More than 5,400 people took advantage of exclusive offers available only to residents within the City of Edinburgh Council area last year.
The Forever Edinburgh ‘Resident Rewards’ programme, which is run by the City of Edinburgh Council, partnered with over 50 local businesses to offer residents exclusive ‘Rewards’ with key leisure and hospitality businesses, visitor attractions, tours, and festive events around the city.
In 2023, the scheme saw an uplift of 195% in bookings of its monthly ‘Star Reward’ and an increase of 88% in the number of residents benefiting from the programme compared to 2022.
In the last year, it has helped residents to make a combined saving of £66,114.
More than 700 local kids enjoyed Camera Obscura for free in March 2023, while over 850 residents attended the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Experience with a 40% discount during their dedicated month.
Residents Rewards Edinburgh was launched in December 2021 to reconnect citizens with the city’s best leisure, food and drink, and cultural experiences. Edinburgh residents can enjoy high-value monthly rewards, special resident prices at key attractions, 12 months’ validity on entry tickets, special previews of upcoming events, and half-price and free entry to attractions at specific times in the month and year.
Last year, Forever Edinburgh enhanced the programme by introducing several new Reward offers including Resident Previews, Half-price & Free days, Annual Passes, and Resident Rates.
Since 2021, the Resident Rewards microsite has been viewed nearly half a million times and has also generated over 35,000 business leads, demonstrating the strength and potential of this market-leading programme.
Councillor Cammy Day, leader of the City of Edinburgh Council said: “It has been a fantastic year for Resident Rewards, with new businesses and brand-new attractions signing up to give back to Edinburgh residents. It’s wonderful to see so many people taking advantage of these exclusive rewards and exploring their own city for less.
“Whether you live locally or visit from halfway across the world, there is so much more to Edinburgh than many of us find time to discover. These rewards provide the perfect chance to try something new while supporting the local economy and I’d encourage other local businesses to get involved.”
Claire Riddoch, Marketing Manager, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions said:“Taking part in the Residents Reward was a great success for Camera Obscura & World of Illusions.
“We are always looking at ways we can work with our local partners and audiences to give back something in return for their loyal support, especially after the last few hard years of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We were delighted to welcome just under 700 local children free during March 2023, which contributed to a 56% overall rise in children visiting compared to March 2022 and 33% of our total visitors were from Edinburgh and Lothians, up 16% on 2022.”
The scheme’s popularity has continued to grow, with the Resident Reward microsite now the 4th most popular page on The Official Guide to Edinburgh website. The programme is promoted through a targeted media campaign involving local partners such as Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams.
Resident Rewards is being fully funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and funding has been secured until March 2025.
In April, residents can enjoy a 25% discount at the Escape Room in the Department of Magic through the Monthly Star reward. Then, in May they can take advantage of an exclusive 30% discount on tours at the new Port of Leith Distillery, Scotland’s first vertical whisky distillery located in Leith.
To unlock exclusive discounts and rewards as an Edinburgh resident, go to:
Participation in this programme is free for local leisure and hospitality businesses. If you’re interested in joining and offering exclusive rewards to residents of the City of Edinburgh through your business, please reach out to the team at: residentrewards@edinburgh.gov.uk.
The Scotch Whisky Experience on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile proudly raise a glass as they achieve two Green Tourism Awards in recognition of the steps they have taken as a business to put sustainability at the forefront of strategy.
The result of this approach; The Scotch Whisky Experience are the first whisky attraction in Scotland to receive both the Green Tourism and Green Meeting Gold Awards. This accreditation highlights The Scotch Whisky Experience’s ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and to provide visitors with an immersive experience while striving to be as sustainable as possible.
Demonstrating the importance of sustainability for business growth, The Scotch Whisky Experience has also been awarded the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce High Growth Business of the Year Award 2024.
This accolade celebrates businesses demonstrating profitability, innovation, and growth. The Scotch Whisky Experience’s performance over the past twelve months, coupled with its £3.5 million investment in the visitor experience, demonstrates their unwavering commitment to sustainable business practices while telling the story of Scotland’s national drink.
According to a report by the Scotch Whisky Association, ‘the contribution of the Scotch whisky industry reached £7.1 bn in 2022 and is the second most productive sector in Scotland, just behind energy including renewables.’*
Susan Morrison, Chief Executive at The Scotch Whisky Experience, said: “We work hard to take positive actions across the whole business with a real focus on people, their experience and our environmental impact.
“We are very proud to have achieved GOLD status with Green Tourism while being recognised for substantial growth by Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.”
The Scotch Whisky Experience brings whisky to life, showcasing the heritage and craftsmanship behind the iconic spirit whilst actively continuing to put sustainability at the forefront of the business.
Summer is on the way and the festival season is hotting up, with Assembly Festival announcing a further 110 shows for this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Assembly Festival opens on Wednesday 31 July with the Assembly Gala Launch at Assembly Hall, highlighting some of the biggest and best shows of the year; expect spectacular circus, thought-provoking theatre, riotous comedy, and more to kick-start your festival experience.
Best of the Fest returns with three shows for your regular dose of Fringe fun. The eponymous Best of the Fest will be the highlight of your weekend with a changing line-up of established talent and rising stars at Assembly Hall.
For the best in emerging talent and fresh comedy faces, head on over to Best of the Fest: The New Class in George Square Gardens. Finally Best of the Fest: Daytime will move to a new home at Assembly Rooms to serve up a daily dose of family-friendly Fringe variety from circus to stand up.
Assembly has a bumper comedy programme in store this year including recently announced shows from the purple felt-faced comedian, Randy Feltface: First Banana; a welcome return to the Fringe for The Last Leg host Adam Hills: Shoes Half Full; and Dara Ó Briain: My Life is a Work in Progress (Work In Progress), Dara’s first Fringe run since 2005. Also appearing on Assembly’s largest stage at Assembly Hall is Milton Jones: Ha!Milton; and Reginald D Hunter will be appearing in George Square Studios this year with his new show Fluffy Fluffy Beavers.
Since 1981, Assembly’s stages have launched the career of many a household name, including Eddie Izzard, Jo Brand, Bill Bailey, Sandi Toksvig, and Rik Mayall, so this year’s selection of comedy debuts could well behold the next big thing.
Assembly’s programme is also renowned for its international talent, and this year is no exception; from Australia, TikTok star Jenny Tian: Chinese Australian and winner of Director’s Choice Award, Melbourne Comedy Festival Bronwyn Kuss: Sounds Good; from New Zealand Guy Williams: This Glass House Makes it Easy to See All the Cowards I’m Throwing Stones At (New Zealand Today, Taskmaster NZ) and soon to be the most powerful man in the universe Ray O’Leary: Your Laughter Is Just Making Me Stronger (Taskmaster NZ); Japan’s latest comedy export Takashi Wakasugi: Welcome To Japan; BBC Galton and Simpson Comedy Winner Grace Mulvey: Tall Baby from Ireland; from India Rahul Subramanian: Who Are You?;from the USA, 17 year-old Maeve Press: Failure Confetti; and from the UK circuit, writer of Death DropHolly Stars: Justice For Holly and self-renowned poet Paulina Lenoir: Puella Eterna.
There’s more stand-up from the “Bloody Hilarious” (Sarah Millican) Gearóid Farrelly: Gearóid Rage; the award-winning Geraldine Hickey: Don’t Tease Me About My Gloves; shortlisted BBC New Comedy Award 2023 Jo Griffin: Last Chance Saloon; Kelly Bachman: Patron Saint; co-writer of Starstruck (BBC) Nic Sampson returns with his new show Yellow Power Ranger; Ireland’s favourite scoundrel Stephen Mullan: Rascal; and the irrepressible Ted Hill: 110 Percent Normal. Plus, work in progress shows from Angela Barnes and Joanne McNally.
From the world of musical comedy, David O’Doherty returns to Assembly with a new megaconcert, David O’Doherty: Ready, Steady, David O’Doherty; acclaimed duo Flo & Joan: The Joan & Flo Show present their greatest hits ; a personal and political hour from Jonny & the Baptists: The Happiness Index; Taskmaster New Zealand star Paul Williams returns to the Fringe with Mamiya 7; and Ivo Graham returns with one of the best nights out at the Fringe with Comedians’ DJ Battles.
There’s off-the-cuff guffaws in Aaaand Now For Something Completely Improvised; a classic murder mystery is created on-the-spot in Murder, She Didn’t Write; the return of the painfully funny improvised medical drama St Doctor’s Hospital, who also bring endless comedy possibilities in The Free Association: 3; and Terry Wogan is back from the dead in Late Night with Terry Wogan.
On the sketch front, expect a raft of comedy sketches with the world’s only surreal, sketch-comedy circus troupe Laser Kiwi: Rise of the Olive; 100 years of TV in one hour in Joe & Rory: Television 1; and comedy duo Grubby Little Mitts are back with two new shows, Grubby Little Mitts: Eyes Closed, Mouths Open and Grubby Little Mitts presents: Sketch Book.
The uniquely eccentric Trygve Wakenshaw returns after seven years with his Dada-esque new show, Trygve Wakenshaw: Silly Little Things; and Jody Kamali is Ironing Board Man with eight ironing boards and one banging soundtrack. Join comedian Benjamin Alborough as he attempts to improve the most notorious property trading board game in the chaotic, interactive gameshow Absolute Monopoly; take part in an hour of mad cap game show and entertainment with Mad Ron and Jerry; Australian cult classic The Late Nite PowerPoint Comedy Showcase makes its way to the Fringe; and there’s a wild and raunchy, adults-only night of magic and comedy with Sam, Justin, and Magnus ‘Danger’ Magnus in Adults Only Magic Show.
After sell-out runs in 2023, the smash-hit historical-storytelling comedy returns with an all-new collection of 5 Mistakes That Changed History. Less historically accurate but with equally irreverent storytelling is Isabelle Farah: Nebuchadnezzar, a silly show about love and war in Babylon; Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself explores a world of witches, neurodivergence and the Vengaboys; Chris Grace: Sardines (a comedy about death) guides audiences through a tragic and hilarious exploration of life’s important questions; and Marc Burrows embarks on a journey through the life and work of one on Britain’s best loved authors and humourists in The Magic of Terry Pratchett.
There’s plenty to entertain the whole family at Assembly this year. The multi-award-winning Circus Trick Tease return to Assembly Festival with their phenomenal Children Are Stinky for another summer of fun.
Expect high calibre circus, a rocking soundtrack and genuine belly laughs, leaving adults and children with their jaws on the floor hooting for more. The Canadian “masters of slapstick” behind Brotipo, Les Foukoutours present a celebration of childhood creativity in NoVa; the harmony of gecko-like Gael is upset by the arrival of a stranger in children’s dance show The Last Forecast; and a chance encounter with a resilient drop of water sends plucky young Hope on a life-changing puppetry adventure in Taiwan Season: Little Drops of Rain.
DJ, performer, and mum of two Monski Mouse is back with her Baby Cabaret and Baby Disco Dance Hall full of bonkers fun for 0-5s and their parents/carers; Mr Sleepybum has more dreams to share in his high-energy, interactive, multi-award-nominated comedy show for the whole family; The Greatest Magic Show returns with more whimsical wonders than ever before; and Mojo the Monkey and Jimmy the Tomato guide audiences on a rollercoaster of amazement in Mojo and Jimmy: The Comedy Magic Spectacular.
For a touch of magic for more mature audiences, look no further than Dom Chambers: Magic Hunt, an untamed magic rampage, a fusion of awe and anarchy and a ‘unique blend of comedy and illusions’™; and a brand-new show from Chris Dugdale: 11, 11 tricks and a message that may or may not change your life. There’ll be audience participation aplenty with the return of Goose’s Quizzes Elimination Game. Scotland’s premiere quiz company bring their raucous five-star game show, with fresh questions every night, brilliant prizes and all-new rounds – will you face elimination, or be crowned a champion?
After taking Australia by storm everyone’s favourite Ogre inspired burlesque and drag parody is finally coming to Edinburgh! The award-winning, critically acclaimed, Swamplesque makes it way to Assembly Festival from far-far-away.
There’s more drag excellence as glamorous, hilarious and fiercely clever Jens Radda explodes onto the Edinburgh scene with Skank Sinatra; Sarah-Louise Young and Russell Lucas pay glorious homage to the music, fans and mythology of one of the most influential voices in music in An Evening Without Kate Bush; and high camp and heartbreaking drama collide in These Are the Contents of My Head (The Annie Lennox Show) as Salty Brine charts his way, track by track, through Lennox’s masterpiece Diva.
Following hit sell-out sensations Macro and The Pulse, Gravity & Other Myths return to Edinburgh with their brand-new critically acclaimed show Ten Thousand Hours, an ode to the countless hours needed to achieve great things. Blending circus and dance, Taiwan Season: I Am The BOSS asks what do three siblings do when home alone; the 600-year-old Korean folk song Arirang is brought to life in ARI: The Spirit of Korea; and Taiwanese choreographer Chuang Po-Hsiang presents Taiwan Season: Palingenesis, an absorbing dance trio inspired by a biological concept of regeneration.
Assembly Festival and Dance Base team up once again, presenting a programme across two stages at Scotland’s National Centre for Dance.
Five dancers collide and rebound through urban, breaking, contemporary and everything in between in PACK; the boundary between the inert and the living is blurred in Golem, a captivating dialogue between dancer and sculptor; The Show for Young Men asks what it means to be a man today in a tender dance performance for ages 8+; and the eternal relationship between the deity and the devotee is explored in Ananta, the Eternal. Masquerading as a sequel to an earlier, non-existent version of itself,
The Passion of Andrea 2 is a mischievous con artist of a dance theatre piece about uneasiness, confusion, and the painful desire for more; Futuristic Folktales scrutinises reproductive injustices through storytelling, contemporary movement, and an evocative soundscape of experimental bagpipe; and the Korean tradition of tying and untying knots faces the climate crisis in Sleeper.
Assembly Festival is proud to present this year’s ART Award winner, Gracie and the Start of the End of the World (Again) from writer and performer Zoë Bullock. Meet Gracie, an immortal, pop culture obsessed, very horny jellyfish. An extinction-level comedy about heartbreak, revolution and surviving the apocalypse; this is excellent new theatre from one of Scotland’s up and coming creative teams.
Other new writing in Assembly’s 2024 programme includes the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships in Glitch and Mum and I Don’t Talk Anymore; plus, Good Luck, Cathrine Frost! a funny one-woman show about philosophy and childbirth. Love is on the menu as Steve Porter is back with a new spicy seminar, How to Mate: The Ted XXX Talk; while Pillock confronts loneliness, hook-up culture and medical role plays.
English American writer/comedian returns to the UK with Alison Larkin: Grief… A Comedy, looking at love, loss and hope; a doc-com billionaire pays a famous American theatre company to translate the Bard in Polishing Shakespeare; ‘one of the most fascinating experimental theatrical minds at the Fringe’ brings us Honnef’s Lost words; and a clandestine cabal of misfits attempt their ultimate heist in Brian Parks’ new work, Plotters.
Fresh off the back of two successful seasons with Salamander, Scottish, female-led Pretty Knickers Productions bring Mary, Queen of Rock! a brand-new musical that will get Scotland rocking! While the reign of the only Empress–Queen is a prism through which the entire crown can be seen via Victoria’s journals and letters in Queen; and notorious filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl attempts to sanitize her past in the insightful, hilarious wild ride of Leni’s Last Lament.
Comedian Ivo Graham goes around and around, backwards and forwards, to the places he aches to go again in Carousel; a girl with anxiety must rescue her friend from a city of skeletons in Shadow Necropolis, from the creators behind Shadow Kingdom; You&It: The Musical looks at the love between a husband and wife when one of them returns as AI; and aspiring actor and current window salesperson Kacie confronts an existential journey in I Sell Windows.
A group of former kid detectives return to the scene of their greatest unsolved case in Solve It Squad; actor and pro-wrestling fan Tegan Verheul presents a knockout solo show about sports entertainment in Chokeslam; follow Shy Girl’s attempts to open up in Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl; and myths and legends are told like never before in Remythed.
More mythology from Fringe smash hit Mythos: Ragnarok as they return to Assembly Festival this year, a masterful blend of storytelling, theatre and stage combat. Also coming back this August is hot-ticket interactive theatre piece Temping; ten minutes of a father with dementia and his family is revisited in multimedia theatre piece Layers; and an unexpected patient challenges a counsellor’s commitment in Black and White Tea Room: Counsellor, part of the Korean Season at Assembly Festival. Plus, Captivate Theatre return with Fringe favourite Sunshine on Leith; and Oxford’s internationally acclaimed a cappella group, Out of the Blue return to the Fringe for their 20th year.
Assembly Festival’s Fringe season will begin on Wednesday 31 July and run through to Monday 26 August. Performances will take place across Edinburgh city centre, including Assembly Festival’s year-round home Assembly Roxy, Assembly Checkpoint, Assembly Hall, Assembly Rooms, and Assembly George Square Gardens.
For tickets and further information, and to sign up to receive news about future shows at Assembly Festival 2024, visit www.assemblyfestival.com.
Sight Scotland, and its sister charity Sight Scotland Veterans, are celebrating a Fair Rail Campaign victory after Transport Scotland announced free rail travel for companions of blind and partially sighted people.
In its recently published Fair Fares Review, Transport Scotland says it plans to launch a pilot project to extend free rail travel for companions of Blind Persons Concessionary Travel cardholders. This policy change will have a profound impact on the lives of visually impaired individuals across Scotland, many of whom depend on public transport for mobility and independence.
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, commented: “We are delighted the Scottish Government has announced a pilot project which will see free rail travel for blind and partially sighted people and their companions. After over 2 years of campaigning, this is a great win for our Fair Rail campaign and another step towards accessible rail travel for all.
“Through our Fair Rail Campaign, we have been able to amplify the voices of visually impaired individuals and highlight the barriers they face whilst travelling. For most people living with a visual impairment, public transport is the only means they have to make journeys around the country.
“Unfortunately for many travelling without a companion is just not an option, and the costs to pay fares is too much.
“This news will be transformative, both in terms of inclusivity and affordability, and we would like to commend Transport Scotland for actively listening to a segment of society that is regrettably overlooked far too often.”
Joe Tottenham, a 92-year-old army veteran, who lost his sight due to macular degeneration, commented: “This is a great piece of news and I’m so proud to be part of the Fair Rail campaign led by Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans who have campaigned tirelessly on this issue.
“Knowing no matter where I’m going in Scotland that my companion can travel with me at no extra cost will change my life. As a blind person, having someone to help me get on and off the train is vital – I’d be lost without them. I hope all Blind Persons Concessionary Travel cardholders will take full advantage of the pilot scheme.”
Graham Simpson MSP, Shadow Minister for Transport, who backed the campaign and led a debate in the Scottish Parliament on the Fair Rail Campaign, added: “This is good news.
“We have been campaigning for the companions of blind people to get free rail travel for some time, so this is a step in the right direction. The Scottish Government must now commit to ensuring there is a nationwide scheme as soon as possible.”
The Fair Rail Campaign was launched over 2 years ago and called for a new national policy for free rail travel across Scotland for the companions of those with a National (Scotland) Concessionary Travel for Blind Persons card.
The call for a new national policy came as Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans were contacted by people with sight loss who were not only concerned about the rising costs of rail travel but were also confused by the different concessionary and companion schemes which were operated in different areas of Scotland.
The charities secured a debate in the Scottish Parliament on the issue and gave evidence to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee. It was then considered in the Fair Fares Review.
A mental health charity’s research has revealed more than two thirds of Scottish respondents are not meeting their needs and could be at risk of stress, which can lead to mental health challenges.
The Mental Health Toolkit, the training arm of independent mental health charity Suffolk Mind, has identified 12 emotional and physical needs – including Achievement, Emotional Connection, Sleep, Movement, Security, Attention, Control and Community – we should aim to meet to stay well.
The charity’s validated Emotional Needs Survey reveals that out of 2,367 Scottish respondents, 66% felt they were not meeting their Emotional Needs.
The survey also found that 66% are not feeling rested after sleep, 61% do not feel part of a community and 51% do not feel secure.
Wendy Sheppard, Corporate Relationships Manager at The Mental Health Toolkit, said: “When needs aren’t being met, we feel stress, nature’s way of alerting us that something is wrong.
“Our research shows more and more people in Scotland feel they are not meeting their needs which, as a result, could cause stress and mental ill-health.
“Many of the survey respondents were employed, and we know that our workplace can either support mental health or be a barrier to wellbeing.”
The Mental Health Toolkit provides workplace training through a suite of practical mental health courses for staff, managers, and leadership teams.
Officially launching in Scotland in April through a free breakfast event, The Mental Health Toolkit offers practical skills to support mental wellbeing at work.
The event, at Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club in Kerknewton, near Edinburgh, takes place from 8.30am on Wednesday, April 3.
It will include networking with refreshments, an introduction to The Mental Health Toolkit and a Q&A session.
Wendy added: “Increasing knowledge and awareness of mental health and how to support colleagues is essential within any business or organisation.
“The Mental Health Toolkit gives people powerful tools to help recognise and meet their physical and emotional needs, as well as support those around them.
“We are excited to be officially launching our workplace wellbeing courses to businesses in Scotland, following success in our home county, Suffolk, and across the UK.”
For more information on The Mental Health Toolkit and to book your free place at the event, contact the team.
ELEGIES – Saturday 27 April, 7.30pm Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street
Hamish Henderson (1919-2002), was a soldier-poet and scholar-folk revivalist. Elegies is his first-hand account from the North African desert military campaign for which he won the Somerset Maugham Award.
His dedication of the book: “for our own and the others” sets the story within our own common bonds, fragility and humanity, in the setting of the ‘deadlands’ of Cyrenaica (modern-day Libya). The Elegies also reveal the shared helplessness of those loved ones at home waiting, praying – and dancing.
This production is led by a duo of dancers and choreographers Helen Gould and George Adams who together with dancers Nicola Thomson, Edwin Wen and Aimee Williamson embody and represent the characters from the ten elegies set both in the desert and the dance hall by using ceilidh, jive, swing and lindy hop – the popular social dance culture of the 1940s.
Through their movement directorship Gould and Adams weave into the dance, the reading of the Elegies for the Dead in Cyrenaica by spoken word artists Morag Anderson and Stephen Watt; and specially composed and newly arranged trad music and song by Cera Impala.
Wendy Timmons and Iliyana Nedkova,Elegies co-curators and producers from Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland said: “Elegies is a dance poem of serious reflection – a lament for all lives lost not only in WWII but in our world of conflicts, oppression and inequality.
“We were delighted by the positive reaction we received when it was first performed on Remembrance Day last year, and very proud of everyone who has worked with us on this revised adaptation as part of this year’s Pomegranates Festival.”
Elegies was originally commissioned for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2023, then extended and revised for Pomegranates Festival 2024.
Trad Dance Session
There will be a post-performance lindy hop social dance session, led and accompanied by Pomegranates 2024 resident musicians from the Castle Rock Jazz Band, in the main atrium at the Scottish Storytellling Centre. All welcome. Tickets are Pay What You Can £5, £10 or £15 and available through the Scottish Storytelling Centre Box Office here
Three vital causes supporting families and individuals in Edinburgh and the Lothians have been named the first recipients of this year’s Barratt Developments Community Fund.
Barratt Developments, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, currently donates £1,500 per month to local charities in its divisions as part of the homebuilder’s pledge to improve the quality of life of those living in the areas in which it operates.
The homebuilder kicked off 2024 by donating £3,000 to its new East of Scotland main charity partner, Cash for Kids.
The charity aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people living locally who are affected by poverty, illness, neglect or have additional needs. The cause also works with grassroots organisations that aim to make a difference to young lives, directly supporting families who often have nowhere else to go.
Cash for Kids replaces St Columba’s Hospice Care as the East Scotland division’s main charity partner, having raised a whopping £247,909 in the last two years through fundraising, including a Pentland Hills walk, charity dinners and office events.
Victoria Hendry, Charity Manager at Cash for Kids, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to receive the Barratt Community Fund for this first quarter of the year. This £3,000 will make such a difference in our local community, specifically to families really struggling with the cost of living.
“We are receiving hundreds, if not thousands, of requests for support with real basics such as food, toiletries and nappies, so these funds will go a long way in supporting us with helping these families who are living on our doorstep.
“To also be chosen as Barratt East Scotland’s new main charity partner was really just the cherry on top. I was delighted to get the phone call and we are excited to build some brilliant fundraising plans across the next two years and help even more local children.”
In February, a further £1,500 was given to Capital Carers, which supports carers in the North West of Edinburgh.
The organisation’s highly trained staff provide one-to-one support as well as a range of services which enable individuals to support the person they care for and assist them in carrying out their caring responsibilities, while ensuring that they also look after themselves.
Lauren Alexander, Young Carers Support Worker at Capital Carers,said: “A huge thanks to Barratt for this generous donation, it will enable us to provide respite trips for young carers and young adult carers which we would otherwise not have been able to do.
“All of our carers love interaction with animals, and this therapeutic approach can really benefit those with challenging situations. Horses are a big favourite, but it is an expensive activity. The money will allow us to take several groups horse riding, alpaca trekking, a trip to the zoo and going out to eat.
“The funding has already allowed us to take young carers on active respite trips, to Laser Tag, swimming and escape rooms, and meals out where all carers can relax together, make new friends, reconnect with old ones and have that important peer support.”
The charity, which is supported by The Trussell Trust, provides three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people in need in the Midlothian area.
Ian Purves, from Midlothian Foodbank, said: “Thank you to Barratt for their generous donation to Midlothian Foodbank.
“The donation will help people in our area struggling with the cost of living and support them with emergency food parcels, food vouchers for families in school holidays, or a hot meal at one of our two weekly lunches.
“They also have access to an advisor from Citizens Advice who is present during one of our lunches. All this helps to reach our aim of ensuring that no one in Midlothian goes to bed hungry.”
Alison Condie, Managing Director at Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said:“We’re proud to be supporting causes which are carrying out such essential work in communities throughout Edinburgh and the Lothians.
“From foodbanks through to care, cost of living has placed a significant strain on the services that charities can provide. We hope that our donations can help to alleviate some of this pressure and allow causes to continue supporting families and individuals in the communities in which we build.”
For more information on Barratt Developments in the East of Scotland, visit:
Where there is coffee, there is hope. Introducing Hopetown Coffee – Edinburgh’s new not-for-profit safe space café raising awareness of mental illness and mental health across Scotland.
National mental health charity Change Mental Health has opened its first not-for-profit mental health coffee shop, Hopetown Coffee, on Edinburgh’s thriving Broughton Street.
The new enterprise arm of the charity, which is Edinburgh’s first coffee shop raising awareness of mental illness and mental health, provides the highest quality coffee and food after partnering with local suppliers. It allows people to purchase their daily coffee and cake knowing that their money is going directly to helping people affected by poor mental health.
Nick Ward, CEO at Change Mental Health, said: “Hopetown Coffee is everything that Change Mental Health is about: providing hope and support in communities in a non-stigmatising way.
“When creating Hopetown Coffee, we wanted to shift the dial on what a not-for-profit coffee shop should be like. We won’t compromise on quality of coffee, food or ambiance and every single penny made will be reinvested back into helping people across Scotland who are needing support with their mental health.”
Customers will enjoy great coffee, locally sourced food and a welcoming service and environment – feeling good knowing that that they have contributed to a worthy cause. By enjoying a coffee with Hopetown Coffee, customers can look after both their own and other’s mental health.
The new coffee shop will raise awareness of Change Mental Health and the work that it does supporting over 7,000 people across Scotland every year.
As well as changing attitudes and fighting stigma around mental illness, the charity will reinvest profits from Hopetown Coffee back into providing mental health services to more people across Scotland.
Hopetown Coffee believes in supporting local businesses and works with local suppliers such as Santu Coffee and Brose Oats to provide great, high quality artisan coffee with an emphasis on sustainability.
This new venture ensures that it’s a tempting place to visit no matter what drink is ordered, with milk alternatives and a diverse range of other tasty offerings.
The coffee shop also offers a ‘one on us’ policy where customers can purchase a coffee for someone that might be having a difficult time with their mental health, as well as a loyalty scheme and lots of information about mental illness and mental health.
Change Mental Health provides mental health support on the same street, at their drop-in community hub called the Stafford Centre, and works across Scotland to improve the quality of life for those affected by mental illness.
The Real Mary King’s Close offers new immersive holiday to live like a 17th century local
Live like a local in 17th century Edinburgh with a stay that sees technology taken away, a visit from the Plague Doctor, and a bucket for a toilet
History lovers now have the chance to live like a 17th century Edinburgh local with a new week-long experience staying in the underground streets of The Real Mary King’s Close that are frozen in time.
You would have to be a ‘fool’ to stay on this immersive experience, as guests see their phones taken from them on arrival, as well as having to use a bucket as toilet, and avoid waste being thrown on them from other guests as they shout ‘Gardyloo!’
The new immersive experience from The Real Mary King’s Close is all about offering an authentic experience as visitors learn what it is like to be a former resident of the close. Edinburgh experienced the worst outbreak of the plague due to the crowded living conditions and over the week-long experience guests can expect visits from the Plague Doctor in their terrifying outfit designed to protect them, including a long cloak and beak-like mask.
As well as visits from the Plague Doctor, guests will live in cramped conditions sharing a bucket for a toilet, however there is no room service in this experience as guests will have to throw their waste out with a shout of ‘Gardyloo!’ so other guests know what is about to wash the streets.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “As one of the UK’s top-rated experiences on TripAdvisor we are always looking for new ways for guests to immerse themselves in 17th century Edinburgh. What better way to learn what it was like to live on these streets nearly 400 years ago than to actually live on these streets?
“That is why we are set to offer a new week-long experience where guests can stay on the Close and learn what it was really like to live here day-to-day, from having no phones to using a bucket as a toilet, this is set to be an experience like no other, you’d be a fool to miss it!”
With Dulux’s revolutionary ‘Scratch & Sniff’ collection, you can experience these delectable scents before even cracking open a paint can by picking up one of the paint cards to help decide whether you’d like your home to smell sweet like honey or like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. So, whether you’re redecorating your kitchen, bedroom, or even your bathroom, now every room can be a sensory spectacle.
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Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux, explains: “It was a no-brainer with so many of our colours being inspired by popular foods and flavours – probably down to us choosing colour names in the lead up to lunch!
“Our goal is to push the boundaries and create products that not only beautify homes but also enhance the overall sensory experience. With our ‘Scratch & Sniff’ collection, we’re bringing a whole new level of indulgence to interior design. It’s like giving your walls a delicious makeover, some may think it’s too good to be true!”
So, this Easter, why not treat yourself to a little sensory indulgence? Transform your home with Dulux sweet-scented paints and fill every room with the irresistible smells of the chocolate occasion.
Followers of the Dulux Instagram, TikTok and X channels will be the first to see Scratch & Sniff collection in action, launching on 1st April 2024.
For more colour and decorating information, visit the Dulux Website.
