Forth – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Forth Local Hero Award for Lisa Petrie

LIFT@MUIRHOUSE MILLENNIUM CENTRE WINS WORKPLACE AWARD

The Forth Awards, presented by Livingston Designer Outlet, celebrated the very best of Edinburgh and the East yesterday at a stellar show which saw local heroes pick up awards alongside Scottish stars Emeli Sandé, Cammy Barnes, Craig Hill and more.

A sold out Usher Hall enjoyed a surprise line-up including a stunning performance from Emeli Sandé, dance sets from iconic voices including Kelly Llorenna, Janice Robinson and Simone Denny, entertainment from ‘Dirty Dancing’ and a rousing set from man of the moment Cammy Barnes.

Forth 1 presenters distributed awards to hometown heroes, nominated by Forth’s audience, across categories including Best Teacher, Best Workplace and the prestigious Forth Local Hero Award.

Station stars including Arlene Stuart, Steven Mill, Garry Spence, Callum Gallacher, Grant Thomson, Lynsey Gibson and more hosted the show as well as a charity auction to fundraise for Forth 1’s Cash for Kids, making a difference for kids across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Falkirk.

10 awards were handed out across the star-studded show, recognising hometown heroes across Best Teacher, Best Restaurant, Best Workplace and the all important Forth Local Hero Award.

WINNERS:

The Forth Best Artist Award with Victor Paris – Cammy Barnes

The Forth Contribution to Music Award with The Liquid Room – Janice Robinson

The Forth Icon Award with The Edinburgh Playhouse – Emeli Sandé

The Forth Fringe Award with Watermans – Darrell Martin

The Forth Best Restaurant Award with Saltire Hospitality – Luca’s Kitchen

The Forth Cash for Kids Award with Newtown Décor – Rocco Wood

The Forth Best Teacher Award with Omni Centre – Matthew Crawford, Beath High School

The Forth Best Workplace Award with Fuse – L.I.F.T @ Muirhouse Millennium Centre

The Forth Visitor Attraction – Falkland Palace & Garden

The Forth Local Hero Award with Edinburgh’s Christmas & LNER – Lisa Petrie

The talented ensemble from ‘Dirty Dancing’, currently showing at Edinburgh Playhouse, kicked the afternoon off with an outstanding performance before Darrell Martin was presented with this year’s Forth Fringe Award.

Founder of Just the Tonic Comedy Club, which presents hundreds of shows every year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Darrell has welcomed some of comedy’s top names to his club in Nottingham over the past 30 years including Sean Lock, Jo Brand, Rob Beckett and more.

One of the UK’s most successful songwriters, Emeli Sandé was honoured with this year’s Forth Icon Award, marking a career which has seen her pick up four BRIT Awards, achieve three UK No.1 singles and sell over 6 million albums.

The Scottish star’s upcoming 2027 UK tour celebrates 15 years since the release of her hit debut album ‘Our Version of Events’ and guests at the Forth Awards were treated to her biggest hits including ‘Next To Me’ and ‘Read All About It’.

Pic Greg Macvean 15/10/2026 Forth Awards 2026, Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Picking up her award Emeli Sandé said, “This is awesome, Scotland is where my whole journey began so thank you for this recognition.”

Dunfermline restaurant Luca’s Kitchen picked up the Forth Best Restaurant Award for their family-friendly authentic Italian fayre, whilst L.I.F.T at Muirhouse Millennium Centre won the Best Workplace Award.

Community project based in Muirhouse Millennium Centre, Low Income Families Together (LIFT) works with individuals and families to develop new skills to improve their lives – from tackling child poverty, budgeting skills, confidence building and employability skills, the team go above and beyond for their community.

Man of the moment and local lad Cammy Barnes took home the Forth Best Artist Award after storming onto the UK’s music scene blending contemporary country songwriting with traditional Scottish music.

Hailing from Fife, Cammy shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent in 2023, supported Amy Macdonald on tour and is now set to play two huge dates at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro in 2027. The singer songwriter treated the audience to a rousing set including a song dedicated to his hometown ‘Beauty In These Streets’, ‘Whiskey Roll’ and a special cover of ‘Tennessee Whiskey’.

Picking up his award, Cammy said: “I can’t believe I’ve just won that award! A massive thank you to all the team at Forth 1 and Clyde 1 for backing me and playing my music on the radio – it has singlehandedly changed my life.

“When I started this journey I just wanted to make my wee girl proud – and now we just sold out The Hydro! Things like this don’t happen to be, so I’m buzzing.”

Matthew Crawford, a guidance teacher at Beath High School in Cowdenbeath won the Best Teacher Award for his commitment to his pupils and their parents and the Best Visitor Attraction went to Falkland Palace & Garden in Fife, recognising its staff and volunteers in a year of ongoing building works.

One of the afternoon’s most heartwarming moments came when Rocco Wood was presented with the Forth Cash for Kids Award. Born at just 28 weeks, three months premature, Rocco was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and has overcome significant challenges in his 17 years.

Cash for Kids has been able to support Rocco and his family for many years, mostly recently funding an eye-gaze communication device which has given Rocco a new way to express himself, communicate and display his cheeky sense of humour.

American singer songwriter Janice Robinson collected the Forth Contribution to Music Award, honouring a vocalist career spanning over 30 years, beginning with her global hit ‘Dreamer’ as part of ‘Livin’ Joy’. Janice went on to support the iconic Tina Turner on tour and released hit dance tracks include ‘Earthbeat’ and ‘There Must Be Love’, which she performed at this afternoon’s ceremony.

Janice said: “It feels amazing to be recognised after decades of a song that has lived in the hearts of so many people in the UK.

“Looking into the audience and realising that most of these people were really young when ‘Dreamer’ came out – I’m so blessed to have done something that brings people such joy.”

For the final award of the day, local Edinburgh woman Lisa Petrie was honoured with the Forth Local Hero Award for her extraordinary campaign for stricter retail security on knives, and the roll out of life-saving bleed kits across the local community.

After losing her son John in 2025, Lisa has campaigned tirelessly – meeting the First Minister, the King and MSPs to introduce accessible bleed kits across Edinburgh.

Lisa has assembled and distributed over 100 emergency medical bleed control kits to pubs, community centres and shops across Edinburgh and Midlothian, aimed at saving lives in all kinds of medical emergencies.

On stage, Lisa said, “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Pauline and the team at L.I.F.T. – I would have turned my face to the wall and cried, but I’ve had support and an army behind me after losing John.

“It’s been hard, but knowing that there’s other families out there and we can support each other, that’s what I want. These aren’t stats, these are kids, they’re human beings. I need change and I know that we will save lives and make change for John. These awards have given me more strength to keep going.”

The 2026 Forth Awards had the Usher Hall audience on their feet with dance performances from Canadian dance and house star Simone Denny before UK trance-popstar Kelly Llorenna brought the day to a rousing end with ‘Set You Free’.

Recognising everything from small acts of kindness from teachers and care workers, to achievements in the world of entertainment, The Forth Awards were once again a celebration of inspiring stories from Forth 1’s local heroes and performances to remember.

David Robertson, Director Of Content for the Hits Radio Brand (including Forth 1), Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “In our 21st year of the Forth Awards, we continue to be inspired by the local listeners striving to make a difference and delivering, at times, life-changing work in their local communities.

“Whether it’s a teacher supporting kids in school, or individuals like Lisa Petrie campaigning on a national level, it’s Forth 1’s honour to shine a spotlight on them and say thank you.

“We send our huge congratulations to all of today’s worthy winners, and a special thanks to our outstanding performers for entertaining our sold out crowd.”

Young mussels struggle as conditions change in Firth of Forth

Falling salt levels in seawater could be contributing to driving blue mussels from parts of the Firth of Forth, researchers say.

Scientists at Heriot-Watt University found that baby mussels are especially sensitive to fresher water, with their growth and development badly affected when the seawater becomes diluted.

The lab-based study was sparked by the sharp drop in mussel beds that were once common around Musselburgh and Cramond.

The team says their findings, published in the academic journal Frontiers in Ocean Sustainability, could also help explain falling blue mussel numbers across northern Europe.

“Now there’s nothing there”

Dr Mark Hartl, from Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, said the university’s marine science researchers had worked with mussels from the Firth of Forth for over 20 years and had observed the disappearance of the local populations.

Dr Hartl said: “We noticed them disappearing from Cramond at first, where we used to be able to easily find and collect mussels.

“At Musselburgh, you could walk for a mile out at low tide and it would be full of mussels, even as recently as 2018.

“It used to take me just a few minutes to find the mussels I needed. Now there’s nothing there.”

The researchers stressed that the experiments were carried out under controlled conditions in a laboratory and that long-term field work is required to conclusively show that changing local salinity has been a significant driver of the loss of mussels in the Firth of Forth.

However, they said the findings could help explain the absence of younger mussels that would normally replace older and larger adults.

Dr Hartl said: “We had noticed in Musselburgh that the mussels were big, and old. There weren’t any smaller ones.

“They were reproducing and producing larvae, but the larvae didn’t seem to be developing properly.”

Wetter winters mean less salty estuaries

Isabella Jackson is undertaking the research as part of her PhD at Heriot-Watt University.

Working with Dr Mark Hartl, Isabella looked at how pollution, temperature and salinity interacted during the first stages of mussel development.

Mussel embryos and larvae were exposed to different conditions in the laboratory over 48 hours.

Lower salinity had one of the clearest detrimental effects on the mussels: reducing salinity from optimal conditions cut normal larval development by almost 29%.

Isabella said: “Mussels in the Firth of Forth experience multiple stressors: pollution, temperature change and changes in salinity among them.

“We found that they are highly susceptible to changes in salinity, but pollution compounds the problem and amplifies the effects we saw under lower-salinity conditions.”

“Reduced salinity is likely to happen as wetter winters bring more freshwater into estuaries, and it is not something that can easily be fixed.

“But if we tackle some of the other problems, such as pollution, we may be able to alleviate the pressure on mussels.

“We may not be able to address every stressor at once, but reducing one of them could still make a difference.”

Isabella said the research also highlighted the importance of studying the early life stages of marine organisms.

“The early life stages are often the most sensitive to environmental stressors, but they are also easily overlooked, particularly in studies looking at multiple stressors,” she said.

“If larvae are not developing properly, this can create a bottleneck where a population is unable to sustain itself.

“Understanding what happens at this critical stage is an important piece of the puzzle when investigating why blue mussel beds are declining.”

Impact on biodiversity

Blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, were once widespread in estuaries around northern Europe.

Declines have been observed elsewhere in Scotland but some areas, like Orkney, still have healthy populations containing mussels of different ages.

Dr Hartl said: “A decline in mussel beds could have several potential impacts. It could reduce biodiversity, as mussel beds act as habitat for lots of other species. And, as mussels clean the water by ingesting contaminants, it could have an impact on water quality.

“Ideally we would set up field experiments to replicate what we did in the lab, and definitely determine that salinity levels are behind their decline.

“The Firth of Forth’s health has improved dramatically over the past few years, we’re seeing large mammals like humpback whales return now. But there are locations where a decline in biodiversity is happening, as witnessed by the disappearance of mussels, and we should monitor and try to resolve this.”

This research was funded by NERC Scottish Universities Partnership for Environmental Research (SUPER) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

(Grant reference number NE/S007342/1 and website https://superdtp.standrews.ac.uk).

C3R: Creative Writing Workshop

TUESDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 11am – 1pm at ELREC

COMMUNUTIES REDUCE REUSE & RECYCLE

Autumn season is getting closer, and it means start of our cosy indoor activities where you can relax, meet new people and get creative!

We are excited to invite you for the first of our Winter Creative Writing workshops organised together with Open Book and lead by local writer Amy Moreno who will be using existing stories and poems to help you develop your own writing skills in a relaxed and informal setting. In these sessions we will hear a selection of different stories and poems, and will also have an opportunity to try our strengths in creative writing focusing on nature related topics.

You’ll have the opportunity to share and hear what others have written in a supportive and encouraging space.

Date: 8th September (Tuesday) 2026
Time: 11am-1pm
Location: ELREC, 14 Forth St, Edinburgh EH1 3LH
Language: English

Registration: https://forms.gle/7DyF88h1Q7VPbHZ39

Sign up for Big Forth Cleanup

Big Forth Cleanup! 28th, 29th,30th August

We’re calling on people all around the Firth of Forth coastline to join us and this is a special callout to folk in East Lothian who might be interested in organising or joining a beach clean along our coastline!

We already have a few beach cleans taking place in east Lothian, but we’d love to see even more communities getting involved!

When you register your beach clean, you’ll have the opportunity to add it to the Big Forth Cleanup map. You’ll also receive lots of useful information, including:

Top tips for beach cleaning

Information to help you plan your event

Guidance on waste disposal from your local authority

Every clean makes a difference, so why not get involved and help us make an even bigger impact along the East Lothian coastline?

Have questions? Email us at bfc@balancedhorizon.org

Forth Ports team up with Balanced Horizon to deliver largest ever beach clean of the Firth of Forth

Forth Ports team up with environmental charity Balanced Horizon to deliver largest ever clean of the Firth of Forth 28-30 August

The Big Forth Cleanup will be a large-scale, community driven weekend of beach cleaning and juvenile lobster releases organised by Balanced Horizon in collaboration with Forth Ports.

The goal of the event is to clean as much of the coastline of the Firth of Forth over the course of the 28-30th August 2026, and is open to everybody of all ages. Pollution and litter are major problems facing this iconic waterway, with vulnerable and important wildlife species calling this environment home.

Balanced Horizon wants to clean the Forth up not only to protect these ecosystems, but also for everybody to enjoy the magnificent beaches and coastlines this part of the world has to offer.

Katy Reid, Group Head of Sustainability at Forth Ports, said: “It’s great to be partnering with Balanced Horizon for our first Big Forth Cleanup, which will be a landmark event all around the Firth of Forth with coastal clean up and juvenile lobster release events taking place from 28 – 30 August.

“This coastline is central to Forth Ports’ Scottish operations and plays a vital role in supporting the economy, local communities and the rich diversity of wildlife found both on land and at sea.

Bringing people together to take action at scale will make a meaningful difference in caring for and preserving the coastline and local environment. We are very pleased that so many individuals, organisations and local beach clean community groups have signed up to join the event and we invite everyone to get involved and be part of something that can have a lasting impact on the Forth.”

The event is self-led, meaning participants choose a beach to clean along the coast of the Firth of Forth. This can be done with the help of Balanced Horizon’s online interactive map, which shows the beach cleans part of the events that are taking place, helping participants target areas close to them, or identify areas in need of attention. You can join groups like the Scottish Seabird Centre, CLP Nature Action, and Coast to Coast Surf School with cleaning up our shores!

Kerrie Flockhart, Project Lead at Balanced Horizon, said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Forth Ports to unite communities from across the Firth in a shared effort to protect and celebrate this incredible coastline.

“As well as removing litter, we want to shine a spotlight on the many community groups and individuals who already dedicate their time to caring for our shores.

We hope this event will help connect more people with those local efforts, inspire new volunteers, and create a lasting network of people working together to protect the Firth of Forth for years to come.”

As well as beach cleans taking place over the weekend, there will also be releases of juvenile European lobsters on the Sunday (30th) of the weekend in North Berwick, Anstruther and Kirckaldy, led by Balanced Horizon’s Forth Marine Hatchery project as part of their efforts to boost wild European lobster populations. These releases will be open to the public to get involved with!

With only a few weeks before we head out with our litter pickers, Balanced Horizon needs your help! If you are a group or an individual, please be encouraged to head to Balanced Horizon’s website to register to get involved.

For inquiries, please contact bella@balancedhorizon.org

ELREC: No Room For Racism

Following the escalation of anti-immigration protests in Glasgow’s city centre on Saturday, a food delivery driver was attacked by a group of protesters and subjected to racist insults and threats.

Chief superintendent Emma Croft stated that “The level of disorder, violence and intimidation we saw in Glasgow on Saturday was nothing short of disgraceful.”

We cannot agree more. The aggression directed at people within our communities, that leave people worried for their own and their family’s safety and prevent them from going after their work and their daily lives is despicable, inexcusable, and deeply concerning.

In a society that grows and thrives on diversity, there is no space for spreading fear, hate, and violence.

We stand for an inclusive, open, and safe Scotland for all and we stand with the people affected by the racism displayed at the protests in Glasgow.

If you experienced or witnessed harassment of any sort, please know that you can report this to authorities and can seek support.

Local MSP reflects on Holyrood Park wildfire

Following the fire which began in Holyrood Park on Sunday evening, Sanne Dijkstra-Downie has called for recognition of the impact that climate change is already having on our city while highlighting the need for better wildfire awareness.

While wildfires can be an important part of the ecological cycle, the rate and intensity that we are seeing them occur with is a clear indication of climate change and its impact on our day-to-day lives.

Longer, hotter and drier summers are becoming the norm within Scotland and now areas that previously rarely saw such fires are affected more often. Given the number of visitors and the variety of purposes it serves, Holyrood Park is particularly susceptible to fires that are started by human activity.

Holyrood Park is a uniquely important ecological site with a wide range of trees, plants and animals, including several rare and endangered species. The effects of climate change threaten the destruction of these species within our city, reshaping how the park will look, sound and feel for the future.

Commenting Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP said: – “I am deeply concerned by yet another fire in Holyrood Park and want to thank the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and all emergency responders for their swift and professional efforts to tackle the blaze.

“Holyrood Park is one of Edinburgh’s most striking natural landscapes which provides a vital habitat for wildlife and a valuable green space for residents and visitors alike. Fires of this nature can have a devastating impact on local ecosystems, destroying vegetation, disrupting breeding habitats and leaving long-lasting damage.

“The effects of climate change are not a distant threat and we are already seeing its impact across our city. As climate change contributes to more frequent periods of hot, dry weather we need investment in wildfire prevention. We also need better education about wildfire risks due to human activity such as campfires and discarded cigarettes.

“Above all, we must increase our efforts to reduce emissions, support renewable energy and step up adaptation measures in these ecologically important areas so that they can be safeguarded for future generations.”

Lib Dems demand answers on Water of Leith delays

Edinburgh Liberal Democrats have highlighted critical delays to Water of Leith environmental protection measures and are calling for faster action.

Responsing to a Council report on the Water of Leith water quality, local Lib Dems flagged up that a significant amount of planned infrastructure upgrades which are required to screen off sewage and detritus entering the river have been delayed until after 2027.

Over 10 projects will not begin until 2028, including the following Combined Sewage Overflows according to a March update to the High Priority Assets list including around Leith’s Shore, Junction Street, Stockbridge, Bonnington, Dean Village, Murrayfield, and at St Mark’s Park.

Edinburgh Northern MSP and Scottish Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, who recently called for year round monitoring of bathing waters, said: “The scale of the issue of lack of sewage monitoring is huge across Scotland, which is why rivers like the Water of Leith must be met with ambition.

“The Scottish Liberal Democrats will continue pushing for a Clean Water Act which will incentivise faster action to prevent pollution in our rivers and ocean”.

Commenting on the update, Leith Walk Councillor Jack Caldwell said: “This is incredibly disappointing as the Water of Leith was a key part of Scottish Water’s investment plan.

“Our river deserves to be clean for wildlife, plant life, and people alike. The Council must work constructively with national agencies and Scottish Water to accelerate environmental protections for our communities.”

Inverleith Councillor Hal Osler added: “Our natural environment is precious, and it’s up to all of us to look after it. These delays risk undermining progress won by so many residents, volunteers, and environmental campaigners.”

Transport and Environment spokesperson Councillor Kevin Lang got cross-party support in June for Edinburgh Council to write to Scottish Water to get answers on updated timescales.

ELREC: Free Community Cooking Class at Heart of Newhaven

We are excited to share details about our new meal preparation course, funded by #LeithChooses

The “Efficient & Healthy Cooking” programme is designed primarily for, but not exclusively limited to, migrant and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) residents in Leith.

This programme aims to support individuals facing financial and societal barriers to accessing healthy food by offering an educational and practical course covering the following topics:

1. Efficiency and sustainability in meal preparation for families

2. Maintaining health and nutrition without compromise

3. Sourcing ingredients efficiently without breaking the bank or damaging the environment

4. Shopping for food with efficiency and sustainability in mind

5. Practicing efficient and sustainable recipes and cooking methods

6. Learning about food waste elimination and managing leftovers

Led by a qualified nutritionist, this programme provides an excellent opportunity to gain practical knowledge about food, including financial, nutritional, and cooking skills.

Additionally, we aim to combat loneliness and isolation by bringing people together to learn and share meals!

St Columba’s Hospice Care: Tombola Prizes Wanted

Having a Bank Holiday Weekend spring clean out? Did you know you can donate many different items to the Hospice?

– That bottle of wine gathering dust

– That gin still untouched

– The gift set you’ll never use, or the candle that’s not quite your scent

– The extra goodie bag items from your child’s party

– Even those kids toys still in their packaging!

Yes, we want it all, and you’ll feel great having decluttered and done a good deed! Every donation helps us raise vital funds at our upcoming events.

Please drop off unopened gift sets, bottles and kids games at our reception during opening hours, or contact the Fundraising Team on fund@stcolumbashospice.org.uk or 0131 551 1381 for further details