Day: May 6, 2025

Schools welcome book donation from Amazon

Amazon’s Dunfermline team donates £2,000 of books to Fife schools

Three schools in the Fife area have received a donation of fiction books, worth over £2,000, from the team at Amazon in Dunfermline.

The donation of books was made to Cardenden Primary School, Masterton Primary School and Lochgelly South Primary School. Each school received 250 books from celebrated authors including David Walliams, Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll.

All three schools are located in the Fife area and play a key role in developing local children’s skills for life and work, raising their awareness of opportunities available to them in once they leave school.

Speaking on the donation, Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline, said:

“We want to encourage the younger generation to read and use their imagination. We hope that these three excellent primary schools enjoy the donations and that the books bring lots of joy and inspiration to the pupils.”

Jade Burt, an employee at Amazon in Dunfermline whose son attends Lochgelly South Primary School, added:

“My son loves going to Lochgelly South Primary School and was thrilled to hear about the new books they had got from Amazon. Lochgelly South Primary School is an amazing school and I’m so glad they’re getting the recognition and support with this donation.”

Melinda Fleming, Principal Teacher from Cardenden Primary School, added:“We want to give a big thanks to the team at Amazon in Dunfermline for this donation of books. The pupils have been non-stop reading – they absolutely love their new books!”

Community donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates. Amazon co-founded The Big House Multibank in Fife with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support to families in need. The Multibank network has now donated more than 7 million surplus goods to over 600,000 families across Scotland, Wales, Greater Manchester, London, Tees Valley and Birmingham.

Amazon has supported more than one million students across the UK with free STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer and helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good.

Amazon partners with Comic Relief and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose. Together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon has raised over £4.8 million to fund projects that support people across the UK, and around the world.

Maternal Mental Health Week

It’s Maternal Mental Health Week, a time to raise awareness of the importance of mental health during and after pregnancy.

We know that around 1 in 5 women experience mental health problems during pregnancy or within the first year after giving birth, yet nearly half of these cases go undiagnosed or untreated.

These figures highlight the need for greater awareness and access to support for all mothers.

The theme this year is ‘Your voice, your strength’. It’s a reminder of the importance of listening to, and learning from, the experiences of mothers.

Through our programmes, we work with mothers to create safe, inclusive spaces where they can talk openly about what they’re going through and access the support they need.

We’re working to make sure every mother has the opportunity to thrive during this important time in their lives.

#MaternalMentalHealthWeek

#YourVoiceYourStrength

Capital House set to host the capital’s newest Premier Inn

Whitbread submits a planning application for a new 195-bedroom hotel on Festival Square in the heart of Edinburgh city centre

Whitbread PLC, the owner of the Premier Inn hotel chain, has submitted plans to transform Capital House into a 195-bedroom Premier Inn, with a commitment to investing more than £21 million in the conversion of the existing building into a hotel.

After acquiring the 65,350 sq ft gross office block off Lothian Road last year, Whitbread has been preparing a planning application to change the use of the building to a hotel, which was submitted to Edinburgh City Council on 2nd May.

The plans involve the conversion of the existing building and rear extension of the 1980s office into a latest format Premier Inn hotel with a ground floor restaurant and bar. 

The Capital House Premier Inn is expected to generate an additional £8.1 million per year in visitor expenditure through the external spending of more than 56,000 guests which are predicted to stay at the hotel every year.  Half of this external expenditure is anticipated to be spent supporting city centre businesses. 

The proposals signal the latest commitment from Whitbread to invest in Edinburgh as the business continues to see strong long-term potential for its bedrooms across the capital city.

Jill Anderson, Acquisitions Manager for Scotland at Whitbread, said: ““The visitor economy in Edinburgh is thriving but there remains an unmet demand for additional budget hotel rooms in the city.  Capital House represents an excellent opportunity for us to deliver new Premier Inn bedrooms at affordable prices for our customers in a fantastic city centre location.

“The location is ideal for both business and leisure customers.  It is sustainable and highly accessible with direct bus, tram and rail networks within a short walk, it’s a stone’s throw from the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) and Exchange District and is close to tourist destinations like Edinburgh Castle, Usher Hall and other theatres.

“We’re thrilled to submit proposals to transform this underused office building and bring life back into this corner of Festival Square.  We are investing £21 million into delivering the new hotel which will generate over £8 million of additional guest spend into the Edinburgh economy each year and create more than 30 new hospitality jobs. We look forward to working with Edinburgh City Council to progress the application towards determination.”

Whitbread currently welcomes close to a million visitors to its established network of 14 Premier Inn hotels within the City of Edinburgh Council area. The business calculates its guests staying at these hotels generate more than £32 million in visitor expenditure to the Edinburgh economy every year.

More widely, across the UK & Ireland Whitbread currently offers its customers a choice of more than 85,500 Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn bedrooms and the company sees the long-term potential for 125,000 bedrooms in these two core markets.

Cruden & Evantyr acquire site on Salamander Street in Leith

Five-star housebuilder to deliver 99 new homes including affordable housing overlooking city park

Leading Scottish housebuilder Cruden Homes, in a joint venture with Evantyr Properties, has acquired a new site on Salamander Street in Leith, as part of the ongoing regeneration of the former industrial area. 

The latest proposals from Cruden and Evantyr outline plans for a new residential development of 99 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, many of which include balconies. Of these, 35% will be allocated as affordable housing, surpassing the planning requirement of 25%. 

Working alongside 7N Architects, the new scheme has been carefully planned to integrate with the existing urban landscape, incorporating a landscaped central courtyard and strong connections to sustainable transport options. Many of the new homes will also back onto the adjacent Leith Links, a large public park with an abundance of open green space and lots of mature trees. 

The development will also be designed around and alongside the active travel initiative which will see the inclusion of a segregated cycle path as part of the wider Leith Connections project.  This is a major infrastructure initiative designed to improve travel for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the area.

Fraser Lynes, Managing Director of Cruden Homes, said: “Securing this prime site in the heart of Leith marks the latest phase in our commitment to creating vibrant, sustainable communities where they are needed most.

“Leith is a location that continues to thrive thanks to its strong community spirit and excellent local amenities. In partnership with Evantyr, our plans will deliver a high-quality, sustainable development that complements the surrounding area and provides much-needed new homes, including a significant proportion of affordable housing – creating a modern, connected place where people will love to live.”

Marc Teague, Director at Evantyr Properties, added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Cruden Homes on this exciting project in one of Edinburgh’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.

“Together, we’re bringing forward a development that not only delivers high-quality homes but also enhances the character of the local area through thoughtful design and strong sustainability credentials.

“This joint venture demonstrates our shared commitment to placemaking and long-term investment in Leith.”

The Leith site is adjacent to the Ropeworks masterplan for over 600 new homes.

This latest development on Salamander Street is expected to start later this year, subject to final planning conditions being met.

Heart of Midlothian FC: Club Statement on Investment Proposal

INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

Heart of Midlothian can confirm that Tony Bloom has made a proposal to invest capital of £9.86m into the club for which he shall receive a 29% stake in the club via non-voting shares.

A consultation period with the club’s majority shareholders – the Foundation of Hearts – will now begin.

The consultation will explain the proposal to FOH members and ascertain their views before asking them to vote on this.  A majority of FOH members’ acceptance is required (as determined by the FoH board) for the proposal to be successfully carried forward.

Following the FOH consultation process, an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club’s shareholders will be called in order to formally approve the transaction.

In the meantime, the transaction remains subject to entry into legally binding documentation, SFA approval and other normal course regulatory requirements.   

Details on the proposal and the consultation, including a video explainer and FAQs, can be found on the FOH website by clicking here.

North Edinburgh Community Festival: Talking Tatties!

THE TATTIE PROJECT

The festival has teamed up with R2 and Lauriston Farm to bring you food demonstrations and free HOT tatties n toppings and Leek & Tattie Soup.

Many organisations in North Edinburgh have planted potatoes at Lauriston Farm over the last month or two. These tatties wont be ready for our festival but we have been extremely lucky to have received a very kind donation of tatties from Potato House/Skea Organics and Denhead Farm.

Potato House

Denhead Farms Farmstand

At the festival we will have 5-6 food demonstrations from cooks in our local community showcasing diverse cultural recipes using the humble potato as the main ingredient.

MasterChef Sarah Rankin Cooks, will be putting our cooks through their paces pre festival so that they are ready to take on the day at the festival.

Scran Academy will be providing hot baked potatoes from Denhead Farm with toppings courtesy of Asda and Empty Kitchens Full Hearts SCIO will be handing out free Leek and Potato soup using the potatoes from The Potato House.

Potato House is the baby potato of Skea Organics, and grew out of a need to service smaller orders for gardeners, allotment growers, market gardeners and independent gardening and hardware stores.

They also supply eating potatoes to shops, box schemes and restaurants as well as to the general public. The Potato House website is dedicated to the gardeners and small passionate growers who are looking for high-quality seed potatoes with unique taste and specific characteristics.

So many thanks to Potato House, Denhead Farm, Sarah Rankin for the potatoes.

Recipes from the cooks will also be available to view on The Love of Potatoes website too. The Love Potatoes website is dedicated to chefs and passionate home cooks looking for fantastic potato recipes using high-quality potatoes.

Post festival, the cooks will host lunch clubs showcasing their recipes again in the lead up to the Harvest Festival at Lauriston Farm in September.

On the day, we are looking to hand out over 1500 tattie dishes!

NHS Lothian nurses praised for exceptional care of Scottish Rugby international player

Match ball ‘honour’ for RIE nurses

A team of nurses from NHS Lothian has been praised for the exceptional care and support provided to Scottish Rugby international, Emma Wassell, during her health challenges earlier this season.

In recognition of the high-class care Emma received, five nurses from the cardiothoracic ward at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh were invited to deliver the match ball at Scotland’s victorious Six Nations match against Ireland on Saturday.

Speaking of their experience, Eilidh Wynne, Senior Charge Nurse said: “It was such an honour for us to be asked to present the match ball – we got a big cheer from the crowd and felt like superstars. We were pitch side for the national anthem and the atmosphere was absolutely amazing. It really was such a special moment and it’s one we’ll remember forever.

“The whole team in ward 102 works incredibly hard and this is a reminder that we should all feel immensely proud of the work we’re doing day in day out.

“It’s always nice to see patients getting back to their norm and it was fantastic to see Emma looking so well – that’s really what makes the job worthwhile.”

The team presented the match ball and were treated to hospitality at the event at Hive Stadium Edinburgh, which drew over 6000 spectators (the second largest crowd in the team’s history).

Emma Wassell, who is on the road to recovery after emergency surgery to remove a chest tumour, said: “It was really special to have some of the nurses that looked after me at our last home game of the Guinness Six Nations. A real full circle moment where they could get recognised for what they do when they are a big part of the reason that I can get back to what I do.

“I have nothing but gratitude for the care I received by all NHS staff while going through some personally tough circumstances – they really are there for you morning, noon and night. Whether it’s providing your medication, taking your blood samples, bringing you a coffee or simply allowing a constant stream of rugby players in to sit by my bedside!

“They made my time in hospital a whole lot easier and I am so glad we could give them some recognition, in what turned out to be a very special game!

“I have spoken a lot about my rugby family and one of the first nurses to introduce themselves to me was Kirsty Stewart – who was none other than one of my teammates, Alex’s mum.

“This was a huge level of comfort for me, and even though rugby wasn’t my main priority when I was in hospital, it was so nice to have someone that could truly understand how I was feeling around missing it.”

Photo by Ewan Bootman / SNS Group

Museum of Edinburgh hosts two new summer exhibitions exploring wellbeing and connection to nature

This summer, the Museum of Edinburgh presents two inspiring exhibitions celebrating the powerful relationship between wellbeing, nature, and place, each told through unique creative lenses:

Nature Through Nurture: Wellbeing and the Natural World in Children’s Books

Thu 1 May to Sun 7 Sep 2025

Developed in partnership between the Museum of Childhood and Scotland’s Early Literature for Children Initiative (SELCIE) at the University of Edinburgh, Nature Through Nurture delves into the enduring presence of the natural world in children’s literature over the past 150 years.

Flowers, trees, animals, insects and birds feature heavily in children’s books, set in both the real world and imaginary worlds. Children’s books from the last 150 years will be on display with beautiful illustrations, poetry and information about how to find green spaces throughout Edinburgh.

The positive influences of nature on mental health and wellbeing will be examined alongside a programme of public events for children and families.

Dr Sarah Dunnigan, Senior Lecturer, School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh and co-founder of SELCIE said: “The partnership between SELCIE and the Museum of Childhood for the Nurture through Nature exhibition beautifully highlights how children’s books can connect young readers to the natural world.

“This collaboration brings together literature, history, and nature in a way that we hope will inspire visitors to explore Edinburgh’s green spaces and reflect on the links between nature and well-being.

“The project has also made accessible many previously uncatalogued books from the Museum of Childhood collection, with several being displayed publicly for the first time. This collection is of great significance, and we look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.

Wellbeing in the City: Feel-Good Places in and Around Edinburgh

Thu 10 Apr to Sun 31 Aug 2025

Created by participants of photography and creative writing courses run by Access to Industry, this exhibition offers personal and heartfelt reflections on the places in Edinburgh that inspire calm, joy, and connection.

Each member of the photography course has chosen a place in and around Edinburgh that makes them feel good. The group visited every place nominated to take photos and have selected their favourites to present in the exhibition.

The creative writing group have produced short pieces of writing about places or activities in Edinburgh that make them feel well.

Helen Murray, Encompass Caseworker from Access to Industry said: “Access to Industry are delighted to have been able to work with Museums and Galleries Edinburgh on the joint project, Wellbeing in the City – feel good places in and around Edinburgh.

“We support clients with complex barriers to employment, many of whom have suffered trauma, isolation and marginalisation. This project has been run with our wellbeing through photography group, PAGE, and our Creative Writing group.

“It has enabled participants to enjoy improved wellbeing on trips they have chosen and reflect on what makes them feel well. We are now extremely pleased to be able to share these places and that sense of wellness with local residents and visitors from far and wide.

City of Edinburgh Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “These exhibitions beautifully highlight how nature and place shape our sense of wellbeing from childhood through adulthood.

“By showcasing stories, creativity, and lived experience, this summer the Museum of Edinburgh invites us all to reconnect with the natural world and discover the restorative spaces that exist all around us.”

Admission to both exhibitions is free.

Nathan Evans and The Saint Phnx Band announce intimate gig to support Scotland’s mental health

Scottish music sensations Nathan Evans and Saint Phnx will be singing for the nation’s mental health at a special charity gig for SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health).

The unforgettable and intimate night of live music will be held at the stunning Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on Friday 6 June, with just 150 pairs of tickets up for grabs at this exclusive event.

Tickets are available through a text to win prize draw, powered by the Fonix platform (www.fonix.com), giving fans the chance to win a pair of tickets by texting GIG to 84903.

You will be charged your standard network rate charge and a voluntary £3 donation to SAMH – You must be 18 or over and have the bill payer’s permission to enter. Entries close at 11:59pm on 11/05/2025.

See T&Cs at samh.org.uk/gstc

The event signals the start of SAMH’s new programme of special events, The Garden Sessions: an exclusive fundraising initiative that joins the magic of live music with support for vital mental health services.

Nathan Evans, known for his viral sea shanties, and chart-topping band Saint Phnx, will headline the first SAMH Garden Session, with more exclusive shows planned later in the year.

Nathan Evans said: “We’re absolutely buzzing to be part of the very first SAMH Garden Session. Playing an intimate show like this, in such a stunning setting, and for a cause as important as mental health, makes it really special for us.

“We can’t wait to be part of something so positive and memorable — it’s going to be an incredible night.”

Hazel McIlwraith, Director of Fundraising and Major Appeals at SAMH, said: “Music has an incredible ability to bring people together, lift spirits, and create lasting memories.

“Connecting with other people and being surrounded by nature is good for your mental health, and this special event will be an uplifting experience.

“With The Garden Sessions, we want to offer something truly unique that not only celebrates live music and gives fans the opportunity to see top artists up close, but also raises vital funds for mental health at a time when support is so desperately needed.”

SAMH recently announced plans to open The Nook, Scotland’s first ever network of walk-in mental health support hubs and proceeds from this event will help to support their establishment.

Find out more at samh.org.uk/the-nook.

Edinburgh-based charity Mindroom secures Young Start Award

Funding will support new Youth-Led Change for Neurodivergent Rights project and participation programme, aimed at neurodivergent young people aged 8-24

Mindroom, a leading charity that champions all forms of neurodiversity, has been awarded £96,279 in funding from Young Start. 

Young Start, delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund, awards dormant bank account funding to projects that help young people reach their full potential. The grant will support a new rights and participation project designed to ensure neurodivergent young people are heard, included, and have access to opportunities which drive positive youth-led change.  

Over the next three years, the programme will support as many as 100 young people and 10 volunteers, going a long way to ensure those who are part of the project are actively involved in shaping their own futures.

Alan Thornburrow, CEO of Mindroom, commented: “We are incredibly grateful for this vital opportunity to support the work we do and to enable us to further empower young neurodivergent people across Scotland.

“By creating spaces where they can lead, share their experiences, and advocate for their futures, this project will be a significant step towards building a more inclusive society that values neurodiversity and the unique contributions these young people can make.”

The project, named Youth-Led Change for Neurodivergent Rights, will utilise a co-production model to create youth-led awareness campaigns and neuro-affirming resources by and for neurodivergent young people.

It will also provide opportunities for participants to build self-confidence, gain new skills, and develop peer networks within their communities. 

Kate Still, The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair said: “We are delighted to announce our latest Young Start funding, which allows us to support so many fantastic organisations, who are providing a safe and welcoming environment where the door is always open for young people to go and learn new skills and hone their talents.

“Through our Young Start grants, we want to continue to support more projects which work so hard to encourage and develop the potential of young Scots.”

The funded project is set to create long-term impact by promoting better physical, mental, and emotional well-being among young neurodivergent people – as well as offering new skills and opportunities – and will ultimately provide participants with the tools they need to advocate for their rights and make a meaningful impact in their local communities.

For more information about Mindroom please visit the official website: 

www.mindroom.org

For details around the Youth-Led Change for Neurodivergent Rights programme, please visit: tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/scotland | Twitter | Facebook