Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Latest active travel route opens

The Roseburn to Union Canal active travel route was officially opened on Monday (9 December) with an inaugural group cycle ride and walk from Sauchiebank to Dalry Community Park.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson was joined by Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop and Scotland Director for Sustrans, Karen McGregor alongside groups of local schoolchildren and representatives of the Dalry community, to cut the red ribbon marking the opening.

There were also stalls from partners at Police Scotland, Spokes, Soul Cycles and the Council’s Active Travel team.

The £17m project has transformed public spaces along the route, creating a green corridor with enhanced walking, wheeling and cycling connections alongside bringing disused areas back into community use.

Dalry Community Park itself is one of the greenspaces that has been upgraded with new play equipment after consultation with pupils at Dalry Primary School. We’ve also installed two new bridges along the route over the Mid Calder railway line and Dalry Road.

Along the route we’ve planted 200 semi-mature trees with further planting and seeding planned for spring 2025. This will create a healthier and more diverse woodland which will enhance the area’s ecological value.

Community gardens are planned for the Sauchiebank area, and a new toucan crossing has been installed across the West Approach Road to connect to Dundee Street.

The route also links to one of our other flagship active travel projects, the City Centre West to East Link along with the other established paths networks in the local area.

Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme, which is funded by the Scottish Government, financed 100% of the design costs and up to 70% of construction costs totalling £11.6m. The Council financed the remaining £5.4m and led on the project’s delivery.

Further information is available on the city council’s website.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “It was a real pleasure to open the brand new Roseburn to Union Canal active travel route today. This project will breathe new life into Dalry, revitalising previously less used community spaces and the community play park, whilst making it easier and safer for residents and visitors to get around and keep Edinburgh moving.

“Expanding active travel routes in the Capital is a key priority for us and remains central to our goal of becoming a net zero city by 2030, by providing people with more options for safe, sustainable travel. I have no doubt that this route will be a great success as we carry on with delivering a greener, healthier, and more sustainable city for all.

“I’d also like to thank all our excellent colleagues for their hard work and to Transport Scotland and Sustrans who have been instrumental in seeing this project completed.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said: “I was delighted to take part in the official opening of the Roseburn to Union Canal active travel route and to celebrate with local schoolchildren and residents who will benefit – not only from the path, but through the improved public spaces also.

“£11.6 million of Scottish Government funding was awarded to the Roseburn to Union Canal active travel project through the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme.

“Ambitious projects such as this are making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle – tackling poverty and protecting the environment – but there is so much more we wish to achieve.

“Over £155 million has been invested this year and through the Draft Budget for 2025-26, we intend to invest over £188 million to help people leave their cars at home and to choose healthier and greener transport options.

Scotland Director for Sustrans, Karen McGregor added: “We’re very pleased that the Roseburn to Union Canal Path is now open to the public.

“Safer routes for walking, wheeling and cycling save lives. The current lack of off-road cycling connections in our cities is the biggest challenge facing people who want to travel actively.

“The evidence shows that in providing convenient and accessible links away from traffic, we are giving more people the confidence to make healthier and more sustainable journeys. Protected routes like the Roseburn to Union Canal Path do just that, enabling those living and working in Edinburgh to get around with ease.”

Off the Bench at Spartans

Off the Bench starts next January at Spartans!

Our new Off the Bench programme for young people aged 16-25 years and not in education or employment starts at the end of Jan 2025.

Come along to our open days at Ainslie Park on the 16th and 23rd of Jan from 1.30-3pm.

Participants will be able meet staff, get a game of five a-side football, tour the facility and ask questions about the programme.

Contact Eddie for more info eddiemalone@spartanscf.com or sign up here:

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx…

Chancellor: Every pound spent will deliver Plan for Change

  • Prime Minister’s Plan for Change at heart of Spending Review, which will drive reform and root out waste.
  • Every pound of government spending to be interrogated to ensure it represents value for money for working people. 
  • External experts will scrutinise budgets, bringing ideas, expertise and innovation of the private sector into the heart of government.

Government departments will be expected to find savings and efficiencies in their budgets, in a push to drive out waste in the public sector and ensure all funding is focused on the government’s priorities.

Every single pound the government spends will be subjected to a line-by-line review to make sure it’s being spent to deliver the Plan for Change and that it is value for money, as the Chancellor Rachel Reeves yesterday (Tuesday 10 December) launched the next round of government spending.

It will be the first time in over a decade and a half that government departments have been asked to take such an approach, with what’s called a “zero-based review” last undertaken 17 years ago.

Rachel Reeves will today begin her work with government departments and reiterate that they cannot operate in a business-as-usual way when reviewing their budgets for the coming years, as the new government continues to fix the foundations after inheriting a £22bn black hole, alongside crumbling public services and damaged public finances.  

Secretaries of State across government will need to allocate their budgets to ensure that government spending is focused on the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, and that every pound of taxpayers’ money is spent well. The Chancellor will work with departments to prioritise spending that supports the milestones to deliver the Plan.

This includes boosting growth to put more money in working people’s pockets, fixing the NHS, creating safer streets, making Britain a clean energy super-power and giving every child the best start in life while strengthening our borders, national security and the economy.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “By totally rewiring how the government spends money we will be able to deliver our Plan for Change and focus on what matters for working people. The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to go to waste on poor value for money projects. We will not tolerate it; I said I would have an iron grip on the public finances and that means taking an iron fist against waste. 

“By reforming our public services, we will ensure they are up to scratch for modern day demands, saving money and delivering better services for people across the country. That’s why we will inspect every pound of government spend, so that it goes to the right places and we put an end to all waste.”

The Prime Minister has been clear that public services must reform if they are to be put on a sustainable footing in the long-term, so that outcomes can be improved for people who depend on services every day. 

Yesterday’s announcement builds on the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster yesterday launching a £100 million fund to pioneer public service reform and deliver the Government’s Plan for Change, by deploying new test-and-learn teams into public services across the country.

They will be empowered to experiment and innovate to fix the public sector’s biggest challenges, working towards the Government’s ambitious and far-reaching reform programme that will seek to break down Whitehall silos and galvanise government as it seeks to deliver the Plan for Change.

Departments will ensure budgets are scrutinised by challenge panels of external experts including former senior management of Lloyd’s Banking Group, Barclays Bank and the Co-operative Group. Panels will bring an independent view to what government spend is or isn’t necessary, with a mixture of expertise from local delivery partners, think tanks, academic experts and private sector backgrounds.

In letters sent by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, departments will be advised that where spending is not contributing to a priority, it should be stopped. Although some of these decisions will be difficult, the Chancellor is clear that the public must have trust in the government that it is rooting out waste and that their taxes are being spent on their priorities.

Work has already begun on evaluating poor value for money spend, with an evaluation into the £6.5m spent on Social Workers in Schools programme, which placed social workers in schools, finding no evidence of positive impact on social care outcomes, meaning the intervention was not considered cost-effective.

The Government has made clear it will not shy away from taking the difficult decisions needed to fix the foundations, as shown by the Chancellor’s decisions at the Budget to balance the books.

Departments will be expected to work closely together to identify how their work contributes to the Government’s missions, meeting in mission clusters throughout the process to agree priorities and links. 

Throughout this process, the ideas, expertise and innovation of the private sector will be sought out and brought right into the heart of government. 

An online portal will also be launched to give businesses the opportunity to put forward policy proposals for the Spending Review, including on how government can deliver public services more efficiently or effectively. These representations will be collated and shared with departments for consideration in their submissions.

Award for St Columba’s garden volunteer David

We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate David Waughman, who was awarded the ‘Anne, Duchess of Norfolk Award for Volunteer Gardener of the Year’ at the recent Hospice UK Annual Conference!

David has been a dedicated part of our team from the very start, serving as one of our original Compassionate Gardeners. Before that David helped maintain the grounds of St Columba’s Hospice Care, showing his passion for both gardening and volunteering.

Our Compassionate Gardeners are a special group. We’re one of the only UK hospices offering a little TLC to the gardens of people living at home with an end-of-life diagnosis, and helping restore them to what they once were.

Sharing the joy of the garden through the seasons, our Compassionate gardeners add so much to the wellbeing of the garden owners in the most precious of times.

It was truly heart-warming to see David recognised by his colleagues and peers from across the hospice sector. Thank you, David, for your dedication and for the incredible impact you make to those you support. Congratulations on this well-deserved award! 👏🌟

Are you a keen gardener? Find out how you can put your skills to good use by becoming a Compassionate Gardener https://bit.ly/3OH1Wwb.

CashBack projects support thousands of young people

A programme funded from the seized assets of criminals has supported 15,368 young people in 2023-24.

CashBack for Communities delivered £5.5 million to 29 partners in that period for projects that divert young people away from anti-social behaviour and crime.

A report into the first year of the programme’s three-year funding phase, which runs from April 2023 to March 2026, showed that after taking part in CashBack for Communities projects:

  • 7,440 young people reported positive changes in their behaviour
  • 4,318 young people reported that their anti-social or criminal behaviour reduced
  • 6,292 young people felt less likely to engage in anti-social or criminal behaviour
  • 4,954 young people gained an accreditation in furthering their development
  • 8,348 young people reported an increase in their wellbeing
  • 64,240 volunteering hours were contributed

Victims and Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown met with some participants who have been taking part in Scottish Rugby Union’s CashBack Community Rugby at Castlebrae Community Campus in Edinburgh.

The SRU’s programme works with young people most at risk of being drawn into offending or being involved in anti-social behaviour to help them resist pressure to take part in it.

Ms Brown said: “Supporting and encouraging young people to make informed choices is crucial for their personal growth and future success. The CashBack for Communities Impact Report highlights the positive contribution the programme has had on over 15,000 young people. 

“CashBack is an early intervention programme and its partners provide a range of support and activities which includes providing safe spaces, trusted adults they can speak with and a range of diversionary and support activities.

“Young people need our support and encouragement to make choices that allow them to develop their aspirations and potential, and we should rightly be proud of them and this programme.

“I had the opportunity today to see exactly how CashBack partners like Scottish Rugby Union work alongside young people to develop their understanding of the positive impact they can have on their communities.”

CashBack for Communities Impact Report 2023-24

More information on the CashBack for Communities programme.

Planning permission secured for 172 new homes at Millerhill

Cruden Homes and Mac Mic Group get green light for landmark Millerhill development

Two of Scotland’s most established property companies, with a combined 181 years of expertise, are set to invest into the thriving community at Millerhill, just south-east of Edinburgh.

Cruden Homes, with 81 years of innovation in homebuilding, and Mac Mic Group, marking its centenary next year, have secured planning consent for 172 energy-efficient new homes in one of Scotland’s most vibrant and best-connected new communities.

The Millerhill development is part of the wider Shawfair masterplan to create a new town on Edinburgh’s doorstep. The new development will include a mix of private sale, build-to-rent, and affordable housing, helping to combat Edinburgh’s ongoing housing emergency.

Work will start in early 2025, with the first phase of homes expected to be completed and ready for residents by the end of the year.

Both businesses have a strong local heritage, having been involved in the delivery of a number of new homes in the area in recent years. This latest development includes a range of houses and flats for private sale, offering an impressive selection of two-bedroom flats, two- and three-bedroom terraced and semi-detached homes, four-bedroom townhouses, and four- and five-bedroom detached properties.

Additionally, a number of houses and flats are to be retained by Mac Mic Group as part of its longstanding rental portfolio, offering an important alternative for home seekers. Thirty-five homes, consisting of six houses and 29 flats, will be affordable, providing much-needed options for local families and individuals.

Nestled in the desirable Millerhill area, this thoughtfully designed development combines the appeal of country living with exceptional transport links to Edinburgh, the Borders, and beyond. Residents will enjoy a new neighbourhood with landscaped streets, carefully planned frontages, extensive landscaping throughout and a tree-lined corridor.

The new homes lie within easy reach of the vibrant new Shawfair town centre, with a health club, offices, shops and places to eat, and are well served by excellent local schools and plentiful landscaped green space, woodland paths and open water. The development is close to Shawfair train station and benefits from a network of cycle and walking paths, providing an abundance of sustainable transport options.

All of the new homes will incorporate a cutting-edge district heating system, providing a low-carbon solution for heating and hot water. This innovative heat network eliminates the need for individual boilers and significantly reduces carbon emissions.

Kevin Reid, Executive Chairman of Cruden, said: “We are delighted to take forward this fantastic new development at Millerhill in partnership with Mac Mic Group. Not only will it deliver much-needed new housing across all tenures, but it will also add to an already vibrant, sustainable community that offers the perfect blend of connectivity, green spaces, and excellent amenities on the doorstep.

“Work will start early next year and will deliver a blueprint for quality, energy-efficient new homes that are perfectly suited to the needs of modern living.”

Andrew Mickel, Group Director of Mac Mic Group, added: “2025 marks our centenary year in the land and property sector and Mac Mic is proud to continue our legacy of quality placemaking on this important development in partnership with Cruden Homes.

“Millerhill, and the wider Shawfair area, offers the best of country living, just 15 minutes from Waverley Station, making it an increasingly sought-after neighbour to the Capital.

“Edinburgh is facing a well-documented housing emergency, and this innovative new development will be part of the solution, providing a diverse range of high-quality homes, including affordable housing, private rental options, and homes for sale.”

Scottish breast cancer support charity announces first location with backing from the Scotto

The House of Hope, Scotland’s first dedicated wellbeing and support centre for people with breast cancer, has announced its first location on Gorgie Road in Edinburgh ahead of its opening in Spring 2025.

The announcement comes thanks to financial backing from early supporter The Scotto, which will fund the initial rent of the premises. The Scottish lottery, which also sponsors mental health charity SAMH and children’s cancer charity Calum’s Cabin, has generously donated £50,000 to The House of Hope. 

The House of Hope’s first centre will be 490 Gorgie Road, a 3,016 ft² / 280 m² detached farmhouse-style office building located between the city centre and Edinburgh City Bypass. The property – previously home to Autism Initiatives UK’s Edinburgh office – is currently undergoing renovation and will welcome its first visitors next year. 

Founded by Lisa Fleming, who was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2017, with husband Euan, The House of Hope will provide a supportive space for people impacted by breast cancer, as well as access to holistic therapies and wellbeing services away from the sterile hospital or clinical setting to compliment medical treatments. 

The House of Hope was inspired by London’s first-ever specialised breast cancer centre, Future Dreams House, which offers support through a range of services for women affected by breast cancer, including counselling, yoga, massage, nutrition advice, and peer support groups.

Earlier this month, the centre also welcomed its first Centre Manager, Hazel McLinden, who will manage the House upon its opening in Spring and play a key part in supporting volunteers and visitors alike. Hazel brings over a decade of experience in charity sector to the role, having previously worked with Team Jak Foundation, a charity supporting children and young people with cancer and their families throughout Scotland.

Founder of The House of Hope Scotland, Lisa Fleming, said: “We are so grateful to The Scotto for committing its long-term support to The House of Hope in Scotland, as we prepare to open the doors to the centre in Gorgie next year. 

“It’s so important to have a safe space that offers community and compassionate support for patients and their families following a breast cancer diagnosis, and that’s what we want The House of Hope to be – a haven away from clinical settings while still supporting medical treatment.”

Sales and Partnerships Manager of The Scotto, Marie-Claire Le Ray, said: “At The Scotto, we’re strongly committed to supporting good causes.

“Lisa is an absolutely inspirational woman and we’re proud to support The House of Hope and its vision to support those affected by breast cancer.”

Record number of pupils in Scotland are identified with additional support needs as support falls

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has raised concerns over an increase to a record high in the number of pupils identified with additional support needs (ASN).

The figures were released today (10 December) in the Scottish Government’s annual census of pupils and teachers in publicly funded schools.1 Concerns have also been raised about a decline in the number of special schools, and the level of statutory support being offered to those with the most complex needs, meaning that thousands of children and young people are being let down overall.

The figures show that the number of pupils with ASN, such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems in 2024 has reached a record high of 284,448. This  represents 40.5% of the pupil population, rising from 140,542 in 2014 (20.8% of the pupil population).2 

It amounts to a more than doubling (102.4%) in numbers over the past decade.

Amounting to more than two out of five of the pupil population, this is set against a backdrop of budgetary cuts and an ongoing lack of support for those with ASN, including cuts in numbers of specialist ASN teachers and support staff.

The SCSC has called for increased resourcing to address this growing need, which is also having an impact on surging levels of classroom disruption and violence, as well as adequate training and development of staff. This includes increases in the numbers of specialist teachers, pupil support assistants, mental health professionals and educational psychologists.

The rise in the number of those with ASN, is against the background of a slump in the number of special schools, which have fallen from 145 in 2014 to 107 this year.

The SCSC has also voiced concerns over a declining number of those with complex or multiple ASN needs receiving a co-ordinated support plan (CSP).

Prepared by local authorities, CSPs are the only education plans that are legally enforceable documents. They require services such as education, health and social work to work together to give a child or young person the support they need. This provides some guarantees of entitlement to additional resources and legal redress, placing statutory duties on local authorities to review and ensure the provisions contained within it are being met.

Despite a Scottish Government promise that there would be no reduction in the proportion of pupils receiving them since their introduction in 2004, there has been a significant fall in the number of pupils with a CSP. In 2014, there were 3,128 pupils with CSPs.3 However, in 2024 this number had fallen to 1,215.4 This amounts to a drop of 61.1% and is a reduction from 2.2% to 0.4% of those with ASN.

The coalition has called for an expansion in access to CSPs, with the Scottish Government, local authorities, health and other relevant agencies collaborating more effectively to ensure that those requiring such a legal plan receive one.  

This needs to be supported by the necessary resourcing, and increased awareness and understanding of CSPs by families or carers and professionals.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “While more children and young people are being identified as having ASN, now at a record high, this is against the increasingly challenging backdrop of a lack of specialist teachers, support staff and the resources needed to support them.

“This is not only letting down thousands of children and young person, but also their fellow pupils, teachers and support staff. Increased support is critical, especially post the Covid-19 pandemic and the damaging impact this has had on many of our children and young people, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, all of which is hitting the poorest hardest.

“A decline in the number of special schools is also worrying, putting increased pressure on the mainstream sector, with many of those with ASN more suited to a special school environment.

“We are also concerned that despite an increase in the numbers of those with ASN, there has been a notable decline in the use of CSPs, which are legally enforceable and designed to support those with the most complex needs.

“The Scottish Government, local authorities, health and other agencies need to work in collaboration with the private and third sectors to provide the necessary resourcing and support to address the needs of children and young people with ASN. They must also work together to ensure that those who are entitled to a CSP receive one.

“With those with ASN drawn disproportionately from poorer neighbourhoods, if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap, these children and young people must get the care and support they need when they need it.”

Scotch Whisky – Make it a Treble!

THE SCOTCH WHISKY EXPERIENCE SECURES THREE MAJOR AWARD WINS

The Scotch Whisky Experience, an internationally renowned whisky tourism destination by Edinburgh Castle, has achieved an exceptional series of wins at three major award ceremonies: The Scottish Thistle Awards, The Scottish Whisky Awards and The World Drinks Awards.

The national Scottish Thistle Awards named The Scotch Whisky Experience Scotland’s Best Visitor Attraction. The organisers, VisitScotland, describe the award as recognising “attractions which provide world class service with an authentic, memorable Scottish experience” and commended The Scotch Whisky Experience for “helping the world fall in love with Scotland and Scotch Whisky.” 

This distinction places The Scotch Whisky Experience among past honourees such as the Burrell Collection, underscoring its contribution to Scotland’s global cultural appeal.

The Scottish Whisky Awards also recognised The Scotch Whisky Experience as Tourism Destination of the Year. Completing the hat trick, on 5 December The Scotch Whisky Experience won the major category of Visitor Attraction of the year at the World Drinks Awards’ Icons of Whisky 2025.

Chief Executive Susan Morrison, said, “Each award reinforces our mission to provide an unforgettable experience for every visitor, connecting them with Scotland’s rich whisky heritage.

“I am especially grateful to the visitors, partners and our dedicated and passionate team for making all these achievements possible”.

In addition to the organisation’s recognition, Marketing Director Julie Trevisan-Hunter was named one of the Top 100 Women in Tourism, an accolade recognising leadership and influence in Scotland’s tourism and hospitality sectors.

Adding to the trophy cabinet, Annika Schneider, PA to the CEO, was named Rising Star at the regional Scottish Thistle Awards.

Chief Executive Susan Morrison also received The Scottish Whisky Awards’ Jim Swan Award, which honours lifetime contributions to the whisky industry.

James Robertson, Chair of the Scottish Whisky Awards, explained: “Susan represents a vital part of the success of Scotch whisky and that is our tourism economy. She leads a team which inspires newcomers to whisky and teaches ways to appreciate and learn about Scotch.”

Susan Morrison reflected on the evolution of whisky tourism over her career: “During my career I have seen the Scotch whisky and Scottish tourism industries come ever closer together, celebrating the best aspects of Scotland and, in my view, the best people.

“To have been part of this journey has been a true honour.  The absolute icing on the cake is seeing so many people – both visitors and team members – who established their love of Scotch with us at The Scotch Whisky Experience. 

“We look forward to helping visitors from around the world fall in love with Scotch whisky in 2025.”