But this research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.
“The implications are clear – the Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people – particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.
“And we need to see more powers and funding devolved to address other place-based barriers to work, such as poor transport connectivity and skills, which often mean young people are unable to access employment opportunities that do exist.
“Without action to create more good-quality jobs, we risk investing heavily in reforms to education and employment support, while still leaving too many young people without a viable route into sustainable work.”
Where you live influences your experience of being NEET
Adzuna data suggests that NEET young people in the North and the Midlands face a more significant starter jobs shortage and are more constrained by the ongoing weakening in local labour markets:
In Oct-Dec 2025 in the North East, there were six NEET young people for every starter job vacancy, and in East Midlands, there were five
The quality of starter jobs also varies by region with starter job vacancies for young people in the North West much more likely to be temporary than those for the wider UK population in 2025.
Young people who participated in the study in Morecambe and Liverpool also reported a series of place-based challenges to employment.
Many participants described struggling early in life, shaping how they later engaged with support services such as JobCentres and council-funded programmes. Young people were grateful for support they received through the local council and voluntary sector, but awareness of these opportunities varied, and many voluntary sector schemes are struggling for long-term funding.
Participants also stated that hiring processes were complex, impersonal, and demoralising, with applications receiving little or no feedback. AI recruitment and automation appeared to create additional barriers for young people with lower attainment from secondary education.
Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, together with colleagues, commented: “The young people we met in Morecambe and Liverpool aspire to be in education, work, or training but they feel alienated from the labour market.
“Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives. They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”
In response to the rising numbers of NEET young people, the UK Government has announced a £1 billion package to support youth employment initiatives and have commissioned the Milburn Review to identify the factors driving the rise in the NEET numbers.
Taking account of the findings of the study, and seeking to build on these initial interventions, the study calls on the UK Government to:
Adopt a bolder, more localised approach to the Youth Job Guarantee, with a focus on providing secure, purposeful, and accessible employment opportunities
Strengthen the devolution roadmap in England to ensure all places are equipped to tackle the specific barriers to youth employment they face
Boost support during education to improve young people’s transition into work and reduce the risk of disengagement.
Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:“Youth unemployment is one of the most important challenges facing young people today, and it’s vital that both local and national government address it head on.
“In Liverpool, we’re taking a proactive, evidence-led approach, working with partners including Lancaster University to better understand the barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce.
“Through our Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Programme, we are testing new and innovative ways to support young people into education, employment and training. This includes tailored mentoring, creative and sports-based programmes, and practical support for employers to help them recruit and retain young people, including those who are care-experienced or have disabilities.
“We’re also investing directly in our young people, committing additional funding to prevent youth unemployment, providing targeted careers support in schools, and creating new roles focused on increasing participation in education and employment.
“This is about making sure every young person in Liverpool has the opportunity, support and confidence to succeed, whatever their starting point.”
Yak Patel, Chief Executive Officer, Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions, said: “This research reflects what we are seeing locally in Morecambe, where too many young people feel disconnected from the systems intended to support them. While opportunities for young people remain limited, we also see the strength that exists within communities.”
“Local organisations are often best placed to build trust, understand the realities young people face, and help connect them to meaningful opportunities. But this work requires sustained investment and much stronger coordination with wider services and support systems.
“If we are serious about improving outcomes for young people, we need more joined-up, place-based approaches that put community insight at their heart.”
● Five bursaries, to the value of £1,500 each will be awarded
● Applications close on Friday 26 June
● Scottish International Storytelling Festival (21 to 31 Oct 2026), confirms programme launch date as Tuesday, 15 September.
To mark World Environment Day (Friday 5 June), the next round of storytelling bursaries, set up to commemorate the life and work of storyteller Andy Hunter, who was a true advocate for our natural environment, is now open.
Andy Hunter, who died in 2015, was passionate about the Earth, its people and live oral storytelling. He was an avid cyclist and through his project Storybikes, he combined storytelling, sustainable travel and deep attention to place, encouraging people to slow down, listen, and connect more meaningfully with landscapes, communities and one another.
His Bursary fund, set up by his wife Anne in 2018, is administered by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Crafts Scotland) and five awards of £1,500 each will be made this year.
The fund aims to nurture the work of storytellers whose practice is rooted in place, sustainability, community, and the living tradition of oral storytelling.
Since its inception, it has supported many storytellers and new projects across Scotland including, storytelling walks for New Scots in Holyrood Park, projects working with disabled people, intergenerational cèilidhs in libraries and schools, foraging and rope-making workshops, nature-connected papercraft and storytelling installations, and sustainable storytelling journeys such as Ian Stephen’s sailing trip from Lewis to Iceland and the Faroes, which was shared with audiences during the 2025 Scottish International Storytelling Festival.
Speaking about her late husband, fellow storyteller Anne Hunter who has generously provided funding for the bursaries since 2018 said: ‘Andy believed in the power of storytelling to facilitate contemplation, attention and deep connections between people, place and the natural world.
“For me and Jacinta (Andy’s daughter) the bursary engenders a dynamic conversation with Andy’s core principles, facilitating projects and ideas that are always developing and often going beyond anything we, or he, might have imagined.
“I hope storytellers are encouraged to be audacious in their research and explorations, to share generously and continue to find meaningful ways to bring people together through story and our precious, fragile earth.’
This year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival, which returns from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 31 October, will also explore the rich relationships between storytelling and the natural environment under the theme ‘Bird and Beast’.
Led by the Festival’s new Director Daniel Abercrombie, the festival programme will look at the traditional and contemporary ties between humans, birds and the animal world and will include ten pieces of new work supported by the festival’s open call; guest storytellers from Turkey, Italy, Ireland and North America amongst others; Scotland-wide storytelling events, talks, workshops, and exhibitions for children and adults; and the return of the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Words of the Wild nature writing competition.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is made possible thanks to continued support from Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding and the Scottish Government Expanded Festivals Fund.
Full details of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival programme will be announced on Tuesday, 15 September.
? Stomach bugs can be very unpleasant but usually clear up by themselves within a couple of days.
stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
What’s Up: Summer Skies | Presenter-led Show
Under Pressure | Presenter-led Show
We Are Guardians | Dome Film
Experience our We are Guardians show with BSL interpretation as part of our daily schedule, with additional BSL interpreted screenings available upon request.
