Bookbug is returning to the bus!
We will be running outdoor sessions on Wednesdays at 11:30am every fortnight that the bus is available, starting from next week, Wednesday 21st May.
As this will be outdoors please be prepared with hats, sunscreen etc, and that it may be cancelled at short notice if it is raining. We look forward to seeing you there 
Three Edinburgh-based community projects have been awarded a total of more than £14,000 in research funding by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and Williamson Trust to promote healthy living.
Lauriston Farm and local environmental artist Natalie Taylor will benefit from a share of the funding pot, along with Leith-based Earth in Common.
Lauriston Farm, run by a workers’ cooperative, is dedicated to sustainable food production, biodiversity, and community. They will use their award of £4550 to develop a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilisers using Aerated Compost Teas, a process of mixing compost with water and then introducing oxygen into the mixture.
Despite their potential, practical guidance for integrating compost teas into commercial market gardens and the potential benefits remains limited. The project is aiming to bridge that gap by refining recipes and protocols to make knowledge of Aerated Compost Teas production accessible and effective for both commercial growers and people at home.
Grower and Coop Director Jossie Ellis said: “This funding will enable us to advance our experiments using Aerated Compost Teas in the Market Garden, which will help to improve soil health, crop resilience, and sustainable food production.
“With this support, we hope to refine our methodologies, share findings with growers, and contribute to a more regenerative food system.”
Environmental artist Natalie Taylor has received £4500 for her Scran Fir Bees project to extend a series of existing public space artworks incorporating wildflowers to provide nectar-rich habitats and food sources for pollinators.
Her long-term vision is that these artworks, using large-scale text cut into the landscape, will join up to eventually form a bee corridor across the North of Edinburgh.
Natalie Taylor said: “I am so pleased to be able to work alongside local communities to design, develop and implement the new environmental artwork, sharing skills in meadow maintenance and strategic seeding to increase local biodiversity.
“Through fun, creative workshops, I will highlight the importance of our relationship with insect pollinators, which contribute vital services to roughly one-third of our food. I see this creative action for biodiversity as really important at the moment due to the ongoing crisis in pollinator populations, especially in urban environments such as Edinburgh where there are so many natural spaces where we can potentially help them.”
The Edinburgh projects are among 16 innovative community-led research projects across Scotland to receive funding from the RSE and the Williamson Trust.
A total of £73,625 has been given to a range of creative projects to foster healthy communities as part of the Healthy Planet, Healthy People awards.
Meanwhile, Earth in Common, based at Leith Community Croft, which includes a market garden, an orchard, and a community area shared by over 100 growers, has been awarded £5000.
The Croft is situated on Common Good land inspired by the Gaelic concept of dùthchas – the deep-rooted connection between people and the land.
They will use the funding to gather data on cultivated and wild plants and pollinators, which will help formulate strategies for biodiversity conservation and inform a guidance manual for urban green spaces across Scotland.
Evie Murray, CEO of Earth in Common, said: “This award will boost our mission to demonstrate that urban crofts, such as our model Leith Community Croft, can effectively address multiple societal and environmental issues. With its orchard, wild areas, market garden and unique system of group-shared food-growing plots, it has already been shown to foster great biodiversity.
“This will empower our ‘Crofters’ – local residents – to develop citizen-science skills to monitor and further increase biodiversity. This should benefit them as individuals and foster pride and engagement in land stewardship in densely populated Leith.
“We hope that the methodology we collectively develop will be widely shared and can have a significant positive impact on nature and people’s relationship with it across Scotland.”
This is the second year of the awards, generously funded by the Williamson Trust, a charitable organisation. The strength of the applications in the second round of the funding programme resulted in four additional projects being awarded financial support.
Professor David E Salt FRSE, Chair of the Williamson Trust, said: “This year, we again have an amazing diversity of projects, from dolphins, bees, seeds, orchards, woodlands and lochs to food banks, composting, urban crofts and coffee shops. We truly look to invest in hope and the power of ideas wherever they arise.
“The trustees at the Williamson Trust are excited to fund 16 great community-led projects from across Scotland.
“Applications to the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Community-led Research Awards continue to grow, demonstrating the strong desire of communities in Scotland to develop local solutions to the ongoing global challenges to our environment, our communities and our food.
“The Trust hopes that these locally focused projects can find solutions to the challenges the local communities face and that these solutions can also have wider application.”
RSE Vice President, Research, Professor Anne Anderson OBE FRSE, commented: “This marks the second round of RSE ‘Healthy Planet, Healthy People’: Community-led Research Awards, which were introduced to expand the Society’s range of awards and the type of research we support.
“The health of people and the environment are closely connected, and I hope that these awards will strengthen these innovative research groups and drive positive change in both areas. I look forward to following their progress and achievements over the coming year.”
Join us for our Japan Sakura @ Lauriston Castle – a festival spanning 2 days (Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 April) celebrating the blossom at Lauriston Castle.
Full details of #Japanese#cultural events here:
https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/…/sakura-lauriston…
Free and drop in.
Community Council Elections 2025 : 2nd call for nominations update
A second call for nominations for the following 8 community councils opened on 27 March 2025.
Nominations close at 4pm on Thursday 17 April 2025.
If you work with networks, groups, or community organisations in any of these areas we would be most grateful if could pass on this information.
Anyone who wishes to stand should complete a nomination form signed in ink, and return it to the Governance Team at Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG by the closing date at 4pm on Thursday 17 April 2025. Alternatively, a mobile phone picture or scan of the nomination form can be returned by email tocommunity.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk by the same deadline.
Candidates can download a nomination form by clicking on the community council name above (download an example completed nomination form)
Local Interest Groups can download the Local Interest Group Nomination Form (download an example completed Local Interest Group nomination form)
Please visit our community council election webpages for more information.
Would you like to join our veg bag membership scheme in 2025?
This is Year 3 of our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Veg Bags scheme and we are hoping to provide food for up to 160 households in North Edinburgh.
This year’s CSA will run for 25 weeks (six-and-a-half months), every Thursday from June 5th to Nov 20th.
As well as getting your share of fresh farm veg, you can also choose to add mushrooms from @rhyze.mushrooms, bread from @grantongardenbakery and organic free range eggs from Croft Farm in Penicuik.
Returning members from 2024, and folk who are already on our waitlist have already been contacted via email – so if that’s you, please check your inbox and spam folder and respond before the 22nd April.
As we are increasing membership numbers this year, we are open to new expressions of interest from North Edinburgh residents.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please go to our website for all the details
A new temporary library is being proposed at Davidson’s Mains Primary School, providing Blackhall Library’s key services while plans are developed for a long-term replacement for the previous building at Hillhouse Road.
Blackhall Library has been closed since September 2023, following the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RACC).
Options to replace the RAAC in the longer term are complex due to the extent of work required, the potential costs and the wider condition of the building.
The Council’s latest budget, agreed last month, includes a planned £15m to sustainably replace Blackhall Library.
A 12-week community engagement exercise will open after the Easter break to consider options (including refurbishing the existing building, rebuilding it or relocating to another site) to help find the preferred longer-term solution.
It is estimated it could take three to four years to deliver the final solution.
A mobile library service has been provided since Blackhall Library’s closure, but the limited space means it isn’t possible to deliver the full range of library services that residents expect.
The new temporary building is planned to open in the autumn, with construction works beginning in the summer break to avoid disruption to the school.
It will include provision for both children’s and adult libraries alongside dedicated areas for teens, studying and a multi-purpose meeting space. The building will be fenced off from the rest of the school site with segregated access. Opening hours are still to be determined, but will be different from school hours to prevent congestion at the start and end of the school day.
A number of improvements are also proposed at Davidson’s Mains Primary School as part of the scheme. These include improving the path outside the existing school gate and library site entrance to address concerns around congestion, cutting back hedges blocking the pavement opposite the school, and improving the junction crossing point either side of school entrances with a new continuous footway to make this safer for pedestrians. Parking restrictions immediately outside the school boundary will also be strengthened.
Further improvements to the school and wider area are being considered and a working group involving the project team, the school management team and parent council representatives has been established for the duration of the project.
Councillor Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “We know how important it is that people across Blackhall and Davidson’s Mains have access to quality local services in places that are convenient and accessible for them.
“That’s why we’re proposing a temporary library at Davidson’s Mains Primary School until a long term solution can be delivered. At the same time, we’re improving access around the school site to create a safer environment for everyone.
“We want to make sure the school and local community are involved in how the service is delivered and the types of activities that will take place at the replacement library. The school will be able to make use of the facility, and we hope that the closer relationship with the school will bring wider benefits for learning for all.
“We also want to ensure that the longer-term solution delivers the best possible outcome for everyone who uses these services, and we look forward to hearing from residents and people across the local community when we launch our consultation on the full replacement for Blackhall Library in the spring.”
The Council is submitting a Planning Application for the temporary facility. The working group, with the school and Parent Council representatives, will continue throughout the process of delivering the temporary library facility and associated improvements.
Wider community engagement and consultation on the longer-term solution for the library will commence after the Easter break, with details to be published in due course.
On #GoodFriday , Saturday and Easter Monday we have some FREE #Easter & Nature trails at Lauriston Castle. Pop along and pick up the trails & solve a puzzle to get some chocolate eggs.
Between 11am-4pm. In front of Castle.
Details here: https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/family-fun-lauriston…
Community Council Elections 2025 – 2nd call for nominations
Nomination forms can be downloaded by clicking on the community council name above (an example completed nomination form is available here)
Local Interest Group Nomination Form are also available here (an example completed Local Interest Group nomination form is available here)
Completed nomination forms can be returned by:
The quickest method to return completed nomination forms is by email to the Governance Team at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk
If candidates choose to return by hand or by post please ensure sufficient time is allowed for the nomination form to be received before the deadline at 4pm on Thursday 17 April 2025.
Nominations close at 4pm on Thursday 17 April 2025.
Our webpages have been updated with the Notice of Community Council Election 2025.
Please share with your networks to encourage nominations for the above 8 Community Councils.
Completing a nomination form
Please review the example Nomination Paper for Community Council Elected Representative and the example Local Interest Group Registration and Nomination Form. All sections in yellow must be completed.
Declaration of Acceptance
If successful, candidates will be required to sign a Declaration of Acceptance at the first community council meeting declaring that, having been elected to the office of Community Councillor they
A copy of the Declaration of Acceptance can be viewed on our website.
Community Council election timescales (for the above 8 Community Councils)
Here is a breakdown of the important dates:
Nominations are for the 8 community councils agreed in the new Scheme for Community Councils and new boundaries which were approved by Council on 26 September 2024. The Scheme and Boundaries agreed on 26 September 2024 took effect on 28 March 2025.
The other 39 community councils in Edinburgh received sufficient nominations to form during the previous nomination period and have had their election results published and will establish once the new terms starts on 28 March 2025.
CEC Governance Team
Lauriston Castle has officially launched its exciting 2025 programme with a visit from Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and members of the multi-award-winning Edinburgh Living History (ELH).
The Lord Provost joined ELH for a special guided tour of the 16th-century castle last week. Known for its breathtaking views over the Firth of Forth, Lauriston Castle is set to host a diverse range of events in the coming months, offering something for everyone.
The castle’s Lectures Series will feature captivating discussions on topics such as growing up in Corstorphine in the 1950s, the Women of Lauriston, and the inspiring legacy of Emily Pankhurst and the Suffragette movement.
For those looking to tap into their creative side, the Adult Crafts Workshops will include sessions on watercolour painting, wreath-making, and more.
Meanwhile, Family Events will feature exciting activities such as dinosaur and space-themed days, as well as the beloved annual Lauriston Castle Teddy Bear’s Picnic.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy Costumed Performances, with live re-enactments of Edinburgh life from days gone by, bringing the past to life in an immersive way.
A key new addition to the 2025 programme is a focus on Lauriston Women’s History. New themed tours and a lecture series will delve into the often-overlooked stories of the women who played a vital role in the castle’s history.
The programme also includes special events and themed tours, theatre performances, atmospheric film screenings, and garden events.
Lauriston Castle is also collaborating with renowned partners like the Edinburgh Multicultural Festival, the Edinburgh International Magic Festival and the Edinburgh Horror Festival to bring even more exceptional experiences to the public.
Details of all events are listed on the Museums & Galleries website.
Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “It was an absolute pleasure to visit Lauriston Castle today. Edinburgh Living History and our fantastic Museums & Galleries colleagues were kind enough to welcome me and provide a chance to explore one of our most unique venues.
“In the coming months, there’s an excellent range of events taking place as part of the Lauriston Castle 2025 programme. From lectures on circular fashion to the grisly history of anatomy in 19th-century Edinburgh, alongside adult creative workshops and family events, there’s truly something for everyone.
“As we continue our Edinburgh 900 celebrations, I would encourage all of our residents and visitors to take advantage of these fantastic opportunities to learn more about Edinburgh’s history.”
CRAFT WORKSHOP PROGRAMME AT LAURISTON CASTLE
Our Lauriston adult creative workshop programme for 2025 is now live and bookable.
17 fantastic adult creative workshops for you to explore your creativity in our supportive relaxing setting.
Explore here: https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/adult-craft-workshops…
BE QUICK, THOUGH – SOME CLASSES ALREADY SOLD OUT!
PARENTS in Edinburgh have called for urgent action after new figures emerged it could take 25 YEARS to clear a road safety backlog unless budgets are increased.
Parent Councils from 53 primary and secondary school from across the city have written to all their MSPs and Councillors calling for an increase in road safety funding, which they say is needed to keep children safe.
The Freedom of Information (FoI) statistics were gathered after a child was killed on their way to school in North Edinburgh last year.
In the FoI response, parent council’s discovered that, as of June 2024, there are 96 red flag sites on Edinburgh City Council’s speed reduction list.
Shockingly, despite this, only 19 roads have been improved in the last five years. At this rate, it would take 25 years to act on all the Edinburgh roads currently on the list.
The Parent Councils have now written to Edinburgh and Lothian MSPs and City of Edinburgh councillors demanding that budget makers prioritise road safety around schools.
In that letter, they point out that it’s only a matter of time before another tragedy occurs.
The parents say that an increased road safety budget is needed to tackle the backlog and ensure that future changes are made within a year of a site being identified for speed reduction measures.
Another FOI response showed that, in 2023/24, the road safety budget was £1.5m which was just 1% of the total road and transport budget for that year.
Kim Pratt, vice chair of the Davidson’s Mains Primary School Parent Council, said: “A 25 year backlog in speed reduction measures is condemning every child in Edinburgh to navigating unsafe roads for the rest of their school days.
“No child should be risking their life when traveling to school and it’s unacceptable that safety recommendations are being ignored.
“We do understand that the council is under financial pressure but getting children to school safely must be a priority.
“The call from parent councils from across Edinburgh shows that this is a systemic problem. Politicians in Edinburgh have the power to protect our children by increasing road safety funding and by making road safety around schools a priority in all future road developments.”
Lynsey Houston, chair of Craiglockhart Parent & Carer Council said: “I know that since Craiglockhart parents first raised concerns about road safety, some of the children have now graduated high school!
“A potential timescale of 25yrs is ridiculous but highlights the desperate need for more resources. After all, when we ask for improvements, we are asking for our council and government to prevent a tragic outcome.”
THE LETTER READS:
Monday, 3rd February 2025
To all Edinburgh and Lothian MSPs and City of Edinburgh
Councillors,
INCREASE THE CITY’S ROAD SAFETY BUDGET TO KEEP EDINBURGH
CHILDREN SAFE
We represent parents of children who attend schools across Edinburgh and we are calling on you, as our political representatives with control over the City of Edinburgh Council’s budget, to increase funding for road safety.
Our children are being harmed on their way to and from school. Last year, a child was killed on their way to school in Edinburgh and we believe, in the current situation, it is only a matter of time before this happens again.
A response to a Freedom Of Information request has shown that, as of June 2024, there are 96 sites on the Council’s speed reduction list and only 19 roads have been improved in the Last five years. At this rate, it will take 25 years to act on
all the roads currently on the list.
This is unacceptable to many parents, whose children will grow up and leave school before changes are acted on. Our children are navigating unsafe roads now.
Whilst we understand that the Council is under huge pressure around funding, we believe that road safety, particularly around schools, should be more of a priority than it currently is.
Another FOI response showed that, in 2023/24, the road safety budget was £1.5m which was just 1% of the total road and transport budget for that year. You must increase Edinburgh Council’s road safety funding to reduce the backlog in speed reduction improvements and make future changes in a reasonable and responsible time period. We believe that, once a site is identified for speed reduction
measures, improvements should be completed within a year and the Council should be funded appropriately.
All road budget spending should consider how safety around a school can be
built into improvements.
We look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Kim Pratt, Davidsons Mains Parent Council
On behalf of the following Parent Councils of Edinburgh:
Letter to MSPs and Councillors from parent councils, sent Monday 3rd February 2025
