“The Haven passes the baton to SAMH, leaving behind a wonderful legacy, proving Scotland’s mental health crisis can be reversed.” – Roslyn Neely – CEO, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity
A walk-in wellbeing and resilience pilot, developed to tackle Scotland’s mental health crisis will come to an end in the summer, after demonstrating unquestionably that early intervention can reduce mental health challenges among children and young people.
The Haven opened at The Fraser Centre, Tranent in September 2023 under Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity’s ‘No Time To Wait’ strategy. It later moved to bigger premises in Haddington due to demand, and since opening the service has attracted 3,461 visits. Of these, 2,041 were children and young people and 1,420 were their affected family members.
Roslyn Neely, CEO of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity said: “We are incredibly sad that our pilot wellbeing and resilience service is coming to an end, but that was always our intention, as a charity we couldn’t fund this forever.
“However we will close our doors with a huge sense of pride in what The Haven has achieved and a promise to all families receiving support that we will not turn our backs on them, we will continue to provide vital assistance, ensuring that the care and connection established through The Haven remain a core part of our work.”
Scotland’s national mental health charity, Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), has recently announced The Nook, a network of mental health support hubs, which will build on the foundations laid by ECHC and the team at The Haven, marking a significant step forward for mental health support in Scotland, and beyond.
Roslyn Neelycontinued: “We are delighted that our work will now contribute to a long-term, sustainable national approach to Scotland’s mental health crisis.
“The Haven passes the baton to SAMH, leaving behind a wonderful legacy, proving Scotland’s mental health crisis can be reversed, and we celebrate the fact that a major organisation like SAMH is stepping in to continue this important work.
“Their ability to advocate for long-term government support means that children’s mental health remains firmly on the national agenda, and we wholeheartedly support this.”
The Haven is a groundbreaking two-year pilot which has successfully supported hundreds of families who have a child struggling with their mental health. Critically, it uses a walk-in format with no waiting lists.
The Haven takes a unique whole family approach, supporting not just the individual struggling with mental health challenges, but their parents, grandparents, siblings and carers.
The Scottish Government has called on UK Government ministers to urgently deliver a targeted energy bill discount to protect customers in greatest need and drive down high fuel poverty rates.
The final report of the Social Tariff Working Group – comprising energy suppliers, consumer and fuel poverty groups and disabled people’s organisations – published today, recommends targeted energy bill support to address the issue of unaffordable bills, plus a move beyond determining eligibility based on receipt of benefits.
The group concluded that support applied automatically to eligible households, using metrics based on a combination of household income, medical need and rurality would have a positive impact.
Acting Climate Action Minister Alasdair Allan said: “High energy prices remain the single greatest driver of fuel poverty in Scotland, and we have taken various steps – within the limits of our devolved powers – aimed at raising household incomes and improving energy efficiency.
“We have reinstated the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners; we have increased funding for Warmer Homes Scotland by £20 million, helping around 1,500 more households save on energy bills; and we have committed a further £20 million for the Scottish Welfare Fund to support the most vulnerable people.
“However, this is not enough to drive down stubbornly high fuel poverty rates and energy prices continue to rise. Targeted bill support is urgently needed to ensure that consumers are protected against high costs at source and can afford all their energy needs.
“We have worked very productively with energy providers and advice groups to come up with a deliverable scheme, and the final report demonstrates clear consensus on the way forward. However, the fundamental levers to make a difference are with the UK Government.
“Existing one-off flat rate rebates are insufficient and are not a long-term solution, and the UK Government must urgently deliver a unit rate discount, with the level of discount proportionate to need. The outputs from our group must act as a foundation and mainstay of a revised strategy, providing a signal of intent and leadership by the UK Government in tackling fuel poverty at source.”
The group considered fuel eligibility, consumer eligibility and data, level and form of support, and funding, as well as feedback from frontline advisers and campaigners.
Its conclusions differ from previous models which would have meant moving customers on to a different tariff, thereby removing them from the competitive market and from other means of saving money.
Chancellor vows to bring about “security and national renewal” as she delivers a Spring Statement to kickstart economic growth, protect working people and keep our country safe.
Reeves will warn that “we have to move quickly in a changing world”, unveiling a significant step towards spending 2.5% of GDP on defence with £2.2 billion funding boost next year.
Growth and national security at heart of Plan for Change as funding invested in cutting-edge weapons and better homes for thousands of military families – paid for by reductions to international aid budget and from the Treasury reserve.
The Chancellor will promise to deliver “security for working people” and a “decade of national renewal”, as she reveals how the Government will put advanced weaponry in the hands of British troops, provide better homes for military families and kickstart economic growth through the Plan for Change.
At today’s Spring Statement, the Chancellor will announce a further £2.2 billion funding increase for defence from April, as she warns that Britain has to “move quickly in a changing world”.
The funding will be invested in advanced technologies so that Britain’s armed forces have the tools they need to compete and win in modern warfare. This includes guaranteeing the investment to fit Royal Navy ships with Directed Energy Weapons by 2027. These weapons can hit a £1 coin from 1km away and take down drones at a distance of 5km.
It will also be used to provide better homes for military families by refurbishing the defence estate – including over 36,000 homes recently brought back into public ownership from the rental sector. In addition to this, the funding will unlock rapid preparatory work, such as site surveys, planning and architecture, for the major redevelopment of Armed Forces housing through the Defence Housing Strategy.
The investment will also help fund upgrades to infrastructure at His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth, securing its ability to support Royal Navy operations into the future.
Speaking in the House of Commons today, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is expected to say:“This government was elected to change our country.
“To provide security for working people. And deliver a decade of national renewal.
“That work of change began in July – and I am proud of what we have delivered in just nine months.
“Restoring stability to our public finances; giving the Bank of England the foundation to cut interest rates three times since the General Election; rebuilding our public services with record investment in our NHS and bringing down waiting lists for 5 months in a row; and increasing the National Living Wage to give 3 million people a pay rise from next week.
She will add: “Now our task is to secure Britain’s future in a world that is changing before our eyes. The job of a responsible government is not simply to watch this change.
“This moment demands an active government stepping up to secure Britain’s future. A government on the side of working people.
“To grasp the opportunities that we now have and help Britain reach its full potential, we need to go further and faster to kickstart growth, protect national security and make people better off through our Plan for Change.
She will also say:“In February, the Prime Minister set out the government’s commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 and an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament as economic and fiscal conditions allow.
“That was the right decision in a more insecure world, putting an extra £6.4bn into the defence budget by 2027. But we have to move quickly in a changing word. And that starts with investment.
“So I can today confirm that I will provide an additional £2.2bn for the Ministry of Defence next year – a further downpayment on our plans to deliver 2.5% of GDP.
“This increase in investment is not just about increasing our national security but increasing our economic security, too. As defence spending rises, I want the whole country to feel the benefits.”
The plan will include action to harness the ingenuity of Britain’s leading manufacturing and technology sectors, creating jobs across the country and putting more money into people’s pockets.
The increase set to be announced today follows the extra £2.9 billion announced for defence in the Autumn Budget and takes spending as a proportion of GDP to 2.36 per cent in 2025/26 – up from 2.3 per cent in 2024/25.
The announcement is fully funded. The new money comes from in-year funding from the Treasury reserve and from changes to the Overseas Development Assistance budget, so will not require additional borrowing and will maintain the Chancellor’s ironclad fiscal rule.
Further detail on the Ministry of Defence’s investment plan will be set out via the Strategic Defence Review in the Spring and the Spending Review in June.
Commenting on the increase in defence spending, Defence Secretary John Healey said:“National security is the bedrock of a successful economy and our Plan for Change. This significant increase in defence spending, on top of the £2.9bn announced by the Chancellor at the Budget, means an extra £5 billion for our Armed Forces next financial year.
“This investment will make Britain stronger and safer in a more insecure world. And it will ensure defence is an engine for growth, creating good jobs across the nation.
“These are the bold first steps of the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War announced by the Prime Minister last month. Our government is delivering for defence and investing in the outstanding men and women who keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
CHANCELLOR EXPECTED TO SLASH WELFARE IN SPRING STATEMENT
New polling reveals people in Scotland would overwhelmingly prefer the very richest to pay more in tax rather than see cuts to public spending, as parallel Oxfam analysis shows the UK’s wealthiest people continue to amass even greater fortunes.
It comes as new number crunching by Oxfam, Patriotic Millionaires UK and Tax Justice UK finds that UK billionaires have seen their fortunes swell by £11 billion in the past 12 months alone – the combined amount the UK Government plans to cut from international aid and social security entitlements for people in the UK with disabilities or illnesses.
Campaigners say the data shows the UK Government’s recent cuts are not about financial scarcity, but rather about political priorities, and they sharply contrast with public opinion.
The polling, carried out ahead of the Spring Statement by YouGov on behalf of Oxfam, shows that people aged over 16 in Scotland strongly back action to fairly tax the wealthiest:
68% think the very richest should pay more in tax.
More than three-quarters (79%) would rather tax the very richest than see cuts to public spending.
79% support a new 2% wealth tax on assets worth more than £10 million.
The findings pile further pressure on the UK Government to introduce wealth taxes on the richest millionaires and billionaires.
Tax justice campaigners have identified a series of fair tax reforms and loopholes that could be closed to raise additional revenue. They say that a 2% wealth tax alone, applied to assets worth more than £10m, could raise up to £24 billion annually or around £460 million a week while only impacting 0.04% of the population – around 20,000 people.
For illustrative purposes, if the 2% wealth tax on assets over £10 million was introduced now, UK billionaires would still have seen their personal wealth soar by an average of £141 million each – a total of nearly £7.5 billion combined – since this time last year.
The money raised could be used to reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen public services, including the critical care sector, and boost climate action, instead of padding the pockets of the super-rich while deepening economic, gender and racial inequalities.
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said:“We all feel it in our bones: it’s indefensible that public spending to support those in poverty and crisis is being slashed, while private wealth is quietly stashed away.
“People in Scotland are crystal clear: they’d rather tax the richest than see cuts to public spending. Yet the UK Government has chosen to snatch £11 billion from the pockets of those who need it most while the same amount has been added to the bloated bank balances of those who need it least in just 12 months.
“It’s time for the UK Government to put fairness first; tax the super-rich and protect people in poverty. The choice is that simple.”
Mark Campbell, entrepreneur and member of Patriotic Millionaires UK, said:“As a millionaire I know the economy is working for a few people like me and working against the vast majority.
“Spending cuts are short-sighted and will only increase the worries of millions of people in the UK who are struggling to put food on the table and heat their homes.
“Meanwhile, the very richest people in our society are watching their wealth grow exponentially. It seems outrageous that the wealth of the richest is taxed at a much lower rate than the income of working people who will bear the brunt of these budget cuts.
“A wealth tax is a very clear alternative. Given that most people want higher taxes on the very richest, and plenty of millionaires – people like me – also want it, what’s stopping the UK Government?”
As part of Tax Justice Scotland, a campaign backed by more than 50 diverse civil society organisations, think tanks, trade unions and academics, Oxfam Scotland is urging the UK and Scottish Governments to use their respective tax powers to fairly raise more money to enable greater investment in key poverty-reducing public services, like care, while combatting inequalities, and rewarding businesses that provide fair and flexible work – including for parents, and particularly women – while paying the real Living Wage.
Oxfam Scotland says the Scottish Government must also use devolved powers to help combat the growing gap between the wealthiest and those struggling to make ends meet, with the richest 10% having 217 times more wealth than the least wealthy 10%, and with record high income inequality.
Wealth inequality is not only deeply unfair, but a barrier to reducing poverty. It exacerbates social and environmental harms, fuels wider inequalities – such as those related to gender and race, and drives a wedge between those with wealth and those without it.
Campaigners are calling on Scottish Ministers to use the devolved tax tools at their disposal, such as landing a fair tax on pollution-spewing private jets using Scotland’s airports and finally replacing the discredited Council Tax with a system to tax property wealth fairly.
Jamie Livingstone added:“Scotland’s political leaders can’t afford to wait for Westminster to make the fair and obvious choice to make the wealthiest pay their share.
“As we approach the 2026 Holyrood election, they would be fool hardy to ignore the public mood. People want to see real progress on fairness. Scotland has powers to tax wealth more fairly to combat runaway inequality and to build a better and greener country, it’s time to use them.”
Fort Kinnaird is celebrating Mother’s Day by offering shoppers the chance to pick up a beautiful houseplant for free on Saturday (29th March).
Whether you’re a mum treating yourself or picking one up for a mother figure in your life, there will be 500 houseplants up for grabs to brighten up a space in the home.
Available near Boots between 11am and 3pm, visitors will be given a houseplant in return for signing up to Fort Kinnaird’s email newsletter.
A perfect token of appreciation, plants offer a range of health benefits, including boosting mood, improving sleep, and purifying the air.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said:“We know how important Mother’s Day is for so many of our visitors, so we wanted to do something simple but meaningful to mark the occasion. We hope this giveaway brings smiles to our shoppers and helps make the day even more special.”
Fort Kinnaird has a great range of retailers to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift, including jewellery from Goldsmiths, sweet treats from Hotel Chocolat or candles from Homesense. There’s also delicious dining options to spend time catching up, including Chaiiwala and Bread Meats Bread.
NOTE: the 500 plants will be given out on a first come first served basis.
For more information and to plan your trip to Fort Kinnaird, visit:
For Edinburgh Art Festival 2025, The Scottish Gallery presents Victoria Crowe Decades, celebrating the artist’s 80th year. This exhibition showcases a powerful collection of new works, that reflect over six decades of Crowe’s dedicated artistic journey.
Decades invites viewers into a deeply personal world, where themes of life, nature, and memory intertwine with the landscapes, portraits, and experiences that have shaped the artist’s path.
Victoria Crowe’s first solo exhibition at The Scottish Gallery took place in 1970, and since then, she has worked in partnership with The Gallery for over five decades.
Victoria Crowesaid:“As I approach my 80th birthday, I have created a new body of work that looks back to move forward, which I hope offers a nuanced look at my artistic progression and approach over the years.
“By weaving together the strands of memory, place, and emotional depth, I have revisited past explorations whilst still engaging with ongoing concerns.”
Decades will be a powerful reflection of the Victoria Crowe’s life and work which will be held over two floors of The Scottish Gallery and Dovecot Studios will continue the celebration with a thoughtful curation of her collaborative relationship with the world-renowned weaving studio.
“Crowe’s outstanding body of work reflects not only the evolution of her artistic vision but also the deep connection she shares with life, memory, and nature. As The Gallery celebrates her 80th year, Decades serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring relevance of art and stands as a testament to Crowe’s dedication, vision, and ever-evolving creative spirit. It is a privilege to stand alongside her as we share this new chapter.” — Christina Jansen, The Scottish Gallery
NOW | New Horizons
Recent residencies, including time spent in Orkney and at Dumfries House, have further shaped the artist’s work as has the heightened awareness that lockdown brought to our consciousness.
Her recent work has explored the familiar landscape psychologically transformed, a transitional place in the ecologically changing world. Crowe’s exploration of new horizons, both physical and conceptual, culminates in a series of striking new works capturing the liminal quality of twilight and the resonance of time’s passage.
THEN | Decades
The Kittleyknowe Years. The journey begins in 1968 with the artist’s first landscape sketchbooks capturing the emotional resonance of life in the Pentlands. For over two decades, the artist lived in the remote landscape of Kittleyknowe, where intimate observations of nature were paired with the intimate portrayal of her neighbour and shepherd, Jenny Armstrong.
Portraits. The exploration of psychology and the inner life are essential to her portrait work. Crowe’s work investigates not only the physical likeness of subjects, but their unspoken emotional experiences—highlighting themes of loss, love, melancholy, and memory: what lies beneath the surface.
Venice. For 12 years, the artist had a studio in Venice, a city rich with history and fragile beauty. These paintings delve into the artist’s response to grief, finding parallels between the endurance and survival of Venice and the inner sense of continuum.
Plant Forms. From botanical studies to symbolic references in art history and herbal medicine, Crowe’s plant studies offer a meditative look at the passage of time and the fragility of life.
Dovecot Studios & The Scottish Gallery | Victoria Crowe
2025 presents a unique opportunity to engage with the breadth of Victoria Crowe’s remarkable career. This summer, The Scottish Gallery is partnering with Dovecot Studios to present Shifting Surfaces, an exhibition that invites audiences to explore the inspiration and collaboration behind Crowe’s textile masterpieces.
The show spans her iconic Large Tree Group (2007) to the recent tufted rugs from the Orcadian Series (2023). Shifting Surfaces delves into the connection between her paintings and woven interpretations, highlighting her exploration of light, landscape, and memory.
This exhibition will be open from 26 July to 11 October 2025.
National Galleries of Scotland announces the unmissable summer 2025 exhibition Resistance, conceived by acclaimed artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen.Taking over the whole of Modern Two from 21 June 2025, the exhibition will explore how acts of resistance have shaped life in the UK, and the powerful role of photography in documenting and driving change. Tickets are on sale now.
Presenting around 200 photographs from a century of activism, Resistance gives a voice to the stories and images from history which have been buried in UK archives until now.
Throughout the exhibition McQueen amplifies underrepresented voices to present a compelling exploration of overlooked histories, shedding light on the forgotten stories that have helped define the course of Britain’s history. Resistance tours to Modern Two from Turner Contemporary, Margate.
This exhibition will bring together works by renowned photographers such as Vanley Burke, John Deakin, Fay Godwin, Edith Tudor-Hart, David Hurn, Tish Murtha, Humphrey Spender, and Paul Trevor, alongside lesser-known photographers who documented these powerful stories.
Drawing photographs from various archives, collections and image libraries, McQueen has deliberately focused on moments captured before digital cameras became commonplace.
Spanning both floors of Modern Two, Resistance spans from the radical suffrage movement in 1903 to the largest-ever protest in Britain’s history—the Anti-Iraq War Protest in 2003.
The exhibition will also highlight lesser-known events including the hunger marches of the 1930s where thousands of protesters from Scotland and across Britain marched to London, protesting unemployment and poverty. As well as the Blind March of 1920, a pivotal moment in the fight for disability rights.
Visitors will encounter poignant images from demonstrations against environmental destruction, anti-nuclear campaigns and actions advocating for peace.
The exhibition will trace the evolution of environmental movements and highlight a shift from single-issue demonstrations to broader anti-capitalist efforts that paved the way for today’s climate change action.
Including powerful photographs from the 1000-mile march from Faslane Naval Base to Greenham Common in protest against American nuclear weapons being stationed in the UK in 1983.
From Janine Wiedel’s photographs capturing life at Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp to Andrew Testa’s striking depictions of the 1996 protests against the proposed Newbury Bypass in Berkshire, England, Resistance will serve as a testament to the empowering impact of collective action.
It will explore the intersections between movements such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Women’s Liberation Movement, where protests against Section 28 of the Local Government Act brought the LGBTQ+ community together. Connectinghistoric struggles, the exhibition will also examine the fight against fascism in the 1930s and 1940s.
The exhibition will underscore the ongoing struggle against racism, showing how grassroots movements have consistently confronted oppression throughout history. A pivotal moment was the Black People’s Day of Action on 2 March 1981, following the house fire at 439 New Cross Road in South East London, that claimed 13 lives.
The photographs that captured the protest powerfully depict this landmark for Britain’s civil rights movement. Paul Trevor’s series on the Bengali community will further illustrate how the emerging concept of community photography became a form of activism, amplifying the voices of marginalised groups.
Steve McQueen said: “Within the 5 years of developing the exhibition and book with the Turner Contemporary team, it has been an ambition for Resistance to travel to Scotland to be shared with audiences there.
“Resistance explores how people have challenged the status quo—a mission that feels especially urgent in today’s political climate.”
Leila Riszko, Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at National Galleries of Scotland said: “We’re enormously proud to platform this compelling selection of works curated by Steve McQueen.
“This is an exciting opportunity to explore the power of photography in documenting the significant yet underrepresented stories of people who’ve helped shape the world we live in today.
“In these divisive times, many of the themes, moments and narratives highlighted in the exhibition continue to have resonance now.
“As a show about resilience, collective power, galvanising for positive change, and inspiring reaction, we hope that Resistance will stimulate discussion with our visitors and invite deeper reflection on those contemporary issues.”
Resistance is curated by Steve McQueen and Clarrie Wallis, with Emma Lewis. Political research is by Sarah Harrison.
The exhibition is produced by Tessa Pierce, with assistance from Brittany Crombie. Organised by and originated at Turner Contemporary, Margate, and adapted for presentation at National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two.
A major new publication by Steve McQueen was also recently released to coincide with the exhibition. The book was compiled by Steve McQueen and edited by Clarrie Wallis and Sarah Harrison.
It is published by Monument Books, a new imprint from Harper Collins.
Unique new opportunity for young Scottish filmmakers
The Scottish Youth Film Foundation in partnership with The Sean Connery Foundation and the National Film and Television School are delighted to announce that in Summer 2025 they will be running The Sean Connery Youth Talent Lab.
The summer school will take place near Alness in the Highlands (close to Ardross Castle where ‘The Traitors’ series is filmed) and will be free to all participants.
Designed to mirror and complement the Sean Connery Talent Lab which is coming to the end of its first year, the Youth Talent Lab will take the form of a week-long residential summer school where 12 participants will be guided through a compressed version of the original Talent Lab.
The Foundation are looking for the most talented young Scots, aged between 17 and 22 years old, in the areas of directing, writing, acting, camera and editing to produce two short films of three minutes. The programme will run from the 15th to 21st June 2025.
Individuals will be recruited through a nationwide call for applications, focusing on existing film access organisations, schools, and youth clubs. This approach will identify young people with a demonstrated interest in a film career, providing them with the opportunity to apply.
The Youth Talent Lab aims to work with talented young Scots at an even earlier stage in their careers and support them in pursuing further education and opportunities as they enter the industry.
Teaching staff will include professionals from the Scottish Youth Film Foundation, industry experts, and contributors from The Sean Connery Talent Lab, including Chris Young (Head of the Sean Connery Talent Lab) and Alison Goring (Head of NFTS Scotland).
The young filmmakers will also have the chance to learn from recent participants of the Talent Lab on what it takes to succeed as they strive to break into the industry.
Scott Mackay of SYFF commented:‘We are honoured to be partnering NFTS and The Sean Connery Foundation in this project.
“SYFF has been promoting young talent since inception and this initiative will help further identify and promote talented young film makers from across Scotland.’
Alison Goring, Head of NFTS Scotland said:“Across the NFTS, we are dedicated to nurturing emerging filmmakers and creating pathways into the industry.
“The Sean Connery Youth Talent Lab presents an incredible opportunity to support young Scottish creatives at a crucial stage, equipping them with the skills, confidence and inspiration to pursue a future in filmmaking.
“Building on the success of the Sean Connery Talent Lab, we are proud to be part of this new initiative and excited to see the talent and creativity that will emerge over the summer.”
Stephane and Jason Connery, The Sean Connery Foundation added:“Our father was a self-taught professional who believed there’s no substitute for hands-on learning when mastering a craft.
“The Sean Connery Youth Talent Lab will give young Scots an immersive, practical environment to develop their skills, guided by passionate and dedicated mentors from SYFF.
“We’re thrilled to support this initiative, which will challenge young filmmakers to push themselves, collaborate, and take their talent to the next level.”
Established in 2008, Leith-based charity Strange Town was set up to ensure that everyone, no matter their experience or their background, gets the opportunity to access life-changing activities in the arts.
Founded by local Directors Steve Small and Ruth Hollyman, the organisation has expanded across the last 15 years and now reaches 2,000 local young people every year through youth theatre classes, holiday programmes, a touring company and agency support for young actors helping to develop the careers of some of Scotland’s best-known local talent including Tallulah Greive and Lewis Gribben.
Across all the charity’s activities, Strange Town creates high quality work that is daring and entertaining, tackling subjects of importance to young people’s lives, such as consent, knife crime and climate change anxiety.
The organisation tours local schools with educational performances that spark discussion, debate and often provides local young people with their first experience of a theatrical performance.
This week the charity’s Young Company (18-25) returns to the Scottish Storytelling Centre after their sold out shows there last year. ‘The Dark Up Close’ by local writer Jack MacGregor has been specially commissioned for Strange Town’s Young Company.
Open to everyone age 12+ the play will run for two nights Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th March.
‘Two teenagers digging graves, an island full of conscripts and puffins, the guns are silent on the eve of World War III.
‘These are scenes from a near future Britain, a country in crisis, with national service reinstated for all young people. The old world is dying, and the new world has been delayed indefinitely.’
Venue: The Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, EH1 1SR
Arts activities enrich lives, but organisations such as Strange Town are seriously under-funded, and the future is uncertain. Strange Town relies on its fundraising activities to deliver fully accessible activities for local young people.
Funders include the Backstage Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Cordis Trust, Crerar Trust and others.
The charity also runs the 15for15 fundraising initiative where local people can donate monthly to support their life-changing work.
The often polarising debate of inclusivity will be the hot topic for discussion at a free event to be held at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.
As part of the University’s work in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, the Queen Margaret Business School will host a free symposium to look at the role and impact of inclusive practices in organisational settings.
The University is keen to open up this sensitive topic for debate in order to assist organisations in dealing with some of the issues around inclusion and to identify good solutions that will support recruitment practices; develop a healthy, happy workforce; and assist with positive organisational development.
Dr Thomas Peschken-Holt, Head of the School of the Queen Margaret Business School, explained: “In recent years, there has been a growing and more pronounced questioning of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda, as well as the role and appropriateness of inclusive practices. These can be complex areas for organisations to navigate and respond to appropriately.
“Queen Margaret University is keen to shine a light on this sensitive topic and open up the conversation across a range of diverse organisations and individuals. We will look beyond the often divisive headlines by exploring the underlying assumptions and practical implications of inclusive practices within organisational settings, aiming to challenge traditional viewpoints to provide audiences with a deeper, more informed, understanding.
“We hope this will be helpful in creating a positive outlook and direction, so that organisations can move forward with confidence in the development and actioning of their inclusive policies and practices.”
This event promises to provide enlightening and helpful perspectives on inclusivity from a diverse range of panel members from across Scotland. Dr Peschken-Holt will lead the panel discussion with contributions from the Director of Policy at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Jo Davidson; the Chief Executive Officer of Knowledge Bridge, Irene Mosota; and the Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, Craig Spalding.
‘Inclusion – A Distracting Liability or A Diverse Organisational Asset?’ is particularly relevant to business leaders, human resource professionals, academics students, and anyone interested in the role of inclusivity in contemporary organisations.
Open to the public, this free symposium will take place at Queen Margaret University on Thursday 10 April (room 2156). Registration – 4:45pm, with main event running from 5pm to 6pm.
