World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10th October carries a clear message: “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”. For Scotland’s children and young people, being heard must lead to getting help.
As organisations supporting vulnerable children, we urge the Scottish Government to give mental health equal priority with physical health, backed by funding, early intervention and timely specialist care.
Young people and their families must have a meaningful say in shaping services. Their experiences should drive improvements, with stronger support in schools and communities before difficulties become crises.
Failing to act can damage education, relationships, and future opportunities, with consequences that last well into adulthood.
Listening matters. Acting on what we hear matters just as much. This World Mental Health Day, we urge ministers to deliver real change. Childhood cannot be put on a waiting list.
Yours faithfully,
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition Patrick Gannon, Falkland House School Lynn Black, LOVE Care Kenny Graham, Spark of Genius Niall Kelly, Young Foundations
Tesco Express store managers from across Edinburgh took part in the Edinburgh Kiltwalk to support St Columba’s Hospice Care
The team has raised £2,470 so far, with donations still coming in
Funds will help St Columba’s Hospice Care continue providing vital end-of-life care for people and families across Edinburgh
A team of Tesco Express store managers from across Edinburgh have raised more than £2,000 for St Columba’s Hospice Care after taking part in this year’s Edinburgh Kiltwalk.
The team completed the 11-mile route from Musselburgh to Murrayfield on Sunday 13 September, walking through the capital to raise funds for the hospice and support the vital care it provides to local people and their families.
Money raised will help St Columba’s Hospice Care continue providing specialist end-of-life care, support and advice to people living with life-limiting illnesses across Edinburgh and the surrounding area.
Jonny Hunter, Store Manager at Tesco Haymarket Express, said: “We are delighted to have raised such a fantastic amount for St Columba’s Hospice Care following our participation in the Edinburgh Kiltwalk.
“It was a brilliant day, bringing colleagues together for an important cause, and we would like to thank everyone who supported us and helped us reach this milestone.”
Amanda Southey, Partnerships Fundraiser at St Columba’s Hospice Care, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Tesco team members for choosing to support St Columba’s Hospice Care through this year’s Kiltwalk.
“Fundraising like this helps us continue providing compassionate care and support to people and families when they need it most. We cannot thank the team enough for their commitment and generosity.”
A new Breathing Space bench has been unveiled by national sight loss charity RNIB Scotland in partnership with NHS24 and Breathing Space this week, marking World Sight Day (Thursday 8 October) and World Mental Health Day (Saturday 10 October).
The bench is part of a Scotland-wide network of more than 100 installed since 2018, and will provide a quiet, welcoming space where anyone, including the blind and partially sighted community RNIB Scotland supports, can pause, reflect, or start a conversation about how they’re feeling.
RNIB research shows people with sight loss are more than twice as likely to experience unhappiness or depression than the UK average. Isolation is a major factor: many people who lose their vision find it harder to get out, see friends, or take part in the activities that once supported their wellbeing — and that loss of connection can have a profound effect on mental health.
RNIB Scotland Director James Adams says: “Nobody should have to navigate the emotional side of sight loss alone.
“Whether that’s through our own counselling and wellbeing services, or simply a conversation on a bench like this one, we want people to know that support exists and that reaching out is a sign of strength. We’re grateful to Breathing Space and NHS24 for working with us to bring it here, right at the heart of our community hub.”
The bench was unveiled by local councillor, James Dalgleish and representatives for Breathing Space, RNIB Scotland and the blind and partially sighted community. It is based at Hillside Crescent Gardens, outside RNIB Scotland’s community hub which is home to Café VI, a Product and Advice store, and a range of social and peer-support groups for the blind and partially sighted community.
The bench plaque also features braille, and a scannable QR code so visitors can access mental health support online.
The bench has been jointly funded by RNIB Scotland and Breathing Space, with costs shared equally between the two organisations.
Tony McLaren, National Coordinator for NHS 24’s Breathing Space service said: “Everyone should be able to access information and support in a way that works for them. That’s why we’re proud to support RNIB Scotland in unveiling this accessible community bench on World Sight Day.
“As a service that provides emotional support to people experiencing low mood, anxiety, stress or loneliness, Breathing Space understands the importance of removing barriers and helping people find the right support when they need it.
We hope this bench encourages people to take a moment, connect with their community and know that support is available if they’re struggling.”
Further funding for academies that have benefitted more than 2,000 so far
Training opportunities for school leaders will continue to be supported by the Scottish Government helping develop leadership skills, improve job satisfaction and benefit pupils and staff.
The Scottish Government is providing £395,000 to the Head Teachers’ Leadership Academies (HTLA), run by Columba 1400, which will be matched by the Hunter Foundation.
This brings total Scottish Government support for Columba 1400’s HTLAs to £790,000 since 2025-26, with this year’s funding expected to help up to 280 school leaders to develop their leadership skills.
Recent evaluation of the Leadership Academies revealed 2,000 headteachers and school leaders have already benefitted from the training, with participants reporting increased confidence and resilience, and improvements in their leadership abilities.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Our support for Columba 1400’s leadership academies will ensure even more school leaders feel empowered to deliver excellence and equity in education, providing the opportunity to develop knowledge, confidence and skills.
“Education leaders are looking out for and caring for our children and young people everyday, and I recently met with graduates of the Head Teachers’ Leadership Academy who gave glowing feedback on the transformative experience of participating in the leadership academy and how it helped to reaffirm their leadership abilities.
“It is fantastic that 2,000 school leaders have already benefitted from the programme, returning to schools to deliver the progress we have seen, reflected in the rising attainment and narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap in this year’s Qualification Scotland results. Hundreds more opportunities for development will be available through our continued support for the programme.”
Sir Tom Hunter said: “The Hunter Foundation has backed the Head Teachers’ Leadership Academy from day one because we know that leadership matters.
“We’re delighted that the Scottish Government has renewed its commitment to this partnership. If we want the best outcomes for Scotland’s young people, we need to invest in the people who lead our schools.
“Strong leadership creates opportunities, raises aspirations and makes a lasting difference in communities across the country.”
Marie Clare Tully, Chief Executive of Columba 1400, said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government and The Hunter Foundation have reaffirmed their commitment to the Columba 1400 Head Teachers’ Leadership Academy.
“This continued investment reflects a shared belief in the importance of values-based leadership and will enable a further 280 school leaders to take part in our academies in 2027. The greatest outcome of these experiences is seeing school leaders reconnect with their values, rediscover their sense of purpose and remember why they went into teaching in the first place.
“Time and again, we see the impact of that ripple out into schools and communities across Scotland, creating the conditions for children and young people to thrive.”
Alison Rooney, headteacher at Langloan Primary School and Nursery Class in Coatbridge, who recently took part in a HTLA, said: “The Head Teachers’ Leadership Academy gave me the space to reconnect with what matters most as a leader.
“The impact has stayed with me long after the Academy ended, influencing how I lead, how we work together as a staff team and how we create opportunities for children and young people to thrive. I’m delighted that future school leaders will continue to have access to this incredible experience.”
Talking about our emotions should never feel taboo.
This #WorldMentalHealthDay let’s not just check in with those around us, but let’s also create space for open and honest conversation about our mental health.
Let’s move past “I’m fine”.
For tips, advice and support on talking about mental health, check out our website: https://shorturl.at/KZ8RX
A Portobello High School pupil with life threatening allergies organised a sponsored walk to raise awarenessof the condition.
Martha, who is in S6, was diagnosed with allergies in milk, eggs, nuts, mustard and seafood when she was just a baby. Her allergies are so severe that she needs to carry an epi-pen and could go into anaphylactic shock if she consumes certain foods.
Keen to raise awareness of the condition, and funds for Natasha’s Foundation, she organised a walk for 150 pupils and staff around Portobello Promonade.
Natasha’s Foundation is a charity dedicated to raising awareness of allergies and importance of food labelling in memory of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who died aged 15 after consuming a sandwich that was incorrectly labelled.
Martha, who hopes to go to study sociology at university next year, said: “I wanted to raise awareness of allergies and how life threatening they can be. Lots of people think that allergies aren’t that important or offer snacks without checking first that opening that bag of cakes could really harm someone.
“Some allergies are so severe that just the allergen in the air could send them into anaphylactic shock.
“Luckily I’ve not had anaphylactic shock before, but I have had severe reactions to food lots of times. I always carry my epi-pen on me and taught my friends how to use it on me just in case.”
The walk for Natasha’s Foundation raised £725 for the charity, with most walkers wearing purple, the official colour of the charity, and tucking into home made shortbread at the half way line – made by Martha and free from the 14 most common allergens in the UK.
Now Martha hopes to be able to teach all the pupils at Portobello how to administer an epi-pen. She said: “Knowing what to do when someone has a severe reaction could be the difference between life and death.”
Headteacher at Portobello High, Greg McDowall, said: “A huge congratulations to Martha for her hard work organising this walk and raising a fantastic amount for charity.
“The walk has definitely raised awareness within the school community of allergies and the importance of clear labelling as well as knowing what to do in an emergency.”
WE invite Kinship Carers to stop by Tynecastle Park on Monday 19th October!
Our free family friendly event is designed for #KinshipCarers, with a range of community partners on hand to share useful info on support services and family activities available across Edinburgh.
You can drop-in anytime between 12.30pm and 3.30pm. Advance booking is highly recommended to access the Stadium. Book your free ticket:
