Category: Leith

Big wins for Edinburgh’s community groups as they celebrate National Lottery funding boost

MORE than seventy community groups across Edinburgh are shaking off the winter blues with the exciting news of their share of the latest round of National Lottery funding, announced today (Thursday 6th February). 

Among the local projects celebrating this morning are Fresh Start, Living Rent, Granton Parish Church, Project Esperanza, LifeCare, Granton Youth and LIFT at Muirhouse Millennium Centre – who receive not one but TWO Lottery grants!

The Muirhouse centre recently launched an online fundraising campaign so today’s news of lottery success is a welcome boost.

LIFT receives £62,553 to continue delivery of their community support offering
within Muirhouse. Through support and advocacy LIFT aims to tackle child poverty, increase wellbeing for individuals and families, and allow them to move forward from poverty and crisis.

LIFT was awarded a further £23,187 to employ a staff member to work on and develop their ‘sharing shelf’. This is a space where members of the community can come, without a referral, to pick up some food essentials and acts as a link point to other services within the centre.

Hard-pressed community centres have done particularly well in this round of grants: as well as Muirhouse Millennium Centre there are big grants for Space at Broomhouse, Craigmillar’s Sandy’s Community Centre and Southside Community Centre.

This vital support will enable them to continue to bring together local people, deliver essential services, and provide much-needed support to their communities. 

This latest round of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund is shared amongst 549 projects across Scotland. A full list of projects is attached.  

Craigmillar 2

 Thanks to an award of £76,336, Craigmillar Literacy Trust will continue to deliver their programme of early and family literacy activities for families, parents and carers for the next two years.

Kara Whelan, Project  Manager, Craigmillar Literacy Trust, said: “This funding will enable us to continue to deliver our literacy support programmes to families with babies and young children, specifically, early communication and family literacy through home visits and one-to-one support for individual families. ” 

An award of £63,399 means that Living Rent will provide support and guidance around a range of housing issues affecting hundreds of people in Leith, Newhaven and Granton over the next three years.

Emma Saunder, National Organiser for Living Rent, said: “This will have a huge impact on our ability to continue to grow and empower our members.  

“This award will support us to grow in the Leith area of Edinburgh, as well as building a thriving group in Granton. We can also continue our work, supporting members who are  trapped in awful housing conditions through empowering them to know their rights and take action to receive compensation, repairs or stop evictions. 

“The National Lottery funding is a continued source of strength and support for local communities helping us to support them to  come together to ask for change.” 

Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (LCiL) will expand their ‘Financial Wellbeing’ service for disabled people living in Edinburgh and the Lothians after an award of £25,000.

Florence Garabedian, Interim CEO, LCiL, said: “From our work, we clearly see the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the lives of disabled people, their families and carers.

“This funding will help us provide a targeted response to the current financial climate, help many more people who are struggling with day-to-day costs and offer accessible advice and information around welfare benefits, income maximisation and financial security.” 

Announcing the funding, Kate Still, Scotland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund said:  “At The National Lottery Community Fund we are so proud to be able to support local groups to make a real and lasting difference and help address the challenges their communities face.

“It’s all made possible by National Lottery players and we’re excited to see the outcomes of all of the funded projects across Edinburgh in the months ahead.”

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funding on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.         

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk    

LOTTERY-GRANTSDownload

Young Start funding helps bright young minds across Scotland to thrive

LOTTERY SUCCESS FOR THREE CAPITAL INITIATIVES

Projects working to improve the confidence and wellbeing of young people across Scotland are today (WEDNESDAY 5th FEBRUARY) sharing in £1,271,922 of Young Start funding this Children’s Mental Health Week. 

The funding, which comes from dormant account cash and is delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund, is used to support thousands of children and young people annually all over Scotland, many of whom face mental health and wellbeing issues. 

Three Edinburgh projects receive funding in the latest round of grants:

Big Hearts Community Trust receives almost £85,000 to support the expansion of their Welcome Through Football initiative, using football to engage young refugees, migrants and asylum seekers aged 15-24 facing trauma, hardship and social
exclusion.

Across the city in Leith, Hibernian Community Foundation also score with £95,000 to support neurodivergent young people aged 16-25 to develop essential life skills by delivering a structured programme of activities and community participation. Over the next three years 240 young people are expected to take part and supported by 40 volunteers.

Making it a hat-trick for the capital is Castlebrae-based Edinburgh Development Group, who receive £100,000 to provide a three-year project, supporting neurodiverse and disabled young people, who are working towards employability.

Founded in 2005, Lochaber Hope supports young people facing crisis periods in their lives. In recent years the charity has concentrated its efforts on a number of peer support projects and activity groups which focus on the well-being and improvement of young people’s mental health and from this the Bright Minds Project was born.

Bright Minds is a local youth initiative, created for young people and guided by a youth advisory board. The project offers events and training opportunities, as well as campaigning for changes in mental health culture and advocating for better support systems for young people.         

An award of £54,220 means they can help more young people like 24-year-old Shaun Wallace from Lochaber.

Shaun previously worked with the charity as a project assistant but left to go to college and study to be a veterinary care assistant. When he was going through a difficult time, Lochaber Hope offered him seven free counselling sessions.

Shaun Wallace Lochaber Hope

Shaun explained: “I’ve always struggled with my mental health, all the way through high school I was dealing with anxiety, depression and bi-polar disorder.

“This would, at times lead to suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self- harm and did result in an incident where I had to be taken to hospital. Thankfully I decided to seek out support and this was the beginning of me getting better and going to counselling sessions provided by Lochaber Hope. I owe so much to Lochaber hope and don’t know where I would be today, if it wasn’t for them.

“I loved giving something back by helping at events and when the chance to get involved with the Bright Minds project came up, I was more than happy to. I might be the oldest in the group, but we all have big ambitions and I’m able to offer support and advice to the younger members of the group.

“We’re only small but we’re making a big impact. Ideally, I would love a lot more people to get involved and experience the huge changes in their lives that I have.”  

Alyson Smith, Founder Manager, Lochaber Hope said: “Young Start has been a very special fund for Lochaber Hope.

“We can see how young people are better managing their mental health by building resilience and confidence, and we look forward to the events and activities they have organised that will be taking place over the coming months.”

Another organisation nurturing young people’s talent and wellbeing is  Toonspeak Young People’s Theatre. 

The north Glasgow based charity receives £100,000 to run its PROGRESS: Empowering Young People for Creative Careers project which provides a range of entry points and routes for training and employment for young people to enter the creative industries.

Jennifer Toonspeak

Jennifer Belle Baird, 25, from Glasgow, is a published writer but would never have dreamed of speaking in public before she joined Toonspeak three years ago.

Jennifer said: “I had gone through school living with anxiety and was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder at 14. Being part of the project I was able to get feedback in a supportive way, without criticism. It was so good for my self-confidence and helped rid me of imposter syndrome.

“There’s no pressure to perform because it’s not all about performance, they value all areas of creativity here. Being a writer can be so isolating and now I actually enjoy performing too. I’m a member of the Toonspeak performance collective, the Young Company and have even written a play for The Merchant City Festival.

“I now view myself as a working artist and hope to work in a theatre. I often think how lucky the younger people here are to have Toonspeak at their age, Hopefully I can continue being part of the organisation and my work can uplift younger people.”

Chi Nguyen, Funding Officer, Toonspeak Young People’s Theatre said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the support from Young Start.

This funding allows us to create life-changing opportunities for young people to develop skills, confidence, and networks in the creative industries. Already, PROGRESS is helping them take big steps toward their future careers, and we’re excited to see the continued impact this will have.”  

The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “We are so pleased to announce our latest Young Start funding, which helps enable organisations to directly support the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

“Shaun and Jennifer’s stories are two examples of the many young people who’ve benefitted from Young Start funded projects and we are always keen to support more ideas. If your group has a project that could improve the lives of young people in Scotland, then we’d love to hear from you.” 

“To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk “

See full list of projects: –  Young Start Table of Awards February 2025 (1).pdf

Future Woodlands Scotland announces community grants

  • Three community projects are to receive funding from a pot of up to £10 million to plant more trees in Scotland’s cities and towns
  • A community orchard, tree planting and community wellbeing initiative and a local nature reserve are the first projects to benefit from the Urban Forestry Programme 

Future Woodlands Scotland (FWS), the charity dedicated to creating and conserving woodlands across Scotland, has selected the first three projects to receive grants of up to £20,000 from its Urban Forestry Programme.

The Urban Forestry Programme is an ambitious ten-year project that sees FWS working alongside project founding partner bp to support and improve green spaces in Scotland’s cities, towns, and urban areas, an ambition shared by the two organisations.

This first round of funding will support projects that improve tree visibility, canopy cover, access to greenspaces, nature enhancement and education on biodiversity, food sustainability and climate literacy.

The first three projects to receive funding are:

  1. Friends of Inch Park (FOIP), Edinburgh

A community orchard and planting project with an arts-based engagement programme that will improve canopy cover and raise awareness of nurturing trees.

  1. Friends of Linn Park, Glasgow
    A tree restoration and enhancement programme at a nature reserve in Glasgow that includes facilities for community groups and aims to enhance woodland to provide a better-quality environment for local communities.

3. Norton Park SCIO, Edinburgh

A small-scale tree planting and green space improvement project to increase tree visibility and enhance access to greenspaces for local people and the wider community.

Shireen Chambers, CEO of FWS said: “By funding these three urban greening projects, we are investing in sustainable solutions that will not only benefit the environment by creating leafier neighbourhoods but also improve the wellbeing of local communities and encourage people to spend more time outdoors, interacting with their communities.

“Our goal is for everyone to benefit from trees, whether through learning about them, actively engaging in their care or simply spending time among them.

“We are proud to lead this important initiative with the backing of our founding partner bp and we look forward to seeing how these projects develop and reporting positive outcomes over the coming years.”

A total of 33 applications were submitted across two funding levels: projects ranging from £2,000 to £20,000, and those ranging from £20,000 to £100,000. The selected projects fall within the former funding range.

The projects were chosen based on the significant contribution they could make to the Urban Forestry Programme goal of helping towns and cities across Scotland achieve the 3:30:300 rule: everyone should see three trees from their home, every neighbourhood should have 30% tree canopy and quality green space within 300 metres.

The Friends of Inch Park community orchard and tree care project will ensure that residents can see at least three trees from their homes, which they have personally planted.

Ian Robertson, Secretary at Friends of Inch Park (FOIP), said: “We’ve been working on what more trees and planting in the area can do for people and for nature, so we’re delighted to be awarded an Urban Forestry Challenge Fund grant from Future Woodlands Scotland.

“With it, we can develop a new fully integrated community orchard and tree care project. We’re really looking forward to working across the generations to grow skills and understanding in caring for trees and the local landscape. This funding will take things to a whole new level for us.”

Scotland’s urban tree cover (under 16%) is much lower than the EU average of 30.2%. Increasing the number of trees in its cities and towns is crucial in supporting the journey to net zero and delivering a wide range of socio-economic benefits.

Applications for funding were measured by the Tree Equity tool, which was created to address imbalances in urban tree distribution by American Forests, a US non-profit organisation, and was brought to the UK by the Woodland Trust and Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. 

Tom Hudson, bp’s project director, offshore wind said: ““bp has been providing funding towards Scottish woodland creation for over 20 years and is delighted to continue this. We look forward to seeing our support brought to life by these three community projects.”

bp’s contribution to the programme represents a significant part of its commitments to Scotland, which were made as part of the ScotWind bid for its Morven offshore wind project.

The Urban Forestry Programme has already funded two pilot projects: a fruit and nut tree planting project in Stirling and a tree warden volunteer scheme in Glasgow.

Successful applicants for the larger grant programme, which offers funding of up to £100k, will be announced in Spring. More information on the Urban Forestry Programme is available at www.futurewoodlands.org.uk 

The Carnival at The Citadel

Join us on Friday the 14th for our 3rd Wellbeing Festival 🎪

Our Wellbeing Festivals are an open youth club for all ages – young and old (under 8s must be accompanied by an adult).

It gives our Young people a chance to share some fun activities and tools to look after our mental health and wellbeing.

Expect;

Carnival Games 🎪

Baking 🧁

Sensory Room 💭

Face Painting 🎨

Arts & Crafts 🌸

Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea 🎩… and much more!

Lots of prizes to be won on the day!

Please join us 12-3 for our Carnival of Self Love 💕

Sign up for tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/citadel-youth-centre…

https://rb.gy/ihvggs

Scottish Edge champions Tailored Spirits release first whiskies

Single malt whisky-lovers are raising a glass as there’s an innovative new spirits start-up in town; Leith-based Tailored Spirits Co. have launched their first-ever whisky range under the brand name The Experimental Series.

The whisky bottler’s inaugural release aims to ‘redefine tradition’, with a belief that single cask spirits are not just about heritage, but also ‘curiosity, exploration and innovation’.

The Experimental Series* are one-of-a-kind micro-batch experiments, limited-edition whiskies chosen to push the boundaries of what a single cask whisky can be. The series consists of a Croftengea Loch Lomond 7-year-old costing £59.50 producing only 52 bottles, a Fettercairn 13-year-old release of 84 bottles priced at £74.50, and an Ardmore 8-year-old limited to just 60 bottles priced at £64.50 each – all available on the company’s website:

 https://www.tailoredspirits.co.uk/shop

The meticulous design style is inspired by travel luggage labels, provoking memories of places whisky-lovers have visited, with the bottle shape being a nod to those found in a scientific lab. A removable tab or ‘lab ticket’ containing a four-letter-code in alphabetical order per release, offers a collectors item for spirits enthusiasts to track each experiment.

The company has announced that customers who collect six of the The Experimental Series lab tickets will gain exclusive access to a very special upcoming experimental release.

Tailored Spirits Co. is a groundbreaking new start-up that specialises in privately owned whisky casks. The company has been tipped by business leaders to transform the way owners of single cask whisky understand and realise the value of their rare spirits. After launching in 2024, Tailored Spirits Co. immediately gained recognition and momentum by winning the top spot at the coveted Scottish Edge nation-wide entrepreneurial competition, landing the business with funding of £100k. 

The line-up of Founders are a trio of industry professionals who all bring their own unique expertise to the table; Tom Costello covers all things Brand & Creative, with Carl Johnstone managing Commercial & Operations and Adam Harding leading the Spirits, Sales & Strategy.

The highly-experienced team stand by one clear mantra ‘From the warehouse to your house’ with one very clear vision – ‘to bridge the gap between the commercial scale of whisky and the needs of a single cask owner’. 

Commenting on their first-ever whisky launch, Adam Harding, Co-Founder & Director, said: “We are beyond delighted to release our first-ever whisky range. This release is all about redefining tradition, honouring heritage but championing curiosity, exploration and innovation.

Since launching Tailored Spirits Co. in 2023, we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from the whisky industry. It is such a warm & welcoming environment and we are so excited to release our first spirits into the whisky world.” 

Adding his thoughts on the meticulous bottle design, Tom Costello, Co-Founder & Director, said: “We love making whiskies look as attractive and eye-catching as possible.

“The Experimental Series was a dream to design. It showcases the beauty of experimentation, something that’s not bound by tradition, a true exploration of flavour and design. For me the fact they can never be replicated made our first release really special.” 

Carl Johnstone, Co-Founder & Director, gave his vision for the future of the company: “As a business, our story is one of continued growth and development. We have an awareness of a growing demand in a rapidly changing industry.

“This allows us to work closely with private clients all over the world. Our business started with a dram, and that’s exactly where our clients’ dreams and passions begin. Our role is to make the journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible.” 

Tailored Spirits Co. are experts in spirits, specialising in whisky supply, creating exceptional brands and bottlings. An Edinburgh-based, global-serving company who guide clients through the complexities of spirits bottling projects and ensure their dreams are achieved. 

Persevere: Leith Theatre celebrates major milestone in securing the future of the valuable community and cultural asset

Leith Theatre Perseveres on 20 Year Journey to Save Building

Leith Theatre Trust is proud to announce a significant milestone, the securing of a 50-year lease for the much-loved Leith Theatre. This achievement, the culmination of a 20-year campaign, cements the future of the iconic venue, allowing a stable foundation for future ambitions.

For the first time since 2004, and with the security of a long-term lease, the Trust is able to confidently plan for long-term development, and crucially, seek the investment required to transform the venue into a sustainable and vibrant cultural space.

The significant long term lease agreement marks a turning point for Leith Theatre, delivered 17 months after the Trust received committee approval at City of Edinburgh Council’s Finance and Resource Committee in September 2023. This has been achieved after working closely with council officers and legal teams, in parallel with investigative works to conduct due diligence in relation to building health.

This achievement is a testament to the commitment of Leith Theatre staff, board and key personnel from the City of Edinburgh Council who have persevered and worked hard to protect and preserve this vital community asset.

Originally saved from the risk of private redevelopment by a group of local campaigners, Leith Theatre has often been overlooked in its lifetime but has nevertheless stood the test of time.

This positive step forward for the whole complex is vital to its protection on its journey to becoming a beacon of regeneration and heritage preservation, allowing it to fulfil its ambitions and take its place at the heart of Leith life as an innovative cultural and community venue.

Lynn Morrison, Chief Executive of Leith Theatre, said: “I feel so proud to play a part in safeguarding such a unique and incredible heritage asset, so many of which are now commonly under threat.

“Saving this particular building has been a strong local response to that threat. The lease now gives us the stability to develop and steer this project towards refurbishment and sustainability as a key piece of cultural infrastructure in the city.

“I believe this space can be transformational for Leith and I am excited to plan for its long-term future.”

Bob Last, Chair of Leith Theatre, said: “When I took on the role of Chair at Leith Theatre, my primary goal was to ensure that we negotiated a new long-term lease for this asset gifted to the people of Leith in the 1930s. After many months of work alongside a tenacious team, I am pleased to deliver the vital security this lease brings.

“In celebrating this moment not only are we standing on the shoulders of the original architects whose vision I have ever greater respect for, but also all the skilled labour that went in to every detail of its construction, everyone who has enjoyed events at the theatre for more than 90 years giving the building meaning and, crucially, previous members of the Trust and all those who have spoken out about the building over the years.

“Leith Theatre will now be an important part of Leith and Edinburgh’s future cultural and community landscape.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Leith Theatre as we seek to unlock further capital investment and bring more and more vibrant life back to this iconic space.”

Val Walker, culture convener at the city council, said: “A 50-year lease is a remarkable milestone, and I’m very excited to see the venue thrive as a lasting music, cultural and community asset.

“This is the beginning of the next chapter. With the continued interest and enthusiastic support for the venue I very much look forward to seeing what the future holds.”

David Orr, Commercial Real Estate Partner at Aberdein Considine, who negotiated the lease on behalf of Leith Theatre Trust, said: “It is immensely rewarding to have played a part in this extremely exciting new chapter for the iconic Leith Theatre, which will both preserve this significant piece of the historic built environment and revive this unique venue for the cultural and creative industries.

“We are proud to have worked alongside the Trust and partners to bring this lease deal to fruition and we look forward to supporting the continued success of Leith Theatre Trust in the years and decades to come.”

Have you seen Sophie?

POLICE are carrying out enquiries to trace a 19-year-old woman who has been reported missing.

Sophie Webster left her home in the Leith area around 12pm yesterday – Tuesday, 28 January, 2025. She was last seen in the South Queensferry area at around 2pm and enquiries are ongoing to trace her.

Searches are ongoing and officers are appealing for the help of the public to trace Sophie.

She is described as white, around 5ft 2in tall, of slim build with short dark hair. When last seen, Sophie was wearing navy blue trousers, a navy blue hooded sweatshirt, a blue t-shirt and white trainers.

Inspector Sean McGarvey said last night: “It is important that we make sure Sophie is safe and well, as there are growing concerns for her welfare.

“I would urge anyone who has seen Sophie, or who has any information on her whereabouts, to please contact us as soon as possible.

“I am also keen to hear from anyone who may have dash cam or CCTV footage of the area, which may help us trace Sophie.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 1644 of 28 January.