Care home residents scrum together for brand-new pub opening
FORMER Scotland rugby international Andy Irvine has officially opened a brand-new social space at one of Edinburgh’s most prestigious care homes.
The Scotland and British and Irish Lions star joined residents at Cramond Residence to open its very own pub, marking the latest addition to the home’s outstanding facilities.
Created as a vibrant social hub, the new space now offers residents a welcoming environment to enjoy sporting events, themed gatherings and special celebrations designed to enhance residents’ social lives and wellbeing.
Decorated with an impressive array of sporting memorabilia, the pub features a signed British and Irish Lions jersey donated by Irvine from his playing days, along with a collection of Scotland rugby keepsakes.
Andy said: “It was a pleasure to be invited to open the new pub at Cramond and spend time with the residents. It’s fantastic to see a space like this created for them, where they can come together, share stories, and enjoy the social side of sport.
“The pub has a great atmosphere, and with all the memorabilia on the walls, it feels like the perfect place to watch a match or catch up over a drink.”
Richard Annan, Head of Sales and Marketing at Cramond Residence said: “The new pub space has rapidly become the heart of our home. It’s wonderful to see residents connecting over shared interests, making new friends and maintaining the active social lives they’ve always enjoyed.
“Many of our residents were previously members of clubs such as rugby, golf and tennis. This new space allows them to relive those experiences while enjoying live events together in a setting that encourages natural socialisation.”
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re excited to see how the pub continues to bring people together.”
With nine lounges spread across different suites, the care home’s team embarked on a mission to transform select areas into purposeful, engaging and social spaces.
Head of Maintenance at Cramond Residence, Billy Early, played a key role in bringing the pub to life, using his skills to craft a bespoke wooden bar and transform the space into a warm and welcoming social hub.
Billy said: “It’s been a real privilege to work on this project and see how much the residents are enjoying it already. We wanted to create a space that felt special but also comfortable – somewhere people would naturally want to spend time.
“It’s all about tailoring our spaces to the interests and passions of our residents, ensuring they can continue to enjoy the things that matter most to them.
“The pub has already become a hub of activity, and we’re looking forward to making the most of it with events such as Wimbledon, The Grand National, and the rest of the Six Nations.”
Plans are already in motion to introduce further dedicated spaces at the home, including a fully equipped gym, a hobby and games room and a nostalgic 1970s-themed living area to support residents living with dementia.
Cramond Residence prioritises the residents’ needs and offers a tailored activity programme that combines a luxury hotel ambiance with the comfort of home living.
The residence was purpose-built for £8m and opened in October 2018, adopting a small-group living philosophy with a major emphasis on socialisation.
To find out more about Cramond Residence, please visit:
As part of our ongoing work on the lives of people with learning disabilities, we continue to track the latest research, policy developments, and data shaping their experiences (writes Fraser of Allander Institute’s DAVID JACK).
In previous round-ups, we’ve explored topics ranging from employment and social care to education and healthcare access. For this edition, we turn our attention to the rollout of annual health checks for people with learning disabilities in Scotland.
What are Annual Health Checks?
An Annual Health Check is a yearly check-up offered to individuals with learning disabilities to help identify and manage their health needs. It typically includes a review of medical history, physical health measurements (such as weight and blood pressure), checks on long-term conditions, discussions about mental health and lifestyle, assessment of healthcare access difficulties, medication reviews, and the development of a health action plan if required. The goal is to detect potential health issues early and support overall well-being.
Why Annual Health Checks Matter
Annual health checks are seen as a vital tool in addressing health inequalities. Many people with learning disabilities face challenges in communicating their symptoms, making proactive health assessments essential. Research consistently highlights the poorer health outcomes this group experiences, including higher rates of undiagnosed conditions, preventable illnesses, and premature mortality.
Just this week, researchers at the University of Glasgow released new findings revealing that young adults (aged 25-34) with learning disabilities are nine times more likely to die from treatable causes than their peers in the general population. The study, led by the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory, underlined the severe health inequalities faced by this group—particularly young women, who were found to be at disproportionately higher risk of premature death from treatable conditions.
Scotland’s Commitment and the Reality of Implementation
In May 2022, the Scottish Government pledged to offer annual health checks to all adults (aged 16+) with learning disabilities by 31st March 2023. To support this, NHS Boards were allocated £2 million annually. However, implementation struggles led to a revised deadline of 31st March 2024.
The first official data on Scotland’s progress has now been released by the Scottish Government. The 2023/24 figures reveal that despite identifying 23,758 eligible individuals, only 1,405 (6%) health checks were offered, with just 1,128 completed. This means fewer than 5% of eligible individuals have received a health check—highlighting that the rollout remains far from comprehensive. Notably, while 80% of those offered a check went on to complete it, the vast majority of eligible adults have yet to be given the opportunity.
The failure to fully implement the annual health check programme points to deeper systemic challenges within Scotland’s healthcare system. While the Scottish Government has made reassurances that health checks remain a priority, the delay of the Learning Disabilities, Autism, and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill has raised concerns about long-term commitment.
In a letter to the Health, Social Care, and Sport Committee, Minister Maree Todd reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s dedication to expanding health checks, including exploring new settings such as the State Hospital and prisons. However, these recent figures suggest that rather than expanding, the programme is struggling at a foundational level. The challenge appears not to be a lack of policy ambition but a failure in execution, which risks slowing or even obstructing progress in reducing health inequalities in Scotland.
A Troubling Lack of Progress
While 2024 marks the first year of formal reporting, and some allowances can be made for scaling-up challenges, the level of delivery remains lower than expected, particularly given the dedicated £2 million in annual funding. The current data does not include a breakdown of uptake by NHS Board—an important detail that should be incorporated into future reporting. The next set of figures, due in June 2025, will be key in providing greater transparency on regional disparities, and we also encourage the publication of more detailed demographic data when appropriate.
Back in November 2024, media reports stated that none of Scotland’s NHS Boards had fully met the target of offering health checks to all eligible individuals. In some areas, such as NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Shetland, there were indications that not a single eligible patient had received a health check. Greater clarity on this is needed through more detailed official statistical reporting to ensure timely, accurate and transparent data on progress.
Encouraging NHS Boards to report on how they are utilising the allocated £2 million per annum could provide valuable insights and help address delivery challenges. Additionally, assessing the effectiveness of public awareness campaigns would help identify what has worked well and what could be improved to ensure that people with learning disabilities and their families are fully informed about their right to an annual health check.
Varied Approaches
The Scottish Government provided directives outlining the framework for annual health checks, while allowing flexibility in local implementation. This flexibility has resulted in varied delivery models across NHS Boards, reflecting differences in workforce capacity, healthcare structures, and local resources. Some Boards will conduct checks primarily through GP practices, while others may incorporate community-based assessments, specialist learning disability health teams, or partnerships with third-sector organisations.
For example, NHS Lothian recommended a model where Community Learning Disability Nurses work closely with GP practices. Other Boards are integrating health checks into community services or collaborating with third-sector organisations to improve outreach. However, these varied approaches risk creating inconsistencies in data recording, as different systems are likely being used.
The Scottish Government has emphasised the need for standardised data collection across all Health Boards. A uniform approach is essential for assessing the effectiveness of health checks and ensuring equitable service delivery. The Annual Health Checks National Implementation Group aims to assist NHS Boards in aligning practices and reporting methods, with members expected to share real-time delivery data to collaboratively address challenges, overcome barriers, and provide peer support.
Beyond the Census: How Health Checks Could Bridge the Data Gap
If Scotland’s annual health checks for individuals with learning disabilities had been fully implemented as intended, they could have provided a valuable and reliable dataset on the number of people with learning disabilities in the country. Interestingly, the number of adults (23,758) identified through the Annual Health Check Survey Return to the Scottish Government already exceeds the number of adults reporting a learning disability in Scotland’s 2011 Census (21,115) by 12.5%.
This first set of published data for the Annual Health Check Survey states, “The method by which eligible people are identified varies by Health Board – the numbers identified only represent people with learning disabilities who are known to services.” Coupled with the fact that these checks are not yet being delivered at full capacity, this suggests that the true number of adults with learning disabilities in Scotland is likely to be higher than 23,758.
Scotland’s 2022 Census faced significant challenges in identifying the learning disability population. Instead of reporting learning disabilities separately, the published data currently combines them with learning difficulties and developmental disorder—a disappointing step backward compared to 2011.
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) identified learning disability as the primary category of concern, noting an “unrealistically large increase” in the number of people selecting this category compared to the previous census. As we previously explained, quality assurance efforts primarily relied on triangulating data with Scotland’s Pupil Census, which only captures those in school education and does not account for the broader adult population.
A fully functioning health check system could have served as an essential alternative data source, refining population estimates, improving census accuracy, and informing future data collection. Crucially, it could have also helped assess discrepancies in reported numbers—and given the challenges with learning disability recording in the 2022 Census, it still could—helping to clarify the scale of potential misrepresentation and ensuring that individuals with learning disabilities are properly represented in National Statistics and policy planning.
Policy Changes in England: A Warning for Scotland?
Recent developments in England signal changes to the NHS’s approach to annual health checks for individuals with learning disabilities. In an effort to prioritise reducing waiting times, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced a reduction in the number of NHS targets from 32 to 18.
This streamlining includes the removal of the specific target to provide annual health checks to 75% of people with learning disabilities across England. It is worth noting that unlike England’s previous approach, Scotland’s current policy is to offer a health check to all eligible individuals, without a set percentage target for delivery.
The Health Secretary’s recent decision has raised concerns that removing these targets could also lead to the loss of ring-fenced funding in England. Historically, funding has been directly tied to national targets to support their delivery, and without this financial safeguard, there is a risk that annual health checks could be deprioritised.
Mencap has warned that removing this target could have “deadly consequences,” as people with learning disabilities already face a life expectancy up to 23 years shorter than the general population.
While healthcare policy in Scotland is devolved, pressures on workforce capacity and financial resources remain significant challenges. If services continue to be overstretched, there is a risk that learning disability healthcare may receive less focus. This could make it more difficult to address health inequalities, potentially leaving those already at high risk of poor health outcomes further marginalised.
Conclusion: Turning Commitment into Action
The rollout of annual health checks for people with learning disabilities in Scotland remains a work in progress, with ongoing challenges still to be addressed. Despite the Scottish Government’s assurances that expanding access remains a priority, the reality is that progress has been slow, and only a small percentage of eligible individuals have received a health check so far.
Beyond improving individual health outcomes, a fully implemented programme could play a crucial role in shaping policy by providing more accurate data on Scotland’s learning disability population—particularly given the shortcomings of the 2022 Census.
As concerns over widening health inequalities grow and policy shifts in England raise further questions about long-term commitments, Scotland must ensure that these health checks move beyond ambition and become a fully embedded, effective service.
A Third Sector Response to the Draft EIJB Strategic Plan for 2025-28
In response to the EIJB consultation inviting people and organisations to have a say on the draft Strategic Plan for 2025 – 28, the Third Sector Reference Group is working on a contribution on behalf of our sector.
This is another in a series of actions in light of the future funding crisis third sector organisations are facing across the city.
Your input to this response is vital and we would ask any and all third sector groups and organisations to share your hopes, fears and priorities, by answering the 9 questions in this short survey.
You are also encouraged to submit a separate response individually, feeding back on the identified priorities, planned actions and measures of success.
You can find out more and submit a response to the consultation here.
Please be aware that the deadline for the consultation submission is extremely tight – Sunday 23rd Feb 2025.
This is strongly influencing the actions we are focusing on to deliver the best outcome for the sector.
The Reference Group has pulled together several resources that you might find useful:
Need advice, support, or just a friendly chat? Drop into our Community Hub Morning this Friday 10am – 12:30pm for a cuppa and connect with local organisations that can help.
Meet experts from:
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) – money, benefits & housing advice
Manor Estates & Tenants Federation – tenant support & housing help
Community Police – safety & local issues
Energy Advice & Home Energy Scotland – energy-saving tips
…and more!
You can also find out about how you can support your local community by becoming a Community Councillor.
Community Council recruitment is underway across the capital and Drylaw Telford’s returning officer Cllr Vicky Nicholson – who was a member of the local community council before becoming a city councillor – will be available to provide information and answer your questions
No appointments needed – just drop in! Come along, bring a friend, and let’s build a stronger community together!
Homeowners delighted with fully renovated homes at former army HQ
A FORMER army neighbourhood undergoing a transformation into a vibrant new community has welcomed its first homeowners, marking a significant milestone.
Craigiehall Meadows, managed by Ralph Sayer and located on the northwest fringe of Edinburgh is proving hugely popular with buyers, as more than half of the first phase of homes are sold.
Among the new homeowners at the former British Army Scotland headquarters is Tracy Kershaw, who has moved from Drylaw, Edinburgh after 25 years, securing a two-bedroom Juniper house on Hillside Road.
Tracy, 46, who moves into her new home along with her Jack Russell Alfie and Staffy Buster, said: “This is a fantastic development, and I couldn’t be happier with my new home.
“The whole process of moving was incredibly smooth, and the team made everything effortless. You always worry about last-minute hiccups, but from start to finish, Ralph Sayer’s support was professional, straightforward, and completely stress-free.
“The views of the Pentlands were a huge selling point for me. I’ve always loved having a great view, and with fantastic walking routes like Cammo Estate and Dalmeny Estate, along with the River Almond right on my doorstep, it’s the perfect spot for both me and Alfie.
“As a nurse, having an easy commute was really important, and this development has made getting to and from work at the Western General Hospital simple, which is a huge bonus.”
Hillside Roat at Craigiehall Meadows blends the area’s rich history with contemporary living, offering two- and three-bedroom semi-detached properties with spacious layouts and generous gardens.
The first phase of homes in Craigiehall Meadows include the two-bedroom Juniper (£255,000) and three-bedroom Poplar (£320,000), both of which feature refurbished interiors and exteriors.
Located on Hillside Road, the homes provide easy access to Edinburgh city centre, major transport routes, and nearby amenities, while offering a peaceful rural setting.
Tzana Webster, Head of Estate Agency at Ralph Sayer said: “Hillside Road is on track to be fully sold out, and we’re seeing strong momentum across the development, particularly in the Primrose and Riverside areas, which will be larger family homes with spacious gardens and high-quality finishes.
“Looking at how far the site has come in less than 12 months is a testament to the incredible team we have working across the development.
“From a once-dormant site to a thriving new community, it’s fantastic to see buyers securing their dream homes in such a unique and well-connected location.”
The development has already sparked significant interest from families and those looking to buy their first home, with developers urging prospective residents to act quickly. Viewings are by appointment only and can be arranged through Ralph Sayer.
Nestled against the River Almond and surrounded by mature woodlands, it offers a prime semi-rural location while remaining well-connected to sought-after neighbourhoods such as Cammo, Cramond, and Dalmeny.
Once home to military families, the site, originally acquired in 1939 and pivotal in the 1945 German surrender in Norway, later became the Scottish Army HQ, housing regiments like The Black Watch until its closure in 2014.
Hillside Road features affordable homes, ideal for first time buyers, downsizers and buy-to-rent owners, while Riverside and Primrose will provide larger, high-spec family residences.
Combining modern comfort with a rich sense of history, the development offers a rare opportunity for buyers seeking natural surroundings with easy city access.
Viewings are now open and those interested can contact Ralph Sayer on 0131 225 5567 | property@ralphsayer.com to book in a viewing appointment for the 2 Bedroom Juniper or the 3 Bedroom Poplar.
A local Edinburgh business is brewing up success with its unique coffee blend after accessing support from Business Gateway.
Georgia and Grant Fraser launched Cortino in August last year, blending their passions of coffee and Scottish whisky to create one-of-a-kind barrel aged coffee, delivering distinct and exciting flavours as they aim to change the traditional coffee experience.
Cortino’s coffee beans, which are sourced from Brazilian farms, rest in whisky barrels sourced from across Scotland, infusing them with a rich and smooth depth of flavour. The beans are then roasted locally in Edinburgh, with every batch of coffee offering a distinct profile.
With backgrounds in sustainable product design, Georgia and Grant are determined to ensure Cortino delivers environmentally conscious coffee, using sustainable packaging and partnering with responsible suppliers.
Throughout their start-up journey, local Business Gateway adviser, Lee Briggs, has supported Cortino, providing one-to-one support and advice across business planning, marketing insights and routes to funding. Lee has also introduced Georgia and Grant with local contacts, and signposted events and scaling opportunities.
Having enjoyed a successful launch last year, with Cortino’s coffee proving popular at a host of local markets and trade shows, Georgia and Grant now have their sights set on a year of growth in 2025, aiming to scale up the business and bring their unique brew to a new audience, with a number of exciting whisky collaborations in the works.
This has been made possible thanks to support from Business Gateway, which helped them to successfully apply for grant funding worth £4,000 which will be put towards marketing activities and trade show events as the pair gear up for a bumper year.
Georgia Fraser, co-founder, Cortino, said:“Business Gateway has provided fantastic support that has allowed us to start Cortino on the best possible footing.
“Lee has been an invaluable resource for us. His insight and connections have enabled us to access funding and develop a robust strategy for scaling up this year. He has always been on hand to answer any questions or guide us to where we need to get to.”
Lee Briggs, Business Gateway adviser, said: “Georgia and Grant’s passion to create a unique new product is a brilliant example to anyone looking to start up their own business.
“Their drive and determination to make their product the best it can be and deliver it sustainably by making the most of the local knowledge has seen their efforts rewarded greatly.
“We look forward to supporting the team as they gear up for an exciting year in 2025.”
To find out more about how Business Gateway can help your business, visit:
Since its discovery in 2014, various theories and possibilities have been put forward, suggesting that the Galloway Hoard may have been buried by four owners based on four arm-rings inscribed with Anglo-Saxon runes.
Three feature Old English name elements, but the fourth and longest had confounded experts and remained undeciphered as there was no recognisable direct translation. However, a new theory proposed by the team at National Museums Scotland who have been studying the hoard runs, in translation: “this is the community’s wealth/property”.
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Martin Goldberg from National Museums Scotland said: “This is another really interesting and significant development in our understanding of the Galloway Hoard.
“The idea that the wealth this hoard represents would be communally held is fascinating. It does still leave us with unanswered questions around the circumstances in which a community’s wealth would come to be buried, and also which particular community.
“Some material within the hoard, such as the pectoral cross and the rock crystal jar made for a Bishop Hyguald, would support this being a religious community.”
Carved inside the curved half of the arm-ring the runes read: DIS IS ЇIGNA ˑFˑ. The main issue was the word ‘ ЇIGNAF’, which did not correspond to any language spoken in early medieval Britain or Ireland.
The discovery that the final rune, F, was marked out with puncts, or dots, to either side, indicating it could be understood as the name of the F-rune itself ‘feoh’ [wealth or property] unlocked the new translation. ‘ ЇIGNA’ could then be interpreted as the Old English word ‘higna’ [community] with the first letter spelled in an unusual but comprehensible way.
The first word also seems to be misspelled if as seems likely it represents “this” – perhaps it was pronounced DIS, much as it would be in some parts of modern Ireland. Despite these apparent spelling (or pronunciation) mistakes, the full inscription can be translated as “this is the community’s wealth/property” with the word ‘higna’ often used elsewhere in Anglo-Saxon documents to indicate a religious community.
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Leading runologist Dr David Parsons (University of Wales) who has previously translated other runic inscriptions from the Galloway Hoard said: “This is a difficult and unusual inscription, and the proposed translation is challenging. There are a number of things which are technically ‘wrong’ when we compare it with what we know about ‘correct’ runic writing.
“However, if we think about both spoken and written English today, there are a huge range of regional and idiomatic variations and, if we allow for this, then it becomes possible to accept this as a plausible reading. And in the context of what can deduce about the Galloway Hoard it becomes really quite compelling.”
The new finding comes at the conclusion of a three-year research project, Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard, which was supported by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), led by National Museums Scotland in partnership with the University of Glasgow.
AHRC executive chair Christopher Smith, said: “It has been fascinating to see the succession of significant discoveries over the life of the Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard project, from the exotic origins of some of its star pieces to the presence of named individuals and now this latest exciting discovery.
“We’re delighted to have supported this work and in particular welcome the volume of public interest and engagement it has so frequently generated. It serves as a prime example of how the power of arts and humanities research to shine a light on past cultures and the people who lived within them resonates in our own world.”
The arm ring will be on display at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide as part of a new international touring exhibition, Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard, which opened on Saturday 8 February.
The exhibition shows how the Hoard was buried in four distinct parcels and as the visitor is drawn further into this ancient world each parcel becomes richer and more unusual.
The top layer was a parcel of silver bullion and a rare Anglo-Saxon cross, separated from a lower layer of three parts: firstly, another parcel of silver bullion wrapped in leather and twice as big as the one above; secondly, a cluster of four elaborately decorated silver ‘ribbon’ arm-rings bound together and concealing in their midst a small wooden box containing three items of gold; and thirdly, a lidded, silver gilt vessel wrapped in layers of textile and packed with carefully wrapped objects that appear to have been curated like relics or heirlooms.
They include beads, pendants, brooches, bracelets, relics and other curios, often strung or wrapped with silk. It was recently revealed that the origins of the vessel itself could be traced to the Sassanian Empire and indeed to a specific mine in modern-day Iran.
Decoding the secrets of the Galloway Hoard has also been a multi-layered process. Decorations, inscriptions, and other details hidden for over a thousand years have been revealed through careful conservation, painstaking cleaning, and cutting-edge research by a team of experts led by National Museums Scotland.
Many of the objects are types that have never been seen before in Britain and Ireland. Some had travelled thousands of miles to reach Scotland. Some items are now too fragile to travel long distances, particularly those which still have rare traces of textiles that have survived for more than 1000 years.
The exhibition will employ audio visual and 3D reconstructions to enable visitors to experience these objects and learn more about the detailed research that is being done.
The Galloway Hoard was acquired by National Museums Scotland in 2017 with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, and the Scottish Government, as well as a major public fundraising campaign.
Since then, it has been undergoing extensive conservation and research at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh. Further venues for the international tour will be announced in due course, as will plans for the hoard’s future display after the tour’s conclusion, including in Kirkcudbright, near where it was discovered.
In 2020, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) awarded £1 million for the three-year research project *Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard*, led by National Museums Scotland in partnership with the University of Glasgow. The project has also seen collaboration with experts from across the UK and Ireland, including The British Museum, Oxford University, University of Wales (Trinity St David), St Andrews University, and University College Cork.
The sights, sounds and smells of life in a British woodland have been proven to fill us with joy and boost our wellbeing, groundbreaking new research has revealed.
An overwhelming 90% of more than 10,000 questioned for a study supported by the Woodland Trust said their mood and general wellbeing were boosted by the wildlife in the UK’s precious woodland.
The research identified specific mood-lifting traits found in woods – from spotting a squirrel scurrying up a trunk and hearing a robin’s early-morning song, to witnessing a bird of prey soaring in the sky or feeling the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot.
But worryingly, the research pinpointed huge regional differences, with the majority of wellbeing hotspots found in the South East and parts of Scotland – areas with a higher proportion of woodland, especially ancient and long-established woodland cover.
These locations are rich in the variety of woodland plants, animals and fungi which people reported as being beneficial for their wellbeing, but previous studies have shown that only 7% of Great Britain’s woods are in good ecological condition.
The extensive BIO-WELL research was carried out by scientists at the University of Kent, with the latest research financed by a grant from the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, the Woodland Trust.
Zoe Davies, Professor of biodiversity conservation at the University of Kent’s Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), said: “While we know that spending time in natural environments can improve our health and wellbeing, we needed to know which species, or traits of species delivered these benefits.
“This compelling new research proves that nature is good for us and spending time in biodiverse, rich woodland can be a prescription for wellbeing.”
Key findings include:
ninety per cent of the representative sample of more than 10,000 people across the UK agreed that woodland biodiversity has a positive impact on their wellbeing
the richest woodlands for wellbeing were very unevenly distributed across the UK, with lower wellbeing richness of woodlands in more deprived areas
woodland sounds, such as birds singing, the scrunch of fallen leaves or trees rustling in the breeze, were found to stimulate the most wellbeing responses (40.4%)
natural processes and behaviours (26.5%), like spring flowers emerging, triggered the second most wellbeing responses, followed by colours (23.7%), textures (7.3%) and smells (2.1%)
silver birch topped a list of favourite trees, ahead of horse chestnut and oak
blue tit had the most wellbeing benefits of woodland birds, with blackbird and chaffinch following closely behind
the hotspots reflect areas where there is a high proportion of woodland cover, especially precious ancient and long-established woodland cover.
Surprisingly, the research found that seasonal differences were irrelevant to the mental health benefits, meaning that, while humans may yearn for sunnier and warmer spring days after a long, bleak winter, a walk in the woods is beneficial in any weather and at any time of year.
Woodland Trust chief executive Dr Darren Moorcroft said: “The Woodland Trust is evidence based. Research like the BIO-WELL findings that we have supported is not only fascinating but vital to underpin what we do as the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, for nature and people.
“We’re in the grip of a biodiversity and human health crisis, so it has never been more critical to improve the health of people and the planet. Proving that it’s good for us to get out among trees and nature means the next step must be ensuring that everyone in the UK has access to vibrant, nature-rich woodland where wildlife – and people and communities – can thrive.”
Martin Dallimer, Professor of environmental sustainability at Imperial College London, agreed: “If we want people’s wellbeing to improve from spending time in nature, then it is essential to make sure we are maintaining and restoring high-quality forests for wildlife and people.”
Unequal opportunities
Maps produced by the researchers showed strong regional disparity in woodland quality for wellbeing, highlighting the importance of restoring woodland biodiversity – especially in those areas which need it most.
Woodland Trust conservation adviser Sally Bavin explained: “This work shows there is stark geographical inequality across the UK in the opportunity for people to witness thriving woodland wildlife and experience the wellbeing lift that brings. This opportunity should be the right of all.
“The research’s focus on the distribution of woodland quality really fits with the Woodland Trust’s mission to improve the quality of woodlands rather than just the quantity. The research maps will allow us to target conservation efforts where they are needed most.”
Dr Jessica Fisher, research fellow at DICE, said the regional findings were ‘concerning’. She added: “The research suggests visiting a woodland rich in the variety of wildlife that supports human wellbeing is a privilege unequally distributed across society, and furthest from reach for those who could potentially benefit the most.
“Society needs a much better balance of woodland to ensure we can all access the traits that are going to boost our mental health.”
The research drilled down to discover which species were most enjoyed for their wellbeing benefits, including the top 10 favourite trees, other plants, animals and fungi. The top 10 trees were:
Detectives are appealing for information following a fire in Leith.
The fire happened around 12am this morning (Sunday, 16 February, 2025) at a block of flats on Prince Regent Street.
There were no reported injuries.
Detective Constable Luke Wilson said: “The fire is being treated as wilful and we are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed anything to contact us.
“We also ask anyone with private CCTV or dashcam footage of the area at the time to come forward.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 0053 of 16 February, 2025.
Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.
