Month: August 2023

Communities at the Festival

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL’s COMMUNITIES PROGRAMME

‘celebrating the diverse voices, stories and talent of local people, from across the city and beyond’ – NOELLE COBEN, EIBF Communities Programme Director

As a charitable non-profit making organisation, the work of the Book Festival stretches far beyond the month of August. Our Communities Programme runs year-round and is focused on inspiring and empowering people of all ages and backgrounds.

Our dedicated team work closely with local organisations to create tailored events and activities for a range of community groups throughout Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

This year we have:

  • developed a new partnership with The Ripple Project to bring monthly author events to their social club for older adults
  • worked with young people and staff from NHS Lothian’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) on a three-day creative writing and illustration project
  • facilitated sessions with our Writer in Residence, Chris Barkley, for young people at The Alternative School at Spartans Community Football Academy
  • … and so much more.

As an outpouring of this year-round work, we run a series of events during the Festival that have been created both for and by those taking part in the programme. We can’t wait to share them with you!

STORIES AND SCRAN

Stories and Scran – Mon 14 Aug | 19:30 – 20:45

Stories and Scran returns for its fourth year – a joyful event celebrating the dynamic and thought-provoking work created by our Citizen participants.

The evening includes a sweet snack provided by Scran Academy (a catering social enterprise based in North Edinburgh) and readings and performances from local groups across the city. 

Tickets are on a Pay What You Can basis.

LETTERS OF HOPE

Letters of Hope – Mon 21 Aug | 19:00 – 20:00

What would you tell an outsider about where you live? What hopeful things would you write to your future self?

These were two creative questions our writer in residence, Chris Barkley, has been exploring with young people from the Spartans Alternative School.

Featuring short film, music, and readings, this event celebrates the diverse voices and creative talent of local young people. 

Tickets are on a Pay What You Can basis.

OUR CITY, OUR STORIES

Our City, Our Stories – Various dates | 18:15 – 19:15

Our City, Our Stories is an inspiring, recurring event, showcasing new writing from both professional and non-professional writers across our Citizen project (and other community-based groups including Intercultural Youth Scotland and Open Book).

Join to hear them perform their stories: a collective love letter to Edinburgh. 

These events are free.

RETURN TO PLANET CITIZEN

Return to Planet Citizen – Sat 26 & Sun 27 Aug

Explore the weird, wonderful world of Planet Citizen in this multi-media installation. You’ll find artifacts, writing, and impressions of a planet as far away as imagination can take you.

Return to Planet Citizen was created by pupils from St. Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School and Tynecastle High School in collaboration with professional artists. Join free 20-minute tours of Planet Citizen every 30 minutes (last tour 15:30). 

This event is free.

Beyond the Book Festival Village …

Aware that not everyone can attend Book Festival events in person, our Communities Team work closely with partners and institutions to bring events to groups who might otherwise be excluded. This is thanks largely to the support of the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

This August, author/illustrators Rob Biddulph and Nadia Shireen will visit the wards of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, for instance, and writers including Jenni Fagan, Doug Johnstone, and Alan Bissett will visit six prisons across Scotland.

We hope this newsletter has given you a taster for some of the amazing work our Communities Programme are involved in.

Find out more about our Communities Programme

Police launch Operation Summer City

Police have launched their summer campaign to keep people safe throughout the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe 2023.

From Tuesday, 1 August, an enhanced policing presence will be deployed throughout the Capital’s city centre as part of Operation Summer City to engage with the public and offer a range of crime prevention and personal safety advice.

In addition, the dedicated patrols will deter and detect criminal activity and provide public reassurance.

Local officers from across Edinburgh will be supported throughout Operation Summer City by colleagues from neighbouring divisions, as well as a range of national and specialist departments within Police Scotland.

Each day there we be a mobile police station in the High Street, where the public can report any crime or suspicious activity they experience, or receive in-person safety information from the officers working within.

Throughout the duration of the campaign, the Edinburgh Division social media channels will be used to provide crime prevention advice and other guidance aimed at safeguarding the public from harm.

Local residents and visitors to the city alike are asked to follow Police Scotland Edinburgh on Facebook and @PSOSEdinburgh on Twitter.

Chief Inspector Mark Hamilton from Edinburgh Division said: “The Edinburgh Festivals form the largest festival in the world and turns an international spotlight on the Capital. As such, we must ensure that the policing response is adequate and proportionate during this time.

“From 1 August we will have increased foot patrols within the city centre and officers will provide a visible and reassuring presence to all of those who live, work and visit the area over the course of the Festival and Fringe.

“We benefit greatly from our ability to call upon additional resources from across Police Scotland and I am grateful to the officers coming from other local policing divisions and specialisms who will enhance our response capability for Operation Summer City. We also work closely with event organisers to ensure the event spaces are safe and enjoyable for everyone who attends.

“Throughout the duration of the Military Tattoo, there will be an Air Restriction Zone in place around the Castle esplanade, Castlehill, Lawnmarket and Johnstone Terrace.

“The restriction operates from 4pm until midnight between Thursday, 3 August and Saturday, 26 August. This is to ensure the safety of all of the Tattoo performers and attendees and means that unauthorised drone flying within this area is strictly prohibited.

“Despite the population of Edinburgh doubling during the coming weeks, I am confident the Capital will remain a safe place for both tourists and local residents, but nonetheless, I would ask that anyone who sees anything suspicious during their time within the area reports their concerns to police immediately.

“In addition, I’d encourage the public to follow our social media channels so they can stay up to date with all relevant crime prevention and safety information we will be publishing.”

Chief Inspector Mark Hamilton, Operation Summer City Silver Commander, has shared the following message:

https://ow.ly/c34U50PpVsk

#OpSummerCity

Shapps to convene Downing Street energy summit

  • Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps meets with industry leaders to discuss the Government’s energy security and business plans to invest over £100bn, including to accelerate renewables, to help grow our economy
  • Discussions include new powers to protect critical energy infrastructure from disruptive protest groups and maintain energy supply
  • Summit hosted at No10 Downing Street as part of Government push to strengthen energy security, support jobs and attract investment in the UK’s energy industry

Leaders of the UK’s energy industry will meet in Downing Street today to discuss their plans to collectively invest over £100bn and create jobs around the country, working with Government to boost energy security.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps will meet a wide range of energy companies – including EDF, SSE, Shell and BP, who collectively have multi-billion pound plans to invest in low and zero-carbon projects.

Each of these will support thousands of jobs across the country, which could help reduce household energy bills while delivering cleaner, more secure sources of energy, to deliver on the ambition to have the lowest wholesale electricity prices in Europe by 2035.

Mr Shapps will outline Government measures to protect UK energy supplies from disruption both at home and abroad. He will highlight decisions to invest in home-grown energy sources – including renewables, a revival in nuclear power, and backing North Sea oil and gas.

But he will also highlight measures to protect critical energy infrastructure from disruptive protests. This follows in the wake of protests such as those at the Kingsbury and Thurrock clusters of oil terminals and Grangemouth refinery.

The Public Order Act now includes a new criminal offence of interfering with key national infrastructure – including oil refineries – aimed at preventing protests from causing or threatening public safety or serious disruption.

It particularly addresses tactics that these protesters have used such as locking on and tunneling.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We need to send the message loud and clear to the likes of Putin that we will never again be held to ransom with energy supply.  The companies I am meeting in Downing Street today will be at the heart of that.

“Energy industry leaders can see that this Government will back home-grown, secure energy – whether that’s renewables, our revival in nuclear, or our support for our vital oil and gas industry in the North Sea.

“But it is a sad reality that we also need to protect our critical national infrastructure from disruptive protests.  Today I’ll be setting out what we are doing to achieve this and want to hear from the energy companies the vital work they are doing in this area.”

Energy firms have demonstrated their confidence to invest in the UK, and collectively the firms meeting at 10 Downing Street plan to invest tens of billions over the next decade in energy projects across the country.

Some of these investment commitments include:

  • Shell UK aims to invest £20-25 billion in the UK energy system over the next 10 years. More than 75% of this is intended for low and zero-carbon products and services.
  • BP intends to invest up to £18bn in the UK to the end of 2030.
  • SSE plc have announced plans to invest £18bn up to 2027 in low carbon infrastructure creating 1,000 new jobs every year to 2025. SSE’s plans could see it invest up to £40bn across the decade to 2031/32.
  • National Grid plc will be investing over £16bn in the five-year period to 2026.
  • EDF have outlined plans to invest £13bn to 2025.
  • RWE have an ambition to invest up to £15bn in clean energy infrastructure in the UK by 2030.

To provide greater reassurance and support to industry, the Energy Security Secretary will outline the range of measures the Government is taking to protect energy infrastructure from intentional disruption, as well as maintaining the network’s strong resilience. 

This includes:

  • The Public Order Act, with specific powers coming into effect in July to protect critical infrastructure;
  • Working with the Police to ensure protestors cannot gain unauthorised access to sites;
  • The work of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, whose 1,300 officers and 300 support staff operate to protect nuclear sites across England, Scotland and Wales

The Energy Security Secretary will also discuss progress on major UK energy investment projects across renewable projects, oil and gas, new nuclear, and new technologies such as carbon capture.

They include:

  • Carbon capture – earlier this week, the Prime Minister announced two further projects in Humber and the North East of Scotland, which can move towards becoming clusters for this new technology – alongside eight already being considered, and two existing clusters in the North East, and in the North West and Wales.
  • Oil and gas – The Prime Minister has also confirmed future licensing rounds will continue for the extraction of oil and gas in the North Sea – while the North Sea Transition Authority reports they have received over 115 bids from 76 companies in the latest licensing round.
  • Nuclear – companies can now register their interest with the UK’s new organisation, Great British Nuclear, to secure funding support to develop new technologies including Small Modular Reactors.
  • Offshore wind – the UK has the world’s largest operational wind farms off its shores, with plans for further development off the East Anglia Coast and at Dogger Bank in the North East which could collectively provide enough clean energy for over 6.5million homes.

HO HO HO… it’s Hollyoaks and the Ivy!

Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter launches Frankie & Benny’s Big Kids Birthday parties – Celebrate your birthday anytime!

Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter has launched the first Frankie & Benny’s Big Kids Birthday parties. And as her own birthday is on Christmas Day, she decided her Half Birthday on July 25th would be a cracker! 

As you can see, the I’m A Celebrity favourite’s bash had all the bells and whistles and that’s just what other Big Kids will get.

The popular Italian restaurant is showing diners in need of fun that they can celebrate their birthday any time. And if they have as much fun as Jorgie, there are sure to be many happy returns! 

There are on average 1,400 people born in the UK on Christmas Day and is one of the rarest days to be born. So, if your Big Day is December the 25th, or any other day, you can take back your day and celebrate anytime. 

The new Big Kids Birthday Bundles, in partnership with delicious Project D Doughnuts, have been Inspired by the nostalgia of the parties we had as children and the joy those memories bring.

Frankie & Benny’s birthday packages are available from August 4 and are open to book from today including all the essentials needed for a good time. To book please go to: https://www.frankieandbennys.com/birthdays

The bundles include FREE Frankie’s playing cards, Birthday postcard, Birthday crowns, Stickers,Trolley Coin Birthday sign, when you buy a Project D Homer giant doughnut. You can even celebrate with a rum Big Kids Birthday milkshake!

We’ve all been dreaming of a summer of sun but we’ve given up on the British weather so let’s party anytime like it’s Crimbo!

Jorgie and six of her friends went to Frankie & Benny’s Manchester Printworks and celebrated with the new Frankie & Benny’s birthday pack, the grown up shakes and the delicious Project D doughnuts.

TV star Jorgie, 35, who has just become a mum for the first time, said: “I’ve never liked having a Christmas Day birthday so when I was asked to get involved in this campaign I jumped at the chance!  

“Growing up it was just me, my Mum and my Gran so not seeing my friends on my birthday always felt pretty lonely.  When I met my partner Ollie I made clear my expectations to be spoilt on my birthday – no joint Christmas / birthday presents – I wanted double presents!  

“Celebrating my six month birthday in the summer makes so much sense and I’ve really enjoyed the night, being child-free and care-free and enjoying some me time with Ollie and our friends. It’s so important for parents to get that time and the 00’s nostalgia is a vibe!  Thank you Frankie & Benny’s for giving me a proper birthday!”

Frankie & Benny’s Marketing Director, Andreia Harwood, said: “ We are thrilled to announce we are bringing back birthday parties at Frankie & Benny’s in partnership with Project D Doughnuts.

“We know our guests have fond memories of celebrating their birthdays in our restaurants when they were in their teens, so what better way to feel young again than with our Big Kid’s Birthday Bundles at affordable prices, all to the tune of a classic birthday jingle and a birthday cocktail!”.

Big Kid’s Birthday Bundles terms & Conditions: 

https://www.frankieandbennys.com/terms

Frankie & Benny’s serves up the best of Italian American favourites, offering you big flavours and broad choice. Whether you fancy a juicy chicken burger or an Italian classic, we’ve got something for everyone!

We’ve been a much-loved restaurant for over 20 years and offer a place to go for a fun, relaxing meal where you can enjoy some well-deserved, chill-out time served by our amazing teams.

We cater for all needs with a huge gluten free menu, a wide offering of vegetarian & vegan dishes and host of healthier, lighter bites. Our menu is also available for delivery or collection at https://www.frankieandbennys.com/takeaway

Green Home Festival to urge ‘Be Brave’

The organisers of this year’s Green Home Festival are urging homeowners and the construction industry to “be brave” and embrace innovations like microwave heating to help build a more sustainable future and meet net zero targets.

Scotland’s second renewables jamboree will kick off in less than two weeks, delivering 11 free shows on low-carbon living as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

And organisers the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) say its event on the potential of microwave heating is an example of a technology that could offer a real alternative to traditional fossil fuels – but only if we’re brave enough to embrace it.

Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Our upcoming show on microwave heating is the perfect demonstration of the bravery and innovative thinking that is needed by both the construction industry and homeowners if we are to build a sustainable future for Scotland.

“We know that we’ll need a combination of methods to meet both the retrofit challenge and the new-build heat standard and this new technology is one of the solutions that we should be having the courage to explore now.”

The microwave heating show will be delivered on the first day of the festival by Professor Sean Smith, Director of The Centre for Future Infrastructure and Professor of Future Construction within the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh (below).

Starting at 2pm on Monday 14 August, the event will focus on the origin of the new technology, how it works and how it could offer an alternative to traditional heating methods in our homes.

Mr Nelson went on: “It’s great for us to have this innovative solution explained this year as part of the Green Home Festival, and this technology could provide the rapid acceleration of low carbon heating for Scotland’s 1.2 million flats, given the short installation time and the fact that it links to existing radiators.

“We just need to be brave, adjust our mindsets and think outside the box when it comes to potential greener solutions like this.

“As well as microwaves, the Green Home Festival will also look at other innovations in home heating, such as hybrid systems, which combine new technology with traditional methods to reduce both costs and carbon footprint for the homeowner.

“And on a larger scale, we’ll be looking at the benefits of community heating networks and exploring how distributing heat to multiple buildings from a central source could do away with the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.

“All this activity is designed to start a conversation about renewable living and to encourage homeowners to start thinking differently about how they will power, heat and run their homes in the years to come.

“It will also help demonstrate how the CICV has its finger on the pulse of future solutions to meet the climate challenge and is determined to help steer the wider construction industry down a more sustainable path.”

Live Green Home Festival sessions will once again take place at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) at 10 Charlotte Square in central Edinburgh, with contributions from the likes of Home Energy Scotland, Scottish Water, SNIPEF and SELECT.

Other topics covered at the Green Home Festival will include creating sustainable kitchens, green garden rooms and offices, making retrofit projects eco-friendly, converting churches and how the home of the future will be powered.

Built Environment – Smarter Transformation will also host a webinar that will advise what consumers can do to reduce both their energy consumption and energy bills.

The festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.

  • Full details, including how to book tickets for each event, are available on the Festival’s website at greenhomefestival.co.uk.

Metaphrog coming to Granton Library

GRANTON Libary is excited to announce a superb author/illustrator visit coming to the Library after the holidays!

John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs, also known as Metaphrog, are award-winning graphic novelists whose work has a huge fanbase.

Are you aged 8-13 and love graphic novels, illustration and cartooning? This event is for you! They’ll share some insights about their working practice and guide you through some comic book inspiration so that you can create your own comic strips!

This will be a friendly workshop-style event in the library. Free to attend, all welcome.

Eventbrite link is here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/metaphrog-author-and…

Tackling Barriers: Fringe Society announces strategic partnership with Nouveau Riche Productions

Today, 1 August 2023, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with Nouveau Riche Productions. The partnership aims to understand how to address barriers to participation for Black and/or Global Majority artists at the Fringe.

The partnership will initially last six months and will focus on the shared ambitions of Nouveau Riche and the Fringe Society in providing support, resources and signposting for under-represented artists who face barriers to participation, and/or experience unsafe working environments, when taking part in the Fringe – specifically artists who identify as Black and/or Global Majority.

Nouveau Riche will build and manage a network for Fringe participants who identify as Black and/or Global Majority and will collaborate with the Fringe Society on providing resources and events, as well as informing the development of their support services.

Following the 2023 Fringe, Nouveau Riche will gather feedback from this year’s artists of colour along with industry professionals with long-term Fringe experience, to ensure Black and/or Global Majority Fringe experiences are fully heard, and to inform future planning for development of this partnership and associated longer-term services.

Chris Snow, Head of Artist Services at the Fringe Society, said: ‘There has historically been limited support available for Black and/or Global Majority artists taking part in Fringe, and the Fringe Society acknowledges that this needs to change.

“Nouveau Riche are an established and experienced theatre company working with and supporting emerging artists of colour at the Fringe, and across the UK. For real change to happen, it is vital that the Fringe Society, venues and producers work with partners like Nouveau Riche, to understand how we can all support the festival to become more inclusive and accessible for artists facing barriers to taking part.

“In this first year of partnership, Nouveau Riche are building a network of Fringe artists of colour to help us consult, understand existing challenges, and establish plans for ongoing support.

“The Nouveau Riche team are also working with us on resources and events and are developing post-festival evaluation plans to inform our ongoing work. It is incredibly exciting to be working with them on this, and we hope it’s the beginning of a long-term partnership.”

Sarah Verghese, Senior Producer at Nouveau Riche, said: ‘Last year, Nouveau Riche published a Call to Action after our experiences at Edinburgh Fringe over the last five years.

“We are a one of the few Black-led companies who head to the festival consistently and this is because there is little to no support for our communities. I was delighted when the Fringe Society contacted us about a possible partnership to support the well-being and welfare of artists of colour heading to the festival.

“This year, Nouveau Riche is not producing a show at Edinburgh Fringe – instead we are delivering resources, wrap-around activity, events, drop-in and feedback sessions. 

“It’s important that we are listening to our communities and their experiences to shape the festival into a welcoming, safe and inclusive place for us. Fringe of Colour has been a pioneer in this work by creating databases and sharing resources for artists of colour and we are so proud that they are no longer alone in their efforts to make Fringe a safe space for our communities.’ 

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is taking place from 4 – 28 August 2023.

More information about the programme and tickets can be found at edfringe.com.

Barratt Developments welcomes local MSP to Leith’s award-winning Merchant Quay

Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith was welcomed by Barratt Developments to its Merchant Quay development on Friday (28 July) in celebration of its site manager’s Pride in the Job Quality Award win.

James O’Neill, site manager at Merchant Quay recently received the Pride in the Job Quality Award, known as the “Oscars of the housebuilding industry” from the National House Building Council (NHBC) setting them apart as one of the very best in the country.

This year, a total of 19 site managers from Barratt Developments Scotland, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, took home a top national award for the quality of the homes they are building – the most ever received by the housebuilder in Scotland.

Ben Macpherson MSP visited Merchant Quay and was given a tour of the development by award-winner James and Nick Wright, Development Director for Barratt Developments East Scotland.

Located in the bustling heart of Leith, Merchant Quay has an array of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Close to a range of cafes and shops, the development is a short distance to the city centre by bus or foot.

Nick Wright, Development Director for Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Ben Macpherson MSP to Merchant Quay and to demonstrate the quality which we are building across all tenures in his constituency.

“The Pride in the Job awards acknowledge the work we’re doing to showcase our commitment in building the highest standard of homes in Edinburgh and across Scotland, with our elite site managers demonstrating our award-winning customer care.”

Ben Macpherson said: “I was glad to visit the development at Merchant Quay and meet some of those involved in the project. As well as private housing, in partnership with local housing association Harbour, 53 high quality, warm affordable homes, of which 43 are for social rent, have been delivered.

“I was pleased to see that this affordable housing has been built as a priority and is already occupied and to learn that more affordable housing units will be delivered as part of the next phases of the development.

“It was interesting to learn how some of Leith’s industrial heritage has been preserved in the communal areas of the development, as many will know the area was previously a glassworks.

“It was also good to meet site manager James O’Neill, and personally congratulate him on his award, as well as hear directly from some apprentices who have been able to further develop their skills while working on the project.”

In addition to the recent Pride in the Job award wins, Barratt Developments has also been awarded 5 stars by its customers for satisfaction in the annual Home Builders Federation (HBF) new homes survey.

To be rated 5 star means that more than 90% of its customers would recommend one of its homes to a friend, with Barratt being the only major national housebuilder to be rated 5 star for 14 years in a row.

Find out more: If you would like to pay a visit to Merchant Quay and explore the Restalrig or Argyll show homes, find out more here.

Millions left teetering on a financial cliff-edge during the cost of living crisis, says Which?

Almost 8 million people have been overlooked during the cost of living crisis and are now on the brink of serious hardship, Which? is warning.

It comes as new research by the consumer champion identifies 15 per cent of the UK population who are more likely to have turned to credit and buy now pay later schemes (BNPL) during the crisis. These people are at risk of significant financial and mental harm in the months and years ahead as interest rates continue to rise.

Which? surveyed 4,000 people across the UK to find out how different groups of consumers are coping –  financially, physically and mentally – with the cost of living crisis. The research highlights that while the vast majority of consumers have been affected by the cost of living crisis, this pain is not felt equally.

The study identified six distinct groups of consumers who are experiencing the cost of living crisis in different ways. These groups are: ‘Drained and Desperate’, ‘Anxious and At Risk’, ‘Cut Off By Cut Backs’, ‘Fretting About the Future’, ‘Looking out for Loved Ones’ and ‘Affluent and Apathetic’.

While much of the government and policymakers’ focus has rightly been on supporting the ‘Drained and Desperate’ group – who are more likely to have household incomes of less than £20,000 and have already had to make severe financial cutbacks, such as skipping meals and not turning on the heating.

Outside of any universal support available like the government’s support for energy bills, this ‘Anxious and At Risk’ category has been largely overlooked.

The ‘Anxious and At Risk’ group contains 7.9 million adults – 15 per cent of the UK population. They tend to be from larger households with children at home and are struggling financially but have just managed to keep afloat by using credit.

However, unlike the ‘Drained and Desperate’ group, they are much more likely to have borrowed money to maintain basic living standards than to have cut back on essentials, such as food and energy.

Six in ten (59%) have increased their debt in the last six months – the highest amongst all groups.They are also more than twice as likely (36%) as the UK population (14%) to have used buy now pay later schemes.

With interest rates continuing to rise, it is only a matter of time before this group is unable to keep up this cycle of borrowing and fall into financial difficulty.

One woman from northern England in this ‘Anxious and At Risk’ group said: “I have to use credit to make ends meet and I worry about debt. I have no safety net for emergencies and I will have to work past state pension age.”

Four in 10 (38%) of this group have a mortgage or loan on their home and worryingly, one fifth (21%) of those with a mortgage are on a variable tracker mortgage – meaning their rates are hiked every time the Bank of England base rate rises.

The Bank of England has raised interest rates significantly in the last year in attempts to combat inflation, meaning those on fixed-rate mortgages who are remortgaging this year will also be faced with massive hikes to their mortgage payments. This could be a major tipping point for ‘Anxious and At Risk’ households.

It is also hugely concerning that millions are heavily relying on Buy Now Pay Later schemes. Previous Which? research shows that many BNPL users do not realise they are taking on debt or consider the prospect of missing payments.

The government must not delay plans to introduce changes to the BNPL industry and ensure that consumers are given stronger safeguards to protect them. This needs to include greater marketing transparency, information about the risks of missed payments and consumer credit checks.

At such a difficult financial time, businesses must also do everything in their power to ease pressures on household budgets. Which? is calling on essential businesses – energy firms, broadband providers and supermarkets – to do more to help their customers and ensure they are providing value for money.

For example, supermarkets need to make budget line items that support a healthy diet widely available – particularly in convenience stores.

Telecoms firms must cancel future mid-contract price hikes and energy firms need to ensure their customer service departments are fully staffed and able to support any customers who are struggling to make ends meet.

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:  “Our research reveals that almost eight million people have been left balancing on a financial knife-edge.

“Until now, the government and policymakers have rightly focused on supporting the millions who are already failing to make ends meet, but this ‘Anxious and At Risk’ group is a ticking time bomb.

They are far more likely to have relied on borrowing to make ends meet but with interest rates continuing to rise, it’s only a matter of time before they find themselves facing serious hardship.

“The government must help those most in need by tightening regulation on buy now pay later to stop unaffordable lending and ensuring essential businesses are doing everything in their power to ease pressures on household finances.”

Do you need help to deal with your debt? Granton Information Centre can help: call 0131 551 2459, 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk

Friday: Kitchen Garden Drop-in at Granton Castle Walled Garden

FRIENDS of Granton Castle Walled Garden are excited to announce that the garden will be open to visitors on a Friday from 2-4pm as well as our regular sessions on Saturday and Sunday at 2-4pm.

Volunteer sessions remain on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11am-3pm, more information about volunteering for us is on our website.

The purpose of this new opening time is to come along and pick up some produce from our kitchen garden which changes weekly. A chance to see where it’s grown and to meet the growers, donations are appreciated but fresh produce is available for all.

Herbs:

We have plenty of sage, rosemary, mint, lemon balm, calendula, borage, oregano and thyme and many more medicinal herbs.

Produce:

Currently carrots, courgettes, cucumbers, Cavolo Nero, Sutherland kale, blue kale (almost ready), rocket, beetroots, onions, potatoes and garlic.

Fresh flowers:

Sweet peas to be picked and various wild flowers for a little posy.

We can’t always guarantee that the produce you need is ready to harvest on the day but keep an eye on our social media for up to date stories about what’s in season and ready to pick up.

First drop-in this Friday!