We’re looking for three Project Coordinators to join our young people’s service!
You’ll work as part of a team supporting children, young people and their families in the transition from primary to secondary school in Edinburgh or East Lothian.
Apply now: https://peopleknowhow.org/work-with-us
It’s never too early to get your child active for life by starting them young – and now’s the perfect time to unlock your kid’s sporting potential with Edinburgh Leisure’s ‘Come and Try Week’ coaching taster sessions, running from 29 April – 4 May.
For 3-5 years let your child release their inner Pavel Karnejenko and Lottie Smith and help them develop motor skills, balance, and agility with the gymnastics tasters. And for those that have been inspired by the likes of Paralympian swimmer Scott Quin, who is also a swim coach at Edinburgh Leisure, there are swimming taster sessions. There will also be multi-sport, and basketball taster classes on offer too.
For Primary 1s – 7s, there’s basketball and athletics, where kids can show their athletic prowess in running, jumping, and throwing.
Each taster session last from 30-60 minutes and booking online is essential. With multiple sports across multiple venues across the city, there is something for all the family wherever they are at or on the map. From £3.00 a class, this is the perfect opportunity to try something new. Spaces are limited and subject to availability.
As the biggest provider of sports coaching facilities across Edinburgh, led by qualified and experienced coaches in a fun environment, Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching programme will help your child develop new skills, improve their agility, and grow confidence.
A council tax freeze will be delivered in all of Scotland’s local authorities after Argyll & Bute became the final council to accept Scottish Government funding to keep rates at last year’s levels.
As a result, council taxpayers in all but one of Scotland’s council areas will not pay any more for their bills than they did in 2023-24. Households in Inverclyde will receive a planned one-off rebate in May to reverse the impact of their 8.2% increase in council tax.
Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: “We know many households continue to struggle with the impact of rising prices, and this council tax freeze – funded by the Scottish Government – is just one of many ways that we’re offering support.
“Council tax is already lower in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK, and over two million households will now benefit from this freeze.
“We deeply value the role local authorities play in Scotland’s communities, which is why – in the face of a profoundly challenging financial situation – we have made available record funding of more than £14 billion to councils in 2024-25, a real-terms increase of 2.5% compared with the previous year.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will today embark on a three-day trip to the U.S., visiting New York before heading to Washington D.C. to attend the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings.
The Chancellor will be in New York looking to build upon the rock-solid economic relationship between the UK and US – one which mirrors the strength of the geopolitical alliance between the two and is based on shared values on the world stage.
Mr Hunt will meet with a range of executives from the likes of Bloomberg, Comcast and Blackrock setting out the case for Britain’s financial services and creative industries. Both sectors are important for a UK economy that is bouncing back, with Britain boasting the largest film and TV industry in Europe while also being the largest net exporter of financial services globally.
Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “At times of instability across the globe, we are reminded that we are stronger when we stand together. The US is our most important strategic ally and we are both at the forefront of keeping the world safe.
“Our economic relationship sees $1 trillion invested in one another’s countries and I will be looking to deepen it further during my time in New York.”
The Chancellor will then head to Washington D.C. on Wednesday for the IMF’s Spring Meetings, at which he is expected to highlight the professionalism and bravery of Royal Air Force aircraft in intercepting a number of Iranian attack drones fired at Israel.
Additional RAF planes have been deployed to the region and the UK continues to work urgently with regional partners to stabilise the situation. Britain’s position continues to be for an immediate humanitarian pause in Gaza leading to a sustainable ceasefire without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life, as the fastest way to get hostages out and aid in.
Amid global instability, Mr Hunt will stress the need to stick to a plan for the British economy that has already seen real progress being made – with inflation down from its peak of 11.1% to 3.4%, rising wages consistently outstripping that inflation, and official statistics showing growth across the economy in 2024 thus far.
Such progress helped to deliver record cuts to National Insurance for 29 million working people at the start of April – with the average worker earning £35,000 starting to see the benefits of an over £900 per year saving in their payslips this month – as part of a long-term ambition to end the unfair double tax on work.
The Chancellor will also underline the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine and how Britain is keeping up pressure on Russia via its sanctions regime – the largest and most severe package ever imposed on any major economy, with over 2,000 individuals and entities now sanctioned. This follows an announcement last week in which Britain acted in conjunction with the U.S. to significantly extend the scope of sanctions on imports of Russian metals by bringing the world’s two largest metal exchanges into the scope of the existing ban.
Mr Hunt will meet with G7 and G20 partners, as well as chairing a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. During his meetings, the Chancellor will promote collaboration on issues including artificial intelligence, global economic security and supply chain resilience. British support for developing countries is also on his agenda, including driving reform of the international financial system so it can support all countries in addressing global challenges.
On his attendance of the IMF Spring Meetings, Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “The UK’s resilient economy is on the up, and it is from this improving position that we can be the best partner possible to our friends around the world – including standing steadfast with Ukraine in its fight against President Putin and standing up for Israel’s security.”
The Chancellor last visited the U.S. in October last year, speaking to executives from tech giants including Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft as he travelled to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The U.S. is Britain’s largest single trading partner, worth 17.7% of total UK trade – with this totalling £315.1 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2023.
Are you ready to dive into a rewarding role?
We’re thrilled to announce that we’re extending the application deadline for the Community Shed Manager position!
This part-time opportunity (21 hours/week) is your chance to play a pivotal role in nurturing the NEA Community Shed’s development and growth.
As the Community Shed Manager, you’ll be at the heart of our vibrant community, fostering positive connections, and ensuring sustainability.
With our venue expansion on the horizon, this is a great time to get involved and be a part of our team. Bring your passion for making and mending, your creative problem-solving skills, and your excellent interpersonal skills.
To find out more about the role, please visit our website at
northedinburgharts.co.uk/aboutus/work-with-us/
and apply by Friday 26 April.
As we’ve extended the closing date for this post, previous applicants need not apply. For more information, please email garden@northedinburgharts.co.uk
Come and share your experiences of accessing healthcare as a woman in Scotland!
Discussion topics will include: periods, pregnancy, maternity and motherhood, menopause, mental health, patient experience and more.
This free reminiscence group is open to 60+ and all participants will receive a £15 gift card for their contributions.
Join us on Thursday 18th April at 11am for reminiscence and refreshments at the Wee Hub Lounge (first floor of Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre), right beside The Wee Hub brought to you by The Living Memory Association.
More than £9 million is being made available over the next three years to give people who access social care more choice and control over decisions relating to their care.
This funding builds on an additional £2 billion investment in social care and integration, as part of the Scottish Budget for 2024-25, and delivers on the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase spending by 25% over this Parliament – two years ahead of the original target.
The funding for the national ‘Support in the Right Direction’ programme will enable organisations to deliver independent support and advocacy to help people live independently and participate in all aspects of life.
The grants are part of the Scottish Government’s Self-Directed Support Improvement Plan which empowers people to make informed choices about the support they need.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “Through this funding, people and carers will be supported to have more choice and involvement in how their social care is delivered.
“We want everyone accessing social care to feel confident participating in every stage of their social care journey and be equal partners in their care and support decisions, so that they can live a full and independent life.
“The ambition is to have the right independent support available at the right time and place to meet the specific needs of each individual.”
Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living Chief Executive Gaby Nolan said: “We are delighted to be awarded the Scottish Government funding.
“By offering peer support, as well as individualised casework, this funding will enable us over the next three years, to raise more awareness of Self-Directed Support to disabled people and carers, improve access and support people at all stages of their social care journey.
“This fund is also supporting us to work with carers from Black and Minority Ethnic communities increasing awareness and access and offering accessible, person-led support.”
Inspiring Scotland Chief Executive Celia Tennant said: “We are pleased to be working with the Scottish Government on Support in the Right Direction. This vital funding commitment will help bring stability to organisations over the next three years and strengthen the network across Scotland of providers of independent advice and advocacy with self-directed support.
“We know that locally based organisations are vital in enabling people and their carers to understand and navigate the social care systems in their areas.
“Each of these organisations bring expertise in social care, self-directed support and a good knowledge of local resources meaning they are best placed to work with people at every stage of their journey.”
33 third sector organisations across Scotland are to be funded through Support in the Right Direction (SiRD), to provide independent support, information, advice and advocacy to people using social care and their carers.
MPs to vote on legislation to create first smoke-free generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking
MPs will vote today (16th April 2024) on world-leading legislation to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009 – children aged 15 or younger today. Smoking itself would not be criminalised and anyone who can legally buy tobacco today will never be prevented from doing so in the future by the legislation.
If passed, the Bill will progress to the next stage, bringing the UK closer to creating the first smoke-free generation.
Responsible for around 80,000 deaths annually, smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer and costs the NHS and economy an estimated £17 billion a year—far more than the £10 billion annual revenue from tobacco taxation.
It is also highly addictive – 4 in 5 smokers start before the age of 20 and remain addicted for the rest of their lives despite most smokers having tried to quit.
The legislation will cover all tobacco products, recognising that tobacco kills two-thirds of long-term users. In England alone, almost every minute someone with a smoking-related condition is admitted to hospital.
The Bill will help deliver the Prime Minister’s commitment of creating a smokefree generation which could prevent over 470,000 cases of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other deadly diseases by the turn of the century.
Alongside action to prevent creating future smokers, the government has already announced significant additional funding for stop smoking services over the next five years, effectively doubling the money available for local initiatives that can help existing smokers to quit. The government is also rolling out an innovative financial incentives scheme to help all pregnant smokers to quit.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said: “Too many people know someone whose life has been tragically cut short or irreversibly changed because of smoking, which despite significant progress remains the UK’s biggest preventable killer.
“The truth is that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is uniquely harmful and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect the next generation.
“This Bill will save thousands of lives, ease the strain on our NHS, and improve the UK’s productivity.”
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also give the government new powers to tackle youth vaping by restricting flavours and regulating the way that vapes are sold and packaged to make them less appealing to children.
While vaping can play a useful role in helping adult smokers to quit, non-smokers and children should never vape. The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive.
To ensure compliance with the new rules, trading standards officers will be given new powers to issue on-the-spot fines (fixed penalty notices) to retailers unlawfully selling tobacco or vapes to children. All the money raised would be used to fund further enforcement action.
The Bill follows the government’s previously stated commitment to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes under existing environmental legislation, which have been a key factor behind the rise in youth vaping. The ban is planned to take effect from April 2025.
Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “Smoking is the number one preventable cause of disability, ill health and death in this country. Once it becomes a habit, its addictive nature means that it is extremely difficult to stop.
“Because the case against these harmful products is so strong, it’s not surprising that the majority of the British public—including those who smoke and those who sell tobacco—support plans to protect the next generation from the misery of smoking.
“Our plan will save lives, ease the strain on our NHS, and ensure a brighter future for our children.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England said: “Smoking kills and causes harm at all stages of life from stillbirths, asthma in children, stroke, cancer to heart attacks and dementia.
“This Bill, if passed, will have a substantial impact – preventing disease, disability and premature deaths long into the future.”
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “The Tobacco and Vapes Bill being voted on today is radical but, hard as it is now to believe, so were the smokefree laws when they were put before parliament. Parliamentarians can be reassured that the public they represent back the Bill.
“New research just published by ASH shows that the majority of tobacco retailers and the public, including smokers, support the legislation and the smokefree generation ambition it is designed to deliver. This historic legislation will consign smoking to the “ash heap of history.”
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation said: “Smoking continues to devastate the nation’s health, taking 15,000 UK lives every single year due to cardiovascular disease alone.
“Raising the age of sale for tobacco each year will be a game changer, meaning that future generations are protected from serious disease and death caused by smoking.
“Decisive action is needed to end this ongoing public health tragedy – we urge every MP to vote for this landmark legislation at the Bill’s Second Reading.”
Professor Steve Turner, Royal College for Paediatrics and Child Health President, said: “Without a doubt the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will save lives.
“By stopping children and young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and tobacco we decrease their chances of developing preventable diseases later in life, and will protect children from the harms of nicotine addiction.
“As paediatricians, we strongly urge MPs to use the important responsibility they have and support this Bill to protect children’s and our nation’s current and future health.”
Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Today’s vote is a critical step towards the UK becoming a world leader in tobacco control. By voting in favour of the age of sale legislation, MPs will be putting us on the right side of history, and helping to create the first ever smokefree generation.
“Smoking is still the leading cause of cancer in the UK. Now is the time to take action, end cancers caused by smoking and save lives.”
