NORTH EDINBURGH ARTS at WEST PILTON NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE
The NEA Youth Arts Collective meets up weekly to do creative tasks (think Taskmaster!), play games, hang out, eat tasty snacks and chat about children and young people’s rights.
This term, the YAC are working with artists to select and develop a new performance to be showcased at the 2025 Edinburgh Children’s Festival family day and the North Edinburgh Community Festival.
New members welcome, so come along and bring a friend, too!
When: Every Thursday, 5.30pm – 7pm
Drop in any time from 4.30pm for toasties and hang out before the group starts at 5.30pm
We’re thrilled to share that the amazing volunteers from Spartans Community Foundation have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024! This is the UK’s top honour for local volunteer groups – the equivalent of an MBE.
Spartans Community Foundation is one of 281 local charities, social enterprises, and volunteer groups to receive this award this year. The King’s Award for Voluntary Service was set up in 2002 to mark the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and continues now in King Charles’ reign, recognising volunteer groups doing incredible work to support their communities.
Next summer, Spartans Community Foundation representatives will accept the award from the Lord-Lieutenant of Edinburgh, and two of our volunteers will also be invited to a garden party at Holyroodhouse.
Debbi McCulloch, CEO of Spartans Community Foundation, shared: “We’re absolutely thrilled and honoured that our volunteers have received The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
“This award is a tribute to their dedication, passion and hard work that makes a positive difference in our community every day.
“We couldn’t be prouder of this achievement and can’t wait to keep building a better future together.”
More than 329,000 children receive vital support from Scottish Child Payment
Social Security Scotland has published its Annual Report and Accounts, which shows that it made £1.9 billion in payments to people in Scotland from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The payments were made across 14 Scottish benefits, seven of which are not available anywhere else in the UK.
This includes £942 million for Adult Disability Payment which now supports more than 300,000 disabled people in Scotland. Social Security Scotland also paid £463 million to help families on low incomes with their living costs through five family payments, which includes Scottish Child Payment, which was benefitting more than 329,000 children and young people by the end of March 2024.
Winter Heating Payment was paid to 400,000 people by February this year to help towards the cost of heating homes and Carer Support Payment which offers help to people who do so much for others began a phased rollout in the Western Isles, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross last year and is now available across Scotland. Eligible people who get benefits include carers, disabled people and families, pensioners, young people starting jobs and people who need help paying for a funeral.
We’ve published our Annual Report and Accounts.
We paid £1.9 billion to people across Scotland from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
The payments were made across 14 Scottish benefits, seven of which are completely new forms of support not available anywhere else in the UK. pic.twitter.com/O2WtIvY6Nn
The results of the organisation’s annual Client Survey have also been published, showing that 90% of respondents who received a payment from Social Security Scotland say their overall experience was ‘very good’ or ‘good’.
Among those who responded to the survey, 85% said their experience with staff was also ‘very good’ or ‘good’, 89% said they were treated with kindness while 85% of people surveyed felt they were listened to.
95% of people with experience of Scottish Child Payment rated their overall experience as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.
In total, the combination of direct payments made by Social Security Scotland and those paid through Agency Agreements with the Department for Work and Pensions saw the Scottish Government invest over £5.2 billion in benefits across Scotland.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “We are committed to tackling poverty and supporting people throughout Scotland. At a time when families are struggling with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, we have been delivering 14 benefits, seven of which are only available in Scotland.
“Winter Heating Payment is a reliable annual payment to people on low incomes in Scotland, including pensioners receiving Pension Credit. We continue to offer vital support to families through our five family payments, including Scottish Child Payment which was helping to support more than 329,000 children and young people by the end of financial year 2023-24.”
“We are focused on ensuring people get the money they are entitled to and that we deliver these payments while treating people with dignity, fairness and respect.”
Our Chief Executive David Wallace spoke about a year of significant expansion at Social Security Scotland where the number of people we serve has grown.
Social Security Scotland Chief Executive, David Wallace, said:“While our service has continued to expand significantly, our clients remain at the heart of everything we do.
“We have focused on delivering new payments to people across Scotland including Carer Support Payment, while ensuring we give our clients an improved experience. This year, we have reduced call waiting and processing times and made it easier for people to submit supporting information for disability benefit applications.
“As the number of people we serve grows, I am delighted we have maintained high client satisfaction rates with our annual Client Survey showing 90% of people who received a payment from us saying their overall experience was ‘very good’ or ‘good’.”
Chancellor takes radical action to drive economic growth
Biggest pension reforms in decades will merge Local Government Pension Scheme assets and consolidate defined contribution schemes into megafunds
Changes could unlock around £80 billion of investment for infrastructure projects and businesses of the future
Local Government Pension Scheme changes will free up money for local public services in the long-term and secure more than £20 billion for investment in local communities
Pension megafunds will be created as part of the biggest set of pension reforms in decades, unlocking billions of pounds of investment in exciting new businesses and infrastructure and local projects.
After her inaugural Budget that ‘fixed the foundations to deliver stability’, Rachel Reeves will use her first Mansion House speech as Chancellor to announce bold action to tackle the fragmented pensions landscape, deliver investment and drive economic growth – which is the only way to make people better off.
The radical reforms, which will be introduced through a new Pension Schemes Bill next year, will create megafunds through consolidating defined contribution schemes and pooling assets from the 86 separate Local Government Pension Scheme authorities.
These megafunds mirror set-ups in Australia and Canada, where pension funds take advantage of size to invest in assets that have higher growth potential, which could deliver around £80 billion of investment in exciting new businesses and critical infrastructure while boosting defined contribution savers’ pension pots.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said: “Last month’s Budget fixed the foundations to restore economic stability and put our public services on a firmer footing. Now we’re going for growth.
“That starts with the biggest set of reforms to the pensions market in decades to unlock tens of billions of pounds of investment in business and infrastructure, boost people’s savings in retirement and drive economic growth so we can make every part of Britain better off.”
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said:“We’ve all seen the fantastic work carried out day in, day out, by our frontline workers and it’s about time their pension started working just as hard by driving investment in their communities.
“This is about harnessing the untapped potential of the pensions belonging to millions of people, and using it as a force for good in boosting our economy.”
Pensions Minister, Emma Reynolds said: “Harnessing the power of this multi-billion-pound industry is a win-win, benefiting future pensioners, and our wider economy.
“These reforms could unlock £80 billion of investment into exciting new businesses and critical infrastructure.”
The UK pension system is one of the largest in the world – with the Local Government Pension Scheme and Defined Contribution market set to manage £1.3 trillion in assets by the end of the decade.
However, our pension landscape is fragmented and lacks the size needed to invest in exciting new businesses or expensive projects like infrastructure.
The government’s analysis – published today in the interim report of the Pensions Investment Review at Mansion House – shows that pension funds begin to return much greater productive investment levels once the size of assets they manage reaches between £25-50 billion.
At this point they are better placed to invest in a wider range of assets, such as exciting new businesses and expensive infrastructure projects. Even larger pensions funds of greater than £50 billion in assets can harness further benefits including the ability to invest directly in large scale projects such as infrastructure at lower cost.
This is supported by evidence from Canada and Australia. Canada’s pension schemes invest around four times more in infrastructure, while Australia pension schemes invest around three times more in infrastructure and 10 times more in private equity, such as businesses, compared to Defined Contribution schemes in the UK.
Benchmarking against domestic and international examples show how consolidation of the Local Government Pension Scheme and defined contribution schemes into megafunds could unlock around £80 billion of investment in productive investments like infrastructure and fast-growing companies.
The government is therefore consulting on proposals to take advantage of pension fund size and improve their governance.
Local Government Pension Scheme
The Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales will manage assets worth around £500 billion by 2030. These assets are currently split across 86 different administering authorities, managing assets between £300 million and £30 billion, with local government officials and councillors managing each fund.
Consolidating the assets into a handful of megafunds run by professional fund managers will allow them to invest more in assets like infrastructure, supporting economic growth and local investment on behalf of the 6.7 million public servants – most of whom are low-paid women – whose savings are managed.
These megafunds will need to meet rigorous standards to ensure they deliver for savers, such as needing to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Governance of the Local Government Pension Scheme will also be overhauled to deliver better value from investment decisions, which independent research suggests could free up money in the long-term to support local public services.
Local economies will be boosted by the changes as each Administering Authority will be required to specify a target for the pool’s investment in their local economy, working in partnership with Local and Mayoral Combined Authorities to identify the best opportunities to support local growth. If each Administering Authority were to set a 5% target, that would secure £20 billion of investment in local communities.
A new independent review process will be established to ensure each of the 86 Administering Authorities is fit for purpose.
Defined contribution schemes
Defined contribution pension schemes are set to manage £800 billion worth of assets by the end of the decade.
There are currently around 60 different multi-employer schemes, each investing savers’ money into one or more funds. The Government will consult on setting a minimum size requirement for these funds to ensure they deliver on their investment potential.
The government will also consult on measures to facilitate this consolidation into megafunds, including legislating to allow fund managers to more easily move savers from underperforming schemes to ones that deliver higher returns for them.
A 37-year-old man will spend the next 13 years in prison after he was sentenced for serious sexual offences, violence and abusive behaviour.
Anthony Gibson came to the attention of police in November 2020 when it was discovered he had abused two women.
Following initial inquiries, it was apparent Gibson had subjected other women to his abusive behaviour. His offences occurred in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Lanarkshire and Fife.
As a result of the ongoing enquiries, Gibson was arrested and charged in connection with serious sexual assaults, violence and abusive and controlling behaviour.
He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, 11 November, 2024.
Detective Inspector Frank Keegan : “Gibson is a prolific offender. I can only hope that the women he harmed take some solace in knowing he can no longer inflict his violent and abusive behaviour on them or any other women.
“It is incredibly difficult for anyone to stand up and confront an abuser and I would like to thank the women for their strength and resilience in speaking with us. I would encourage anyone who has been or is being subjected to violence and abuse to report it to us.”
Scottish Government urged to prioritise investment in essential services for older people
HANOVER Scotland’s CEO, Angela Currie, is urging the Scottish Government to allocate part of the new £3.4 billion funding from the UK Budget towards critical investments in social care and housing.
The budget announcement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves marked a significant increase in devolved funds, and Angela emphasises that a strategic portion of this must be directed towards empowering older adults to live safely and independently.
With a rapidly aging population, Angela warns that overlooking these essential services will only exacerbate existing pressures on Scotland’s healthcare and social systems.
Angela said: “Our first priority must be restoring the adaptation budget to its previous levels. This funding is essential for making homes safer and accessible for older adults.
“Secondly is to close the gap in subsidies for new-build social housing, enabling us to construct more affordable homes.
“Lastly, we need robust investment in social care, which is crucial for supporting our aging communities and preventing undue strain on health services.
“Investing wisely in these areas is not just beneficial but essential for a sustainable and compassionate future.”
Angela highlights that this comprehensive approach will have a long-term impact, reducing the costly burden on the NHS and enhancing the quality of life for older adults.
The need for investment is underscored by recent budget cuts that have severely impacted housing adaptation funding. The Scottish Government slashed this budget by 25%, from £11 million to £8.245 million, leaving housing associations like Hanover Scotland in a difficult position.
This reduction means older and disabled residents risk being trapped in unsafe homes or hospital beds, contributing to bed-blocking and intensifying pressure on healthcare services.
Angela said: “The modest investment required to make homes safe pales in comparison to the enormous cost of hospital stays and long-term care.
“Without adequate funding, we risk further overwhelming our health and social care systems.
“Our mission is to empower older adults to live with dignity and independence, but the current funding situation is making that increasingly difficult.
“We are calling on the Scottish Government to act now and prioritise social care and housing. This isn’t just about housing; it’s about health, safety, and the wellbeing of our communities.”
Hanover Scotland, which manages more than 4,500 homes, has been a trusted provider of housing for older adults since 1979. The organisation has been at the forefront of innovation, from pioneering sheltered accommodation to participating in urban renewal projects that promote independent living.
A wellbeing expert has urged people to get involved in World Kindness Day to boost their own well-being.
Lynn Crilly says kindness is much more than ‘a nice thing to do’ as it can have a positive effect on both our mental and physical health.
Her comments come ahead of World Kindness Day, ( 13 November) and urges individuals and communities to embrace kindness in all their actions.
Lynn said World Kindness Day is a great opportunity to come together.
“When we experience kindness, our brain releases a hormone called dopamine which boosts our mood,” she explains.
“When a stone is dropped into water it creates waves. Acts of kindness have that same ripple effect. Studies have shown that when we are kind, it inspires others to be kind, spreading outwards to friends, their friends and their friends.
“That three degrees of separation means when a person is kind to another it could positively affect up to 125 people.”
The saying is that kindness costs nothing, and with many people concerned about their income, Lynn has provided ways of including kindness into your everyday life which don’t cost a penny:
Volunteer your time
You might be cash poor but if you have a little extra time in your schedule, you should try to volunteer. Giving up some of your free time to help others can make their day. This can make you feel good in the process. By giving your time to causes you support you can also meet new people who share your interests and perhaps create new friends. Helping out in an animal shelter or visiting elderly people who may be lonely are just two ideas where your time can make a real impact.
Hugging Helps
One of the best ways of showing kindness and support to friends and loved ones is to give them a hug. “Oxytocin, also called the ‘cuddle hormone’ , is released from human contact,” she says. “It can help lower the heart rate and reduce stress levels and can even help reduce pain from inflammation and promote wound healing.”
Provide a helping hand
Random acts of kindness can be easier than you think. Whether it’s holding a door open for someone who has their hands full or the person behind you entering a store, it takes about ten seconds of your time and shows that other person that they do matter. Another way to offer a helping hand is to check in on a neighbour to see if they need any help with jobs. You can double up the social interaction by taking them shopping or to an appointment, rather than just doing the task for them.
Offering a random act of kindness can be easier than you may think. One of the easiest ways to share your positive energy is to hold the door open for someone. Whether it’s an elderly person, a person with their hands full, or just the man or woman following you into the store, you don’t need a reason to hold the door. It costs you roughly ten seconds of your time and can make the other person’s day.
Pay a compliment
We tend to gravitate towards people that show us kindness. This is mainly because kindness reduces the emotional distance between each other and helps us to feel more bonded. One way of showing kindness to someone else is to pay them a compliment. It costs nothing, can help boost self-esteem and it could even help bridge a gap which might exist between two people.
Donate your unwanted items
We all have things in our houses – and particularly our wardrobes – we don’t use. The items you take off the shelf only to dust aren’t doing you any good, but they could make a real difference to someone else. Those on the lowest incomes rely on charity shops or sites like recycle for everyday items. And the charity shops themselves need good quality donations so they can continue to support their work.
Offer technological help
For younger people who are more likely to be short of cash, their knowledge of digital technology can be so helpful to the older generation. As more of life moves online, including access to healthcare, taking time to help someone get online or show them how to use an app is a great way of helping others. Plus, it allows you to spend time with someone who might be lonely – but also has a lot of life experience they can share.
DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE – MONDAY 18th NOVEMBER
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre are delighted to be hosting a recently-produced film WHY NOT SCOTLAND? on Monday 18th November from 6.30-9pm.
Across mainland Europe, nature is making a dramatic recovery – could Scotland be next?
Join us for a screening of Why Not Scotland? the compelling story of Flo, a young Scot, as she discovers #rewilding across Europe, prompting her to ponder the potential for a similar revival in Scotland. #RewildingNation#WhyNotScotland
This FREE screening will be followed by a Q and A session led by local artist Natalie Taylor who produced SCRAN FIR BEES on Ferry Road.
On our panel will be Dr Ian Edwards, ecologist and forest specialist formerly of RBGE, and Julia Pennycuik, co-founder of Midlothian Wildflowers.
Come along for an evening of inspirational visions of what Scotland could look like if nature is encouraged to return alongside the folks who live within and beside it.
The Pitt, Edinburgh’s beloved street food haven. is gearing up for a mighty comeback in its new Granton location.
Officially opening on Friday 6 December 2024, the all new Pitt will be a hub for local community and enterprise. Retail and market units as well as spaces dedicated to community groups and families now sit alongside the permanent street food market. Local groups such as Granton Youth, Granton Community Garden and Granton Castle Walled Garden are all already part of the new partnership approach.
This exciting new £500,000+ venture, is led by not-for-profit community interest company Granton Project CIC, and promises to bring economic opportunity to the area. Funding from Firstport and Foundation Scotland enabled the transformation of the 15,000 sq ft space, as well as a successful crowdfunding campaign further supporting the development.
Located on West Shore Road, the all new Pitt occupies a formerly empty warehouse, offering unobstructed views from the Granton promenade over the Firth of Forth. The venue which is more than twice the size of its previous location will initially be open Thursday to Sunday from 8am-10pm.
Hal Prescott, Chief Executive of The Pitt said “The Pitt, Granton has been two years in the making so I could not be more delighted to be announcing our official opening date.
“The new Pitt has all the core ingredients from the original Pitt but is supercharged with a significant event space, family areas, a coworking space, two permanent saunas and of course this fantastic location on the Granton prom.
“We’re a very small team working to make a big difference to north Edinburgh and the support we’ve had financially and as advisors from Firstport and Foundation Scotland has been invaluable to us, The Pitt simply wouldn’t be reopening without them.”
Ali Kennedy, Social Investment Executive with Foundation Scotland, said “This project will have a massive impact on the local surrounding communities, and the ambition of Hal and the Granton Project CIC team is to be commended.
“We’re very impressed by all the activity and collaborations emerging to date, and are confident that our investment will support even more impact, more local aspiration, and the creation of even more pathways into the hospitality sector.
“Our blend of grant and loan investment offers flexibility for innovative projects like this, and we know that the team will deliver a unique and thriving community project for Granton and beyond.”
Daisy Ford-Downes, Head of Group Investment Programmes at Firstport, said: “Hal and his team have been working tirelessly to get to this point, so we are delighted that The Pitt is finally ready to open its doors to customers.
“The Catalyst Fund, with its patient and flexible repayment model, was designed to support projects just like this- innovative, ambitious, collaborative, and with the potential to make a positive impact in the community.
“The Pitt in Granton, with a brand new venue, amazing trader line up and strong partnerships, is well placed to become not just a foodie’s destination, but also a thriving hub for enterprise development and community action.”
Andrew Barnett from Barney’s said: “We’ve been a trading partner with The Pitt since its original opening in December 2015, and always found it a great place to introduce people to new beers and collaborate with other food and drink producers.
“We at Barney’s Beer are all excited to re-start that trading relationship and be part of the new bigger, better Pitt at the Granton shore.”
The Pitt will feature a mix of familiar faces from the old Pitt Street location, such as Buffalo Truck and Barney’s Beer, alongside exciting new traders such as Pulp Friction, Choola and Fire Bowl. One notable addition is Social Bite, who will be the exclusive dessert provider.
Hal Prescott emphasized the market’s commitment to the local community and fostering entrepreneurship: “The Pitt Market will always be free to enter, and we are committed to making sure all ticketed events are affordable for all.
“The local community has welcomed us with open arms with many local organisations connecting, collaborating and supporting our development and opening – we look forward to more getting in touch and to the partnerships, businesses and ideas which develop from The Pitt.”
As part of the wider Granton Waterfront regeneration project, The Pitt will become a local hub fostering social cohesion and enterprise in North Edinburgh. The venue opening will mark a significant milestone in the area’s ongoing regeneration.
When: Every Thursday, 5.30pm – 7pm
Where: West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre
Who: Local young people (ages 11 -13) living in areas of Muirhouse, Pilton, Telford and Drylaw
Cost: Free but registration required:
