POLICE officers seized an illegal electric motorcycle in the Drylaw area yesterday afternoon and continue to support city-wide efforts to target motorcycle crime.
We recognise the impact of illegal and anti-social motorcycle use and encourage anyone with information that can assist officer to take them off the street to contact police or Crimestoppers on 0800555111 or at https://orlo.uk/c6VuF
On the morning of May 22nd 1915, Quintinshill near Gretna witnessed the biggest train disaster in British railway history.
Three trains had collided resulting in 226 fatalities. Most of the dead were soldiers who had trained at the Drill Hall in Leith, on their way to Gallipoli.
Those who had waved their young sons, brothers, sweethearts and friends off only days earlier were soon to be faced with the solemn task of identifying their loved one’s body in the Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street in Leith.
Back in 2015 thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Out of the Blue Arts and Education Trust, who now own and manage the Drill Hall as an arts centre and much loved resource for the community, marked the centenary of this disaster, with an exhibition and theatre performance.
What’s happening
On Thursday 22nd May 2025, 110 years to the day of the tragic crash will assemble many of the 2015 participants for a special reunion screening of Ray Bird’s short film, Gretna 100. The film illustrates how a participatory arts project can have a long lasting impact for participants and audience alike.
To mark the centenary of the disaster in 2015, a group of community actors from Active Inquiry and Strange Town Young Company researched and devised a piece of promenade theatre, Persevere, which guided the audience around the Drill Hall enabling them to catch glimpses of stories of Leithers 100 years ago.
There was also a separate research group which included descendants of those who were involved in the tragedy, an exhibition group and the production of the Tree of Life, with a glass artist and Pilmeny Youth Centre. Ray Bird (Drill Hall based filmmaker) made a great film of the project, which will be screened on Thursday 22nd May 2025.
Comments on the project
‘The Out of the Blue Drill Hall is historically associated with a hugely significant tragedy for the Leith community. Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund we were able to explore the impact on individuals and families by people undertaking their own research, uncovering stories and presenting them to the people of Leith – and beyond! Ray Bird’s film documented the process of the community’s involvement in the context of exploring the impact of the 1915 tragedy to powerful effect’- Out of the Blue CEO Rob Hoon
“difficult not to be moved and shaken by the profound sense of place, time and continuity conjured up by this fine 24-strong community company” – Joyce McMillan – The Scotsman – ‘Persevere’ review 5th June 2015
“It was a great experience to be part of a project which engaged with the history of our local area, whilst simultaneously engaging with the community that lives here now” – Gretna 100 participant
Part of the ‘Out of the Blue is 30’ events series.
Headteachers say the attainment of pupils experiencing poverty has improved, thanks to over £1 billion of direct investment from the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government’s flagship policy has provided headteachers with direct additional funding to help support children and young people.
Schools have used the extra funding in a variety of different ways. The latest report looking at the impact of Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) found that it has helped schools employ up to 3,000 additional staff to support children and young people’s attainment and wellbeing.
This has included extra staff employed to support families, such as income maximisation officers, as well as support for pupil wellbeing from the third sector. The report also highlights how the targeted investment has supported better attendance, attainment, and relationships between schools, families and pupils.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth visited St Ignatius Primary School in Wishaw to hear directly about how the school is using Pupil Equity Funding.
Ms Gilruth said: “Pupil Equity Funding has played a crucial role in our mission to ensure that children and young people impacted by poverty are given the opportunity to succeed.
“Since launching in 2017, we have invested over £1 billion in the programme, with targeted support now reaching a majority of schools across Scotland.
“Each school has its own unique challenges when it comes to closing the poverty-related attainment gap, which is why we have put our trust in headteachers to develop solutions which meet the needs of their own pupils.
“I have been very impressed by the creativity shown by teachers – from supporting imagination in writing, to outdoor educational trips to improve confidence, wellbeing and relationships.
“The latest survey report indicates the hugely positive impact that this direct investment is making – with Scotland recording its lowest poverty-related attainment gap on record for literacy in primary schools.
“Pupil Equity Funding is also ensuring that more children and young people impacted by poverty are entering work, training or further study after leaving school.
“We are also taking further steps to tackle child poverty through education, including through funding early learning and childcare, free school meals and the delivery of free breakfast clubs.”
A 23-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with damage to properties in Edinburgh.
The incidents happened at properties in the Campion Road and Cumnor Crescent areas of the city during the evening of Saturday, 10 May, 2025.
He has also been charged in connection with a reset offence after a car was stolen from the Falkirk area on 29, April, 2025.
Officers executed a warrant at an address in the Gilmerton area on the morning of Wednesday, 14 May, 2025 where the man was arrested.
He has been charged and is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Thursday, 15 May, 2025.
Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: “We continue to work at pace to identify and apprehend anyone we believe is involved in incidents of violent disorder, and arrests will continue as our investigation progresses.
“If you have any information that can assist our investigation, please get in touch.”
Independent funder Foundation Scotland has announced a £12 million fast-tracked ‘Response Fund’ to support organisations which serve the hardest hit communities across the country.
The accelerated funding programme comes in response to increased pressure on charities and community groups, many of whom are seeing a surge in demand for services while they themselves are facing reduced capacity and soaring overheads, such as utilities, staffing and National Insurance costs.
To provide support for organisations who need it now, and to help with longer-term capacity building, Foundation Scotland will implement funding programmes that aim to do both.
Support includes a cost-of-living adjustment to all organisations funded in the last year to help them cope with rising operational costs. This will be implemented alongside a payment to organisations who were awarded funding last autumn, but who were unable to reflect the sudden increase in employer National Insurance costs in their applications.
Funding for these two programmes will total around £650,000.
Foundation Scotland will also contribute half a million pounds to the Corra Foundation’s ongoing Boost programme, a small grants fund for local community organisations supporting children and families hardest hit by poverty.
The Boost programme provides grants of £500-£3,000 and is delivered by Corra, in partnership with STV Children’s Appeal and Comic Relief.
Carolyn Sawers, Chief Executive of Corra Foundation said: “Community-led action is critical to tackling poverty and its impacts.
“Small grants, designed to work for local groups, make a big difference. With Foundation Scotland’s contribution, Boost will be able to reach many more children and families across Scotland.”
Funding support that will help both immediately and in the longer term is also being given to all of Scotland’s Citizens Advice Bureaux, to assist with staffing and operational costs.
During the cost of living crisis, CABs have been overwhelmed with people desperate for help or support to navigate energy bills, benefits, debt, housing concerns and other urgent issues. CABs themselves are charities and many are struggling with the disproportionate balance of need to resource as well as the ever increasing strain of covering their own costs.
All 59 CABs, as well as their umbrella body Citizens Advice Scotland, will receive individual awards of £50,000 this year and £50,000 in the next financial year, totalling £6million of funding over 2 years.
Derek Mitchell, CEO of Citizens Advice Scotland, said: “Our network is seeing record levels of demand from people across all corners of Scotland.
“The advice we provide is fundamentally about bringing stability to volatility, but the people behind the network, the ones working tirelessly to help communities are facing increasing pressures.
“CABs own livelihoods are often marked with uncertainty and at the mercy of short-term funding cycles. Funding like this is a game-changer. It will allow CABs to take a breath and plan the next two years with more of a safety net around costs.
“I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Foundation Scotland for the support, and to everyone at CAS and the network that continue to work each day to better the lives of people across Scotland.”
Lastly, Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) will receive funding to help support local development trusts across the country.
Development trusts are community led organisations, set up to proactively address and tackle local needs and issues through community-led activity and partnership working. Many of them are vital to community support systems and infrastructure, but are facing critical operational challenges.
Funding will help them stabilize and rebuild their capacity, to better support the communities they represent. DTAS is the member-led organisation that promotes and supports development trusts across Scotland, and they will hold and distribute the funds.
This award will total £5million, allocated over two years, and represents the biggest single award Foundation Scotland has made in its history.
Pauline Smith, Chief Executive at DTAS said: “This funding couldn’t have come at a more crucial time and is strong recognition of the incredible work Development Trusts are doing across Scotland.
“We’re operating in a challenging environment, and this £5 million investment will be directed straight to our members through a Recovery and Resilience Fund – supporting long-term strength and sustainability in communities.
“With over 400 existing and aspiring Development Trusts in our network, we see every day the vital role they play, responding to growing local needs, strengthening community-led governance, and creating places people are proud to call home.
“These trusts are the backbone of community infrastructure, and without them, much of the social, economic, cultural, and environmental activity in our communities simply wouldn’t exist.
“This support will help strengthen the infrastructure that so many people rely on. We’re hugely grateful to Foundation Scotland – this funding will make a real and lasting difference across the country.”
Giles Ruck, CEO of Foundation Scotland said: “As Scotland’s Community Foundation, we are acutely aware that people across the country are continuing to face ongoing financial hardship, struggling to keep their heads above water or pay their bills.
“We want to support communities and individuals where we can. As a first step, we are fast tracking this Response Fund to help address multiple and pressing challenges. We want to go at least some way to help those affected by financial crisis, as well as help organisations and charities to stabilise and rebuild.
“Although we are providing over £12 million in funding, we know that we are scratching at the surface. However, we are committed to using this fund as a stepping stone from which we can better support communities, listening to what people say that they need, and working with others to create a stronger, more resilient Scotland.
“Foundation Scotland would like to thank the many donors who trust us with stewardship of their funds, pooling them with our own to ensure the greatest impact on our communities.”
For more information about Foundation Scotland visit:
Mr Speaker,
Yesterday, alongside partners, the UK convened a meeting of the UN Security Council in response to the intolerable civilian suffering and humanitarian need in Gaza.
As I told this House yesterday, Israel’s denial of aid is appalling.
Tonnes of food are currently sitting rotting at the Gaza/Israel border, blocked from reaching people who are starving.
Israeli Ministers have said Israel’s decision to block this aid is a “pressure lever”.
This is cruel and it is indefensible.
Overnight yet more Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes.
This must end.
The message yesterday was clear.
The world wants Israel to stop and change course immediately.
With our allies we are telling the Government of Israel: lift the block on aid entering Gaza now. Enable the UN and all humanitarians to save lives, now. We need an immediate ceasefire, now.
Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool or military tactic. And the UK will not support any aid mechanism that seeks to deliver political or military objectives or puts vulnerable civilians at risk.
The International Court of Justice case on genocide is ongoing. Mr Speaker, We support the ICJ. We support its independence.
The ICJ issued a set of provisional measures in this case and we support those measures.
Israel has an obligation to implement them.
It is the UK government’s long-standing position that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies.
The UK is fully committed to upholding our responsibilities under domestic and international law.
And we have at all times acted in a manner consistent with our legal obligations, including under the Genocide Convention.
The devastation from this conflict must end.
Our complete focus is on lifting Israeli restrictions on aid, On freeing the hostages held by Hamas, On protecting civilians, And on restoring the ceasefire.
We will work urgently with our allies and partners on further pressure to make Israel change course.
