Changes apply to non-commercial movements of dogs, cats and ferrets
From TODAY – Wednesday 22 April – new EU rules have come into effect covering how GB residents can travel to the EU with their pets. People can still travel to the EU with their pets, but they are strongly encouraged to check the latest guidance.
The changes, announced by the EU, apply to the non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets entering the EU from Great Britain.
There are no major changes to pet travel requirements for re-entry into Great Britain.
Key updates include:
GB residents should no longer use EU pet passports to travel into the EU. EU pet passports may now only be issued to people whose main home is in the EU and should not be used by people who have holiday homes in the EU or visit seasonally. EU pet passports issued to GB residents before 22 April 2026 may no longer be valid documents for entry to the EU. This means GB residents – even if they already have an EU pet passport – may need a different document to take their pet to the EU. To guarantee smooth travel, owners resident in Great Britain should get an Animal Health Certificate for their dog, cat or ferret(s) if they’re travelling from Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) to an EU country.
Individual Member States may have specific pet travel requirements and pet owners should always check the specific entry requirements of the destination country before travel.
GB residents are still able to use EU pet passports for their return journey to GB.
Animal Health Certificates (AHCs) now last longer once you arrive, but they are still single‑use. Although you still need a new AHC for each trip from GB to the EU, the certificate can now be used for up to six months for onward travel within the EU and for re‑entering Great Britain, as long as rabies vaccinations remain valid.
If someone else travels with your pet, extra paperwork is needed. If the owner is not travelling with the pet, the pet must travel within five days of the owner, and the person accompanying the animal must carry written permission from the owner. This permission must travel with the pet’s travel document.
There is a new five‑pet limit per private vehicle. Non‑commercial travel into the EU is now limited to a maximum of five pets per private vehicle, rather than five per person. The existing limit of five pets for people travelling on foot stays the same. Exceptions apply for pets travelling to competitions, events or training, if specific conditions are met.
An APHA spokesperson said:From 22 April, new EU rules change how GB residents travel to the EU with their pets, but holidays with your pets are still possible.
“Anyone planning to travel should check guidance on GOV.UK, and the entry rules for their destination.
“To avoid delays and ensure a smooth journey, pet owners residing in Great Britain should get an Animal Health Certificate if they’re travelling from Great Britain to an EU country.”
The Government’s guidance to pet owners has been updated to reflect these changes. For more information, visit:
Edinburgh College recently welcomed representatives from partner schools across Asia as it marked a significant step in the College’s growing partnership with PDVL (The Prince Foundation programme) and wider global engagement.
Representatives from partner schools in Japan and Thailand visited the College to meet with staff, tour facilities, and formalise partnerships through the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), supporting student progression, credit recognition and wider academic collaboration.
In 2025, the College became a delivery partner for the PDVL programme, which provides a focused pre-university pathway, combining academic study with English language development and study skills to prepare students for progression to higher education. The College welcomed its first cohort in 2026, with students from China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan enrolling on the Business Pathway programme.
The launch of the PDVL programme marks the beginning of a new international partnership between the College and its partner schools, bringing together shared strengths and a common vision to deliver a globally relevant learning experience for the students involved. In addition, students benefit from established progression routes through PDVL’s articulation agreements with universities, supporting their onward academic journey.
Alongside programme delivery, the partnership has continued to develop through engagement with PDVL partner schools across Asia. In recent months, representatives from schools in Thailand and Japan also visited the College.
Scott Torrance, International Business Manager at Edinburgh College, said: “We are delighted to welcome our new students on the Prince Foundation programme and hope they are the trailblazers for a long relationship with PDVL.
“They arrive in Edinburgh at a great time of year as we move on from winter – we look forward to seeing our students blossom alongside the spring flowers!”
Angel Zhou, International Business Advisor at Edinburgh College, added: “This partnership reflects a shared long-term commitment to building sustainable international pathways, and we look forward to developing it further in the years ahead.”
David Low, Managing Director of PDVL Overseas Advisory Sdn Bhd, said: “From the very beginning, our partnership with Edinburgh College has been built on shared ambition and a genuine commitment to student success.
“The arrival of our first cohort is just the start – with Business and Science pathways on the horizon and a growing network of partner schools across Asia, the best is still ahead of us.”
Looking ahead, the partnership will continue to grow, with both Business and Science pathways planned from 2027, expanding opportunities for future cohorts.
Billpayers ‘set to benefit from a stronger energy regulator to ensure they are treated fairly’
Energy regulator Ofgem reformed to introduce stronger protections for consumers
Households supported with faster redress if they are let down by their supplier
Energy executives incentivised to act in consumers’ best interests
Billpayers are set to benefit from a stronger energy regulator, under reforms of its remit set out by the government today (22 April).
The transformation will empower the regulator to ensure energy consumers are treated fairly, including measures to guarantee good practice in the market. This is the first major update to Ofgem’s scope since the regulator was founded in 2000.
The comprehensive overhaul will give Ofgem new powers to act as a true consumer champion, including:
Stronger powers for the regulator to enforce consumer law directly, meaning it will no longer need to go through a lengthy courts process to make sure customers get what they are owed if companies treat them unfairly;
Measures to ensure energy bosses act on behalf of consumers, with powers for Ofgem to ban their bonuses if they break the rules;
Reforms to the regulator’s remit to focus on economic and consumer protection and ensure every energy consumer is protected, including the ability to regulate in new areas of the market if needed.
Since Ofgem was established, the market has grown more complex, with a wider range of products and services for consumers to choose from – with growing numbers of customers in parts of the market which are covered by little, if any, regulation.
That includes heating oil customers, who have seen prices spike following the start of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Last month the government announced funding worth over £50 million to support low-income families reliant on heating oil, and committed to introducing new consumer protections to the sector.
The changes announced today mark another step in that process, transforming Ofgem so that it is fit for the future and can ensure all consumers in today’s energy market are supported.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “This Government is fighting people’s corner, and today we set out steps to strengthen protections for energy consumers.
“This includes tough and fair measures to ban energy company bonuses if they break the rules.”
Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey said: “Every household must be given a fair deal, and today, we transform our energy regulator to give families stronger protections.
“We’re giving Ofgem stronger powers to fight consumers’ corner, changing their remit so they can protect every consumer, and introducing new measures so they can hold energy executives to account.
“We’re making the market work for those who use it, working with the regulator to make sure customers are put first.
“We will continue to stand up for working people and fight their corner as we tackle the affordability crisis – our number one priority.”
Interim Ofgem CEO Tim Jarvis said: “Great Britain’s energy system is going through the biggest changes in our lifetimes, and the regulator needs to be able to keep pace with that change.
“This review sets out ambitious, necessary reforms that will enable Ofgem to meet the challenges of regulating an increasingly electrified and flexible energy system and protect consumers so they can engage confidently in markets offering new products and services.
“We have delivered significant reforms in recent years, but this review enables us to make changes at a more systemic level to ensure we are delivering an energy system that works for consumers, that is attractive to investors and provides a stable, reliable environment for participants in the industry.
“With the tools, remit and clarity to deliver this, we look forward to working with the Government, consumer representatives and the energy sector to drive the change that’s needed – both in Ofgem and across the energy sector.”
To deliver the shift, Ofgem’s remit will be streamlined to focus on its core functions as an economic and consumer protection regulator. This involves removing Ofgem’s responsibility for oversight of home upgrade schemes in a role that is set to be performed within government by the Warm Homes Agency.
This will help equip Ofgem to drive forward clean power and economic growth, ensuring regulation supports innovation, unlocks investment in Britain’s electricity networks, and helps to modernise the energy system.
Ofgem’s capabilities will also be reformed, with its technical expertise strengthened, its use of data improved and its approach to risk reassessed – enabling the regulator to take faster decisions in the interests of consumers.
They will also develop a workforce plan, building on changes already underway, to ensure staff have the right skills to deliver the changes required, supported by stronger board‑level oversight of skills and culture.
The changes build on the reforms the government and regulator have already delivered to rebuild the energy retail market and improve standards in the sector – driving customer satisfaction with their suppliers to record highs.
They follow the government’s proposals to protect energy consumers with fairer, quicker and easier access to compensation when they are let down, as well as Ofgem’s plans to make sure suppliers’ Guaranteed Standards of Performance reflect the evolving energy system.
The plans come as the government is continuing to fight people’s corner in response to the impacts of the conflict in the Middle East. Yesterday (21 April) the Energy Secretary set out plans to go further and faster on the mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower and protect people from the increasing global fossil fuel price shocks.
Gillian Cooper, Director of Energy at Citizens Advice said: “We welcome the actions set out in the review, which will strengthen consumer protections, enable a fair transition to green energy and give Ofgem the tools it needs to enforce the rules.
“Ofgem should now seize the opportunity to bring about a more innovative market, with better choices and protections for consumers, ensuring energy suppliers know there are real consequences for falling short.
“Effective regulation is one pillar which underpins a well-functioning energy system. But consumers also need strong advocacy, trusted advice and the ability to get problems sorted quickly and fairly, so they can make informed decisions and know they won’t be left out of pocket if things go wrong.”
Laura Sandy CBE, Chair of the Energy Network Innovation Taskforce and Green Alliance said: “Excellent to see that the review is focused on the clarity of Ofgem’s role, streamlining its role to become a truly modern regulator, moving from technology-based regulation to a consumer centric model and being responsible for driving growth.
“While, consumer protection and network regulation are the core functions, I hope that these roles also mean driving growth, unlocking wider societal opportunity and delivering customers greater choice.
“The culture within the organisation is a strong theme throughout with the need to move from a process, input regulator, to a dynamic opportunity and risk regulator. Crucially there are excellent recommendations around independent assessment on progress supporting Ofgem in the delivery of their new remit.”
We are delighted to share that we have received a five year unrestricted grant totalling £250,000 through Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Empower programme!
This kind of support helps us strengthen our work and grow our impact over the long term. Thank you!
The Hailes Quarry Park course was officially opened this week by the Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Margaret Graham.
Disc golf is played in a similar way to traditional golf, but instead of clubs and balls, players throw a flying disc towards a fixed metal basket. Each hole begins at a designated tee area, with players continuing from where their previous throw lands until they reach the target.
With more than 12,000 courses worldwide, disc golf is one of the fastest-growing sports globally. Despite its popularity, the nearest course to Edinburgh was located in Dunbar and required an entry fee.
The new course is free to use and open to everyone, offering a great opportunity for individuals, families, and groups to get outdoors and try something new.
Supported by the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA), it has been developed and will be maintained by the newly established Edinburgh Disc Golf Community (EDGC), helping to grow the sport locally.
Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said: “It’s fantastic to see more opportunities like this being introduced at Hailes Quarry Park. Having activities that are free and open to all makes a real difference, and I hope it encourages people of all ages to come along and give disc golf a go.
“I had such a great time having a shot on the course during the launch and I’m sure this will be a valuable addition for the community.
“Supporting people to be more active is a key priority, and initiatives like this play an important role in making that happen.”
Edinburgh Disc Golf Community member, Peter Dawson, said: “It is brilliant to finally be opening Edinburgh’s first disc golf course!
“The Scottish Open was first held on the Isle of Mull in 1992 and since then disc golf courses have been popping up all around Scotland so it’s brilliant to finally be opening Edinburgh’s first course!
“The Edinburgh Disc Golf Community formed in 2023 to bring disc golf to the city so it’s very exciting to see all our plans become a reality. Hailes Quarry Park is the perfect location, and we are incredibly grateful to the local community for their warm welcome to ‘The Quarry’.
“We can’t wait to share this fast growing, free to play, inclusive sport and welcome them into the community – if you can throw a frisbee you can play Disc Golf!”
Sophie Steenberg, founder of Steenbergs, makes a range of organic loose leaf teas at their Yorkshire factory, comments:
What should you look for when tasting a tea? What flavour notes should it have?
When tasting a tea look for freshness, no overpowering bitterness. Different teas suit different moods and different times of days, so floral lighter teas work well in the afternoon. Experiment and try out different teas and mix it up to find flavours you enjoy.
What is the difference between English breakfast and everyday tea?
English Breakfast is a blend, generally a “house blend”. We blend ours to our own recipe at the Steenbergs tea factory in North Yorkshire. It is traditionally a balanced medium strength tea with lots of different flavour notes combining. Everyday tea tends to be a cheaper less complex tea, often just one tea, that is about strength of tea not flavour notes.
What’s the biggest mistake people make when brewing tea?
There are a few big mistakes that people tend to make:
Not using fresh water when brewing – old water in the kettle gives that dishwater taste and doesn’t wake up the leaves to release the flavour. Tea needs the oxygen in freshly boiled water.
Making it with the wrong temperature water – too cold for black tea and too hot for green or white teas. Aim for 90–98°C for black tea and around 80°C for green tea.
Too short a brewing time – let loose leaf tea steep for around 3-5 minutes for black tea and 2-3 minutes for green and white teas.
Generally, I would advise people to choose a good quality loose leaf tea for a better tasting brew.
Is it bad to reheat tea or leave it sitting too long?
Yes, water should be fresh and if tea is brewed too long it becomes bitter.
Can tea support sleep, focus, or digestion – and which types are best?
Infusions and teas can help but there’s no magic cure. For better sleep, it’s about helping you get into the right mental framework. Slow yourself down, pause and take stock. Teas that can help to calm the mind and body for sleep include camomile or those with valerian in them.
If you’re looking to sharpen your focus, choose tea that contains caffeine, milk free green teas are great (don’t over brew these as they will get bitter and you don’t need a lot of leaf for the brew). Improve digestion with fennel, anise seed and mint teas.
What teas are best to drink in the morning vs evening?
Black teas are best drunk in the morning, and green or white teas in the evening. I drink only herbal teas after 5pm.
What ingredients should you look for in functional or wellness teas?
Simple mixes are best, nothing too complex and “no added ingredients” as they are usually not in large enough percentages to give the supposed impact.
Police Scotland’s national roll out of body worn video to frontline officers concludes today (Tuesday 21 April), with officers on duty with the cameras in Renfrewshire & Inverclyde (K Division) and Argyll and West Dunbartonshire (L Division).
Around 900 officers including road policing officers, dog handlers and custody staff, will be provided with devices over the coming weeks.
The equipment can help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing and reduce complaints, as well as support officer and staff safety, and bring wider benefits to the criminal justice system.
Since its introduction in March 2025, over 864,000 recordings have been captured by the devices with almost 174,000 hours of footage uploaded of which over 55,000 media files have been exported to our digital evidence sharing system, DESC.
Since taking command in October 2023, Chief Constable Jo Farrell has prioritised the introduction of body worn video.
Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett said: “The national roll out of body worn video cameras to our frontline officers is a key priority for us and is one of the ways that we can work towards our vision of safer communities and less crime.
“The cameras and technology will improve the quality of evidence presented in court to deliver faster justice for victims by increasing early guilty pleas and reduce the time spent at court for victims, witnesses and police officers.
“Body worn video can significantly enhance public confidence and support officer and public safety by providing effective and transparent evidence of police and public interactions.
“There is strong public and partner support for body worn video and we will continue to explain our use of this important technology including assurance around data privacy and human rights considerations.”
Every frontline uniformed police officer, including Special Constables, will be expected to wear a video camera on their uniform while on duty and to activate it when using police powers – including stop and search, an arrest of a suspect or executing a search warrant.
Police staff in custody suites will also use cameras when interacting with people in custody.
The footage may be used as evidence, but it will not replace existing procedures and requirements when gathering all available information. It will remain a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to review and determine competence on a case-by-case basis.
Video footage will be uploaded to secure police systems and the evidence will be shared with the COPFS using the new Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) system.
The introduction of body worn video is not intended to encourage the greater use of single police officer deployments or alter current deployment model.
We need your help to shape the future of the Community Grant Fund – you have until 4th May to have your say.
You may be aware that the Community Empowerment and Engagement Team are in the process of making changes to the Community Grants Fund (CGF).
This began with an evaluation of the current funding model in 2024, then in 2025 we worked with CGF volunteers, applicants and grant experts to develop three options for a refreshed funding model for the CGF.
As we enter the next phase of the process, we’d like your views on which funding model option meets the following aims:
reduces barriers to accessing the fund
creates opportunities for wider community participation in decision-making
improves the efficiency of the fund
Your feedback will directly influence how the fund operates, making it more accessible and impactful for communities across Edinburgh. The survey takes just a few minutes to complete:
Please also share the link to complete the survey with anyone who lives or works in Edinburgh, who might benefit from the community grant fund.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team. Thank you for helping us create a stronger, more inclusive community grants process.
Best wishes,
The Community Empowerment and Engagement Team
Community Empowerment & Engagement Officer | Community Empowerment & Engagement Team | Culture and Wellbeing | Place | The City of Edinburgh Council | Waverley Court 1.7 | 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG | Tel 0131 200 4088 | Mob 07718569916 | www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Hidden Door returns to The Paper Factory in June for another ambitious and unique multi artform experience marking “The Last Shift” for the iconic building.
From Wednesday 3rd – Sunday 7th June, the festival brings together the talents of over 100 creatives to offer live music, immersive art installations, dance performances, poetry and spoken word, unique collaborations and much more.
The festival will explore how spaces and objects hold memory, and how fragments of everyday activity become preserved, misremembered or reimagined over time.
Audiences will navigate deep into the site as the programme unfolds around them. Unique experiences will be shaped through individual routes, encounters and personal perspectives. No single path will reveal the whole truth as the building and performances shift around you.
Tickets are on sale now – read on for more about what to expect ….
Music
Each night of the festival offers a diverse roster of musical acts, kicking off on Wednesday with enigmatic electro-pop sensation BIG WETT and experimental artist ICHI taking the concept of a one-man band to new limits with his quirky handmade instrument inventions.
Thursday brings punk duo Cowboy Hunters along with a mystery headliner to be revealed soon, whilst Friday presents local dream pop duo Sarah/Shaun, electronic genre hopper Makeness and Norwegian singer-songwriter, producer and novelist Jenny Hval before feminist DJ collective EPiKA get the party started in the club space.
On Saturday Skye natives Valtos present their acclaimed High Water Mark show, fusing traditional Gaelic folk with club-ready electronic music. Later that night in the club space, Fred Deakin, the legend behind Lemon Jelly, will take to the decks to play us out. Then on Sunday, the last shift welcomes the endless energy of Tinderbox Orchestra, harpist Dara Dubh and the hypnotic orchestral pop of Lauren Auder.
We’ve got more musical surprises to be revealed in the coming weeks, including the ten bands selected from over 300 applications to our open call, in partnership with Creative Edinburgh and the National Centre for Music.
Visual Art
Once again, the festival’s visual art programme will make the most of its unique setting, inviting audiences to explore and discover every corner of The Paper Factory. Discover a range of work including large sculptural installations, wall-based work, projection and textiles, all curated amongst the defunct machinery and industrial spaces.
The visual artists confirmed so far include Chema Rodriguez Alcantara, Ellie Harrison, Emma Macleod, Tiphereth, Fraser MacBeath, Iris Ollier, Jamie McNeill, Jo Fleming Smith, Lilian Ptacek, Michele Marcoux, Nathan Smith, Oana Stanciu, Pandora Vaughan, Ray Downie, Rosie Aspinall Priest, Silas Thomas Parry, Stuart Stafford, Tess Glen and Holly Booth.
Poetry and Spoken Word
Thought provoking, personal, funny and moving – this year’s programme brings the power of spoken word back into a building that has fallen silent; the factory’s atmospheric chambers echoing with the voices of raw human expression.
Over the five nights, our spoken word programme will feature Iona Lee, Josh Cake, Emily Grace Briggs, RJ Hunter and Sean Wai Keung.
Dance
Once again, the Paper Factory will play host to cutting-edge dance performances, popping up around the cavernous industrial spaces.
Look out for experimental multidisciplinary artist and choreographer Ellen Crofton seeking rhythms in chaos and repetition, plus award-winning duo PCK Dance, celebrated for pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance. Elsewhere, Lothian Youth Dance Company present Flies, reimagining the classic Lord of the Flies through a raw and physical dance language, with choreography by Tough Boys Dance Collective.
Creative Collaborations
Threading throughout the 2026 programme are four newly commissioned interdisciplinary collaborations, waiting to be encountered by visitors as they explore The Paper Factory.
Artists, musicians, dancers and performers have joined forces to create something unique for this year’s former factory space. Between them they tell the Paper Factory’s story – both real and imagined – through its past, present and future.
Ghosts in the Machines is a physical theatre and roaming performance art piece featuring animal-like ghost figures emerges from the fragments and residues of the site itself. Awoken by last year’s festival, the Ghosts will return but not all is the same. They now move across the site, searching for clues, performing rituals and searching the factory for their missing pigeon companion.
Everyone Left is a live, site-responsive performance; immersive encounter between dance, architecture and moving image. Dancers navigate the industrial environment and the traces left behind when bodies disappear. The work also draws on the after-hours life of such spaces, shaped by decades of unofficial gatherings and temporary use, where activity continues beyond their original function.
The Last Worker at the Paper Factory: A Musical Tour of 7 Visual Artworks. Poet and performer Josh Cake had conversations with seven Hidden Door visual artists about the processes behind their work to be featured at the festival. Cake turned these conversations into a musical story about the work and their creators, told through song.
The Machine Stops is a celebration of factory life told as a mini symphony of words, pictures and noise across five short acts, featuring DIY film footage, archive photographs, recordings of former factory workers and bespoke live and recorded sound.
These four works form key routes through the building, shaping distinct ways for audiences to encounter the festival. Alongside these works will be a wider set of collaborative projects creating additional pathways, connections and ways of navigating the space. Expect everything from visual art pieces, community-led projects, layered sonic installations and live drumming – we’ll be sharing more on these projects very soon.
This year’s festival also welcomes back Tinderbox’s Room to Play bringing interactive experiences through sound, art and performance with their customary playful spirit.
Hazel Johnson, Director of Hidden Door, said: “We are excited to invite audiences to the Paper Factory’s “Final Shift” to witness the last, most vibrant chapter of this incredible site’s history.
“By bringing together sound, movement, performance and visual art, we are transforming these now silent warehouses into a living, breathing, shifting entity.
“It is a celebration of collaboration and the incredible artistic talent we have here in Scotland; this year’s programme has created the environment for our team to explore the story of a truly unique space. The result is going to be something entirely unrepeatable and spectacular.”
Hidden Door 2026 is possible thanks to vital support from Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Fund, a major funding commitment that secures the future of the festival through to 2027 and enables our volunteer-run charity to embark on ambitious planning for 2026.
We look forward to welcoming you back to the Paper Factory this June!
hello@pchp.org.uk
0131 551 1671
