We have six pairs of Fringe Days Out vouchers (worth £30) up for grabs for NEA Ordinary Members.
These can be used to book tickets to any shows that are part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026. All NEA Ordinary Members will be entered into a draw, with six lucky winners picked at random.
Not a Member yet? Sign up by end of the day Monday 20 July and have your name added to the prize draw to be in with a chance of winning:
The Besties awards celebrating the best across Edinburgh’s August Festivals are now in their third year. The Award is a partnership between Radge Media, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland.
The Besties 2026 design by Camillo Feuchter
The Skinny and Fest, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland are delighted to announce that The Besties are back!
Reflecting the broad and diverse coverage both magazines produce every summer and celebrating the breadth of Edinburgh’s Festivals,
The Besties span all the festival activity taking place in the city over the month of August, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Winners of The Besties are chosen each week by the editorial teams of The Skinny and Fest, drawing on their cross-festival expertise to celebrate the best work happening anywhere in the festivals.
2026 winners will be announced at weekly ceremonies taking place at Festival Theatre in Edinburgh on 15, 22 and 29 August.
The Besties awards, designed by artist Camillo Feuchter a graduate of Interior & Environmental Design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, use recyclable plastics gathered by the partners and leftover wood sourced locally.
With bowel cancer cases rising among under 50’s in Scotland, extending bowel cancer screening could save more lives.
Public Health Minister @MareeToddMSP has asked the UK National Screening Committee to consider reviewing the recommended age for bowel cancer screening.
From trust in public institutions to the impact of social media, democracy is facing new challenges and raising important questions about how we communicate and make decisions together.
This year’s Festival of Politics will bring together leading voices to explore some of the issues shaping public life today, including:
‘Brexit – ten years on’ – A look back at a decade of political and economic change, and where the UK’s relationship with Europe stands today.
‘Trust in public institutions’ – How can confidence be rebuilt after major public scandals?
‘Why social media abuse towards women in politics is damaging democracy’ – Exploring how online abuse and misinformation can affect political participation and representation.
‘When does free speech become hate speech?’ – Where should the line be drawn, and what role do social media platforms play?
‘The evolution of devolution’ – How has devolution changed decision-making across the UK, and what impact has it had over the years?
‘In conversation with Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond’ – Hear from one of the UK’s most influential legal figures as she reflects on her career and discusses her latest book, With the Law on Our Side.
Last year Childline delivered more than 3,300 counselling sessions to children and young people with worries around body image and eating disorders.
Concerns peaked during the summer months, with almost a thousand counselling sessions being delivered last June, July and August
Young people are citing influencers and trends such as calorie counting videos as affecting their body image.
Childline is anticipating a summer spike in children seeking support for body image issues and eating disorders.
New data from the NSPCC service reveals it delivered 3,364 counselling sessions to young people from April 2025 to March 2026 about these problems.
Support from Childline about body image issues and eating disorders peaked over the summer months last year, with the service delivering almost 1,000 counselling sessions across June, July and August.
The summer months leading into the school holidays can be a particularly challenging time for children and young people struggling with their body image or their relationship with food.
They speak to Childline about their fears of wearing certain clothes, including swimsuits, and how they feel under pressure to look a certain way.
Children and young people also mention comparing themselves to influencers they see online. Some spoke to Childline about watching what I eat in a day and calorie counting videos, which often promote unhealthy habits such as extreme calorie restriction.
Last year, social media platform, TikTok, banned the hashtag #SkinnyTok in an effort to prevent young people being exposed to dangerous eating disorder content. In spite of this, Childline is still hearing from young people who are watching these types of videos on TikTok and other platforms.
29-year-old Lauren* from Scotland, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, said: “I had body image insecurities from the age of five. I would look at different parts of my body and think they weren’t good enough or try to measure the size of my stomach.
“At secondary school my eating disorder habits started, and I found restricting my food intake was a way of staying in control. I was trying to be as secretive about it as possible. I felt more accepted as I lost weight and if I got praise for being slimmer, it just confirmed to me that I was doing the right thing.
“Eventually I found a treatment that worked better for me, and I’ve gone from having certain beliefs and thoughts around food, weight and calories that I genuinely no longer believe.
“I know how to protect myself now and I am much better than I ever thought I would be. I’m not fully recovered yet, but I would say I am 90% of the way there.”
A 17-year-old from Scotland told Childline: “I’ve had an eating disorder for years and I’m just stuck in a cycle. I get treatment for a while, hit a healthy weight, get discharged, then spiral back into restricting.
“This time I tried to get help when I knew it was starting to happen again, but they wouldn’t see me because my BMI was still ok. I don’t want to live like this, but I don’t know how to do it without support.”
Shaun Friel, Childline Director, said: “With the warm weather continuing and families planning their summer holidays, young people might be finding themselves in positions where they feel anxious about their body.
“To cope, some young people are taking drastic measures, such as restricting their food intake or, in some instances, developing disordered eating behaviours. Children are also telling us that unrealistic beauty standards are affecting their wellbeing and self-worth, with many comparing themselves to others, particularly influencers on social media.
“Childline wants every young person to know that whatever they’re going through our trained counsellors are here to listen without judgment. Seeking help is always a sign of strength, not weakness.”
Advice for parents on encouraging healthy body image in children:
Model positive body talk: Be mindful of how you speak about your own body and other people’s’ bodies in front of your children. Avoid negative comments about weight, appearance, or comparing yourself to others, as children often copy what they hear.
Focus conversations on health and wellbeing, not appearance: When discussing food and exercise, emphasize feeling strong, energetic, and healthy rather than looking a certain way. Celebrate what bodies can do rather than just how they look.
Take concerns seriously and listen without judgment: If your child expresses worries about their body or eating habits, avoid dismissing their feelings or saying “you look fine”. Listen carefully and offer support, consider seeking professional help if needed.
Discuss what they see in the media: Help your child understand that images online and in media are often edited or unrealistic. Encourage critical thinking about what they see and limit exposure to content that promotes unrealistic beauty standards.
Watch for warning signs: Be alert to changes in your child’s eating habits, mood, exercise patterns, or social withdrawal. Early intervention is important, so don’t hesitate to seek professional support if you notice concerning behaviours around food or body image. Adults can contact our NSPCC Helpline with any concerns about a child.
All children can speak to a trained counsellor over the phone on 0800 1111, via email or on a 121 chat on the Childline website.
Children can also visit the website to find more advice on any concerns or questions they may have on body image and eating disorders.
A local cancer charity which harnesses the support of the Edinburgh business community is seeking to surpass the one-million-pound mark at an annual fund-raising event being staged in the capital later this summer.
Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh has raised over £900,000 for vital life-saving cancer research since its inception in 2019. The charity is now inviting people to take part in its sponsored walk of the city’s Seven Hills on 28 August where it hopes to take its level of fund-raising into seven figures.
The Seven Hills Challenge is a 14-mile charity walk covering the seven iconic peaks surrounding Edinburgh —Arthur’s Seat, Castle Rock, Calton Hill, Corstorphine Hill, Craiglockhart Hill, Braid Hill, and Blackford Hill. The event is one of the major annual fundraisers championed by Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh in support of Cancer Research UK.
Participants raise money to fund vital clinical trials and scientific research to fight cancer. Individuals, teams, and corporate groups are invited to get involved in the Challenge by signing up directly through the official Cancer Research UK website.
Among those who will be walking the Seven Hills will be Andrew Walker and his wife Debby from Bo’ness. Their daughter Anna died in March 2025, aged 25, after battling a rare cancer of the adrenal gland. Last year’s event, which attracted more than 200 people, raising over £60,000 for locally-focused cancer research, was dedicated to her memory.
Andrew said: “The 2025 challenge was completed in memory of Anna who herself took part in the event in 2023. It was an amazing day, emotionally and physically, when so many people came together to help make a difference – we felt Anna with us every mile of the route.
“We want to continue to support Cancer Research inspired by Anna so that others may benefit from future improvements in our understanding of the cause of cancer and breakthroughs in preventative treatment. Every step forward across the Seven Hills is a step towards realising that ambition.”
Lou Kiddier, chair of Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh, said: “Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh is the UK leader in its fundraising efforts for cancer research and at this summer’s Seven Hills Challenge we aim to hit a new high by surpassing the £1m mark.
“To ensure we can achieve this ambitious target, we are calling on people across Edinburgh to come forward and take part in this event by signing up, either as an individual or part of a team.
“While it is a tough pursuit, the Seven Hills Challenge covers a beautiful route and, more importantly, it raises crucial funds that will help bring us closer to a world where everybody can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”
More details about how to register for this year’s Seven Hills Challenge can be found here
A LEADING Edinburgh audiology team has launched a new partnership with charity Deaf Action after witnessing the challenges many people face as a result of changes to their hearing.
Jonathan Bell, audiology director at Specsavers Morningside, sought out the partnership after seeing first-hand the wider impact that changes in hearing can have on people’s lives.
After speaking with a customer who had withdrawn from social activities because conversations became increasingly difficult to follow, Mr Bell recognised that many people need support that extends beyond hearing devices alone.
The new initiative will enable Specsavers Morningside to connect customers directly with Deaf Action’s specialist services, ensuring those who need additional support can access practical advice, communication training, assistive technology and community resources.
After identifying a growing need among customers for wider support, Mr Bell approached Deaf Action’s digital inclusion officer, Suzie Bryant, to explore how the organisations could work together to provide more comprehensive support for local people.
Through the partnership, audiologists at Specsavers Morningside will be able to identify customers who may benefit from additional support and connect them directly with Deaf Action’s services.
Services include digital and communication skills training, advice on assistive technology and opportunities to engage with local support networks.
Mr Bell says: ‘Every day, I meet people whose lives have been affected by changes to their hearing. Many are becoming socially isolated, losing confidence or struggling to stay connected with the people and activities they love.
‘As hearing experts, we wanted to ensure our customers could also access the wider support needed to maintain their independence and quality of life.
‘That’s why I reached out to Deaf Action. They are a highly respected organisation with an outstanding reputation for supporting deaf and hard of hearing people across Scotland.
‘I knew that by working together we could make a real difference to the lives of local people. .
‘This partnership is about ensuring nobody feels they have to face these challenges alone.’
Customers referred through the pathway will receive access to Deaf Action’s services, including tailored sessions designed to restore independence, dedicated workshops helping individuals learn digital communication tools and local peer groups offering guidance and support.
Deaf Action can also provide advice on specialist equipment such as loop systems, flashing alarm clocks and deaf-friendly smoke alarms.
Suzie Bryant, digital inclusion officer at Deaf Action, says:
‘This partnership with Specsavers Morningside reflects a shared commitment to helping deaf and hard of hearing people access the support they need. By facilitating a direct referral channel, together we can intervene early and deliver digital skills training.’
The partnership reflects the team’s commitment to ensuring customers receive support that extends beyond clinical hearing care.
By connecting customers with Deaf Action’s specialist services, Specsavers Morningside is helping to address the wider challenges associated with changes to hearing, including isolation, reduced confidence and difficulties accessing essential communication tools.
Together, Specsavers Morningside and Deaf Action aim to ensure more people across Edinburgh can access practical support that helps them stay independent and connected to their communities.
To book a hearing appointment or speak to a member of the hearing care team at Specsavers Morningside, visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/morningside or call 0131 446 9960.
Shoppers turned up in their droves at The Centre, Livingston for the opening of Scotland’s largest JD Sports store on Thursday (9th July).
The retailer, known as the ‘King of Trainers’, which has over 350 stores across the UK, relocated in the shopping centre due to customer demand.
The store opened with a celebratory launch which included a Spin the Wheel competition, running from Friday until Sunday, goody bags and a DJ.
Larissa Fleming from Livingston said: “The new store looks amazing – it is really bright with a lovely layout and has a fantastic selection of trainers and clothing.
I just had to treat myself to a new pair of On Cloud trainers which I’ve had my eye on for a while.”
Tammy Wilson, who was shopping with her son Rory, said: “It was great to pop into the new-look JD Sports store this morning, which my son is a big fan of.
“He picked out a really nice pair of Montirex shorts and t-shirt, but I have a feeling we’ll be back again very soon – we loved it!”
Pic Greg Macvean 09/07/2026
The Centre, Livingston – JD Sports store opening
Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston said: “The new larger JD Sports store looks fantastic and really enhances our overall offering at The Centre, Livingston – we are very confident it will be a big hit with our shoppers!”
The heat is on and it’s that time of year when parents have to dig deep to find ways to entertain their kids for the long summer holidays. This can be a daunting task, but what better way to spark children’s imaginations and keep them amused than to get them stuck into some fantastic books.
Here at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) we know there are 25,000 children aged 0 to 16 across the UK who are living with a vision impairment which can make reading that bit more challenging;
We’re determined to make sure these children can spend the summer with their favourite book characters in the same way sighted children can.
That’s why we’ve got more than 5,000 children’s books in braille and audio formats that children can read in RNIB’s completely free online Library.
Our fantastic collection of awe-inspiring audio books can be downloaded directly from the RNIB Library on smart devices like tablets and phones, or via voice commands on Alexa-enabled devices.
Specialised Daisy CDs designed for easy, structured navigation, can be delivered to your door as can USB memory sticks with up to three books on each. Printed braille books can be ordered on-demand and electronic braille can be downloaded to read on braille displays.
Children can use all these brilliant books to take part in the annual Summer Reading Challenge – a summer readathon run by The Reading Agency which encourages children aged 4-11 to read six books and provides incentives for completion.
Every copy sold is supporting Salvesen Mindroom Centre’s mission
As charity Salvesen Mindroom Centre (Mindroom) marks its 25th anniversary, founder Sophie Dow launches the English edition of her internationally acclaimed memoir, with proceeds from the limited 1,000-copy run helping ensure “No Mind Is Left Behind.”
What happens when a Mother refuses to accept a broken system? For journalist, writer and Mum Sophie Dow, the answer was to change it.
Now, twenty-five years after co-founding Scottish neurodiversity charity Mindroom following the birth of her daughter Annie, Dow is publishing the first English-language edition of her acclaimed memoir, “When Life Doesn’t Follow the Script”, an extraordinary true story of love, resilience and one family’s determination to create a better future for neurodivergent people.
Inspired by Annie, who lives with a unique and rare chromosome deletion now informally known as “Annie’s syndrome”, the book tells the deeply personal story behind a decision that has gone on to transform the lives of thousands and thousands of families.
The book was officially launched at an intimate soft launch on Wednesday, 9 July, as part of Mindroom’s 25th anniversary celebrations. In a special limited-edition print run of just 1,000 copies, every penny of proceeds will support the charity’s work with neurodivergent children, young people and families across Scotland.
Originally published in Sweden in 2018 as “När livet inte följer manus”, the memoir received widespread critical acclaim and has now been updated and translated into English by Sophie and her husband Robin for the first time.
At the heart of both the charity and the book is a simple belief: society should stop focusing on what neurodivergent people cannot do and instead recognise what they can.
‘When Life Doesn’t Follow the Script’ is an inspiring, personal detective drama written with humour, passion and a determined focus on the question: Why aren’t all minds valued equally?
Each chapter is illustrated with artwork created by Annie herself, making the book not only a memoir but also a celebration of creativity, individuality and the many ways people experience the world.
Author Sophie Dow says:“When Annie was born, everything changed. We found ourselves navigating systems that often focused on limitations rather than possibilities. I found that totally unacceptable.
“We are certainly not alone. There are thousands of other families out there in the same situation. This is a public health issue that needs to be addressed. So, Salvesen Mindroom Centre was founded 25 years ago to ensure that no mind is left behind.”
That vision has flourished into an influential organisation with a trusted reputation for advice, advocacy and practical support for neurodivergent children, young people, families and people in the workplace across Scotland and beyond, whether or not they have a formal diagnosis.
Photography for Salvesen Mindroom Centre in Leith Edinburgh
Alan Thornburrow, CEO for Mindroom, continues:“In 2025 alone, Mindroom supported 2,172 families. We received 1,801 NEW enquiries over the course of this year alone and trained 3,546 delegates. Since 2020, we have experienced a 309% increase in the number of families seeking support.
“Sophie and Robin’s story is one I recognise, and I know so many other parents and carers will too. Every day, families tell us about the challenges of navigating fragmented systems while trying to secure the understanding and support their children need.
“That’s why we work so hard to help parents, carers, children and young people – as well as employers and employees – find a path through those barriers and access the support that enables everyone to feel valued and thrive.”
As Mindroom celebrates 25 years, the publication represents both a reflection on how far understanding of neurodiversity has come and a call for much more to be done.
Every copy sold will help fund the charity’s continuing work to ensure neurodivergent children, young people and neurodivergent people in the workplace have equal opportunities to thrive.
As demand for its services continues to grow, Mindroom also works alongside leading researchers to deepen understanding of neurodiversity and help drive lasting change.
‘Brexit – ten years on’ – A look back at a decade of political and economic change, and where the UK’s relationship with Europe stands today.
‘Trust in public institutions’ – How can confidence be rebuilt after major public scandals?
‘Why social media abuse towards women in politics is damaging democracy’ – Exploring how online abuse and misinformation can affect political participation and representation.
‘When does free speech become hate speech?’ – Where should the line be drawn, and what role do social media platforms play?
‘The evolution of devolution’ – How has devolution changed decision-making across the UK, and what impact has it had over the years?
‘In conversation with Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond’ – Hear from one of the UK’s most influential legal figures as she reflects on her career and discusses her latest book, With the Law on Our Side.
27-28 August
Browse the full programme and book tickets: 
