A free performed reading of a play based on memories from Royston Wardieburn Social History Group performed by professional actors with the participation of Granton Primary School pupils.
More Info and to reserve Free places contact – lizhare@blueyonder.co.uk
People in Scotland will have access to expanded 24/7 mental health support, backed by an estimated £1.5 billion of investment on mental health and wellbeing support from the Scottish Government.
This funding includes £3.5 million of new investment announced today which will make it easier for people to get the help they need, reducing pressure on A&E and other emergency services like Police Scotland.
The funding will enable the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub to expand, offering psychological support for people who will benefit from early access to treatment. The Hub provides round-the-clock help to anyone in Scotland requiring urgent mental health support or who is experiencing distress, connecting callers to trained professionals for assessment, advice and directing them to the most appropriate support.
A new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People, backed by an initial £1 million, will also improve emergency mental health responses across six NHS Board areas.
This complements the success of the Distress Brief Intervention programme, which has already supported over 100,000 people since its establishment with rapid support and follow-up care.
Visiting The Lighthouse for Perth, which offers mental health crisis support for children and young people, First Minister John Swinney said: “We are working hard to ensure everyone in Scotland, wherever they live, has 24/7 access to the right mental health and wellbeing support.
“Our 24/7 NHS 24 Mental Health Hub has been set up so that calls from anyone in distress are redirected to specially trained practitioners. The service is supporting thousands of people each month and is easing pressure on other frontline services like A&E and the police, and strengthens the range of emergency mental health support available across Scotland.
“We are also launching a new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People today, to improve how young people and their families can access urgent mental health support. I am grateful to organisations like The Lighthouse who have helped shape our approach and who are delivering essential services in our communities.
“Over the last two years almost 80,000 children, young people and family members accessed Scottish Government-funded community services, and our new Crisis Intervention Fund will enable local areas to go further in offering the right crisis response.”
Sharon Thomas Operations Manager The Lighthouse for Perth said: “The new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People will be an excellent resource for everyone working in crisis support.
“The Lighthouse have been working hard over the past 6 years delivering this type of person centred service across Perth and Kinross and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to contribute to the new framework to ensure this will now be available across the whole of Scotland.
“It is a pleasure to have the First Minister visit today and the announcement of additional funding is very welcome. Young people are the future of this country and we need to ensure they have the support they need, when they need it to shape the future of our communities.”
To celebrate 100 years since the Castle was gifted to the nation by the Reids, this year’s programme has a strong 1920s theme.
The centenary programme was officially launched with a visit from Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, who joined colleagues and volunteers at the castle to mark the beginning of a year-long celebration.
Featuring an exciting and varied selection of events, the programme will include talks, creative workshops, film screenings, and family fun activities. Highlights include:
A highlight of the year will be the original murder mystery plays, composed and performed by Edinburgh Living History, where guests can use their sleuthing skills to uncover the culprit.
In August, the 1920s-inspired scavenger hunt, reflecting popular leisure activities of the era, will have guests following the clues to meet some characters from the past whilst enjoying the beauty of the grounds.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the return of much-loved Japan Sakura, offering another weekend of fun, with the opportunity to take part in traditional crafts and hands-on activities for all ages.
To mark the centenary, guests can also watch a series of film screenings of titles both made and set in the 1920s starting with ‘The General’ (1926).
Many events will be free to attend, with some ticketed experiences available through advance booking. Details of all events are listed on the Culture Edinburgh website.
Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said: “Lauriston Castle is one of Edinburgh’s most treasured sites, and the centenary is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate both its past and its future.
“This programme brings together heritage, creativity and community in a way that reflects the spirit of Mr and Mrs Reid’s generous gift.
“We look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors to discover everything that Lauriston has to offer in 2026.”
32 community projects across Scotland have been awarded a share of £300,000 of funding to help build strong and connected communities.
The Scottish Government has partnered with the STV Children’s Appeal to identify grassroots organisations and charities that are helping to break cycles of poverty, strengthening social cohesion and promoting inclusion and dignity at a community level.
Funded organisations include Y Sort It in Clydebank – to help fund upgrades to a communal cookery programme; Govan Help – to support their Parent Wellbeing Programme, which aims to empower parents to improve their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing; and CentreStage Kilmarnock – to expand community activities currently at capacity for people experiencing social isolation.
One of the charities to benefit is Dundee-based community centre Boomerang, which offers a range of services to the local community including a Stay and Play Toddler Group, Cosy Café, Food Larder and Latin Dance Class. Boomerang has received an award of almost £6,000 to help extend funding for a Cosy Café Support Worker through the winter months.
Visiting Boomerang to announce the awards, Kaukab Stewart, Minister for Equalities said: “Inclusive and connected communities are a ‘must-have’ for a resilient, safe, and thriving Scotland.
“I’m very pleased that we have been able to partner with the STV Children’s Appeal to make these awards, which will support vital grassroots projects that are uniting people from different backgrounds, cultures and faiths.
“Our commitment to looking out for one another is one of the things that we should be very proud of as Scots, and I have seen some fantastic examples of this here today at Boomerang. We are also proud of Scotland’s diverse society which is why the Scottish Government will continue to invest in building the strong, connected communities that all of us want to see.”
Carrie Reid, Centre Manager at Boomerang said: “Thousands of people have benefited from our Cosy Cafe over many years. It has improved people’s mental health and wellbeing, fostered deeper social connections and has encouraged creativity.
“We’ve also seen increased confidence and self-esteem with our loyal volunteers who run the Cafe as they have learned new tasks and socialised with the people who attend, building up their self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
“Thank you from all the staff, volunteers and service users for your support.”
Natalie Wright, Head of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the Scottish Government to disburse this fund, which will enhance the work that grassroots organisations are doing up and down the country to strengthen their communities.
“We work with a wide range of charities who are doing fantastic work, bringing people together and responding quickly to people’s needs, and we know that this additional support will make a difference where it really matters.”
The full list of awards can be found at www.stvappeal.tv
The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) has launched its Scottish Parliament election campaign with a call for voters to ask party leaders and candidates where they stand on Scotland and the EU.
EMiS urges voters “to do what Scotland wants.” A recent opinion survey that found 73% of Scottish voters want to reverse Brexit.
“Reversing Brexit is what the Scottish people want,” says David Clarke, chair of EMiS. “So do what Scotland wants and vote for pro-EU parties on 7th May.
“Voters and the media should check where the parties stand on Brexit. The economic damage is undeniable and is delivering a country in the doldrums, with young people in particular losing out.”
EMIS’ campaign will run mainly on social media. It focuses on a poll by Survation for the business consultancy True North Advisors, published in January. It found that 73% of voters in Scotland want to go back into the EU.
EMiS says the SNP, Scottish Greens, Scottish LibDems and Scottish Labour all favour closer ties with the EU. While favouring the UK reestablishing ties with the EU, the SNP and Scottish Greens want to see an independent Scotland inside the EU.
The poll found that 73% of Labour voters, 88% of SNP voters, 70% of Lib Dem voters and 89% of Scottish Greens voters want to rejoin. Eighty percent of under 35-year-olds want to return to the EU.
EMiS points out that it is only the minority parties of Reform and the Conservatives that favour Brexit. The Survation survey found that 34% of Reform voters want to reverse Brexit.
The RAF Benevolent Fund is delighted to announce that The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has generously awarded a grant of £244,493 following another outstanding Tattoo season in August 2025.
This support follows a year in which the Tattoo delivered its largest-ever combined charitable donations, reinforcing its role as a significant contributor to military welfare and wider cultural causes across the UK.
The Fund is deeply grateful for the substantial grant, which will be dedicated to enhancing its welfare delivery throughout Scotland. As with previous funding from the Tattoo, this contribution will play a vital role in supporting members of the RAF Family facing challenges such as financial hardship or ill health.
The grant will enable the Fund to provide life-changing assistance, including immediate hardship relief and independent living support, helping beneficiaries – many of whom are elderly veterans – remain safe, comfortable, and independent in their own homes.
Air Commodore Simon Harper, Director of Operations at the RAF Benevolent Fund, said: “We are incredibly thankful to The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo for its ongoing support and generosity.
“This significant grant will make a real difference to the lives of RAF veterans, service personnel and their families across Scotland. It ensures we can continue to stand alongside those who need us most, providing both immediate help and longer-term stability.”
The RAF Benevolent Fund has a long and valued relationship with the Tattoo, which has supported the Fund through multiple grants over many years. Previous donations have enabled vital welfare interventions, from essential home adaptations to financial assistance during illness, bereavement or unemployment.
Jason Barrett, Chief Executive of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said:
“2025 was a monumental year for the Tattoo, and we’re incredibly proud to see its success translated into tangible support for charitable causes, including the RAF Benevolent Fund.
“Our mission has always been to use the platform of the Tattoo to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. We’re delighted that this year’s grant will support vital welfare work across Scotland for members of the RAF Family.”
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo continues to celebrate its landmark achievements, having announced in January its largest-ever charitable donation programme, totalling £1.5 million to military and arts organisations following the record-breaking success of its 2025 show, The Heroes Who Made Us.
The Tattoo is a huge immersive event held annually during August and will take place between 7-29 August 2026 with a show entitled A Call to Gather. Tickets can be purchased here.
As well as the RAF Benevolent Fund, the Tattoo also supports the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, ABF The Soldier’s Charity, and arts charities within the UK.
One of Scotland’s oldest visitor attractions has turned Edinburgh’s Royal Mile into the ultimate aisle. From sightseeing to ‘I do’, last year the iconic location saw more than 10,000 people put a ring on it at its unique marriage machine.
This Valentine’s Day, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions is once again setting the scene for love, laughter, and unforgettable memories with its famous AutoWed Machine.
The fully automated ceremony is one of only two of its kind in the world, with the other located in the USA. Created by the innovative Cornwall-based company ConceptShed, AutoWed first captured the public’s imagination after appearing on the BBC TV show Dragons’ Den. The novelty wedding vending machine delivers a fun, tongue-in-cheek ceremony at the push of a button, with couples receiving rings and a personalised keepsake wedding certificate.
The entire AutoWed ceremony lasts around 60 seconds / minutes, making it one of the quickest ways to celebrate love in the capital city. Last year, Olympic diver Tom Daley was amongst the many visitors to take the plunge and get ‘AutoWed’ with his husband, Oscar-winning Hollywood screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.
Andrew Johson, General Manager at Camera Obscura said; “The AutoWed Machine has become one of our most-loved experiences, and it’s incredible to see just how many people choose to tie the knot here.
“This Valentine’s Day, we’re inviting even more couples to come and celebrate their love in a fun and memorable way, and we can’t wait to welcome more visitors this February.”
In addition to the AutoWed, couples can explore over 100 interactive, hands-on exhibits that challenge the senses and dazzle the mind. From bewildering optical illusions to breathtaking views of Edinburgh from the Rooftop Terrace.
Researchers in Edinburgh have discovered that myelin, the protective coating surrounding nerves, which is damaged in multiple sclerosis (MS), could potentially repair itself instead of being lost, thanks to a newly discovered biological response.
This might offer a significant new opportunity to help slow, stop or even prevent degeneration in MS and other conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
In MS, the immune system attacks myelin in the brain and spinal cord and disrupts messages being sent around the body. This impacts how people move, think and feel. While myelin loss is a hallmark of a range of conditions, there are still no treatments that can replace damaged or lost myelin.
Until now, research has been focused on regenerating new myelin after it has already been lost. But a team from the MS Society Edinburgh Centre for Myelin Research at the University of Edinburgh, led by Professor David Lyons and supported by international collaborators, has shown that when myelin is first damaged it undergoes a dynamic swelling phase.
This can, in principle, be followed by repair, rather than myelin loss. This potentially offers a window of opportunity to intervene before the myelin completely breaks down.
Historically, although this myelin swelling had been observed, it had not been investigated in detail, as researchers thought that it might be an artefact of the way brain tissue is preserved in the lab. But this new study took advantage of advanced technology to observe live zebrafish and tissue from mice and humans who lived with MS to follow what happened to damaged myelin over time.
The team showed that this swelling is in fact a natural process in the body that can be followed by repair of the damaged myelin, and thus one that could be a critical step in the body’s fight to prevent complete myelin loss.
This suggests that the nervous system has a powerful – and until now unrecognised – ability to withstand early myelin damage.
Professor David Lyons, Co-lead of the MS Society Edinburgh Centre for MS Research, at the University of Edinburgh, says: “These findings suggest that intervening during this early swelling phase could protect myelin before it is lost, offering us the opportunity to explore potential new treatment routes that could complement current treatments.
“For decades, scientists have focused on remyelination, the process of rebuilding myelin once it is already lost. This continues to hold promise. But now that we have this new avenue of exploration, it could be the start of something else very special.”
Over 150,000 people in the UK live with MS, with 135 diagnosed each week. More than 17,000 people with MS live in Scotland. The MS Society is the largest charitable funder of MS research in the UK. Its research has helped drive forward treatment options and dramatically improved public understanding of the condition.
The University of Edinburgh is home to one of Europe’s largest groupings of neuroscience researchers investigating the nervous system in health and disease. This includes one of two MS Society-funded Centres of Excellence in MS research.
Work at the Edinburgh Centre for MS Research, co-led by Professor Lyons and Professor Anna Williams, spans investigation of fundamental biological processes relevant to MS, drug discovery to identify treatments for MS, through clinical research and supporting clinical trials in people with disease.
Dr Emma Gray, Director of Research at the MS Society, says: “We know that the body has the ability to regenerate new myelin after it’s lost. But this study shows that existing myelin can sometimes self-heal before it’s fully lost, a process we hadn’t identified before.
“It doesn’t replace current strategies, but it adds another potential way to protect myelin early on. MS can be debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable and for tens of thousands of people there are still no treatments that work for them.
“There’s still a lot to learn, but discoveries like this are essential to help people with MS in the future.”
To read the full research paper visit:
Some of Scotland’s leading start-up tech companies will have the chance to secure orders and build contacts in New York and New Jersey under an expansion of the Techscaler International programme.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes announced that the Programme’s first visit to the east coast of the United States will take place this year, alongside trips to Asia and California’s Silicon Valley.
Each will involve a small number of growth-stage companies which are best placed to secure contracts, investment and commercial traction.
A full calendar of events has been developed to help business founders plan their approach to international engagement. They include:
The Deputy First Minister announced the programme during a visit to the Edinburgh offices of Codebase, which manages the Techscaler initiative, to meet business founders who have benefitted from previous international trips.
They included Tiny Air co-founder Chris Helson, who secured orders for his company’s pioneering surgical decontamination technology following a visit to Singapore as part of the 2025 programme.
The Deputy First Minister said: “Techscaler International is about helping open doors for the enormous business talent we have in this country.
“It is always inspiring to hear how those that have taken part in the programme have seized the opportunity to capture new business and take advantage of new international connections.
“Building on the success of the first pilot programme in Silicon Valley in 2024, the initiative has been continually refined to serve the needs of our entrepreneurs and respond to their feedback. This expanded programme reflects the value it is bringing to some of the country’s most innovative companies.”
Co-Founder of Tiny Air Chris Helson said: “The Singapore opportunity was fantastic and has led to sales there- but the mentoring programmes from Techscaler have been almost more valuable. They have introduced us to world class advisors who know how to take a medtech company like us global.
“We were in Singapore for three weeks and I was still making key connections on the last day. I was introduced to a large hospital in the north of Singapore by an anaesthetist from Raigmore hospital in Inverness who now works in Singapore and whose wife is a Global Scot. Those kind of networks and connections are invaluable.”
Co-founder and Executive Vice Chair at CodeBase Steven Drost said: “Techscaler supports tech founders at every stage of their journey, with an increasing focus on scaleups and providing Scotland’s most ambitious founders with a launchpad for global success, and so it’s encouraging to see the expansion of the international programmes this year.”
The James Hutton Institute has announced the launch of Hutton Unearthed, its first public‑facing fundraising campaign aimed at accelerating research into climate resilience, sustainable farming, biodiversity recovery and environmental justice.
The campaign marks a significant shift in how the Hutton engages with the public, inviting individuals, communities and businesses to contribute directly to scientific work that supports Scotland’s land, water and natural environments.
It focuses on four key campaign themes: Land, Water, Food and Energy. From the Climate Positive Farming Initiative and HydroGlen green energy initiative at Glensaugh Research Farm to the blueberry breeding at Invergowrie campus and peatland monitoring across Scotland, these themes are central to the Hutton’s ground-breaking research and innovation.
The launch follows the publication of an independent economic impact report, which found that the Hutton generates £15 of economic value for every £1 invested – highlighting the scale of benefit that additional support could unlock for both Scotland and the wider UK.
Addressing urgent environmental challenges
Through Hutton Unearthed, the Institute aims to expand research into:
These areas represent some of the most pressing environmental and societal challenges facing Scotland today.
A call for collective action
Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive of The James Hutton Institute, said, “People trust Hutton science. The greatest gift to science is independence: the freedom to think boldly and to innovate and focus on where we can make the biggest difference.
“Through the James Hutton Unearthed campaign, we can build on that independence – ensuring our researchers have the stability and support they need to tackle the urgent challenges facing our land, food, water and energy.”
Support for the campaign can take the form of individual donations, one‑off contributions from organisations, sponsorship or longer‑term strategic partnerships. All contributions will go directly toward expanding scientific research with measurable community, environmental and economic benefit.
Campaign launch event
The campaign was introduced at a Burns Supper event featuring bestselling crime author Ian Rankin and the Hutton’s Head of Soil Forensics, Professor Dame Lorna Dawson. The two discussed their long‑standing collaboration and the growing importance of forensic soil science in criminal investigations.
Ian Rankin said, “I was delighted to attend a dinner to celebrate the launch of James Hutton Unearthed in Edinburgh and to have the opportunity to reconnect with Lorna, who I’d consulted with for In A House of Lies.
“The character of Professor Lee Ann Inglis – a soil forensics expert – was based on my conversations with Lorna, so getting the science right was important!
“The James Hutton Institute plays such a key role in modern science, not just soil analysis but responding to the major environmental challenges of our age. The new campaign will help raise much needed funding for this important work.”
Professor Dawson said, “Being able to link objects or people to places – including crime scenes, wildlife crime, illegal mining, conflict minerals and the trade in fossils – is essential for a fair and just society.
“Investment in forensic soil science strengthens our ability to protect people, communities and the environment.”
Further information about the campaign, including how to donate, is available at: https://unearthed.hutton.ac.uk
