Drumbrae Library Hub are delighted to be hosting Bitesize Learning Sessions for Parents and Carers!
Parenting can be challenging at times. Bitesize Parenting Support are here to help! Sometimes we all need a bit of help and advice.
Come along this Friday for the ‘Supporting Healthy Digital Habits’ parent and carer workshop
30th October 2026 at 10:30am
All events are free with no need to book
Drumbrae Library Hub will be joining Friends of Clermiston Park for The Big Bulb Blitz on Saturday 24th October 2026 at Clermiston Park from 1:30pm.
Come along and join in!
An international team of volunteers transforms Edinburgh’s historic Barnton Bunker into a handcrafted world of Scottish folklore, theatrical storytelling and unexpected encounters — all to help restore the historic site.
This Halloween season, a dedicated team of local and international volunteers is bringing Scottish mythology, history and imagination to life in one of Edinburgh’s most unusual settings.
Running from 20–30 October 2026, Greyfriar’s Bobby & William Wallace vs THE HAGGIS is a volunteer-created immersive storytelling adventure that invites visitors to journey through a series of handcrafted environments inspired by Scotland’s rich folklore and cultural heritage.
Set within the atmospheric surroundings of Barnton Bunker, a former military complex, the experience combines live characters, imaginative handmade scenery, creative lighting and sound, humour, suspense and moments of fright.
While the event embraces the spirit of Halloween, it offers something beyond the conventional haunted house. Rather than focusing solely on scares, the production places storytelling, character, artistic creativity and audience discovery at its heart.
Every environment has been imagined and brought to life by volunteers, transforming the bunker into a fantastical world where visitors encounter legendary creatures, unexpected heroes and an unfolding story.
What makes this production particularly special is the people behind it.
Led by returning volunteer, artist and storyteller Jean Paul Archambeault, the experience has been imagined, designed and constructed from the ground up by a passionate team of volunteers from Scotland and around the world.
Working with salvaged and repurposed materials, and with limited resources, volunteers have spent countless hours crafting scenery, creating props, developing characters and transforming the former military complex into a series of fantastical environments.
The project celebrates what can be achieved through imagination, collaboration and community participation, demonstrating that memorable artistic experiences do not necessarily require large budgets or commercial production teams.
Each room represents another chapter in the unfolding story, inviting visitors to encounter characters and creatures drawn from Scotland’s rich mythological traditions.
The result is a production that reflects not only Scotland’s cultural heritage, but also the creativity, dedication and diverse perspectives of the international volunteers who have helped bring it to life.
At the heart of the adventure is an unusual alliance between two of Scotland’s most recognisable figures: national hero William Wallace and Edinburgh’s beloved Greyfriar’s Bobby.
An ancient ritual known as The Feast has awakened a mysterious force. Under the influence of the enigmatic Haggis, creatures from Scottish folklore have emerged from their realms, threatening to disrupt the balance between humanity and the natural world.
Visitors journey through imaginative settings inspired by these legends, including:
Through live characters, handcrafted scenery, atmospheric effects and storytelling, the bunker becomes a theatrical landscape where folklore, history, fantasy and humour intertwine.
Although the experience includes spooky encounters and moments of suspense, the emphasis is on immersive storytelling and the creativity of the volunteers, rather than scares alone.
The production deliberately combines darker themes with moments of playfulness and humour, creating an experience that is imaginative, entertaining and occasionally thought-provoking.
The event takes place within the former Second World War RAF Fighter Command Operations complex at Barnton, a site with a fascinating military history and an ongoing programme of restoration.
Proceeds from the event will support the restoration of damaged sections of the bunker and contribute towards the ambition of developing the site as a distinctive space for arts, cultural activities, community gatherings and creative events.
The project is about more than preserving a historic building. It is also about creating opportunities for people from different backgrounds to collaborate, share skills, make art and bring new life to an extraordinary Edinburgh landmark.
Through this volunteer-led initiative, the bunker becomes both a place of historical significance and a living space for contemporary creativity.
The event demonstrates how heritage conservation, community volunteering and the arts can work together, creating something meaningful for both the people involved and the wider public.
Greyfriar’s Bobby & William Wallace vs THE HAGGIS offers an unusual opportunity to experience Scottish storytelling in a setting unlike any other!
Contact barntonbunky@gmail.com
More than 90,000 people took part in Wee Read as Scotland came together yesterday to celebrate the joy of reading – smashing the campaign’s original target of 50,000 pledges.
Wee Read, led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) and funded by the Scottish Government as part of the National Year of Reading 2026, invited people across Scotland to make a simple pledge to read on 7 October. The campaign reached its 50,000 pledge target more than a week before the official reading moment, with a total of 90,717 people pledging to get involved.
Across the country, people of all ages and interests joined the national reading moment, making time to enjoy whatever they like from novels and poetry to comics, magazines, newspapers, recipes and more.
Libraries, schools, workplaces, families and communities marked the day in their own ways, creating a shared celebration of reading and demonstrating that there is no single way to take part.
Activity ranged from East Renfrewshire’s dedicated Harry Potter readings and South Lanarkshire’s Gruffalo scavenger hunt, to a BSL Bookbug session in Paisley, school visits in Edinburgh and Midlothian, family activities in South Lanarkshire and community reading sessions in Inverclyde.
In Motherwell, a readathon in the library’s immersive room surrounded readers with calming imagery of their choice, before the Wee Read mantra video and a message from Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic Màiri McAllan were showcased.
Across the length and breadth of the country, libraries and communities also hosted reading hours, storytelling, book swaps, quizzes and crafts, reflecting the many different ways people came together to make time for reading.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic Màiri McAllan said: “I’m delighted to support Wee Read. Stories, songs and words form the bedrock of our lives, our culture, our history and our future. Scotland’s plays, books and comics are internationally renowned, as are our playwrights, authors and illustrators.
“Reading and writing play a lifelong role in learning and wellbeing, and in tackling poverty, which remains a key priority for this Government. That’s why we’re taking action to improve access to books and encourage reading for pleasure, through programmes including Bookbug, Read Write Count with the First Minister, Reading Schools, and the School Library and Public Library Improvement Funds.
“Just a few minutes of reading for enjoyment reduces stress and improves wellbeing, and for children it has a positive impact on learning and attainment at school. By taking part in Wee Read, you’re joining thousands across Scotland helping us build a country where reading is valued, shared and enjoyed by all.”
The campaign also highlighted the important role Scotland’s libraries play in helping people find something they enjoy and make reading part of their everyday life – beyond the national reading moment.
With free access to a wide range of reading materials, alongside digital resources, reading groups, events and activities, libraries offer something for people at every stage of life.
Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, said: “Reaching over 90,000 pledges for Wee Read is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful reflection of the enthusiasm for reading across Scotland.
“We set out with a simple ambition – to give people a reason to make time for reading and to celebrate the many different ways that reading can be part of our lives. Seeing so many people, communities and organisations take part has really brought that notion to life.
“Whether someone read for five minutes or fifty, picked up an old favourite or discovered something completely new, we hope Wee Read reminded them of the joy that reading can bring and, importantly, encouraged people to keep that habit going beyond 7 October.”
Wee Read forms part of the UK’s National Year of Reading 2026, a year-long celebration of the pleasure, inspiration, connection and opportunities that reading brings.
Alison added: “Wee Read may have taken place on one day but the campaign’s message is intended to last much longer: there is no right way to read, every read counts and there is always time to read something you enjoy.
“Our libraries are here all year round to help people find their next read, discover something new and connect with their community. And if you didn’t manage to join in with Wee Read, that’s no reason to miss out – you can pick up something new at any time.
“We’d encourage everyone to keep that spirit going, make space for reading and turn to their local library for inspiration, new ideas and everything else it has to offer.”
Find out more and discover ways to keep reading at www.WeeRead.scot.
Share your Wee Read memories and recommendations using #WeeRead26.
TONIGHT: GROW A ROW WORKSHOP
A wee reminder that this interesting workshop is taking place today at 6pm.
We are delighted to host Hannah from Lauriston Farm for a Grow a Row workshop, focusing on how to harvest and save seeds!
Grow a Row, encourages the local community to dedicate a row, a pot, or a garden bed to growing seeds for the Drumbrae Library Seed Library.
You do not need to have attended the previous session so all are welcome!
This session is suitable for adults, and you do not need a large garden to take part. Whether you have a small garden bed, a few pots, or even a balcony, there are plenty of ways to grow for seed saving in small spaces.
Monday 17th August at 6pm
Free
Adult event, age 16+
EVENTS and ACTIVITIES from 17 – 22 AUGUST
TUESDAY 6 – 7pm at DRUMBRAE LIBRARY HUB
CHATTERBOOKS IS COMING BACK! 
This Tuesday 6-7pm, Chatterbooks our P4-7 book group is meeting for books, games, craft, fun, snacks and more!
If you love books or just want to come and find out what the group is like then come along! 
MONDAY 3rd AUGUST 11.30 – 12.30
Primary 1 Transition Event – Summer Craft
Is your child starting Primary 1 in August? Come along and meet other children starting Primary 1 and plant a cress head to take home!
MONDAY 3RD AUGUST
Bookbug is on as usual, so why not come for songs, stories and rhymes…. and stay for a fun craft at 11.30! 
SATURDAY 1st AUGUST from 10am – 3pm
Look out for Drumbrae Library’s Family Fun Day on Saturday 1st August from 10am!
There are lots of fun things to do including workshops with Stina Sparkles, a performance by Jed and Jo’s Acoustic Music, craft and refreshments.
Everything is totally free with no need to book, just bring your family along for a great time.
2026 is the National Year of Reading #GoAllIn
SATURDAY 1st AUGUST from 10am – 3pm
SUMMER EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT!
Come along and join us on Saturday 1st August for our Family Fun Day!
As well as our regular Bookbug session at 10:30am, we will have fun Circus Skills, Facepainting, Balloon Modelling, live entertainment, crafts and refreshments.
Come along and join the fun!
Two men, aged 34 and 32, have been arrested and charged in connection with a serious assault on Ardshiel Avenue in Clermiston.
A 32-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment after the incident, which happened around 8am yesterday – Thursday, 25 June, 2026.
The two men are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Friday, 26 June.
Detective Inspector Alan Sharp said: “We want to thank the public for their assistance with our investigation.
“Enquiries remain ongoing but we are not seeking to identify anyone else in relation to the incident.”
A 60-year-old man who had been arrested has been released without charge.
