Saturday, 14 December
10:00 – 18:00 Tickets £3.00 under 12s free
Shop small and shop local in our authentic twist on the traditional Christmas market with a huge selection of products from illustration to vintage bric-a-brac, plants to jewellery, sustainable products to food, ceramics to candles and so much more!
SCOTTISH BUSINESS OWNER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT THE TRAGIC STATE OF POVERTY IN SCOTLAND: “CHILDREN ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL SPEND CHRISTMAS DAY WITHOUT A HOT MEAL, GIFT OR SAFE PLACE TO CALL HOME – WE NEED YOUR HELP TO BREAK THIS CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS”
Founder of Scottish business, itison, Oli Norman, has spoken out about the ‘devastating’ level of poverty in Scotland this festive season. To tackle this, the company has once again launched its £5 Christmas appeal in a bid to raise thousands for people who are vulnerable and homeless this winter, in partnership with Social Bite.
The annual initiative, which allows generous Scots to buy a person, family, or child who is homeless or vulnerable a hot Christmas meal or gift for just £5, comes amidst news that more children in Scotland will be homeless and hungry this Christmas than ever before.
Over the last decade, the itison £5 Christmas Appeal campaign has raised more than £3 million, with 700,000 donations made, meaning hundreds of people each year are able to enjoy a hot meal or a gift on Christmas Day at one of Social Bite’s coffee shops. Every year, the number of people accepting these meals increases, with more and more people visiting Social Bite on Christmas Day to enjoy good company, warmth, and a hearty meal.
Social Bite and itison have surveyed the drastically declining rate of security for vulnerable people across Scotland since last year and work closely with people who receive support from Social Bite’s services to hear their stories.
Two regular attendees of the festive meals are father and son Jim and Billy. The pair have attended the Social Bite Christmas meals, in partnership with itison, for over five years. The meals mean so much to them that in past years, Jim and Billy have walked from as far as Rutherglen in to Glasgow to have their festive celebrations with the charity.
Billy said: “Every year that we’ve been has been brilliant. There’s no public transport on Christmas Day, so for a few years we walked in until my dad got a bit older.
“They welcome you in, you get a nice meal. It’s turkey, potatoes, you get your dessert. It’s good portions. Not too big, but it’s not too wee. And the gifts you get are unbelievable.”
Jim added: “Last year we got a charger for our phone, a pair of slippers, sweeties. Hats, scarves, gloves, a thermal to keep you warm when you’re outside. For a lot of people who are otherwise by themselves, who don’t get anything, they’re over the moon.”
Over the years they’ve got to know some familiar faces. But it’s the ones who don’t return – reflecting the instability and dangers of homelessness – that stick most with Jim and Billy.
Jim commented: “The thing that’s quite sad is you see a lot of people and then you don’t see them, because of their situations. You get to know people, and then you’re told ‘they’re no longer here.’
“It’s the young ones. One minute you see them, and the next year they’re not here.”
It was revealed earlier this year that the increase in homelessness in Scotland poses a ‘serious risk’ to life as a lack of accommodation is leaving people without somewhere safe to call home, forcing them to endure freezing temperatures and extreme weather conditions.
Oli Norman, owner of itison, said: “It’s 2024, and people are still going hungry, still without a decent home, still living on the streets, and still at serious risk because there is not enough accommodation for people who need it. The cost of living is still increasing, pushing more people into devastating poverty.
“There is simply not enough support for people who are, or are at risk of becoming, vulnerable and homeless. Families and children across the country will be spending Christmas Day without a hot meal, gift or safe place to call home – more must be done.
“We hope that once again our £5 voucher can bring some comfort to people who need it this festive season. We are urging people to please go online and buy a voucher for the same price as a coffee or a meal deal – we need your help to break this cycle of homelessness. Let’s act now.”
Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn MBE said: “Social Bite is experiencing unprecedented rise in demand from people who are homeless across the country due to the national housing emergency and the increasing cost of living.
“The itison £5 Christmas appeal is a simple way for people to get involved and help bring some joy to people and families who are homeless and need it most this winter.
“For many people across the country, Christmas Day can be extremely challenging, but with the itison £5 voucher, you can give someone the chance to have a hot meal and enjoy some good company on what should be the most joyful day of the year.
“This year, you also can make a child’s day with a Christmas gift for £5. Thank you to the amazing Scottish public for your continued support this Christmas.”
The £5 vouchers are available now at itison.com.
In addition to the itison £5 Christmas Appeal, donations and gifts can be made to Social Bite’s Festival of Kindness online or at one of the Trees of Kindness located throughout the UK.
For a full list of essential items needed, and to make a donation online, visit: social-bite.co.uk/festival-of-kindness/.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/granton-heritage-walk…
You are welcome to join us for a Granton Heritage Walk on Saturday morning 14th December. We will leave from Granton:hub (Madelvic House, at the end of Granton Park Avenue, EH5 1HS) gathering at 10.15am for a 10.30am start, and returning to the starting point at 12 noon.
We will be following part of the Curious Edinburgh Walking Tour and going by Granton Station, Saltire Square, Caroline Park, Granton Castle Walled Garden Doocot and new mural, Forthquarter Park and the Gas Tower.
This walk is on pavements and is suitable for buggies, wheelchairs and people of all ages including those with dogs (on a lead please). Please wear suitable clothing and shoes for the weather and bring some water with you.
After the walk, participants will be invited inside Madelvic House for refreshments and to view the community consultation exhibition organised by Edinburgh College of Art as part of their ‘Heritage on the Edge’ research project. More details on this event will be available later.
The tour will have a maximum of 15 people. Headsets will be used to ensure everyone can hear the commentary.
On arrival, all particpants will receive a brochure with full details of the walk.
The Granton Walking Tour is also available in Polish and Arabic. Please contact tamsinlgrainger@gmail.com for more details.
For any specific queries about the walk please contact tamsinlgrainger@gmail.com.
Tamsin Grainger is a Paths for All walk leader.
We charge a small fee which contributes towards our operating costs
The exponential growth of coach tourism remains strong in Scotland with the country’s leading coach tour operator investing more than £2.5million to enhance and upgrade its coach fleet and seeking to recruit a new generation of driver-guides trained to tell ‘Scotland’s story’.
Timberbush Tours, which specialises in day and multi-day coach trips across Scotland and the North of England as well the private and corporate travel sectors, has placed orders for seventeen new coaches of varying capacity. The new vehicles, from manufacturers MAN, as well as agents BASE Coach Sales and Coachtraders are scheduled for delivery in March and early April.
The vehicles will be distributed across its three Scottish locations – Inverness, Glasgow and its Granton, Edinburgh hub.
Additionally, the company is about to embark on a recruitment drive. It is seeking to employ driver guides who will be trained by the company to enhance the visitor experience. Driver guides provide a fun and informative insight into Scotland’s historical places of interest, ancient culture, and breath-taking natural landscapes.
In total, Timberbush Tours will look to recruit and train 25 driver guides, to be based at each of its centres.
Commenting on its new investment round and recruitment strategy, Steve Spalding, CEO of Timberbush Tours, said: “We are excited to invest in new state-of-the-art vehicles to bolster our fleet and they’ll be manned by driver guides who we consider to be the best in the Scottish coach tour business.
“Our training will be intensive and rigorous in preparation for the season ahead.
“We want our customers to see the very best of Scotland narrated by driver guides who inject fun and their own personality into the experience whilst they sit back and enjoy the experience of travelling in the most environmentally advanced coaches available.”
The garden will be closed from Friday 20 December at 3 pm until Monday 6 January at 11 am.
That means our last volunteer session will run on 20 December (11-3 pm) and this will also be the last chance to visit the garden this year (1-3 pm).
We will be back with the first volunteer session on 6 January.
Thank you all who visited us this year and/or volunteered with us. Granton Castle Walled Garden is thriving thanks to you! 
We are wishing you all a beautiful festive season and a great start to 2025.
The Pitt officially reopened its doors on the Granton Promenade, welcoming over 2,000 visitors in its first weekend.
Edinburgh’s newest community, enterprise and social hub, The Pitt is more than twice the size of its previous location on Pitt Street.
Featuring a permanent global street food market, retail units, a large and heated indoor seating plaza, family and community spaces, two permanent saunas from Soul Water Sauna and a 700 capacity events space all from a spectacular location on the Firth of Forth.
Hal Prescott, Chief Executive of the Granton Project which owns and operates The Pitt said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be open, and despite the storm attempting to throw a spanner in the works we’ve had thousands of people through the doors with initial feedback being fantastic.
“But this is very much the beginning of the journey for us, The Pitt isn’t a static space it will continue evolve with the community we’re part of and the community we build.
“We have so much more to come in the new year, so watch this space.”
Resident foodies will be:
Choola: Nepalese street food with a Scottish twist
Fire Bowl: East Asian style street food
Buffalo Truck: Delicious fried chicken with all the added delights
Social Bite Does dessert: amazing sweet treats and lots of custard
Lazeez: Authentic Lebanese delights (fully halal) and shish
Pulp Friction: Seasonal fresh fruit infused drinks, from mulled sangrias to frozen margaritas
Barney’s and Newbarns: supplying the best locally brewed beers
Serving up Williams and Johnson coffee, savoury and sweets will be Long Shot Coffee.
The Pitt also has two saunas from Soul Water Sauna, a weekly local produce market from Granton Community Garden, community and family areas, a co-working space and one of the best views in Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth.
We are getting ready for our final event of 2024 at Granton Goes Greener today – PLANT SHARE and PLANT HANGER MAKING WORKSHOP on Friday 6th December at Granton Parish Church.
As always, this is a completely FREE event organised in partnership with our friends from Communities’ Reduce Reuse & Recycle
If you have some plants/ plant cuttings or seeds you would like to share, please bring them on the day.
Any questions-email: anna@grantongoesgreener.org.uk
Cultural heritage: Granton at the seaside
14th December – 10am – 1:30pm
This project, a collaboration between Universities in Edinburgh, Paris, and Madrid, in addition to granton:hub and Edinburgh World Heritage, explores:
-How we can balance new development with the protection of cultural heritage.
-How local people make cultural heritage.
-How this making can improve lives.
-How the edges of cities hold them together.
The days leading up to the event, a wide range of community representatives will share views on why and how these ‘elements’ are valuable – as heritage in Granton, but also to the city of Edinburgh and the world beyond.
In addition, school teachers, after-school providers, and workers in further and lifelong education, will also explore their contribution to local learning.
On Saturday 14th December, we shall be sharing our discussions with the general public through an exhibition.
We would like to invite anyone to come along and share their views.
Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/cultural-heritage…
A NEW website has been launched for those interested in living, working in or visiting the ‘new sustainable’coastal town’ being created at Granton Waterfront.
The £1.3bn regeneration project is the biggest of its kind in Scotland. As well as many early stage projects being complete or well underway, the first phase planning application for a new neighbourhood was given the green light to go ahead last month.
It includes plans for 847 ‘net zero ready’ homes (with 45% being affordable) and capacity for a new primary school and a low carbon heat network. There will also be commercial units, active travel routes and other sustainable transport infrastructure as well as attractive public and open space all being delivered from 2025 to 2032.
The website (grantonwaterfront.com) guides you around the new neighbourhood with information on the partners we are working with to deliver new homes to rent or buy, parks and green spaces, things to do, where to visit, cultural activities, learning and commercial opportunities as well as providing all the latest news about the area.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “We’re starting to see many early projects on the ground making great progress in Granton Waterfront now. The first tenants have moved into the 75 affordable homes we’ve built at Granton Station View, with hundreds more in the pipeline at nearby Western Villages and Silverlea.
“The gasholder restoration is almost complete and we’re lighting it up after dark as a permanent feature later this month. The new park at ‘Gas Holder 1’- new name for the gasholder – will open at the same time. Across the road, the former Granton Station building, with its new public square, has been beautifully restored.
“It’s important we bring all of this activity to life for those interested in the area and I hope the new website acts as a helpful guide.
“You will see from the website we have ambitious plans to create a new neighbourhood, well connected to existing communities there, and I’m really excited about seeing all of these communities grow, thrive and welcome visitors to the area in the years to come.”
Police Scotland is anxious to trace the whereabouts of Blair Davidson who has been missing from the Granton area since around 11pm on Sunday 24 November 2024.
Blair is 32 years of age and is described as white, 6 feet tall, medium build, dark cropped hair, and stubble.
Anyone with information is asked to phone 101 or Crimestoppers on 0500 555 111. Quote incident 0177of 26/11/2024.
