The Eric Liddell community day care service in Edinburgh recently held a scam awareness session for their clients living with dementia and their care partners.
They decided to organise this session due to some clients being duped by fraudsters going door-to-door and online. The session was organised by day care manager, Caroline Heenan and was run by PC Stuart Fraser from the Community Policing Team at St Leonards Police Station.
Peta Randall, day care officer, said: “It was very interesting and makes you think how prepared fraudsters are”.
Carmel Riley, admin assistant, added: “I feel more equipped to deal with the nuisance calls I get.”
Christine, 82, said: “My husband gave money to a gardener but he made a mess and never came back.”
Beverley, 73, added: “I was scammed online, but I now understand how it can happen”.
Caroline, day care manager, said: “For others who are thinking about holding a session, I’d say go for it!
“Police Scotland are more than happy to facilitate these sessions.”
BBC ALBA is set to feature Arnold Clark Premiership champions Corstorphine’s latest challenge in the defence of their title as they travel to play Watsonians tonight (Friday 29 August), with coverage starting at 7.30pm.
The coverage is part of BBC ALBA’s plans to show the top domestic rugby competitions in Scotland for free on TV, including both the men’s and women’s Arnold Clark Premiership finals and 12 league matches throughout the 2025/26 season.
These matches will be available live and on demand on BBC ALBA, via BBC iPlayer, on the BBC ALBA YouTube channel and on bbc.co.uk/rugbaidh, with the games available worldwide on a live and on-demand basis.
Corstorphine started the defence of their title earlier this month with a hard-fought 26-17 win away to Biggar. For Watsonian FC, they will be hoping home advantage will help them bounce back from an opening day 34-17 defeat to Stirling County.
The players of all Premiership clubs were given a free weekend last week so they could take the opportunity to travel and support Scotland’s national women’s side as they made a successful start to their Rugby World Cup campaign, beating Wales 38-8.
Fiona MacKenzie, BBC ALBA commissioning editor, said:“BBC ALBA will be showing the best of Scottish women’s rugby across the season, thanks to our renewed agreement with Scottish Rugby as the popularity of the sport continues to grow.
“Interest will, of course, also be heightened across Scotland thanks to the impressive start our national team made against Wales in the Women’s Rugby World Cup.”
Watch champions Corstorphine’s trip to Watsonians tonight live or on demand on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer:
Eleven organisations are set to share £650,000 as part of a drive to grow the Scots language across the country.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes announced the funding on a visit to Bill and Bain printworks in Glasgow where she unveiled a new Scots language children’s book. The Auchtermichty Aw-Stars is being produced by Scots Hoose Yaldi and features three Scots language plays about a youth football club.
It is part of a series of Scots books and comics which will be printed and distributed to hundreds of schools and nurseries through the investment.
Census figures published last year found that 35% of people aged 15 or under had some Scots skills, an increase of 6% from 2011.
Other initiatives receiving support include:
new Open University courses to help teachers introduce Scots into their lessons
the Dictionaries of the Scots Language project, which aims to detail the origins and meanings of every known Scots word
Doric Film and Scots Radio, which promote the broadcast of Doric, a form of Scots spoken in North East Scotland, across television, film and radio
Ms Forbes said: “These plays are part of a series of free Scots books, comics and poems which aim to provide young people with a better understanding of the language so that it can continue to grow.
“Scots is a treasured part of our history, heritage and culture. It enriches communities and research shows that learning the language benefits young people’s literacy skills and confidence.
“The funding represents a £150,000 uplift compared to last year. To grow Gaelic and Scots, we also brought forward the Scottish Languages Act to establish Scots and Gaelic as official languages and introduce teaching standards for Scots.”
Matthew Fitt, a co-owner of Scots Hoose Yaldi, said: “For many children and young people, reading a story or comic in Scots for the first time can be a transformative learning experience.
“We work very hard to improve Scots language provision for young Scots speakers in Scotland’s schools.
“It’s good to be recognised by the Scottish Government for our efforts, especially if it means we can help more young Scots speakers enjoy and learn about their own Scots language.”
A new bespoke cargo bike commissioned by National Museums Scotland will bring hands-on learning and cultural experiences directly to communities across Edinburgh.
Developed by National Museums Scotland and designed by XYZ CARGO UK, the bike will enable museum staff to deliver accessible creative workshops and storytelling sessions with local communities. It will be based at the National Museums Collection Centre in Granton in the north of Edinburgh.
The Collection Centre is home to some 12 million objects and is also a regular part of National Museums Scotland’s community outreach work, hosting visits from local groups and schools.
The bike is completely electric, generating low carbon emissions in its outreach. It has a large storage compartment which enables it to transport objects from the Museum’s handling collection, including replicas of the Lewis Chess pieces, Pictish chains and Roman helmets, and even a 3D-printed chimpanzee skull.
Jane Miller, Community Engagement Manager at National Museums Scotland, said: “While admission to the National Museum of Scotland is free, we know that there can be all sorts of barriers to access traditional museum spaces.
“That’s why it’s important that we have an active programme of community engagement, and the Museum in Motion cargo bike is a colourful, fun and sustainable way of bringing the Museum to communities on their doorsteps.”
The project is funded in part by the Edinburgh Airport Community Fund. Gordon Robertson, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Edinburgh Airport said: “Our Community Fund is designed to support a wide range of groups and organisations within our neighbouring communities, and this project is a fantastic example of the fund in action.
“By contributing to the purchase of this cargo bike, we’re helping National Museums Scotland reduce its carbon footprint and enhance the accessibility of its collections by bringing them directly into local communities.”
Anyone interested in inviting the Museum in Motion cargo bike to visit their community or wants to find out more, can contact the Community Engagement team at National Museums Scotland by email at communities@nms.ac.uk.
THREE Edinburgh Labour MPs – Tracy Gilbert (Edinburgh North and Leith), Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West), and Chris Murray (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) – came together with Places for People Scotland and tenants from across the city on Wednesday to build on joint engagement activity addressing housing queries.
After being elected, Tracy Gilbert MP noticed a trend in complaints and organised this meeting to support both tenants and Places for People Scotland.
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the Edinburgh MPs arranged the meeting with Places for People Scotland and Edinburgh Tenants Federation to support local tenants to proactively seek support on matters relating to their communities.
The meeting is a further step in the work Places for People Scotland has undertaken in the past 18 months in increasing customer engagement across the city.
The meeting covered matters raised by customers including understanding service charges, heating, and repairs and maintenance, as well as customer engagement.
By bringing all parties together, the MPs sought to bring together tenants’ voices to continue open, constructive, and effective dialogue.
Tracy Gilbert MP said:“Tenants deserve to feel heard and supported by their housing provider. As Edinburgh MPs, we were pleased to facilitate this meeting so residents could raise their concerns directly and begin to build stronger channels of communication.
“A lot of the issues raised centred on the transparency of bills from factors and the lack of clarity in communications.
“We hope that over the coming months these matters can be resolved, giving residents the confidence and reassurance they deserve.”
Dr Scott Arthur MP added:“Tenants in Edinburgh South West have understandably lost confidence in the service provided by Places for People Scotland.
“I’m therefore pleased that this meeting offered a chance to reset the relationship. It’s now in everyone’s best interest to work together constructively to rebuild trust and deliver the high-quality services that residents rightly expect and deserve.”
Chris Murray MP said: “I welcome Places for People Scotland’s commitment to an open, engaged, and transparent relationship with their tenants – demonstrated by our community meeting tonight.
“However, an engaged, transparent, and supportive housing provider and property factor should not be an exception, but an expectation.
“I will continue to work alongside residents, my fellow MPs, and Places for People Scotland, to ensure this is achieved.”
Kelly Brown, Director of Places for People Scotland, commented: “We recognise that there have been times in recent years where our communication with customers should have been better and we have taken the appropriate steps to improve this.
“Yesterday’s meeting marked another positive step forward, demonstrating what can be achieved when we work together.
“We are always listening. Over the last 18 months, we’ve worked closely with our customers and local MPs to improve the overall customer experience. For those whose homes are powered by a district heating system, we’ve brought in an internal expert to review all tariffs and procure a new partner.
“We remain committed to driving further improvements to ensure we provide a service that our customers can be proud of.”
Housing is a matter devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
Delivering a new approach to disability assistance ‘rooted in compassion’
Almost 350,000 disabled people who were getting Personal Independence Payment have had their benefit awards successfully transferred to Social Security Scotland – meaning everyone in Scotland who was receiving the benefit is now getting Adult Disability Payment.
This month marks the third anniversary of Adult Disability Payment being available across Scotland and the complete transfer represents the delivery of an entirely new approach to disability assistance based on dignity, fairness and respect.
For example, while the UK benefits agency outsources assessments to private firms, Social Security Scotland uses information from professionals who know the disabled person when making decisions, such as their GP or a support worker.
Adult Disability Payment provides money to help with the additional costs that come with being disabled or having a long-term health condition that affects someone’s life. People who are terminally ill can apply via a dedicated fast-track route.
On a visit to learning disability charity Garvald Edinburgh, Social Justice Secretary @S_A_Somerville confirmed everyone in Scotland who was getting Personal Independence Payment is now receiving @scotgov's Adult Disability Payment. pic.twitter.com/DOhHvTSXlo
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, said: “The transfer to Adult Disability Payment from PIP was a monumental challenge that we’ve delivered for people across Scotland.
“Nearly 350,000 individuals had their data safely and securely moved from the DWP’s systems to ours without having to make a new application for assistance. We also ensured there was no break in their payments.
“This month marks three years since Adult Disability Payment was available across Scotland, the achievement of our ambitious plan to deliver an entirely new approach to disability assistance rooted in compassion.
“That approach will continue to be at the heart of social security in Scotland. That is why I can assure people the Scottish Government will not cut Adult Disability Payment. We will never seek to balance the books on the backs of disabled people.
“While the UK Government has caused so much anxiety for disabled people in recent months, that is not an approach the Scottish Government will take. We will ensure disabled people will get the support they are entitled to and be treated with dignity, fairness and respect.”
CEO of learning disability charity Garvald Edinburgh, Colum Porter, said: “It is good news that all adults in Scotland have now moved to Adult Disability Payment and will be supported by a benefits system built on dignity, fairness and respect.
“Many people do not understand how expensive it is to be disabled. Disabled adults and their carers can face many additional costs, and it is vital they get the financial support they need.
“Applying for benefits can be daunting and many people have had difficult experiences applying for PIP.”
The most recently published statistics show over 470,000 people in Scotland were getting Adult Disability Payment in April, including around 150,000 new applicants.
Six areas of Scotland are now at Significant Scarcity, the highest level, as prolonged dry conditions continue across the east.
The Upper Don and Lower Don reached Significant Scarcity on Wednesday, with the Lower Tweed catchment being escalated today (Thursday). The North Fife, Ythan and Deveron catchments were announced earlier this week.
Temporary restrictions have been issued on some abstraction licences in these areas, limiting the amount of water that can be taken from the environment.
This week’s report from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) shows that a number of other areas in the country also remain under pressure. Without sustained rainfall, further eastern catchments are at risk of reaching Significant Scarcity in the coming week.
Six areas of Scotland are now at Significant Scarcity. The Upper Don, Lower Don, and the Lower Tweed have now reached the highest level of water scarcity. These areas join the North Fife, Ythan and Deveron catchments already at Significant Scarcity.
— Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) (@ScottishEPA) August 28, 2025
Moderate Scarcity
Escalated this week: Findhorn, Firth, Forth and the Dee in Aberdeen.
Already at Moderate Scarcity: Spey, Esk (Angus), Almond, Tyne (Lothian) and wider areas of the Ythan, Firth of Tay Tweed catchments.
Alert
Escalated this week: Tay, Clyde and Helmsdale
Already at Alert: Orkney and Earn
Early Warning
Escalated this week: Conon and Ness
Already at Early Warning: Wick, Forth, Esk (Dumfriesshire), Annan, Dee (Galloway), Cree, Irvine and Ayr, Leven (Dumbartonshire), Naver, Thurso.
How did we get here?
The current situation is the result of prolonged, cumulative pressures on Scotland’s water environment.
A dry autumn and winter in 2024/2025 meant rivers and groundwater did not receive their usual recharge, and a lack of snow over the winter denied eastern rivers the gradual spring replenishment that snowmelt normally brings.
Every month of 2025 so far has recorded below-average rainfall in the east, leaving rivers increasingly vulnerable.
While the west of Scotland saw some improvement after heavy rain earlier in the summer, those gains have not been sustained, and conditions there are also beginning to deteriorate.
Rain is forecast for parts of Scotland over the coming days, with showers expected Thursday and Friday and heavier, more widespread rain likely in the northeast on Saturday. However, it remains uncertain whether this will provide meaningful relief to rivers that have been under sustained pressure for months.
David Harley, Head of Water and Planning at SEPA, said: “Six areas of Scotland are now at Significant Scarcity, the highest level of water scarcity we have. It’s a critical moment for farmers, businesses and communities who depend on these rivers.
“We’ve been warning about water scarcity and the impact it could have on Scotland since May and communicating directly with abstractors across the summer.
“We also been working with key partners, including Fisheries Management Scotland, NFUS, Scotch Whisky Association and Scottish Golf to help the country prepare for potential restrictions.
“We’ve spoken directly to farmers, distillers, golf courses, industry and hydropower businesses over the past few months – this should not come as a surprise to anyone.
“SEPA officers will be out in areas where restrictions are in place, ensuring abstractors understand their obligations and helping with any questions they may have.
“While rain is forecast in the coming days, it is too soon to know if it will bring real relief. SEPA will keep monitoring conditions closely and take the action needed to protect our rivers, the environment, and the livelihoods that rely on them.”
A 55-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the assault of a woman in Restalrig.
Around 1am this morning (Thursday, 28 August, 2025), officers were called to a report of a disturbance at a property in Restalrig Avenue.
Emergency services attended and the woman was taken to hospital where she died a short time later.
The 55-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the assault and enquiries are ongoing.
Restalrig Avenue remains closed while enquiries are carried out.
Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the woman at this extremely difficult time.
“There will be a continued police presence in the area while our investigations continue and I would urge anyone with any concerns, or information, to approach these officers.”
Veterans will now have access to an independent clinical review on long-term military-related injuries or conditions through a new service.
The Veterans in Service Injury Network (VISIN), supported by £50,000 annual Scottish Government funding, will be hosted by NHS Highland and available across Scotland.
Veterans can ask to be referred to the network through engagement with their usual health point of contact if their injury or condition remains a concern despite intervention. A dedicated Veteran Coordinator will then convene a multi-disciplinary team, which will include Veterans or Reservists with experience of service-related injuries.
If appropriate, the team recommend further treatment options and longer-term support to assist with the Veteran’s ongoing health needs.
Veterans Minister Graeme Dey said: “The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all armed forces personnel serving and veterans living in Scotland are able to access the best possible care and support, including safe, effective and person-centred healthcare.
“We know that some Veterans have complex health needs as a consequence of long term injuries or conditions related to their service, and the Veterans In-Service Injury Network (VISIN), provides a pathway for them to access specialist support through engagement with their usual health professional.
“It is important that our Veterans receive the best support possible, in recognition of the valuable contribution they have made. I have no doubt that the establishment of VISIN will make a positive difference to the treatment and care that Veterans receive.”
NHS Highland Armed Forces Champion Jo McBain said: “NHS Highland is proud to host the Veterans in Service Injury Network, providing vital support for veterans living with long-term physical health consequences of their service.
“The response from both clinical and military communities has been outstanding, with their enthusiasm and engagement proving invaluable throughout the pathway’s development and implementation.
“Our experienced, multidisciplinary team draws expertise from across the country, reflecting the diverse healthcare specialisms veterans require. Furthermore, we’re well-supported by military partners and third sector colleagues in delivering this essential pathway of care.”
