A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years and five months in prison for attempted murder in Edinburgh.
Josh Reynolds pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, 20 March, 2026 and was sentenced at the same court on Friday, 24 April, 2026.
He was also disqualified from driving for 13 years.
The incident happened around 9.40pm on Friday, 26 September, 2025, when Reynolds deliberately drove a Peugeot Partner panel van at a 29-year-old man on Prestonfield Avenue.
The man was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment for life-threatening injuries.
Detective Constable Joanne Robertson said: “This was a serious and deliberate act which could have resulted in the loss of a young man’s life. Reynolds will now face the consequences of his actions.
“I would like to thank members of the public for their assistance throughout our enquiries, as well as the officers involved in the investigation.
“Violence of this nature has no place in our communities and we will continue to work to ensure those responsible of such crimes are brought to justice.”
Researchers at Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh have found that Frame Running, an adapted form of physical activity, could offer a safe new way for people with advanced Multiple Sclerosis (MS) to take part in sport and exercise. The results of the study, suggests that Frame Running can help people with walking difficulties stay active in a way that feels both enjoyable and achievable, and which could benefit their health and wellbeing.
Frame Running involves exercise with a purpose-built trike which consists of three wheels and has a saddle and handlebars. The frame is propelled by the athlete’s feet and steered by hands or arms.
Its design offers stability and support while walking or running, which may suit many people with mobility and balance issues, including people living with MS. Frame Running has recently been included as a Para-athletic event in the 2028 Paralympic games in Los Angeles and is increasing in popularity in the UK and worldwide, with local clubs springing up across Scotland in places such as East Lothian, Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Glasgow, Ayrshire, Perthshire and Aberdeen.
The study, funded by the UK MS Society, builds on work by QMU’s Professor Marietta van der Linden, which has explored the potential of Frame Running to support mobility, cardiovascular health and personal confidence in young people with cerebral palsy.
The latest study, now extends that understanding to people living with MS.
The 12-week research project, which brought participants together for weekly sessions at a local athletics track, offers an encouraging picture. It reveals new possibilities for a group that often encounters significant barriers to physical activity.
Professor Marietta van der Linden, a Human Movement scientist at QMU, said: “People with MS, who experience difficulties walking, often have very few ways to exercise safely outdoors at an intensity that genuinely benefits their health. Frame Running may provide people with these positive health effects, while also offering a sense of speed, freedom and confidence that many thought they had lost.”
The study, which involved 10 participants, showed that Frame Running enabled most people to reach heart rate levels typically associated with moderate to vigorous exercise. Participants showed strong commitment, attending almost every session, and importantly, no serious safety issues were reported.
Most participants enjoyed the experience so much that they continued attending Frame Running sessions offered by the local athletics club long after the study finished, highlighting its appeal and real-world potential.
Dr Gary McEwan, Research Fellow at QMU and lead author, added: “Seeing participants reach meaningful exercise intensities was incredibly encouraging.
“These levels of activity are linked to improved fitness, better symptom management and enhanced quality of life – yet they’re rarely accessible to people living with significant disability.”
CASE STUDY
Helen Isserlis, a former nurse from East Lothian, developed MS almost 30 years ago. With significantly declining mobility, she certainly didn’t expect to be running around a track at 59 years of age.
But she recently stumbled upon Frame Running and its enabled her to take part in intensive exercise for the first time in decades. Her participation in the adapted sport has not only restored her movement, it’s offered a sense of freedom and possibility that she’d thought she’d lost.
“I can’t hop, skip, jump, and I certainly can’t run. But Frame Running has changed my whole mindset. Instead of focusing on what I can’t do, I look forward to what I can do.”
Helen trains once or twice a week with Team East Lothian at Meadowmill stadium in Prestonpans.
She said: “It gets your heart rate up, your blood pumping and your legs moving. Afterwards, my hips and legs feel far looser, and my pain is reduced. I can now do intensive bursts of exercise, which would have been impossible before, and I’m working up to a 5k in one go.
“Frame Running has transformed what is physically possible for me. It’s restored my independence, confidence and joy. It’s made me feel alive again.”
While the study was small and exploratory, the findings mark an important next step in a research journey that has already shown Frame Running to be beneficial for other disability groups.
Caitlin Astbury, Senior Research Communications Manager at the MS Society, said: “Research shows being physically active can improve mobility, muscle strength and mood, and help manage MS symptoms like balance problems and fatigue. But we also know it can be difficult for people with advanced MS to find an exercise routine that works for them.
“This research from QMU provides early but promising evidence that Frame Running could be a safe and enjoyable way for people with mobility difficulties to take part in moderate to intense exercise.
“There are more than 17,000 people living with MS in Scotland, and over 150,000 people in the UK. The condition affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord and impacts how people move, think, and feel. Studies like this help to identify and raise awareness of different types of exercise that people with MS may benefit from. We hope to see more research in this area in the future.”
Dr McEwan concluded: “This study adds to a growing body of evidence showing that Frame Running can transform what is possible for people with mobility impairments.
We would therefore encourage more people with MS and other mobility issues to try Frame Running. We’d also love to see further development of Frame Running groups in the community such as within athletics clubs across Scotland and beyond, so that more people with MS have easy access to the sport, equipment and the joy and camaraderie often associated with being part of a sports club.”
To find out more about the research view the research paper.
The power of plants is the topic for Dobbies Little Seedlings Club in May
Photograph: Andy Jones / UNP (United National Photographers)
Dobbies’ free-to-attend children’s gardening workshop is here for the month of May, giving children the chance to discover the ‘Power of Plants’.
The session takes place on Sunday 3 May at the Edinburgh store and will cover everything there is to know about different types of plants, the ways they protect themselves and their healing properties.
May’s Little Seedlings Club at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store will explore the unexpected powers of plants, with a focus on climbing plants, carnivorous plants, healing plants, and will be looking at specific garden powerhouses, such as the Venus flytrap, climbing ivy, chamomile, aloe vera and many more.
Children will have the opportunity to join hands-on activities in a group setting alongside fellow young gardening enthusiasts. In the May workshop, they will explore the soothing qualities of lavender and discover how it attracts essential pollinators to the garden. Afterwards, each child will get to plant their own lavender pot to take home.
Photograph: Andy Jones / UNP (United National Photographers)
Dobbies’ Event Programme Manager, Ayesha Nickson, said: “The Power of Plants is an inspiring and important topic for our Little Seedlings to discover this May.
“Children taking part can get excited to learn about plants with special powers including the ability to climb, protect themselves, and healing properties.
“Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club is a fantastic way to get children enthusiastic about spending time in their gardens and nature. The free workshops at our Edinburgh store are designed to be engaging and encourage curiosity, and the hands-on activities are always a highlight.”
For those looking to get involved in Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club and to book a free space at the Edinburgh store, visit www.dobbies.com/events.
We’re thrilled to launch our brand-new Weekly Community Lunch – and you’re invited!
Starting this Monday, our wonderful café team will be serving up a fresh, delicious, and nutritious lunch for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’d like to relax and eat with friends or grab something to go, we’ve got you covered.
Every Monday | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
Completely free for all
Come along, share a meal, and connect with your community. We can’t wait to see you there!
Please help us spread the word and bring a friend!
A 70-year-old man has been given an Order of Lifelong Restriction (OLR) and a custodial sentence of seven years after being convicted of non-recent sexual offences.
Russell Pender’s crimes took place at various locations in Edinburgh, Midlothian and Fife between 1972 and 2021.
He was found guilty of a number of serious sexual offences, including the rape of a child, and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow in December 2025.
The OLR means the parole board will only consider a date for Pender’s release once he has served his full sentence and his risk to the public has been assessed. He would also be subject to conditions and monitoring for the rest of his life.
Detective Inspector Keith Taylor said: “Pender is a dangerous sexual predator who preyed on people in the most horrific way.
“I only hope they take some comfort from knowing their abuser is now behind bars and facing the consequences of his despicable actions.
“I know how difficult it can be to report crimes of this nature and would like to commend the victims for their honesty and strength during the investigation. Their information was vital in helping us build our case against Pender.
“Police Scotland is committed to fully investigating all reports of sexual crime – no matter who the perpetrator is or how much time has passed.
“I would urge anyone who has experienced any form of abuse to please contact us. We have specially trained support officers and work closely with partner agencies to ensure those responsible are held accountable and brought to justice.”
Bank of Scotland Foundation, an independent charity funded solely by Lloyds Banking Group, has awarded £4.25 million to seventeen Scottish charities through Empower – its multi-year, unrestricted funding programme – at a time when communities across Scotland are facing sustained and growing pressures.
In response to the ongoing cost of living crisis and the increasing strain on frontline services, the Foundation has taken the deliberate decision to strengthen and extend Empower, upgrading the programme from three to five years and increasing funding from £150,000 to £250,000 per charity.
This shift is designed to give grassroots charities not just funding, but certainty, stability and breathing space – enabling them to focus on people, not survival.
Each of the seventeen charities will receive £50,000 per year for five years in unrestricted funding, allowing them to plan with confidence, retain staff and respond quickly as needs evolve.
This represents the single largest grants programme investment in the history of the Foundation and reflects a long-term commitment to charities supporting people living in vulnerable circumstances, at a time when demand for help continues to rise while resources are under increasing pressure.
By prioritising long-term, flexible funding, the Foundation is backing charities to do what they do best – reach people earlier, provide consistent support, and build stronger, more resilient communities across Scotland.
Donald MacKechnie, Chair of Bank of Scotland Foundation, commented, “Empower reflects our belief that lasting change happens when charities are trusted and given the stability to plan for the long term.
“Through our conversations with charities, we know that unrestricted funding is transformative – it allows charities to cover essential costs, retain skilled staff and respond quickly when circumstances change.
“At a time of real uncertainty for many communities, we are proud to be offering five years of support through Empower, and we look forward to seeing the positive, life-changing impact these grants will have over the years ahead.”
The seventeen charities each awarded an Empower grant of £250,000 over the next five years are:
As #Edinburgh‘s beautiful cherry trees burst into bloom, join us at Lauriston Castle this coming Saturday and Sunday for our varied and exciting programme of Japan #Sakura events!
Click on the link for a full and varied programme:
Education, Children and Families Convenor, Cllr James Dalgleish reflects on the start of both SQA exams and the Summer term for schools:
This week saw a return to the school routine after the Easter break for learners, teachers and school staff across the city. With the weather promising the start of Spring I know that, mirroring the shift in seasons, for many young people this time of year marks a transition from school to what comes next.
The annual SQA National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams started this week, running until 1 June. For many learners, particularly those taking SQA Awards and Skills for Work vocational subjects, assessments have already taken place throughout the academic year.
I have been pleased to see the shift from academic achievement as the sole means to measure attainment in recent years. We are focused on improving outcomes for all learners and this includes acknowledging that each of our young people are unique individuals with their own talents, skills, ambitions and aspirations.
For many young people, a timetable of academic subjects followed by formal exams works well but others are better suited to dynamic, hands-on learning – some find that a mix of the two suits them best.
Our award winning and innovative pathways work aims to increase the number of learners in positive destinations after school. We offer unique and tailored routes for all young people – whether university, college, an apprenticeship or the world of work is what’s next.
We work with a range of partners including Edinburgh College and local roofing and construction businesses to deliver National 5 qualifications. Alongside this, we offer courses in business skills, creative and digital media, food and drink, financial services among others – and starting in August, barbering.
It is positive that through our innovative partnership approach, the attainment of school leavers in the national benchmarks have improved across most measures in recent years. The number of vocational National Progression Awards achieved by City of Edinburgh school leavers increased from 1433 in 2023 to 2365 in 2025 – and in 2026, this is expected to rise again.
We are committed to offering the highest quality education that meets the needs of all our learners, narrowing the gap between the most and least disadvantaged young people and breaking the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage.
There is no ‘right’ route for a young person but there is the right support, guidance and opportunity to find a future path that fits.
So, as we all enjoy the sunshine and look ahead to Spring, Summer and beyond – let’s celebrate the start of a new school term and the potential it brings.
Good luck to all young people sitting exams over the next few months. I wish each of you all the best as you look ahead to life beyond school.
This article first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News
Exciting News from the Centre! 
Every Monday | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
Completely free for all
Please help us spread the word and bring a friend!
