Day: February 28, 2026

Heather Marshall’s Medusa taking over Summerhall’s dissection room

Summerhall, Edinburgh: 6 – 8 March

Heather Marshall is delighted to announce the incredible cast for Medusa, making its stage premiere at Summerhall this March, combining ancient myth with queer rave culture, Scots language and centuries of pathologised female rage. 

Clare Nolan makes her professional debut as Medusa, following her training at Guilford Acting School, where her credits include Flying Ant Day, Jane Eyre and The Unimaginable Sisters. Long time Creative Electric collaborator Rosalind McAndrew joins as Athena. A neurodiverse, queer, working class performer whose stage credits include Burst and Dandelion (Creative Electric), Falling Star (Starcatchers) and Inside Pussy Riot (Les Enfants Terribles). TV Credits include Pineapple, Dinosaur and Casualty, BBC. 

Hailing from Edinburgh, Conrad Williamson joins the cast as Poseidon, with screen credits in Tetralogue (Valdesiga Productions), The Outrun (Brock Media / Arcade Pictures) and Fear (Wild Mercury Production / Prime Video. On Stage, credits include Trainspotting Live (Seabright Live), Home is Where The Heart Is (Birds of Paradise / Creative Electric) and Brecht: Fragments (Raven Row).

Queer, mixed heritage circus artist and performance maker Sadiq Ali joins as Sthenno, fresh from a UK tour of the Sadiq Ali Company’s Tell Me. Other works include The Chosen Haram and Stuntman (Superfan). Completing the cast from Cumbernauld is Olivia Caw as Euryale. Stage credits include Common Tongue by Fraser Young, PALS by Mirren Wilson and Trainspotting Live (Seabright Live). 

With access at its heart, Medusa is for everyone – from theatre lover, to raver, to someone searching for queer, disabled community – and will offer a variety of ways to experience the show.

Four performances from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 March, across varied time slots, will feature integrated BSL, with a sign interpreter moving alongside the cast through the space, acting as a type of Greek chorus.

Each performance is relaxed  with the opportunity to take time out in  a quiet space, utilise ear defenders or sunglasses while still following the show. For audiences who experience chronic pain, they will be able to lie down.

If you need to move around you can do that too. The Saturday matinee performance will be low sensory for those who experience acute sensory overwhelm, with lower light and sound and smaller audience numbers in the space. 

A powerful new piece of theatre that breaks open the mythical Medusa – an ancient woman never given a myth of her own, whose whole existence is rooted in misogyny. This contemporary Scots reimagining explores the impact of hormones on the body, and the pathologisation of the menstrual cycle and its effects on mental and physical health and trauma response, through one of mythology’s most notable figures of “female rage”. 

Evolving from Heather’s own personal experience, Medusa invites us under the prescription pad of  Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), and the way it ravages both the physical and mental health of those it affects, all under a banging electropop soundtrack, blending queer rave culture, mythology and performance into one transformational theatrical experience. 

Created by writer Heather Marshall and directed by Jen McGregor, the creative team is completed by costume designer Chanel O’Conor aka Conor Macdonald (Drag Race UK Season 6); choreographer Sula Castle; sound design and operation from Parasol Wu and Jack Oldcorn respectively, and lighting design and operation from Jamie Heseltine. They are supported by production manager Lee Davis and stage manager Judy Stewart.  Medusa is presented by a predominately Queer, Disabled and Neurodiverse group of creatives, and produced by Andrew Eaton-Lewis (Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival).

Choudhury raises safety concerns for Edinburgh library staff  

Last Wednesday, during Portfolio Questions on Culture in the Scottish Parliament, Foysol Choudhury MSP raised an urgent supplementary question regarding reports of violence against library workers in Edinburgh. 

Mr Choudhury asked: “Following recent reports of violence against Edinburgh library staff, can I ask the Cabinet Secretary what discussions the Scottish Government is having with Police Scotland and local authorities to ensure library workers can provide services to the community in a safe and protected environment?” 

Speaking after the session, Mr Choudhury said library staff are a vital part of local communities and must be able to work without fear: “Libraries are essential community spaces that provide education, support and connection for people of all ages.

“It is deeply concerning to hear reports of violence against staff who are simply doing their jobs. We must ensure they are properly supported and protected.”

Mr Choudhury is calling on the Scottish Government to work closely with Police Scotland, local councils and unions to assess risks, improve security measures where needed, and ensure staff receive appropriate support and training. 

He added, “Library workers deserve to feel safe at work, and communities deserve safe, welcoming library spaces. I will continue to press for answers and action on this issue.” 

US and Israel attack Iran

UN CHIEF CONDEMNS AGGRESSION

“The use of force by the United States & Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace & security.” – @antonioguterres condemns military escalation in the Middle East.

I condemn today’s military escalation in the Middle East. The use of force by the United States & Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace & security.   All Member States must respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the @UN.

The Charter clearly prohibits “the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”  

“I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities & de-escalation. Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians & regional stability. I strongly encourage all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table.  

“I reiterate that there is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, in full accordance with international law, including the UN Charter. The Charter provides the foundation for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER STATEMENT

Earlier this morning, the United States and Israel struck targets in Iran.

Iran has since launched indiscriminate strikes across the region.

I know the British people and communities across our country will be deeply concerned about what this means for security and stability and for the fate of innocent people across the region – which for so many of us includes friends and family members.

So while the situation is evolving very quickly, I want to set out our response.

The United Kingdom played no role in these strikes.

But we have long been clear – the regime in Iran is utterly abhorrent.

They have murdered thousands of their own people, brutally crushed dissent, and sought to destabilise the region.

Even in the United Kingdom, the Iranian regime poses a direct threat to dissidents and the Jewish community.

Over the last year alone, they have backed more than 20 potentially lethal attacks on UK soil.

So it’s clear – they must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

That remains the primary aim of the United Kingdom and our allies – including the US.

I condemn Iran’s attacks today on partners across the region, many of which are not parties to this conflict.

We extend our support and solidarity to them.

As part of our commitments to the security of our allies in the Middle East we have a range of defensive capabilities in the region – which we’ve recently taken steps to strengthen.

Our forces are active and British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests, and our allies – as Britain has done before, in line with international law. 

We’ve stepped up protections for British bases and personnel to their highest level.

We are also reaching out to UK nationals in the region and doing everything we can to support them.

I have been speaking with leaders today – from the E3, and across the region.

It is vital now that we prevent further escalation and return to a diplomatic process. 

We want to see peace and security, and the protection of civilian life. 

Iran can end this now. (EH? – Ed.)

They should refrain from further strikes, give up their weapons programmes, and cease the appalling violence and repression against the Iranian people – who deserve the right to determine their own future, in line with our longstanding position. 

That is the route to de-escalation and back to the negotiating table.

FIRST MINISTER JOHN SWINNEY

First Minister @JohnSwinney has called for de-escalation and a diplomatic solution, following the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran:

JEREMY CORBYN MP:

The attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States are illegal, unprovoked and unjustifiable. Peace and diplomacy was possible. Instead, Israel and the United States chose war.

This is the behaviour of rogue states — and they have jeopardised the safety of humankind around the world with this catastrophic act of aggression. Our government must condemn this flagrant breach of international law, and urgently pursue a foreign policy based on justice, sovereignty and peace.

STOP THE WAR COALITION:

Humanitarian aid for Malawi

Two charities are to receive funding to help people in Malawi facing food shortages as a result of prolonged dry spells and widespread flooding.

Tearfund and SCIAF will receive £400,000, which will be split equally between them and delivered through Scotland’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF)  to help address the humanitarian crisis which has seen widespread crop failure and livestock losses as a result of the climate-shocks.

The funding will allow the two charities to distribute cash to people in the affected areas to meet their immediate food and basic needs. It will also allow the charities to deliver training on cholera prevention, safe water usage and hygiene practices to combat the risk of cholera.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The widespread flooding has killed and displaced many people and exacerbated ongoing food insecurity for millions of people.

“This funding will help support people and businesses directly at a local level – where it is needed – by empowering them to buy food and supplies.”

SCIAF’s Chief Executive Lorraine Currie said: “We secured this funding to support Malawian families suffering from the combined challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate-related shocks.  

“Since the onset of rains in November 2025, the country has been hit by floods, leading to deaths, displaced families, and damage to crops.

“A number of households are experiencing malnutrition, particularly children under five, and pregnant and breastfeeding mums. These people urgently require immediate, life-saving assistance to prevent a catastrophe.

“This funding comes at a time when many governments are turning their backs on people suffering from hunger, poverty and injustice around the world. Scotland continues to be a good global citizen. The funding means that we can reach out to over 3100 families with cash grants and much needed high-calorific food such as fortified corn soy blend. It’s literally a life-saver.”

Vincent Moyo, Tearfund Country Director for Malawi, said: “Communities in Nkhotakota are facing an extremely difficult and uncertain period. Repeated flooding and prolonged dry spells have destroyed crops, reduced incomes, and pushed many families to the brink as the lean season intensifies.

“With very limited assistance currently reaching these areas, households are being forced to skip meals and sell the little household assets they have just to survive. 

“This project will provide a vital lifeline at a critical moment – enabling families to meet their most urgent food and basic needs with dignity, while also reducing the risk of cholera through targeted health and hygiene awareness.

“It will help stabilise households’ livelihoods now and prevent an even deeper crisis in the months ahead.”

ALBA turmoil: Formal Demand for Members’ Ballot

ALBA Continuation Group has written to the party leadership calling for an emergency all‑members ballot on whether ALBA contests the May Holyrood regional lists or de‑registers altogether.

NHS Lothian staff are Finalists in RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards

Two NHS Lothian nurses have been named as finalists in the prestigious RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards 2026, which celebrate excellence, innovation, and dedication within the nursing profession across Scotland.

Mike Spall-Hancy, Advanced Nurse Practitioner (Sexual Health & HIV), Chalmers Centre, NHS Lothian, has been shortlisted for the Clinical Leadership Award in recognition of his transformative impact on health advising and Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) nursing.

Through innovative, patient centred service redesign, he modernised STI diagnosis, treatment, and partner notification by introducing digital booking systems, online results management, and pharmacy treatment vouchers, improvements that have received national recognition.

Mike also led early planning for the rollout of DoxyPEP (a pill taken after sex to help prevent sexually transmitted infections), developing efficient delivery pathways with minimal resource impact. This work led to his appointment as British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) Scotland Nurse Lead.

As a clinical leader, he reintroduced nationally recognised STIF training, supported non-medical prescribers, delivered extensive education across the wider workforce, and strengthened service sustainability while improving staff satisfaction, clinical capacity, and integration with health and social care partners.

Daisy Sandeman, Clinical Nurse Manager – Advanced Practice, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian has also been named a finalist for the Inspiring Excellence, Nursing Innovation and Research Award, recognising her exceptional contribution to delirium care and advanced nursing practice in cardiothoracic surgery.

Alongside a full time clinical role, Daisy completed a PhD on postoperative delirium, which directly informed the development of a new pre operative risk assessment and support pathway. This reduced delirium rates from around 40% to 18%, significantly improving patient recovery, experience, and length of stay. In her leadership role, she champions research led innovation across nine specialist nursing teams, building a research active workforce and embedding audit and quality improvement into professional development.

Her work extends nationally and internationally and includes collaborative research that reduced postoperative atrial fibrillation rates, contributions to national delirium guidelines, and regular teaching, mentoring, and conference presentations.

Alison Macdonald, Executive Nurse Director at NHS Lothian, said: “I would like to congratulate our staff that have been shortlisted for these awards.

“Being named a finalist is a significant achievement and reflects the exceptional care, compassion, and commitment our nurses show to patients every day.

“I would like to wish them the very best of luck.”

The winners will be announced at the glittering awards ceremony on 30 April at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Find out more about the awards at Scotland Nurse Of The Year Awards 2026 | Royal College of Nursing Scotland | Royal College of Nursing

ASSC calls for fair regulation to be an urgent election issue

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has written to senior policymakers across the political spectrum, urging them to recognise fair and proportionate regulation of self-catering as an urgent issue for the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election.

The letters set out how the current regulatory environment for self-catering is increasingly unstable and inconsistent, as lawful and compliant businesses face growing uncertainty with the looming threat of closure for many. What was intended to be a balanced framework is in reality creating serious risks for businesses and local economies, particularly in rural, island and remote areas where self-catering plays a vital year-round role.

The ASSC highlights mounting concerns around the way planning permission and short-term let licensing rules are being applied by some local councils, often in ways that go beyond the intent of national Scottish Government policy.

Despite assurances that these regimes would be decoupled, they are increasingly being reconnected in practice, with operators facing licence refusal, non-renewal or additional planning hurdles even where no material harm has been evidenced.

The correspondence emphasises that this cannot be seen as a marginal sector issue as self-catering provides an annual £1bn boost to the Scottish economy and supports more than 29,000 jobs.

Continued regulatory drift and overreach risks further eroding business confidence, stalling investment and placing communities which rely on tourism under unnecessary strain. If left unaddressed, this issue risks becoming a litigation problem in the next Scottish Parliament.

The ASSC has therefore asked parties to commit to, as part of their election platforms, practical and deliverable solutions. These include a clear and unequivocal decoupling of short-term let planning and licensing regimes, stronger national guidance with defined limits on local discretion, and a review of planning policies that are currently enabling unintended and inconsistent outcomes. These asks align directly with the ASSC Manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election.

The trade body has made clear that early political leadership can prevent further escalation and provide a much-needed reset with industry. They have also invited parties to engage directly with the sector to shape workable solutions early in the next Parliament. 

Fiona Campbell MBE, CEO of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said: “Our sector is fully supportive of fair and proportionate regulation but what it cannot sustain is a system that is unclear, inconsistent and increasingly adversarial in nature.

“If Scotland’s £1bn self-catering sector is to continue playing its positive role in communities across Scotland, we sincerely hope that all parties take heed of the concerns being raised by responsible operators and commit to engaging constructively with us.

“By working together, we can secure the correct regulatory balance that benefits all stakeholders and fixes this issue once and for all.”

A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

ASSC-2026-Election-ManifestoDownload

StepChange: A Manifesto for the Holyrood Elections

PROBLEM DEBT IN SCOTLAND

We’re calling on Scotland’s political parties to prioritise financial security.

Our Scottish election manifesto sets out actions to:

– Ensure room to repay council tax

– Tackle the energy debt crisis

– Rebuild financial resilience

– Address economic abuse

– Deal with problem debt

Read more:

https://stepchange.org/policy-and-research/parliament/scotland-policy-asks.aspx

Work underway on new 99-home Salamander Yards development 

Construction is now underway at Salamander Yards, a landmark 99-home development set within one of Edinburgh’s most vibrant and popular neighbourhoods, Leith.

Located on Salamander Street, just moments from the buzzing heart of Leith and backing directly onto Leith Links, the development is a joint venture between five star housebuilder Cruden Homes and MNM Developments. The project will transform a former industrial site into a contemporary mixed-use neighbourhood, contributing to the continued regeneration and growing cultural energy of the Leith Waterfront.

Leith has become synonymous with independent retailers, creative workspaces, community-led events and some of the capital’s most celebrated restaurants and bars. From artisan coffee shops and street markets to waterside dining and cultural festivals, the area has evolved into one of Scotland’s most dynamic places to live.

Salamander Yards will provide a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with 35% of the homes allocated as affordable housing to help meet the growing demand for high-quality, accessible homes in the capital. The development will also feature two commercial units at ground level, further enhancing the area’s thriving business scene and creating a lively street presence.

Designed by 7N Architects, the development has been carefully crafted to complement Leith’s distinctive character, blending contemporary design with the area’s industrial heritage.

Residents will benefit from landscaped outdoor spaces, including a private courtyard, alongside enhanced public realm improvements on Salamander Street and new active travel routes to promote safer, more accessible cycling.

The new development backs directly onto Leith Links, one of Edinburgh’s most historic and well-loved green spaces, giving residents immediate access to expansive parkland, sports pitches and walking routes. 

Salamander Yards is situated close to excellent transport connections, including bus routes, established cycle paths and the tram network, offering outstanding connectivity to Edinburgh city centre and beyond.

Fraser Lynes, Chief Executive of Cruden, said: “Salamander Yards is a key contribution to the evolution of Leith Waterfront, helping to shape a vibrant and sustainable place for people to live.

Together with our partners at MNM Developments, we are proud to deliver high-quality homes, including much-needed affordable housing, in one of Edinburgh’s most exciting and culturally rich neighbourhoods.

“Backing onto Leith Links and just moments from the Shore, this development combines green space, connectivity and community in a truly unique setting.”

Marc Teague, Managing Director at MNM Developments, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Cruden to bring Salamander Yards to life.

“Leith continues to grow as a vibrant, creative and highly desirable place to live and work. This development not only delivers much-needed homes, but also supports the wider regeneration of the waterfront and enhances the strong sense of community that defines the area.”

Salamander Yards forms part of the wider regeneration of the Leith Waterfront, helping to create a thriving, mixed-use neighbourhood just minutes from the heart of the capital. First homes are due to complete in Spring 2027.