Stockbridge Church‘s Bicentenary is nearly here – the building opened on 16th November 1823.
Some events have already taken place since the summer, but above is a listing of a range of celebratory services and events that will be taking place in the coming weeks.
Everyone is most welcome to come along!
A new set of guidance documents for Community Councils have been published by the Improvement Service, Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), COSLA and the Scottish Government.
The documents, which include a Model Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils and Good Practice Guidance for how Community Councils should operate, were launched last week. Local Authorities can use this set of documents as the basis for their local versions which set out how community councils will run in their area.
Community councillors and local authority Community Council Liaison Officers (CCLOs) were involved in reviewing the existing Model Scheme and guidance document at a series of meetings in 2021 and 2022. These documents needed to be updated to take into account technological changes in the way Community Councils are meeting, conducting their finances and engaging with their communities.
There is some useful good practice guidance included, containing the latest information on topics such as planning, community empowerment and GDPR.
We felt that it is important that the key documents are available in accessible formats and that these should be available at a national level, to ensure that everyone within our communities can access and use the documents. The Good Practice Guidance for Community Councils, the Code of Conduct and the Standing Orders are now available in a range of formats.
There’s a video with BSL and captions, large print versions of the documents, text only versions that are suitable for braille conversion, and Easy Read.
The Easy Read versions contain all of the information but break it down into small chunks, with explanations of some of the terms that are used.
This helps make the information more accessible for people with learning disabilities, people who have memory problems, people who speak English as their second language and anyone who finds reading difficult.
It can also be useful for people who are anxious or stressed and struggling to take in information because of that or those who have to take in information in a hurry.
All of the documents are also available in Gaelic, and other language translations can be requested.
Access the set of documents on the Community Councils website.
The Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival and internationally acclaimed classical violinist Nicola Benedetti CBE has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Edinburgh Award.
Since 2007, the Edinburgh Award has celebrated individuals who have made a truly unique contribution to the city and brought our capital to national and international attention. Previous recipients include bestselling authors, ground-breaking scientists, human rights activists, and exemplary sportspeople. The Edinburgh Award allows its citizens to see the individuals who have made a real and lasting impact on the city.
This year marked Benedetti’s first edition of the International Festival as Festival Director which was a resounding success. Over 24 packed days, the Edinburgh International Festival saw performances from 2,500 remarkable and diverse artists representing 50 nations.
Nicola Benedetti will be presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost and have her handprints set in stone at the City Chambers later this year.
The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Edinburgh Award Panel, Robert Aldridge said: “I’m delighted that Nicola Benedetti CBE has accepted the decision of the panel and become the latest recipient of the Edinburgh Award. She deservedly follows in the footsteps of some of the finest individuals associated with our great city.
“From heading up one of the world’s most important cultural celebrations in the Edinburgh International Festival, to being a globally renowned musician in her own right, she has represented the Capital with pride, dedication, and skill. Nicola is also one of the youngest ever recipients of the Edinburgh Award which shows the measure and scale of her talent and achievements.
“I’d also highlight the fantastic work of the Benedetti Foundation, based in the city, which focusses on musical education, participation, and experiences. Since its establishment in 2019 it has reached over 50,000 participants of all ages from 103 countries.
“I’d like to congratulate Nicola on behalf of the city, and I’m sure she will continue to do great things in the future, both here in Edinburgh and beyond.”
Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival, Nicola Benedetti CBE said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Edinburgh Award and humbled to join the incredible list of individuals who have contributed to the cultural fabric of this city.
“I am grateful to the city of Edinburgh for recognising the importance of the arts and their contribution to our way of life.
“As my journey with Edinburgh International Festival deepens, this award, as well as the support of the people of this city, strengthens my dedication to our mission: to continue to welcome people from all walks of life into our home, and to give them artistic experiences they will never forget. Thank you so much.”
Nicola Benedetti Bio:
Nicola Benedetti is one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation and is the Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival. Her ability to captivate audiences and passionate advocacy for access to live music has made her one of the most influential figures in classical music today.
Nicola is the first Scottish and the first female Festival Director of the International Festival since it began in 1947. Her first Festival took place from 4-27 August 2023 and the programme was themed around the question ‘Where Do We Go From Here.’
As a performing artist, Nicola’s 2022-2023 season began with a performance of the Marsalis Violin Concerto with the RSNO at the BBC Proms and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO. Further engagements include the world premiere of James MacMillan’s Violin Concerto with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, a tour to Japan with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and performances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, WDR Cologne and Orchestre de Paris amongst others.
Winner of the GRAMMY award for “Best Classical Instrumental Solo” in 2020, Nicola records exclusively for Decca (Universal Music). Her latest recordings of Vivaldi Concerti (with her own Benedetti Baroque Orchestra) and Elgar’s Violin Concerto entered at number one in the UK’s Official Classical Album Chart. Other recent recordings include her GRAMMY award-winning album written especially for her by jazz musician Wynton Marsalis: Violin Concerto in D and Fiddle Dance Suite for Solo Violin. In 2021, BBC Music Magazine named her “Personality of the Year” for her online support of many young musicians during the pandemic.
Nicola was appointed a CBE in 2019, awarded the Queen’s Medal for Music (2017) and an MBE in 2013. In addition, Nicola holds the positions of Vice President (National Children’s Orchestras), Big Sister (Sistema Scotland), Patron (National Youth Orchestras of Scotland’s Junior Orchestra, Music in Secondary Schools Trust and Junior Conservatoire at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).
In 2019, Nicola formalised her commitment to music in education when she established The Benedetti Foundation which delivers transformative experiences through mass music events and unites those who believe music is integral to life’s education. In the Foundation’s first three years, it has reached over 50,000 people (live and online) in every Scottish and English Local Authority and across 103 countries.
Council tax rates will be frozen in the next financial year to support people struggling with the effects of high inflation, the First Minister has announced.
The freeze will benefit every Council Tax-payer in Scotland at a time when rising prices are putting significant strain on household finances. The Scottish Government will fully fund the freeze to ensure councils can maintain their services.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Today’s announcement will bring much needed financial relief to those households who are struggling in the face of rising prices. Council tax is already lower in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK, and some 2.5 million households will now benefit from this freeze.
“Of course, the public sector across the UK is facing budget pressures as a result of UK Government austerity, and we know councils are facing financial challenges themselves. That’s why the Scottish Government will be fully funding this freeze to ensure they can continue providing the services on which we all rely. This is on top of the real-terms increase to local government revenue funding this financial year.
“The Scottish Government remains wholly committed to the Verity House Agreement, and as part of that are continuing work with COSLA on a new fiscal framework for local authorities.
“We are also working on longer term reforms to the council tax system, which are being considered by the working group on local government funding that we are chairing jointly with COSLA.”
A COSLA Spokesperson said: “We have just heard the announcement made at the SNP Conference in relation to freezing council tax. We were unaware of it in advance.
“This has longer term implications for all councils right across the country, at a time when we know there are acute financial pressures, and where we are jointly looking at all local revenue raising options.
“We will need to consider the implications for COSLA and Local Government with our members when we get more of the detail.
“This will also need to be examined against the principles of the recently signed Verity House Agreement.”
COSLA arranged an emergency meeting of their Executive, who issued the following statement:
There is absolutely no agreement to freeze Council Tax next year COSLA’s Presidential Team said today (Wednesday 18th October).
“The announcement of a council tax freeze as we said yesterday was made completely without reference to Local Government and there is no agreement to freeze council Tax next year, the decision to freeze council tax is one which can only be made by Councils.
“Our Cross-Party Group Leaders held an emergency meeting first thing this morning on the back of the announcement and there is real anger at the way this has been handled and what it puts at risk.
“On the back of this our Political Group Leaders also asked us to seek an urgent meeting with the First Minister.
“We deplore the way the announcement was made and its substance, both of which fly in the face of the Verity House Agreement which we all recently signed.
“It has been shown that previous council tax freezes have been regressive, having no impact for the poorest in society and eroding the council tax base, compounding councils’ ongoing underfunding.
“We will explore the implications arising and what the Scottish Government might propose when we meet with the Deputy First Minister later today – but we are clear that local taxation and particularly Council Tax should be left for democratically elected councils to determine.”
THE STUC responded swiftly to the First Minister’s announcement of a council tax freeze:
THE Scottish Greens, the SNP’s partners in government, have also expressed concerns. Scottish Greens finance spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said: “We are concerned about the effect this freeze could have on already-strained frontline public services if it is not properly funded.
“Our local councils and people who rely on services like social care, schools and early years centres must not lose out as a result of this announcement.
“Green MSPs will now work with our government colleagues in the SNP to work through the details, ensure that their decision is sustainably financed and that the most vulnerable people in our communities do not see the services they rely on being underfunded as a result.
“The First Minister is right to want to support those who are struggling the most through the cost of living crisis, but the way to do that is to completely replace the deeply unfair Council Tax with a more progressive system.
“As we have repeatedly highlighted, council tax is a ludicrously broken system. It hasn’t been accurate since before I was born, with most people now paying the wrong rate as a result of those 1991 valuations.
“The Scottish Greens have ensured that Scotland’s income tax system is the fairest in the UK, raising a billion pounds more every year for essential services like the NHS and our schools by asking those earning the most to pay a bit more.
“That is the progressive approach we will take once again as we work with SNP colleagues to agree the national budget for 2024-25.”
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGIU Scotland, said: “LGIU Scotland is deeply concerned by yesterday’s announcement from the First Minister to freeze council tax.
”The lack of consultation with local government demonstrates a failure of the principles of trust and respect that should be the foundation of the working relationship between the Scottish Government and local authorities and which are at the heart of the Verity House Agreement.
“Our research shows how important it is that local government is empowered to make decisions regarding its financing. International comparisons clearly show the detrimental impact that undermining the financial independence of local authorities has on the financial sustainability of the sector and the delivery of essential local services.
“Freezing council tax should be a decision for councils, not for central government. Even where those freezes are funded by grants, the loss of growth in the council tax base undermines the council’s finances for years to come. Many councils in England are still recovering from this nearly a decade on.
“Everyone aspires to a sustainable, stable future for local government finances but this can only be achieved by giving councils control, not by imposing decisions upon them.
“Scotland had seemed to be making good progress in this regard with the Verity House Agreement and commitments to empowering local government. So it’s disappointing to see this backward step.”
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have started issuing Flood Alerts ahead of expected flooding from Thursday, caused by Storm Babet.
Those living, working and staying in Scotland are being warned that the heavy rain will bring surface and river flooding, with some areas forecast to receive well in excess of the monthly October average rainfall within a 36-48 hour period.
The main concern currently is around parts of eastern and central Scotland, which could see exceptionally wet conditions. Other parts of southern and central Scotland are also likely to see significant amounts of rain. The storm may impact some of the communities still recovering from flooding experienced over the weekend of 6th and 7th October.
It’s important to keep up to date with the weather information from the Met Office and flooding advice from SEPA, as areas may change as the forecast becomes clearer.
David Morgan, SEPA’s Duty Flood Manager, said: “The forecast for the end of this week is showing extremely high rainfall totals, and people should be thinking now about the action they can take to protect themselves and their property.
“If you haven’t already signed up for Floodline, I would strongly advise you to do so. The service is free and can give you advance notice of flooding in your area.
“Scotland experienced a significant rainfall event that caused extensive flooding in local communities only a few days ago, and with catchments still saturated we’re urging people to be prepared for flooding. We are looking at some forecast totals that are even higher over the next few days, so please do use this time to plan and prepare.
“Further regional Flood Alerts and localised Flood Warnings will be issued as required over the coming days. We continue to work with the Met Office to monitor the situation 24/7. People can check our Flood Updates for all the latest information and the three-day Scottish Flood Forecast to see what conditions are expected further ahead.”
As Scotland’s flood warning and informing authority, SEPA continue to work closely with partners and responder agencies to share the latest information. An early alert of potential impacts was provided on Sunday through SEPA’s Flood Guidance Statement and information sharing will continue throughout the event.
People are advised to:
Advice from people who have dealt with flooding is available at Your Flood Responsibilities – Floodline Scotland – Be prepared for flooding
Further Flood Alerts will be issued this morning (Wednesday) and in the run up to the event as required.
Stay informed
Be prepared and stay safe
What’s the difference between a Flood Alert and a Flood Warning?
Scottish household waste statistics 2022
Waste from all sources landfilled and incinerated in Scotland 2022
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) statisticians have published Official Statistics today (17 October 2023) which provide detail of Household Waste collected across all Local Authorities during 2022, as well as waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland in 2022.
The figures show that Scotland generated the lowest amount of household waste since 2011 and suggests the figures have recovered after the anomalous years of 2020 and 2021 – which were impacted by restrictions imposed due to Covid-19.
SCOTTISH HOUSEHOLD WASTE STATISTICS 2022
Scottish households generated the equivalent of 0.43 tonnes of waste per person in 2022, with 0.19 tonnes recycled, 0.11 tonnes sent to landfill and 0.14 tonnes diverted through other means, such as incineration.
The total amount of household waste generated was 2.33 million tonnes, a decrease of 148,000 tonnes (6.0%) from 2021. Of this, 43.3% was recycled, a 0.3 percentage point increase from 2021. The recycling figure includes recycling and reuse (657,000 tonnes) and composting (355,000 tonnes).
LINK TO HOUSEHOLD WASTE STATISTICS
Carbon impact of Scottish households
The Scottish carbon metric measures the whole-life impact of resources. A measure of national performance, the metric takes a holistic view, from resource extraction and manufacturing emissions, through to waste management emissions. This is measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).
The carbon impact of Scottish household waste generated and managed in 2022 was 5.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, which equates to 1.02 tonnes of CO2e per person. This was a decrease of 6.1% (357,000 tonnes CO2e) from 2021.
Waste sent to landfill continues to decrease
Scottish household waste landfilled in 2022 was 585,000 tonnes, a decrease of 78,000 tonnes (11.7%) from 2021. This continues the long-term downward trend, with a reduction of 868,000 tonnes (59.7%) of household waste landfilled since 2011.
In 2022, Scotland landfilled 25.1% of the waste generated, down 30.7 percentage points from 2011 when the figure was 55.8%. This comparison allows for the variation in the amount of waste generated.
Waste recycled and diverted from landfill
The 2022 recycling rate was 43.3%, up 0.3 percentage points from 2021 and an increase of 3.8 percentage points from the 39.6% achieved in 2011.
The majority was recycled or reused (657,000 tonnes, 65%), with composting contributing the remaining 355,000 (35%).
The amount of household waste managed by other diversion from landfill was 736,000 tonnes, a decrease of 15,000 tonnes (1.9%) from 2021. Most was managed by incineration (604,000 tonnes, 82.0%).
What Scotland is recycling – plastic and textiles up, glass and construction & soils down
The largest material category recycled or reused in 2022 was paper and cardboard (181,000 tonnes, 27.6%). There was a decrease of 2.7% for these materials recycled or reused between 2021 and 2022, which fits with the longer-term downward trend for paper and cardboard, which is down 59,000 tonnes (24.6%) from 2011.
Of the seven material categories that comprised the highest amount of waste recycled or reused, plastic wastes showed the largest increase (up 3,000 tonnes, 4.2%) followed by textiles (an increase of 2,000 tonnes, 19.0%).
The largest reductions were glass (a decrease of 10,000 tonnes, 8.1%) followed by construction and soils (a decrease of 9,000 tonnes, 8.6%).
WASTE FROM ALL SOURCES LANDFILLED AND INCINERATED IN SCOTLAND 2022
Also published today were statistics providing the details of waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland for calendar year 2022. The corresponding data set for all waste generated and recycled in Scotland during 2022 will be published in March 2024.
Total waste landfilled in Scotland
The total quantity of waste landfilled in Scotland in 2022 was 2.4 million tonnes, a decrease of 631,000 tonnes (21.0%) from 2021. This continues a long-term trend, with a reduction of 4.7 million tonnes (66.4%) since 2005, and is the lowest annual amount on record of waste landfilled since then.
Most of the decrease was due to a reduction in sorting residues (down 311,000 tonnes or 32.2%) and soils (down 274,000 tonnes or 29.5%). The reduction follows an increase in the landfilling of these wastes in 2021, due to a resumption of economic activity in Scotland following extended lockdowns and other restrictions due to Covid-19.
The amount of biodegradable municipal disposed to landfill in 2022 was 707,000 tonnes, a decrease of 174,000 tonnes (19.8%) from 2021 and a reduction of 1.3 million tonnes (65.3%) since 2005.
Waste incinerated in Scotland
The total quantity of waste incinerated in Scotland in 2022 was 1.42 million tonnes, an increase of 67,000 tonnes (4.9%) from 2021. Sorting residues made up over a third (34.7%) of this (492,000 tonnes, up 42,000 tonnes – 9.4%).
Over one third (36.4%) of waste incinerated was incinerated by recovery. This follows the accreditation of an additional two municipal waste incineration facilities to the R1 efficiency standard in 2022, bringing the total number of accredited facilities in Scotland to three.
David Harley, Interim Chief Officer, Circular Economy, said: “Scotland is ambitious for a more circular economy where fewer resources are disposed of and much more are re-used and recycled, creating a range of environmental, economic and societal benefits. We’ve all got a role to play, from the making choices about the resources we use, to how we re-use and recycle – and what we dispose of.
“At SEPA we’re working closely with Scottish Government, Zero Waste Scotland and Scottish councils to help improve recyclate quality and support Scottish waste infrastructure – these statistics are an important measure of Scotland’s progress towards a circular economy.”
Local government organisation COSLA has welcomed the statistics, claiming it as ‘another success story for Local Government’.
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH SCOTLAND: HOUSEHOLD RECYCLING RATES STAGNATE, AS SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT FAILS TO ACT
Waste statistics published today (17 October) show that household recycling levels in Scotland remain stagnant at 43%, with only a 0.3% increase from 2021 to 2022. The amount of waste generated by households has fallen by just 7% in 10 years.
The Scottish Government’s commitment for 70% of all waste to be recycled by 2025 is likely to be missed. At the current rate of progress, household waste will take nearly 100 years to reach 70% recycling. In Wales, recycling rates increased from 45% in 2010-11 to over 65% in 2020-21.
Environmental campaigners have said progress is happening too slowly, and that focus must be put on reducing waste as well as recycling it.
In terms of cutting carbon, it is more important to reduce the total amount of waste than recycling. Not creating waste in the first place means less production and less waste that needs to be dealt with. However, household waste is also not being reduced at the rate that’s needed, having only fallen from 2.6 million tonnes in 2012 to 2.3 million tonnes in 2022.
The figures also show that, for the first time, more household waste is being sent to incineration than landfill. Incinerators contribute to climate change by emitting greenhouse gases from the waste they burn. They also make it more difficult to ensure potentially recyclable material is not wasted instead. Research by Zero Waste Scotland has shown that 60% of residual waste from household bins of could have been recycled.
The Scottish Government introduced the Circular Economy Bill to the Scottish Parliament earlier this year. It aims to create a circular economy in Scotland, where materials are properly valued and cycled around our economy for as long as possible by reducing consumption, and sharing and repairing, as well as recycling.
Kim Pratt, Circular Economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “The continued failure of the Scottish Government to improve recycling rates shows that real action is needed to tackle our waste problem.
“The Circular Economy Bill is an opportunity to change the way we use materials in Scotland, but at the moment it’s not strong enough to make a significant impact. It needs to include targets to reduce our consumption. The Scottish Government must be bold and decisive to create the change needed to meet the threat of climate breakdown.
“Recycling is incredibly important for the planet, but moving to a circular economy means more than that. Strong consumption targets would mean policies to encourage producers to make products last for longer, ensure they are easy to repair, choose lower carbon materials, and to shift consumption patterns away from carbon intensive goods and services.”
GARDEN CENTRE TO GIVE AWAY COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREES – BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO MAKE YOUR NOMINATION
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is spreading Christmas joy to local schools and nursery groups in Edinburgh with real tree donations as part of its Not Your Average Community campaign, in partnership with sustainable real tree grower, Needlefresh.
Set to twinkle corridors and delight children with yuletide cheer, Dobbies’ Edinburgh store and Stockbridge little dobbies will be donating Nordmann Fir Christmas trees to local schools and nurseries to create a centrepiece for celebrations and is now welcoming nominations.
All of Dobbies’ Christmas trees are sustainably grown in environmentally managed fields across Scotland where the growing team do everything from planting, pruning and harvesting by hand to reduce the impact on surrounding environment, wildlife and plants.
Dobbies’ CSR and Community Communications Executive, Chloë Bell, has been delivering Dobbies’ Not Your Average Community campaign for two years and is excited announce this year’s focus. She said: “Community is at the core of Christmas at Dobbies and we love sharing the festive joy with those around us.
“We want to help create Christmas magic in local schools and nurseries in Edinburgh and hope that through the tree donations with Needlefresh, kids can come together, decorate the tree and make memories.”
Needlefresh Managing Director, George Hood, added: “Our sustainable Nordmann Fir Christmas trees make a wonderful centrepiece to festive celebrations as they are bushy and full, and good needle retention.
“We are excited to see how local schools and nurseries bring this classic tree to life through their decorations and we are delighted to be partnering with Dobbies on delivering a magical moment for children in Edinburgh.”
Nominations are now open. Entries close on Wednesday 25 October and successful applicants will be contacted in November to arrange a date to collect a Nordmann Fir tree from their local store.
For more information about how to get involved or make a nomination, visit Not your average community | Dobbies Garden Centres
Three charities in Edinburgh have been awarded more than £50,000 in funding to support their work in tackling the impact of alcohol harm, the Scotch Whisky Action Fund (SWAF) has announced.
Space @ the Broomhouse Hub, Lothian Association of Youth Clubs (LAYC) and Fast Forward are all being supported by the Fund in 2023, with each running dedicated projects to support young people in the Edinburgh area.
Space @ the Broomhouse Hub is a youth club supporting young people in the Broomhouse area of Edinburgh. Their Youth Befriending Project is aimed at helping children affected by parental addiction, including drugs and alcohol, by pairing them with mentors who can offer guidance, emotional support and respite through fun activities. The Scotch Whisky Action Funding is contributing to a city-wide extension of the service, increasing its capacity by 50%.
Nicola Campbell, Youth Befriending Services Manager, said: “Over the past decade we have helped hundreds of children and young people increase their confidence, engage in school and build positive relationships with others.
“Our service provides two hours of support a week where the children and young people get the opportunity to explore new places and engage in a variety of fun activities. In the last year many young people engaging in the service have shown improvements in their emotional health, education and engaging in their local community.
“If you have a few hours a week to spare to help a young person realise their potential then we would love to hear from you. Our volunteers come from many different walks of life and bring with them a variety of knowledge and skills. Befriending is a very rewarding experience for both the volunteer and young person.”
LAYC is in its second year of funding, and is using the grant from the Scotch Whisky Action Fund to roll out training in alcohol awareness for youth workers across the city. The workshops, which are expected to benefit 45 trainees throughout the year, are aimed at ensuring youth workers feel confident in supporting young people who are at risk of misusing alcohol or are living in households where alcohol use is an issue.
Fast Forward is in its third year of funding from the Scotch Whisky Action Fund, and will be continuing the rollout of its project Own It!, a programme to deliver 400 hours of direct training in alcohol related harm, other risk-taking behaviours, and peer-education to young people in schools, youth clubs and employability groups.
Allie Cherry-Byrnes, Chief Executive of Fast Forward said: “We were delighted to secure a third year of funding from the Scotch Whisky Action Fund to continue our Own It! project.
“This ongoing support will enable us to continue to develop the project, working with more groups of young people to raise awareness of the impact of alcohol and alcohol related harms by designing and creating innovative peer education resources.
“Ongoing work with partners like Edinburgh College, whose students supported the design of digital games in year 2, will enable us to continue to develop the programme to add the media of music, photography, animation, theatre, digital games and dance.”
Dame Joan Stringer, who chairs the awards panel, said: “All of the organisations selected to receive funding are doing important work to raise awareness of alcohol harm and support those impacted.
“We look forward to seeing the outcomes of their work, and are pleased to be supporting them this year.”
Broughton High School Association are looking forward to the school hosting two more Chess Competitions for Lothian Junior Chess on Saturday 28 October and 11 November.
We will be running our café in the Hub area again to provide refreshments for the young people taking part in the competition and their parents/carers.
If any of our school families can help with the café and/or provide homebaking (just no nuts please) get in touch by emailing bhsassociation@gmail.com.
The money raised goes into a fund that the teachers can apply to pay for items that can’t otherwise be funded by the school or the Council.
BHSA provides things like funds for sports strips, subsidised travel for trips, specialist equipment etc. If you would like to help decide how the money is spent, you are welcome to join the BHS Association Committee.
Kids can try out Edinburgh Leisure’s preschool gymnastics and trampolining classes from 23rd – 27th October and work on lots of key development skills.
Running across multiple venues, book your child’s free spot today!
