WE’RE proud to share our 2026 Light up a Life appeal.
We’re inviting our Hospice community to come together to remember their loved ones by dedicating a light on one of our Trees of Remembrance, helping their light shine brightly this Christmas.
Dedicate a light in memory of your loved one and find out more, here:
This Christmas, bring care, comfort and lasting memories to people like Tom
For Tom Hunter, St Columba’s Hospice Care is much more than a place. It is where he and his partner of 24 years, Baz, were cared for during the most difficult chapter of their lives, and where Tom found comfort, friendship and a way forward after Baz died.
“Coming to the Hospice feels like coming home,” Tom says. “The team couldn’t be dearer to my heart.”
Baz was diagnosed with cancer in 2023. As his illness progressed, the support of the Hospice became a lifeline for them both. Through the Hospice’s virtual ward, nurses and doctors cared for Baz at home, while the team was always there whenever Tom needed advice or reassurance.
One night, Baz was struggling to get comfortable in bed. Tom still remembers being scared to move Baz, in case he made his pain worse, and the feeling of helplessness he experienced. The following day, he contacted the Hospice, who arranged for an adjustable Hospital bed to be delivered, and nurses Tracey and Elaine even came that evening to help get everything set up.
And it wasn’t only the practical care that made a difference.
Tom remembers a night on the ward when Baz couldn’t settle. At 2am, nurse Lianne came in and gently massaged his head until he fell asleep. “So we both had a peaceful sleep that night,” Tom recalls. “Is that dedication, or is that dedication?”
Baz died peacefully a few days later, surrounded by the care and compassion that had become so important to them.
The kindness Tom experienced stayed with him. After taking some time to grieve, he returned to his position as a volunteer, first in the café and later on reception and with the Hospice’s hospitality team.
Today, Tom is a much-loved face around the Hospice, and his colourful collection of waistcoats is almost as famous as his warm personality.
“I get so much from being here and being able to support other families, I get a lot of comfort from it. It felt great to come back.”
Tom also has a lasting reminder of Baz in the Hospice courtyard, a tribute flower with Baz’s name engraved on its leaf. He can visit it whenever he is at the Hospice.
This Christmas, Light Up a Life is an opportunity to remember someone special while helping families like Tom and Baz’s receive the care, kindness and support they need.
Your gift could help make sure that, when families need us most, St Columba’s is there, bringing comfort, dignity and moments of peace when they matter most.
Unacceptable numbers of us already teetering on knife’s edge with one in six people in Scotland running out of food in past year, unable to afford to buy more, Trussell says
ANTI-poverty charity Trussell reports that 550,000 people across Scotland in 2026/27 – have so little to get by on that they are at risk of needing to use a food bank. Analysis from WPI Economics shows that this includes an increase of 25,000 people since 2024/25.
A survey conducted by Ipsos on Trussell’s behalf shows that unacceptable numbers of us are already living on a knife’s edge day-to-day, going without food and making impossible sacrifices, the charity says.
One in six (17%) people in Scotland said that their household had run out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more in the previous year, according to the new research, with certain groups such as disabled people and carers, more likely to go without.
The charity is calling on the Scottish Government to redouble its efforts to ensure more people in Scotland can afford at least the essentials, by acting in the Scottish Budget to increase the Scottish Child Payment to at least £40 a week with immediate effect.
New figures from Trussell show one in ten (10%) people in Scotland have had to cut back on food in the previous three months to afford other essentials like their housing costs, transport to work, or their heating.
Alarmingly, certain groups in Scotland, such as disabled people and carers, are more likely to go without.
Disabled people – 28% in Scotland had run out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more (compared to 13% of people who are not disabled)
Households with a disabled family member – 25% in Scotland had run out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more (compared to 12% with no disabled household member),
Carers – 26% in Scotland had run out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more (compared to 13% of those with no caring responsibilities)
The research also reveals that work is not protecting people from hardship – almost 1 in 5 (19%) working people in Scotland ran out of food and couldn’t afford to buy more.
In the Scottish Government’s Budget next month, Trussell is calling on the Scottish Government to reaffirm its commitment to ending the need for food banks in Scotland and update its action plan to deliver on this commitment.
The charity says it should start with getting more money into people’s pocket’s by boosting the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week with immediate effect and committing to a longer-term increase to £55 a week.
Cara Hilton, senior policy manager for Trussell in Scotland, said:“It’s devastating that half a million people in Scotland are at risk of needing to use a food bank. In every community, in every part of Scotland, people are skipping meals so their kids can eat, sitting freezing because they can’t afford money for the meter, feeling isolated and alone, not sure where to turn for support.
“Every day, people are pulling together across communities to make a difference – donating and getting emergency food to neighbours and providing advice and support so that people don’t need to turn to a food bank in the future. But together we can and must go further, particularly as prices rise once more.
“If we’re going to build the fairer Scotland we all want to see, we need politicians to take the heartbreaking scale of hunger in Scotland seriously. We need to invest now in a better future for children and for Scotland.
“The First Minister must renew the SNP’s promise to end the need for food banks in Scotland and take strong action in the Scottish Budget, to make sure more people in Scotland can afford the essentials and all children have a decent start in life.”
Pam from East Dunbartonshire, a former police officer who has been supported by a food bank, said:“Having had a career serving the community where I witnessed poverty and hardship on a daily basis, I didn’t ever believe I’d be on the other side of that fence. You never know what curveballs life will throw at you, though.
“We desperately need a society where if you trip and fall, there will be someone or something there to catch you rather than what happens now where a charity has to step in and help you pick up the pieces after you break.”
Fiona Dalgleish, manager of Peeblesshire Foodbank, said:“It’s not right that anyone in Scotland doesn’t have enough money to live on. Every week, our wonderful staff and volunteers provide a lifeline through emergency food parcels and practical support to everyone who needs it.
“We’re really worried about winter. We are doing everything we can to support people in our communities as the colder months close in. But the rising cost of food and energy will make it even harder for us to keep services running.
“Keeping the lights on and spaces open costs money, which is why any support you can give, whether that’s donating food or funds, will make a real difference.”
Glowing lights, circus magic & illuminated lanterns will brightening up the colder months this November, as we prepare for the first Newhaven Winter Carnival.
Kids aged 5-11yrs are warmly invited to join our Carnival circus troupe who will learn ground-based skills like juggling, hula hoops and poi, make their own glow circus props to keep, and perform in the Winter Carnival on Saturday 28th November.
Meanwhile, all ages are invited to help us design and build glowing willow lantern sculptures, which will be part of the parade and then adorn the Heart of Newhaven lobby over winter.
Drop in to one of our Winter Carnival club sessions to find out more, or book your place for circus!
We will be meeting every Thursday 4 – 6pm
Registration (and all participation) is free, thanks to our funders the National Lottery, Harbour Homes, and Transport Scotland through Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s ArtRoots fund.
Project 2035 to create new opportunities, backed by £250,000 this year
More girls and women across Scotland will have opportunities to play, coach, officiate and lead in football under a new long-term plan to grow the game.
Project 2035, supported by £250,000 of Scottish Government investment this year, aims to increase participation, strengthen pathways into the game and establish Scotland as a leading nation for women’s football by 2035.
A new Girls’ and Women’s Football Taskforce will oversee delivery of Project 2035 over the next decade. This will bring together the Scottish Government, Scottish Women’s Football, the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Women’s Premier League, the Professional Footballers’ Association Scotland, sportscotland and COSLA.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Football has the power to bring communities together, improve health and wellbeing, and inspire young people to achieve their potential.
“Project 2035 is about building the momentum we have seen in recent years in women’s and girls’ football and creating even more opportunities across Scotland.
“Our ambition is simple: every girl in Scotland who wants to be part of football should have the opportunity to do so, whether as a player, coach, official, volunteer, supporter or leader.
“By working together we can help Scotland become a leading nation for women’s football.”
Scottish FA Chief Executive Ian Maxwell said: “Today’s announcement is fantastic news for the future of the Girls’ and Women’s game in Scotland.
“Project 35 will play a pivotal role in supporting the sustainable growth of our game over the next decade to ensure every girl and woman in Scotland has the opportunity to be involved in football in whatever capacity they choose.
“On the pitch and beyond, our commitment is stronger than ever to grow the game in an equitable and sustainable way. The newly created Scottish Girls’ and Women’s Football Taskforce will provide an important focal point as we strive to achieve our collective ambitions for the game.”
Scottish Women’s Football Chief Executive Aileen Campbell said: “At Scottish Women’s Football we experience firsthand the incredible growth in participation of girls playing grassroots football, but we know challenges remain and more work needs to be done.
“That’s why this Scottish Government-led taskforce will be a gamechanger – harnessing passion and momentum to pull partners together, support volunteers and give every girl who wants to the opportunity to play the game they love.”
Scottish Women’s Premier League Managing Director Fiona McIntyre said: “Project 2035 will transform women’s football into an integral part of Scottish society, driving record attendances, expanding professional opportunities for girls and women, and unlocking sustained investment across the game to accelerate long-term growth and success.”
Helping teachers prepare for major curriculum changes
Local councils will be able to request up to two extra in-service days this academic year, so that teachers can prepare for the most significant curriculum changes in more than a decade.
The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) – which brings together the Scottish Government, local authority body COSLA, and teaching unions – has agreed up to two additional in-service days, which will form part of multi-year support for implementation of the updated curriculum.
Additionally, a short-term working group involving councils, unions and the Scottish Government will assess what additional support schools and teachers require to implement the refreshed curriculum, with a routemap to be published early next year.
Draft curriculum materials have now been made available to teachers by Education Scotland, which will be tested and refined through engagement with the profession. These have been co-designed by Education Scotland with input from over 1,500 primary and secondary teachers, early learning practitioners, and a range of other experts including from the Gaelic Medium Education sector.
The materials are being deliberately shared by Education Scotland in draft, as part of a process of engagement and testing with a sample of teachers ahead of wider engagement around more advanced drafts in early 2027. More than 3,800 teachers, practitioners, council education leads, and experts have so far registered an interest in reviewing the drafts and providing independent feedback to inform future drafts.
Education Scotland and Qualifications Scotland are working closely to develop qualifications for learners on the basis of the updated curriculum and aligned with it for the senior phase, for learners aged 16-18.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “This is a significant milestone in delivering the most substantial curriculum reform in a decade.
“The draft materials build on the strengths of Curriculum for Excellence and respond to the OECD’s call for greater clarity, stronger progression and a clearer focus on knowledge. By aligning curriculum, qualifications and assessment reform, we can deliver changes that work in the classroom and improve outcomes for young people.
“Teachers must have appropriate time and support to prepare properly – investing in dedicated time now will ensure high-quality learning and teaching for young people once the updated curriculum is implemented in August 2028.
“I have encouraged local councils to align additional days with existing school holidays to minimise disruption and look forward to taking forward a new curriculum designed to deliver excellence in our education system.”
Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS) General Secretary Greg Dempster said: “AHDS is very pleased that we now have an agreement in place for two additional in-service days during the remainder of this school session, and that is work underway to ensure that further development days are swiftly agreed for subsequent years.
“This time investment is absolutely essential to enable school leaders and their teams to undertake the planning and preparation necessary for implementation of changes to our curriculum to be successful.”
School Leaders Scotland (SLS) General Secretary David Barnett said: “We are pleased that an agreement on additional in-service days has now been reached.
“This will allow schools to plan with confidence on giving staff time to engage with the draft curriculum materials and begin the process of what will be major curriculum reform.”
Councils will decide the exact dates for the additional in-service days, which are intended to be aligned to the existing holidays, based on local holiday timetables. Dispensation for the in-service days will be granted under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.
Committee questions timescales for reducing teachers class contact time
The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic should provide more information on whether plans to reduce teachers’ class contact time are deliverable within the planned timescales, according to a Holyrood Committee.
In March 2026, the Scottish Government, local government and teaching unions agreed that teachers’ time with pupils would be reduced by 90 minutes a week. The tripartite agreement said this policy would be in place from August 2027 in primary and special schools, and August 2029 in secondary schools.
However, evidence presented to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Gaelic Committee indicated that it is unclear whether the policy can be implemented in time.
The Committee’s report points to “considerable challenges related to workforce planning in implementing the reduction in class contact time within the planned timescales”, due to geographical and subject specific teacher shortages.
The report also calls for greater clarity about the objectives of the policy. The Committee is unclear how the policy can both reduce teacher workload and give teachers time for additional preparation and learning. In addition, the Committee would like to understand what assessment has been made of how the policy benefits children and young people.
Additionally, there are questions about how the costs associated with reducing class contact time will be funded. Evidence shared with the Committee outlined that spending for the Education and Skills portfolio is not forecast to meaningfully increase, implying that the cost of this policy will need to be met by existing budgets.
Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Education and Gaelic Committee, said:“We have questions about the proposals to reduce teachers’ class contact time within the timescales agreed by the Scottish Government, teaching unions and local government.
“The evidence we heard highlighted the significant unresolved challenges that rural and remote communities face with recruiting teachers, alongside challenges related to recruiting teachers in several secondary specialisms.
“At the current time, it is difficult to understand how these can be resolved in time for the policy to be delivered effectively and on schedule. We would like to hear the Cabinet Secretary’s views on how achievable the policy is within the planned timescales.”
The Committee also scrutinised the Scottish Government’s progress towards delivering the reforms to the children’s care system known as The Promise.
In its report it explains that the lack of clarity around the implementation, delivery and accountability of the reforms makes it difficult to measure progress and asked the Scottish Government to respond to the evidence that said that there is a need for sustained investment to deliver on the aims of the policy.
Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Education and Gaelic Committee, said:“During our inquiry, we encountered a lack of clarity around the implementation, delivery and accountability on the Promise which makes it difficult to measure progress with any certainty.
“We would like to hear the Scottish Government’s response to calls for sustained investment, including progress in relation to social work recruitment and retention and availability of care accommodation, to make the progress that is needed to ensure The Promise fulfils its commitment to care-experienced children, young people, and adults.”
A major exhibition bringing together 15 years of work by Aberdeen-based artist Ade Adesina will open on Saturday (7 November 2026).
City Art Centre will present the biggest exhibition of work to date by acclaimed printmaker Ade Adesina, bringing together an expansive collection of his monumental linocuts, etchings and woodcuts.
Born in Nigeria in 1980 and now based in Aberdeen, Adesina explores urgent global themes, including climate change and colonial histories, drawing on the past and present to imagine possible futures. His work carefully balances beauty with a darker undercurrent, revealing the impact of human intervention on the natural world.
Informed by his African roots, his experiences of British culture and his extensive global travels, Adesina’s practice is deeply rooted in the traditions of Fine Art printmaking. At first glance, his works may appear to be classical landscapes or still lifes. However, closer inspection reveals complex narratives and richly layered iconography, inviting visitors to look beyond the surface and discover the stories within.
The exhibition, titled Bard, includes new works created especially for the show. It offers visitors an opportunity to experience the breadth and ambition of an artist whose distinctive approach to printmaking explores the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world.
Running until Sunday 11 April 2027, the exhibition is presented as part of RSA200: Celebrating Together, marking the occasion through a showcase of contemporary artistic practice and the work of one of Scotland’s leading printmakers.
Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “We are delighted to welcome this major exhibition by Ade Adesina to the City Art Centre. As one of the most significant showcases of his work to date, Bard offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore the extraordinary scale and detail of his printmaking.
“Ade’s work addresses some of the most pressing issues of our time, from climate change to colonial history. It is an ambitious and thought-provoking exhibition which celebrates the diversity of artistic talent in Scotland – well worth a visit!”
Ade Adesina said: “I’m delighted to present ‘Bard’ at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre, a place that holds special significance for me.
“It was one of the first galleries I visited as an art student, and I remember being so overwhelmed by the quality of the work on display that I questioned whether I could ever make it as an artist. To return now with my own exhibition feels particularly meaningful.
“On a personal level, this body of work brings back memories of different times in my life and the ups and downs of trying to build a career as an artist. Each piece holds something of the circumstances in which it was made: the doubts, setbacks, discoveries and moments of joy. Seeing these works together allows me to reflect on that journey and the experiences that have shaped both my life and my practice.
“Printmaking is the medium I have chosen to tell stories through landscapes and still life, bringing together places, events, memories and imagined worlds. My work reflects on our relationship with nature and the histories that shape us, preserving memories and recording experiences while drawing connections between different cultures and environments. Presenting these stories in Edinburgh, a city with such a rich storytelling tradition, feels especially fitting.
“I hope visitors will find their own connections within these images and discover something new each time they look. Above all, I hope someone beginning their own creative journey visits this exhibition and leaves feeling encouraged to keep going, even when the path ahead feels uncertain. It’s hard, but it’s possible.”
Curator Stuart Fallon said:“Ade Adesina is one of the most important printmakers working in Scotland today.
“The exhibition showcases Ade’s incredible skill, and dedication to the medium – including epic landscapes and intricate still lifes in linocut, woodcut and etching. We’re very pleased to bring together the largest survey of Ade’s remarkable work to date, including over 60 works, spanning 15 years of his career.”
Publication of Trust in Public Institutions (2025): Findings from the Scottish Household Survey
The Scottish Household Survey: Trust in Public Institutions (2025): Findings from the Scottish Household Survey report, published yesterday, contains key findings for the survey question on trust in public institutions in Scotland.
In 2025, adults in Scotland were most likely to trust the Health System and the Police (both 74%). Trust was lowest for the Scottish Government (46%) and Local Government (50%).
The Scottish Government (45%) and Local Government (41%) attracted the highest levels of distrust in 2025, while distrust was lowest for the Police (19%), the Education System (20%) and the Civil Service (22%). Compared with 2023, distrust increased most for Local Government (from 35% to 41%) and the Health System (from 18% to 24%).
‘Net trust’ is the difference between the percentage of people who expressed trust in an institution, and those who expressed distrust. More adults expressed trust than distrust in six of the seven institutions.
The Police had the highest net trust (+54 percentage points), with 74% of adults expressing trust and 19% expressing distrust.
Net trust in the Scottish Government was neutral, with equal proportions of adults expressing trust and distrust.
Trust varied across population groups. Adults aged 16 to 34 generally reported higher levels of trust than adults in the older age groups, while disabled adults reported lower trust and higher distrust than non-disabled adults across all institutions.
Trust was also generally higher among minority ethnic groups and lower among adults living in the most deprived areas. Differences by sex and urban-rural classification were less pronounced.
Trust in all seven institutions was lower in 2025 than in 2022, with the largest declines for the Scottish Government and Local Government (both down nine percentage points).
Changes in trust since 2023 were generally smaller than those seen earlier in the period, with trust levels increasing slightly for the Justice system and remaining stable for four of the seven institutions (the Police, Scottish Government, Civil Service and Education system) – suggesting that the decline in trust may be stabilising.
Over the 2023 to 2025 time period, however, distrust increased for most institutions and fewer adults selected “don’t know”, indicating that views may have become more defined over time.
The Trust in Public Institutions (2025): Findings from the Scottish Household Survey report provides key findings relating to Trust in Public Institutions in Scotland from the Scottish Household Survey.
Things may only just be cooling down after what has certainly been a long hot summer, but at the North Pole, things are hotting up with the elves and Father Christmas already gearing up for another jam-packed festive season.
Once more, the residents of the North Pole are teaming up with their friends at RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People) to make sure that every child experiences the magic that Christmas time brings by helping Santa reply to their letters in a format that’s accessible to them.
In the lead up to Christmas Day, children with a vision impairment can receive their very own Letter from Santa from RNIB in braille, large print, audio or email format, completely free of charge.
Last year, more than 1,600 children across the UK were brought the joy of Christmas magic by receiving a letter from Santa in an accessible format thanks to RNIB and Father Christmas’s elves.
If you know a child with a vision impairment who would love to receive an accessible Letter from Santa, please visit www.rnib.org.uk/santa.
The last date to request a physical letter in braille, large print or audio is Monday 30 November.
For a Letter from Santa in email format, you have until Tuesday 15 December to submit your request.
Remember to include the child’s name, age, address, the format they’d like their letter in, and whether they’d like to receive their letter in English or Welsh, and then leave it to Santa’s elves to sort out the magic.
From everyone at RNIB and at the North Pole, we wish you a magical Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Lara Marshall
Library Engagement Manager at RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People)
Police have seized more than a quarter of a ton of fireworks in what’s believed to be one of the largest recoveries in Scotland.
On Tuesday, 3 November, officers executed a warrant at an address in Penilee, Glasgow following intelligence received from the local community.
As a result, 350kg of fireworks, with a total retail value of £12,000 were recovered within. Some of the fireworks seized has the capacity to fire 600 individual rockets.
These fireworks were due to be sold online leading up to Bonfire Night.
Local Area Commander Chief Inspector William Campbell said: “This significant seizure is as a result of effective community policing and local intelligence.
“There was potential for these to be used to commit disorder in the coming days and taking them off the streets has potentially stopped the public and emergency service personnel being targeted by them.
“Prevention is a huge part of the work we do to help maintain public safety, protecting property and minimise antisocial behaviour ahead of Bonfire Night.”
A report will be submitted to the Procurators Fiscal.
Two male youths charged after fireworks thrown in Bonnyrigg
Two male youths have been charged after fireworks were thrown at High Street in Bonnyrigg, around 7.50pm on Saturday, 31 October, 2026.
The teenagers were traced and charged with culpable and reckless conduct. Enquiries continue to trace others involved.
Chief Inspector Gordon Couper said: “Young people are entitled to enjoy themselves, however any dangerous and reckless behaviour will not be tolerated.
“We are continuing to engage with young people ahead of Bonfire Night about the consequences of this type of behaviour. We urge parents and guardians to support our efforts and ensure they are aware of their children’s activities and movements.
“Patrols continue in the area and we would encourage members of the public to continue to report any incidents to us on 101, or 999 in an emergency.
“Your assistance remains vital in helping us protect our local communities.”
