Scotland’s largest anti-racist demonstration takes place this weekend.
If you want to oppose the poison of the far-right; if you want to stand up for those in need and value unity over division, then join us:
SATURDAY 29/11 at 10.30am – Barrowlands Park
A PARTNER who leads the Specsavers Home Visits team across Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders has placed the mental health of her team and customers front and centre by completing a mental health first aid qualification.
Lynne Seebaluck, director at Specsavers Home Visits, recently completed the Mental Health First Aid course, enabling her to better recognise the subtle signs of mental health struggles within her team or when visiting customers at home.
The Specsavers Home Visits team provides essential care to customers who, due to a multitude of reasons, are unable to pay a visit to a high street store to receive eye health and hearing services.
Speaking about the training, Lynne says: ‘As we work remotely most of the time and are not always in each other’s company, it can be sometimes difficult to spot when someone is struggling.
“With this new qualification, I now feel like I have the skill set to promote open and honest conversations with my colleagues if they need to confide in someone.
“It’s also going to be useful for our patients, as many of the people we see experience depression, loneliness and isolation. Sometimes, it’s just good to have someone who can listen without judgement and who can also signpost that person to other groups who can provide the support they need.”
Following Lynne’s completion of the Mental Health First Aid course, the remainder of the team will also undergo mental health first aid training, enabling the entire Home Visits team to provide key mental health support when visiting customers.
For more information about the Specsavers Home Visits team, visit:
https://www.specsavers.co.uk/home-eye-tests/request-a-free-home-visit
or call 0808 239 4492 to book a home visit.
The Leith Creative Trail starts this weekend! 
This winter, Leith comes alive with creativity! We’re excited to be taking part again this year with our Winter Arts Markets. 
It’s your chance to explore 20 inspiring creative venues filled with markets, open studios, exhibitions, workshops, talks, and pop-up events celebrating Leith’s vibrant artistic spirit.
Come and join us from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th December where over 120 handpicked local artists and makers will be selling their work.
With everything from clothes and textiles, glass and ceramics to paintings, prints and illustrations (and lots more), there’s something for everyone.
As well as the bustling market, there will be food and drink from the fully licensed Drill Hall Cafe (including mulled wine).
The perfect place to pick up a unique Christmas gift and support local artists at the same time.
Friday 5th December | 5pm – 9pm
Saturday 6th December | 11am – 5pm
Sunday 7th December | 11am – 5pm
£3 / £1 Concessions / Free for under 12’s.
To find out more just head over to our website.
Friday market 
https://outoftheblue.pulse.ly/ati1ac0xls
Saturday & Sunday markets https://outoftheblue.pulse.ly/wmbxtebbti
In 2026, the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA), one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural institutions in Scotland, will be 200 years old. An independent artist-led organisation with links to every part of Scotland and beyond, the Royal Scottish Academy is planning a unique celebration involving hundreds of artists, partners, galleries and institutions.
The full programme is revealed today, with events taking place across Edinburgh and the Lothians in 2026.
Set to be the widest reaching project ever of its type in Scotland, Celebrating Together features over 100 cultural partners coming together to mark the occasion with their own tailored events, exhibitions, performances, talks and collection rehangs across multiple venues.
A series of major exhibitions will also take place at the RSA in Edinburgh, from new solo shows to group exhibitions that showcase the RSA and its Members (Academicians) and New Contemporaries then and now in a series of new and enlightening ways.
Throughout the year, the RSA will also open up its Collections to partners across the network, with 100 artworks on loan to over 30 galleries, museums and cultural venues. Celebrating Together is supported by Museums Galleries Scotland.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Jessica Harrison RSA, Jasperware vase and cover with Pegasus finial and with reliefs of Apollo and the Muses, made at the factory of Josiah Wedgewood, Etruria, Staffordshire, ca.1790, 2015. On display in Origin Stories.
At the RSA in Edinburgh, the year opens with a number of exhibitions which look towards the legacy and impact of the institution. Origin Stories (24 January – 8 March) focuses on art tutors and teachers, and the web of artistic relationships that have evolved over the last two hundred years, tracing lines of influence from the nineteenth century to the present day.
Generation (24 January – 8 March) will trace the connections and routes of sixteen architects who formerly worked at the practice of Richard Murphy RSA, and have since gone on to establish their own practice. The Scottish Society of Artists (SSA) will highlight historical links between the society and the RSA within their 127th Annual Exhibition (11 January – 8 March).
Michael Agnew RSA, Three Scottish Owls for Megan Boyd, c. 2017.
Courtesy of the artist. Showing in A Real kind of Fiction at Linlithgow Burgh Halls.
Linlithgow Burgh Halls celebrates with two solo exhibitions, starting with Species Morphology – A Living Archive (23 January – 17 May).
Coming from a family of landworkers and game keepers, Stuart Mackenzie RSA’s exhibition explores the characteristics of nature and species, embedded in painting, drawing and printmaking. A Real kind of Fiction by Michael Agnew RSA (18 September – 24 January 2027) rounds off the programme.
Combining recent and retrospective work, Agnew captures the ‘Anina Mundi’ reflected in the owl as an archetype, alongside subtle and overt critiques of the contemporary world of ‘fast media.’ The programme will also include Homecoming by Leo du Feu ( 22 May – 13 September).
In February, the Scottish Society for Art History and the Royal Scottish Academy present a two day conference in Edinburgh – Scottish Art and the Academy (5 – 6 February 2026).
The conference aims to celebrate, explore and interrogate the RSA’s history and showcase new research on artists connected to it. It also aims to cast an enquiring eye over the idea of the Academy and its ‘official’ status, looking at those who may have been excluded from it or reacted against it at different times.
Ilana Halperin RSA, From Coral to Marble, 2014. RSA Diploma Collection.
Showing as part of What is Us and what is Earth at Fruitmarket.
Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket will mount a major solo exhibition by Ilana Halperin RSA, titled What is Us and what is Earth (27 February –17 May). Halperin’s artwork explores the relationship between geology and daily life via media, writing, performance, printmaking, sculpture, drawing, and film.
At Dovecot, a show highlighting the work of Dame Elizabeth Blackadder RSA opens in time for Summer (opens 20 June). Blackadder was the first woman elected to both the Royal Scottish Academy (1972) and the Royal Academy of Arts (1976).
The breadth of her work in oil, watercolour, and printmaking techniques has long been celebrated for its new perspectives in contemporary art.
Blackadder collaborated with Dovecot across five decades to create over 30 tapestries and hand-tufted rugs. This exhibition will not only shed light on her illustrious career but also showcase her work in the context of the world-famous Studios.
Arthur Melville RSA, Homeward, 1880. Museums & Galleries Edinburgh.
Showing as part of Jean F. Watson: An Artistic Legacy at the City Art Centre.
Work that is gifted through a bequest (after someone’s death) is important to the story of Scottish art. There are many links to the RSA through these collections at institutions around the country that will be celebrated in 2026.
At the City Art Centre, Jean F. Watson: An Artistic Legacy runs across Spring and Summer (16 May – 4 October). Jean Fletcher Watson (1877-1974) was an Edinburgh resident who had a significant impact on the city’s cultural heritage.
During the 1960s and 1970s she presented a series of financial donations to the City of Edinburgh to develop a collection of Scottish art. Since then, the Jean F. Watson Bequest Fund has enabled the acquisition of more than 1,000 artworks.
Among the artists represented are many with links to the Royal Scottish Academy, including Anne Redpath RSA, Joan Eardley RSA, Leena Nammari RSA, and Alison Watt RSA.
Hill and Adamson, Ramsay and Rutherford from The Fishermen and Women of the Firth of Forth Portfolio, 1843-1847. The work will be displayed in an exhibition on Hill and Adamson at Studies in Photography, Edinburgh.
In May, an exhibition on Hill and Adamson will open at Studies in Photography, who will also host a seminar and book launch to coincide with the exhibition. As Secretary of the Royal Scottish Academy from 1836 to 1869, photographer David Octavius Hill shaped the institution’s identity and legacy. His partnership and work with fellow photographer Robert Adamson was a defining moment in the development of the photographic portrait.
Their work will be celebrated in the new book Hill and Adamson: The Fisherwomen and Men of the Firth of Forth, by Sara Stevenson.
This volume offers a fresh perspective on the pioneering work of David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson, whose remarkable collaboration between 1843 and 1847 produced some of the most enduring images in the history of photography.
Their portraits of the fisherfolk of the Firth of Forth capture both the dignity and hardship of 19th-century coastal life.
Wendy McMurdo RSA, Avatar, 2008, City Art Centre, City of Edinburgh Council.
© 2025 Wendy McMurdo. All Rights Reserved, DACS Images.
Wendy McMurdo: The Digital Mirror at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait (30 May – 25 October) charts 20 years of ground-breaking work of the pioneering photographer and Academician.
At a time where the digital landscape is changing faster than ever before, McMurdo’s work reflects on childhood, the online world, learning and make-believe in her largest exhibition to date.
Scottish Art Specialists Alice Strang and Chantal de Prez viewing the forthcoming auction. Image by Stewart Attwood.
Auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull also mark their 200th anniversary in 2026, and will host a preview of Scottish Paintings and Sculpture auction (31 May – 4 June).
With some 200 works of Scottish art on display, works by Academicians will be highlighted in the preview.
Dame Barbara Rae RSA, Antarctic Memory, 2024.
Presented in Barbara Rae: Charting South at the RSA.
The RSA in Edinburgh will host two exhibitions of important contemporary Academicians. Joyce W. Cairns: A Personal Odyssey (1 August – 2 September 2026) celebrates an important voice in Scottish art, as the first woman to be elected President of the RSA and an influential education to generations of Scottish artists.
Barbara Rae: Charting South (21 November 2026 – 24 January 2027) follows the hugely popular exhibition Barbara Rae: The Northwest Passage (2018).
This new body of work charts the landscapes and locations of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-17).
Dalkeith Palace. Courtesy of Dalkeith Palace and Country Park. Home of PhotoDalkeith 2026.
Celebrations in Midlothian and Glasgow will put photography into focus. Entering its second year, PhotoDalkeith 2026 returns to Dalkeith Palace, Dalkeith Country Park (September – October). Studies in Photography curator Julie Lawson and artist Calum Colvin RSA will co-curate on the theme of photography and the Royal Scottish Academy..
Summerhall Arts will host the RSA Moving Image Programme 2026. Painter and filmmaker Ronald Forbes RSA has curated a programme of moving image work by Academicians and RSA award winners. The programme includes a wide variety of work reflecting artists’ moving image practice in Scotland from the past and present. It includes work from the RSA Collection and work being made today.
As part of the year’s programme, Tonic Arts (NHS Lothian) teams up with Scottish NHS Arts programme partners to bring together a nationally touring exhibition of visual artworks created by Academicians, New Contemporaries, Award Winners and Exhibitors from regional health board and national art-in-health collections. The work will be showcased in care settings, creating uplifting and healing clinical environments for patients, visitors and NHS staff.
Further details of the programme across Edinburgh and the Lothians will be announced soon. This includes an exhibition of paintings by John Bellany HRSA at the John Gray Centre Museum in Haddington, and exhibitions at Edinburgh Printmakers and Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.
In the Royal Scottish Academy building, a series of major exhibitions will also take place – from new solo shows to group exhibitions that aim to showcase the RSA’s vibrant and formative past, the pertinent present and a glimpse of a promising future ahead.
Their flagship Annual Exhibition (9 May – 14 June 2026) will have a special feel and New Contemporaries 2026 (28 March – 22 April 2026) will be a unique opportunity to Celebrate Together with Scotland’s schools of art and architecture.
The RSA’s website will be the main hub for the project, and will feature an interactive map and partners pages, which will enable audiences to discover everything that is happening in Celebrating Together across 2026.
Colin Greenslade, Director of the RSA, says: ‘This ambitious anniversary celebration will bring partners and communities together to celebrate the cultural history and present influence and connections of the Royal Scottish Academy across Scotland and beyond.
“The RSA has long supported art and architecture in Scotland and, in its 200th year, is a dynamic institution run by artists, for artists.
“This bicentenary celebration offers a fantastic opportunity to spotlight our unique independent heritage, our connections to (and support of) Scotland’s contemporary artists and architects; and to pave the way for the future prosperity of the visual arts in Scotland.’
Sandy Wood, Head of Collections at the RSA, says: ‘2026 will be a joyful celebration that honours the history of the Royal Scottish Academy and looks forward to a promising future.
“The year-long celebration will help connect and celebrate RSA artists and architects, as well as established and emerging artists who have been part of the RSA family over the last 200 years.
“We’re delighted that so many cultural organisations across Scotland are joining the party and we’re looking forward to celebrating together in 2026. There’s still plenty of time to join in and we welcome contact with organisations and projects who’d like to be part of this special year.’
The Royal Scottish Academy was founded in 1826 to support artists and architects and promote art and architecture in Scotland.
They are an independent, non-governmental charitable institution led by Academicians. Royal Scottish Academicians are prominent artists and architects elected by their peers who govern the RSA on a democratic basis.
The RSA run a year-round programme of exhibitions, artist opportunities and events from their base at The Mound in Edinburgh. The RSA holds an historic collection recognised as being of National Significance to Scotland.
RSA x Art UK
A partnership with Art UK will act as a hub to draw together strands across Scotland and UK-wide and will also feature stories, curations and artist features that highlight RSA connections.
RSA x The Skinny
RSA are teaming up with The Skinny to deliver a series of bespoke advertising and editorial bicentennial showcases across print and digital platforms.
RSA x Jack Arts
Art will come to life across cities in Scotland with reimagined RSA art works on creative billboards in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Perth.
The full celebrations will kick-off in January 2026. It’s a birthday party not to be missed.
Archerfield Walled Garden has submitted plans to East Lothian Council for a £1.5m, elements-themed, woodland adventure play trail and learning area, entitled ‘Eldbotle Wood’, which will create 20 new jobs for the local area, taking the total number of local employees to 85.
Following their well-attended community engagement evening on the 10th September, plans have now been submitted for the latest project at the popular hospitality, retail and leisure destination, which features a café, homeware and lifestyle store, food market, outdoor event space and extensive grounds which include a pond, labyrinth, willow walk and fairy trail.
Proposals for the latest addition to Archerfield Walled Garden, which is part of Archerfield Estates Limited, owned by sisters Elly and Annie Douglas-Hamilton, include the creation of an elements-themed adventure trail with four play zones and also an outdoor learning area.
The play trail will be named ‘Eldbotle Wood’ after an ancient medieval rural settlement on the Estate.
Award-winning adventure designers CAP.CO – Creating Adventurous Places, which specialises in designing and building bespoke play spaces across the UK since 2014, have been commissioned to design the adventure trail. These include Tumblestone Hollow in Oxfordshire, Skelf Island in North Yorkshire, Fairytale Farm in Chipping Norton and Adventure Play at Windsor Great Park.
Set within the natural woodland at Archerfield Walled Garden, ‘Eldbotle Wood’ will be based around four key elements, Earth, Water, Air and Fire, with each section introducing new challenges with educational themes integral to the overall play and fun aspects of the trail. In addition, there will also be a learning hub for local schools and community groups to use.
Elly Douglas-Hamilton, Chief Executive of Archerfield Estates Limited said: “This is an exciting time for us as we submit our proposals to create an outdoor adventure play trail, ‘Eldbotle Wood’, at Archerfield Walled Garden.
“We are delighted to be working alongside the very creative and talented team at CAP.CO to design, plan and develop the trail and help bring our plans to fruition.”
Scotland’s third sector is the backbone of communities across the country — delivering vital, person-centred support in the face of rising demand and financial uncertainty.
Our newly published Annual Report showcases how, in 2024/25, we worked alongside charities and funders to strengthen resilience and unlock new opportunities for impact.
The organisations we support are often the first to respond to local needs, tackling poverty, inequality, mental health, and social isolation.
Our venture philanthropy model is designed to ease the burden, combining funding with tailored development support to help charities grow and adapt to changing circumstances.
We’ve worked hard to keep funding flowing, championing the sector and demonstrating the difference it makes.
Through new funding collaborations and strategic support, we’ve built new philanthropic partnerships that extend the impact of our model to others.
Recognising volunteering as a powerful force for good, we continued to bring in skills and expertise through our Specialist Volunteer Network. Time, energy, and professional skills are vital forms of philanthropy, and we’ve seen how this generosity strengthens organisations and builds resilience.
We’ve increasingly used the insight gained from our work to inform and influence policy. This year, we’ve done more of this work than ever before — sharing evidence, amplifying voices, and contributing directly to policy discussions. We recognise the responsibility and privilege of our position, which allows us to take messages from the frontline straight to decision-makers.
Our work is rooted in trust, collaboration, and a shared ambition for lasting impact. Whether managing Scottish Government programmes or unlocking new sources of investment, we are committed to building a Scotland where every person has the opportunity to thrive.
Thank you to our partners, funders, volunteers, and the organisations we support. Together, we are making a difference.
Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard, part of The University of Edinburgh, is joining forces with Simpsons Special Care Babies (SSCB) to mark the charity’s 40th anniversary with a Tree of Light installation honouring families supported by the Neonatal Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
The installation will be housed at Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard, the contemporary café restaurant located in the University’s Futures Institute, at the former site of Edinburgh’s Old Royal Infirmary, and will form the centrepiece of a special lighting ceremony on Saturday 29 November, creating a heartfelt moment of remembrance for families who have experienced the loss of a baby and offering a place of comfort at a time of year that can be especially difficult.
The free event, scheduled for 15:30, will welcome those who have had experiences at the Neonatal Unit – from children to their family and friends.
For many, the holiday season is a time of warmth and togetherness, yet it can also bring reflection and grief for loved ones lost. For families who have experienced the loss of a baby, the Tree of Light will stand until early January as a symbol of remembrance and healing.
With 1 in 8 babies requiring the Neonatal Unit’s support, it is hoped that the funds raised through this event will enable SSCB to purchase state-of-the-art equipment, support continued neonatal staff training and provide essential support to families during challenging times.
Tracey Ritchie, Assistant Head of Catering Operations, expressed her pride in hosting this event: “At Canopy, we’re proud to create a warm, welcoming space where people can relax and feel cared for.
“Being based in the former Simpson Memorial Maternity Hospital makes hosting this event especially meaningful. We know this time of year can be emotional, and we’re honoured to offer Simpson’s families a place to pause, reflect and remember.
“Having the Tree of Light here, in a building so deeply connected to the charity’s past, feels like a fitting way to mark their 40th year. We’re delighted to host it and look forward to supporting Simpsons Special Care Babies in the months ahead.”
Those interested in supporting this cause can donate to SSCB through their website.
Free tickets must be booked in advance through the charity’s website.
X / Twitter: @SSCBcharity
Instagram: @simpsons_special_care_babies
Facebook: SimpsonsSpecialCareBabies
A man has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in multiple large-scale cannabis cultivations across Scotland.
Afrim Krasniqi, 29, pled guilty in relation to 12 cannabis cultivations identified at both residential and commercial properties in the Glasgow, Edinburgh, Penicuik, Aberdeen, Ayrshire and Angus areas.
The cultivations had an estimated street value of up to £3.8million.
He pled guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, 16 October, 2025, and was sentenced at High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday, 25 November.
Detective Constable Karen Maxwell said: “The scale of this criminal operation was substantial, and Krasniqi is now facing the consequences of his actions.
“This case demonstrates our commitment to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and the country’s Serious and Organised Crime Strategy in identifying and dismantling organised networks involved in the supply and production of drugs.
“This type of criminality is not a victimless crime. Organised crime groups often rely on the exploitation of vulnerable people to support their activity, and it can cause extensive damage to the properties they operate from, as well as have a detrimental impact on the communities within which they are active.”
Anyone with concerns about drug-related activity in their area is encouraged to contact Police Scotland on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
New figures show long waits have fallen for the fifth month in a row with significant progress reported by health boards across a number of specialties.
Latest data from Public Health Scotland shows, between April 2025 and October 2025, new outpatient waits of over a year reduced by 17.9% and that these waits reduced for five consecutive months. In the same time period, the total over 52 week waiting list size for new inpatient/daycase procedures also reduced by 26.1%.
On a visit to Gartnavel General Hospital in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Health Secretary Neil Gray welcomed the progress, saying: “These figures show we are turning a corner in our efforts to reduce the backlog caused by the pandemic and our plan is working – long waits are reducing and we are treating patients more quickly.
“We are seeing downward trends across nearly all waiting list indicators and this is testament to the tireless work of our NHS staff – I thank them for their outstanding efforts.
“The First Minister put health at the very heart of this year’s budget and we are seeing the tangible impact of our additional targeted investment of £135.5 million. Outpatient waits over a year are down 17.9% and inpatient/daycase waits over a year have reduced by 26.1% – this is the first time we have seen this level of sustained improvement since the pandemic.
“Thousands more appointments, operations and procedures are being delivered this year and we are determined to continue to build on this momentum, ensuring people receive the treatment they need as soon as possible.
“I was pleased to meet the Gartnavel ophthalmology team and hear about their progress – since April 2025 new outpatient waits for ophthalmology are down by 72.6% across NHS GGC and we have a 53% decrease in new inpatient/daycase waits for orthopaedics – reducing the over 52 week waiting list in Scotland by 6.3%.”
Between April 2025 and October 2025 health boards reporting significant reductions in new outpatient waits, including:
• a 72.2% decrease in Ear, Nose & Throat waits at NHS Ayshire & Arran
• a 74.1% reduction in Gynaecology waits and a 60.6% drop in Orthopaedic waits at NHS GGC
• a 23.9% decrease in Ophthalmology waits at NHS Lothian
• a 80.6% reduction in Neurology waits at NHS Highland.
Between April 2025 and October 2025, health boards reported reductions in inpatient/daycase waits, including:
• a 52.98% reduction in Orthopaedic waits and a 54.66% drop in General Surgery waits at NHS GGC
• a 60.86% decrease in General Surgery waits at NHS Lothian
• a 29.59% reduction in Urology waits at NHS Tayside.
The new statistics also show increased levels of patients being seen and treated in shorter periods. In October 2025, 58.3% (14,235) of inpatient/daycases were seen within 12 weeks – up compared to 55.5% in March 2025. For new outpatients waits, 61.9% (72,698) were completed in 12 weeks or less compared to 60.8% in March 2025.
For ongoing waits – at the end of October 2025, 42.8% (234,414) of new outpatient waits had been waiting less than 12 weeks, an increase from 41.4% at the end of March 25. For inpatient/daycase waits, 36.9% (57,468) had been waiting less than 12 weeks, an increase from 34.6 % in March.
Edinburgh Tenants Federation (ETF) has celebrated its 35-year anniversary at a Scottish Parliamentary reception hosted by Sarah Boyack MSP, whilst launching a refreshed identity in line with the organisation’s future ambitions.
Edinburgh Tenants Federation is a tenant-led charity that supports tenants across Edinburgh to understand their housing rights, have their voices heard, and influence decisions about housing and related services locally, city-wide, and nationally.
The Scottish Parliament celebration featured speeches from Sarah Boyack MSP, who hosted the organisation’s 25th anniversary in 2015, as well as newly elected City of Edinburgh Council Housing Convenor, Councillor Tim Pogson.
MSP Gordon MacDonald also attended the celebration, along with representatives from the City of Edinburgh Council and ETF staff, past and present.
Sarah Boyack MSP said: “It’s amazing to be here to celebrate the collective voice of tenants in Edinburgh; a voice that is heard, respected and acted upon.
“Edinburgh Tenants Federation is that organisation on the ground listening to these voices, ensuring that tenants’ lives are transformed for the better.”
Attendees also heard from ETF Convenor, Betty Stone who has served as Chair of the organisation since 2005, having been involved as a volunteer since the Federation’s inception. Reflecting on the past, Betty noted the achievements of the organisation, thanks to the countless hours poured in by volunteers and encouraged attendees to browse the archive display of photos and newsletters dating back to 1985.
Founded in 1990 from a merger of tenant networks to collaborate over similar housing issues, ETF has been at the forefront of the housing debate in Edinburgh campaigning for better tenants’ rights in areas such as stock transfer, rent increases and tenant living conditions.
Today, its volunteers work closely with the City of Edinburgh Council to help inform tenant participation strategy across the city.
Looking at the organisation’s ambitions moving forward, Ilene Campbell, former CEO and current Associate at the Tenant Information Service (TIS) gave attendees a sneak-peak at the refreshed branding, mission, vison and values that has been launched to coincide with the organisation’s 35th year.
The charity’s new identity is driven forward by their three-year mission statement: through collaboration, representation, and meaningful participation, ETF tenant volunteers will work with tenants’ and residents’ groups, The City of Edinburgh Council, housing organisations, and key decision makers to strengthen communities and drive positive change.
Speaking of the organisation’s new visual identity and updated mission, vison and values, Betty Stone, ETF Convenor said: “This is a major milestone for our organisation as we celebrate our 35th year.
“With a clear purpose firmly embedded, we can move forward with our commitment to supporting tenants to understand their rights, amplifying their voices, and influencing the housing decisions that affect them every day.
“By building on our strong foundations and refreshing our mission, vision, and values, we are well placed to grow our reach, increase our impact, and continue driving positive change for tenants across the capital.
“If you are a tenant or part of a tenants’ or residents’ organisation in Edinburgh and want to be part of an organisation that makes a real difference in communities, I would encourage you to join us.”
Join the Federation – it’s free!
Joining Edinburgh Tenants Federation is simple. Membership is completely free of charge and open to any tenants’ or residents’ organisations in Edinburgh – regardless of who your landlord is. Equally, if you live in an area without a tenants’ group, you can still join as an individual associate member, and organisations that share our aims and values can also become associate members.
To find out more about membership, contact the Federation office by email at info@edinburghtenants.org.uk or call 0131 475 2509.
