Category: Muirhouse

Funding to help local communities thrive

Boost for North Edinburgh community organisations

More than 80 grassroots initiatives across Scotland will share in over £3 million funding to help deliver more ambitious community projects and activities and enable them to generate their own income.

North Edinburgh’s Heart of Newhaven and R2 are among the projects to be awarded Strengthening Communities Programme funding.

To date the Strengthening Communities Programme has helped hundreds of organisations to develop and improve their work with local communities and boost local economies.

This latest tranche of funding for 2026-27 will back community organisations to deliver local projects including spaces for business, improving access to employability and skills services, family and young people’s activities, and health and wellbeing support.

The First Minister announced the funding on a visit to the Usual Place in Dumfries – a charity that supports young people with learning disabilities to develop skills, gain qualifications and access employment.

First Minister John Swinney said: “Local organisations are best placed to understand what their communities need and how to deliver it. This programme helps to support and empower community initiatives to deliver what their area needs most – whether that is spaces for small businesses, culture and sport activities, or employability support.

“By providing this funding, we are helping organisations to become more financially resilient and develop the means to generate income for themselves. This will not only help boost local economies, but in turn help these projects generate more funds to serve wider community needs.

“The Usual Place is a fantastic example of this type of initiative. Their work to support young people with additional support needs to build community connections and friendships, and develop the skills needed to access employment, helps to improve peoples’ lives and future opportunities. I was pleased to visit the charity and see first-hand the difference it is making for people in Dumfries.”

Craig McEwen, Chief Executive at The Usual Place said: “Following a very difficult year for The Usual Place, we are now in a much better financial position.

“With the interim funding found to give us breathing space and now the success in securing funds through the Strengthening Communities Programme, we have the space to create capacity to implement some strategic changes, decided by the Board of Trustees, to enable us to diversify our income streams to ensure a more stable future for The Usual Place.  Over the past ten years we have put back into the economy of Dumfries and Galloway £9.8m, so our value speaks for itself.

“We thank the First Minister personally, and the Scottish Government for believing in the work we do in reducing the disability employment gap here in Dumfries & Galloway and beyond.”

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES PROGRAMME

FUNDING BY ORGANISATION 2026/27

Organisation Name / Funding 2026/27

Active Communities £39,461

Annan Harbour Action Group £47,000

Antonine Sports Centre £44,980

Ardrossan Community Development Trust £40,679

Arisaig Community Trust £46,604

Assynt Development Trust £17,000

Belhelvie Community Trust £26,325

Bluevale Community Club £51,952

Bute Community Land Company £17,760

Campsie Memorial Trust £21,750

Castlemilk Community Football Trust £53,000

Community Development Company of Nesting £25,300

Comrie Development Trust £53,000

Cromarty Community Development Trust £33,100

Culbokie Community Trust £30,277

Dalbeattie Community Initiative £53,060

David Livingston Trust, Blantyre £31,500

Development Coll £41,597

Dufftown and District Community Association £18,825

Dunvegan Community Trust £26,661

Eday Partnership £18,000

Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association (GURCA) £8,500

Glengarry Community Woodlands £20,000

Go Golspie £40,000

Gorebridge Community Development Trust £48,169

Grow 73 £18,688

Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust £40,647

Heart of Newhaven £47,356

Helmsdale & District Development Trust £30,000

IG – Great Bernera Community Trust £39,048

Inspired Community Enterprise Trust (ICET) (The Usual Place) £25,402

Isle of Canna Community Development Trust £12,537

Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust £25,355

Isle of Luing Community Trust £27,000

Kilmadock Development Trust £10,049

Kinloch Historical Society £35,000

Kinlochleven Community Trust £24,110

Kinning Park Complex £42,500

Kirkcolm Community Trust £9,500

Kirkcudbright Development Trust £32,500

Kirknewton Community Development Trust £35,000

Lesmahagow Development Trust £60,504

Linlithgow Community Development Trust £34,885

Lochwinnoch Community Development Trust £25,773

Lockerbie Old School £53,500

Maslow’s Community SCIO £44,847

Midsteeple Quarter, Dumfries £56,420

Minginish Community Association £24,000

New Cumnock Development Trust £44,563

Nith Valley Trust £32,444

North Edinburgh R2 Co-ordinator £56,205

North Glasgow Community Food Initiative £29,388

North Ronaldsay Trust £23,000

One Dalkeith £36,057

Pollok United Nethercraigs CIC £46,498

Portgordon Community Trust Limited £28,723

Possilpark People’s Trust £32,700

Rannoch Community Trust £43,722

Roseneath Pennisula West CDT £44,500

Ruchazie Growing 21 £40,000

Sandness Community Development Group £22,028

Scalloway Community Development Company £38,468

Scourie Community Development Company £12,000

Shapinsay Development Trust £20,000

SHAX £50,500

Sleat Community Trust £38,601

South Islay Development Trust £20,000

South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust £33,990

Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry SCIO £10,000

Stow Community Trust £36,382

Stranraer Development Trust £47,000

Stranraer Water Sports Association £35,690

South West Arts & Music Project (SWAMP) £20,000

Take a Bow Development Trust £48,320

Tayport Community Trust £48,638

The Furniture Project, Stranraer £40,500

The Pavilion, Glasgow £37,987

Three Kings Cullen Association £40,800

Tiree Community Development Trust £22,650

Torridon and District Community Association £46,090

Unst Partnership £37,288

Whitburn Community Development Trust £37,195

Wick Development Trust £26,030

Please note that all funding amounts are subject to due diligence.

Easter holidays Breakfast Club at Muirhouse Library

During the Easter holidays we will be running a breakfast club for children and families 🥣🥛

Monday – Saturday 10:15am – 12:15pm

We will be CLOSED on Good Friday and Easter Monday so the breakfast club will be starting from the 7th April and will run until the 20th April 🐇

Free cereal, cereal bars and refreshments provided.

North Edinburgh Arts: Community Shed to reopen next week

The Community Shed will be reopen its doors from Tuesday 10 March.

Our new opening hours are:

Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday

10am – 2pm

Thank you so much to everyone for your patience while we carried out essential maintenance — we can’t wait to welcome you back!

And, if you would like to learn how to learn new woodworking skills, drop in to our sessions this spring. New members are welcome!

Letter: LIFT Easter Appeal

Dear Editor,

We’re reaching out with a feel good community story we hope you’ll help us share:

At LIFT – Low Income Families Together, based at Muirhouse Millennium Centre, we are preparing for our Easter celebration taking place on Friday 3rd April, and we need the support of our amazing local businesses and community.

Every year, we support families across Edinburgh who are facing incredibly tough circumstances. For many of the children attending our Easter event, an Easter egg isn’t just chocolate,  it’s a moment of joy, a sense of belonging, and a reminder that their community cares.

This year, we are inviting local businesses to be part of something truly special by donating:

🐰 Easter eggs
🐰 Easter-themed gifts or treats
🐰 Vouchers or small prizes for our event
🐰 Baking or party food
🐰 Monetary donations to help us purchase eggs and supplies

Our Easter event on 3rd April will bring families together for a day filled with fun, smiles, and celebration — and with the right support, we can ensure every child leaves with something special.

We would be so grateful if you could help us spread the word and encourage local businesses to step forward. We are also happy to acknowledge and publicly thank businesses who support the event.

Donations can be dropped off at:

LIFT – Low Income Families Together
Muirhouse Millennium Centre
7 Muirhouse Medway
Edinburgh
EH4 4RW

Mobile: 07591 718 995
Centre: 0131 467 3578
Email: enquiriesmuirhouse@gmail.com

Together, we can turn small acts of kindness into big Easter smiles.

With love and gratitude,

Pam

LIFT 💛

Bike Library at North Edinburgh Arts

Thinking of getting back on a bike or learning to cycle but not ready to invest in a bike just yet?

The NEA Bike Lending Library has bikes ready and waiting for you – and it’s completely FREE for NEA Members!

– Standard bikes in all sizes – available up to 1 week

– E-bikes & an e-trike – perfect for a day out, available for 1-day hire

– Ideal for trying out cycling, running errands, or exploring the area!

– Not a member yet? It’s quick and easy to join at https://northedinburgharts.co.uk/get…/become-a-member/ or in person at our Welcome Desk

– Fees for non-members: standard bike – £25 per week; electric bike – £25 per day

For more information:

Call us: 07493 876130

Email: bikes@northedinburgharts.co.uk

Supported by The City of Edinburgh Council Active Travel Group and Cycling UK in Scotland

Wee Connections ASN Family Afternoon at Craigie

#sfaextratime have organised a special ASN event in partnership with Active Schools Edinburgh

If your child/children would like to attend please book using the qr code.

#HereForGood

#weeconnections

#newwaysofworking

#partnership

Spartans Community Foundation

Celebrate Languages Week Scotland with Edinburgh Libraries

WE invite all Edinburgh residents to celebrate Languages Week Scotland (2 – 6 February) by joining a variety of activities promoting the languages spoken by New Scots at Edinburgh Libraries.

Muirhouse Library, 2 February, 6 – 7:30pm

Bringing together stories and experiences of Syrian and Sudanese New Scots, Join us for an open session that celebrates spoken and written Arabic through poetry, narration and calligraphy workshop.

Gilmerton Library, 4 February, 1 – 8pm

From lines to letters: Multilingual calligraphy

Celebrate one of the languages spoken by the Afghan community in Edinburgh, the library will offer Pashto alphabet pages for practice. Come along with family and friends to test your calligraphy skills. No booking required.

Oxgangs Library 5 February, 10:00 – 11:30am

From speech to mastery: Reading challenge in Arabic

Whether you are an Arabic or non-Arabic speaker, this fun session will provide a variety of activities that celebrate the language and culture through learning and discovery.

Find out more https://zurl.co/lZEeq

Relief for community projects as continued funding confirmed

ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES FUND

The Scottih Government has confirmed that Investing in Communities funding will be continued for a further year.

The announcement comes as a huge relief to community projects facing massive cuts to their funding, with services being slashed and some organisations facing closure.

Scottish Greens raised concerns over the uncertainty faced by many of Edinburgh’s third sector projects at a council meeting last month.

A looming catastrophe has been averted with the announcement of one year’s transition funding while a replacement to the Investing in Communities Fund is developed.

Edinburgh Northern and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert took up the case of local community organisations and yesterday received welcome confirmation that fears have been allayed – at least for now.

She said: “Following budget cuts, I raised concerns with the Scottish Government about the future of the Investing in Communities Fund. Ministers have now confirmed a one-year transition extension for existing projects ending in March.

“This will help in the short term, but it falls short of the long-term certainty our community organisations need. I’ll keep pushing for sustained funding and stability for the services people rely on.”

Local MSP Ben Macpherson has also been on the case. He said: “This morning I visited Dr Bell’s Family Centre to discuss a situation that was of real concern.

“Using my decade of experience – including how to get things done for local organisations – I’d written to The Scottish Government about it on Monday and followed this up today, working actively as their/your local constituency MSP … I was therefore very pleased that shortly after the matter had been resolved.

“I know it’s been a worrying time for the centre and am relieved that immediate worries have been lifted. My team and I will keep working with the centre to explore more funding streams, and support the impactful work they do in our communities.”

Screenshot

Edinburgh projects who received Investing in Communities funding (2023- 26) are:

  • About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
  • Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
  • Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
  • Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
  • Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
  • North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
  • Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
  • The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
  • Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
  • Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494.

Irvine Welsh to appear at childhood library as Paper Trails brings literary stars to Muirhouse

Val McDermid, Irvine Welsh and Joseph Coelho lead major free programme for North Edinburgh – including 100 free books for local children 

Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh will return to the Muirhouse library he visited as a child this February, as the Edinburgh International Book Festival brings some of Scotland’s biggest literary names directly into the heart of North Edinburgh. 

The programme – part of Paper Trails, a flagship initiative launched by Her Majesty Queen Camilla in 2025 – will see Val McDermid, Doug Johnstone, Claire Mitchell, Zoe Venditozzi, Maisie Chan and former Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho OBE appear at North Edinburgh Arts and Muirhouse Library. All events are completely free to attend. 

Welsh’s appearance marks a significant homecoming for the globally renowned author, who will appear digitally to discuss his Edinburgh roots and literary career to young people sat in the same library that helped shape his love of reading decades ago. 

Jenny Niven, Director of Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “Libraries are where so many of us first fell in love with books, and they remain at the heart of our communities.

“Having Irvine Welsh return to the library that shaped him as a reader shows exactly why Paper Trails matters – these aren’t just buildings, they’re launchpads for imagination and possibility.

“At a time when literacy rates are declining and more than a quarter of older adults experience weekly loneliness, we’re committed to ensuring that world-class literature and creative experiences reach every neighbourhood, not just festival venues.

“This programme is about co-creating with communities, listening to local voices, and supporting libraries as the vital cultural hubs they’ve always been.” 

Irvine Welsh, novelist, short story writer, screenwriter and filmmaker, said: “I’m joining remotely, but it still feels like I’m back in the room that first lit the fuse for me.

“Muirhouse gave me a quiet seat, a friendly word and a shelf full of new worlds—that’s all it takes to set a life on a different course.

“It’s brilliant to see Paper Trails investing in these spaces so every young person here can feel that same jolt of inspiration.”  

Tony Stewart, Librarian at Muirhouse Library, said: “We see every day the impact and benefit for our users and the community, in having access to a safe and welcoming space filled books, activities and a team dedicated to helping in any way we can, and of course, a good book recommendation.

“We are very excited to be able to work with EIBF and Paper Trails to bring top class authors right to our community’s doorstep and provide some inspiration for any budding authors in the Muirhouse area, maybe even the next Irvine Welsh…” 

The February programme will distribute over 500 free books to children attending events with Maisie Chan and Joseph Coelho – part of the festival’s five-year commitment to supporting Edinburgh’s libraries as creative community hubs. 

Programme Highlights – February 2025 

Claire Mitchell & Zoe Venditozzi: How to Kill a Witch

Wed 4 Feb, 6pm — North Edinburgh Arts 
 

A lively, provocative exploration of Scotland’s witch-trial history from the hosts of the popular Witches of Scotland podcast. Mitchell, one of Scotland’s leading lawyers, and Venditozzi uncover the brutal reality behind historical persecution. 

Val McDermid: Winter Crime

Monday 9 Feb, 6pm — North Edinburgh Arts 
 

Scotland’s ‘Queen of Crime’ discusses her latest Karen Pirie thriller Silent Bones and her new memoir Winter. With over 18 million books sold worldwide, McDermid rarely appears in intimate community settings. 

Doug Johnstone: 20 Years in the Making

Wed 11 Feb, 6pm — North Edinburgh Arts 
 

The bestselling crime writer reflects on two decades of literary success ahead of his landmark 20th novel. Johnstone’s Edinburgh-set thrillers have earned international acclaim and multiple award nominations. 

Irvine Welsh: Writing Edinburgh

Thurs 26 Feb, 6pm — Muirhouse Library 
 

A special remote appearance from the Trainspotting author, returning to the library he visited as a child. Welsh will discuss how Muirhouse and Edinburgh shaped his groundbreaking literary voice, followed by audience Q&A. 

Maisie Chan: Family Fun

Wed 18 Feb, 2–3pm — Muirhouse Library 
 

A half-term celebration of stories and creativity for families. Every child attending receives a free book to take home. 

Schools Event: Joseph Coelho OBE — Poetry Alive!

Wed 11 Feb, 10.30–11.15am — Muirhouse Library 
An energising poetry workshop from the former Children’s Laureate (2022-24). Local primary school pupils will receive free books and participate in creative writing activities. 

All events are free with advance booking recommended via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/muirhouse-library