Join us next Wednesday (29th April) for a special evening of film, discussion and live performance at NEA, as part of the 2026 Folk Film Gathering!
For more info and to book your FREE ticket, visit:
The recommendations made by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee have been announced today [21 April], including the masterplan for a permanent memorial in St James’s Park, London, a new charitable trust for regenerating community assets across the United Kingdom, and an online Digital Memorial to allow people to submit their own memories of the late Queen.
Today [21 April] Their Majesties The King and Queen, other Members of the Royal Family and the Prime Minister will view the designs and other elements of the memorial at an event at the British Museum in London, to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “As our longest‑serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II devoted her life to public service. The nation will commemorate her extraordinary reign with a memorial that offers a place of reflection for generations to come.“
The permanent memorial park, designed by Foster + Partners in collaboration with Michel Desvigne Paysagiste, commemorates Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her lifelong commitment to public service.
It features a new standing statue of Queen Elizabeth overlooking The Mall at Marlborough Gate, close to Buckingham Palace. The statue, to be sculpted in bronze by acclaimed sculptor Martin Jennings, will show Her Majesty in an early stage of her reign dressed in the robes of the Order of the Garter, using the famous painting by Pietro Annigoni as an inspiration.
Mr Jennings will also sculpt a nearby statue of Prince Philip, the longest-serving consort, at a similar age wearing a uniform of Admiral-of-the-Fleet. His statue will be located close to Queen Elizabeth’s, in recognition of the support he gave her during her 70-year reign. The appearance of both statues will be further refined during the sculpting process.
The permanent memorial will also feature: a new cast-glass bridge inspired by Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, which was worn by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day; a bust of Her Majesty in her later years by sculptor Karen Newman; and The Commonwealth Wind Sculpture, a new abstract work by Yinka Shonibare.
The design also includes gardens dedicated to the Commonwealth and to the nations of the United Kingdom, creating spaces for relaxation and reflection. The memorial has been developed in consultation with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee following a design competition held last year.
A new UK-wide independent charity, The Queen Elizabeth Trust, has also been established on the occasion of the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth to honour her lifelong commitment to public service. His Majesty The King has accepted the Royal Patronage of the Trust, which will bring the late Queen’s values to life for present and future generations.
Inspired by the words “everyone is our neighbour”, shared by Queen Elizabeth in a speech to mark her twenty-first birthday, the Trust will work hand in hand with communities, providing funding and targeted support to restore and sustain spaces that will thrive long into the future. The Trust’s Chair is Sir Damon Buffini, who currently serves as Chair of the Royal National Theatre and Deputy Chair of the BBC Board.
The Trust will support places at the heart of local life such as community centres and green spaces. To ensure the Trust can have the widest positive impact, the Government is providing a one-off £40 million endowment. This provides the initial funding needed to support local projects of public value and will act as a catalyst for future fundraising.
Today also marks the launch of The Queen Elizabeth Digital Memorial, which will digitise Court Circular records and bring them to life online alongside materials from museums, archives and the media to create a record of Elizabeth II’s public life.
It will map the key events from her reign and allow people from across the world to contribute their own memories and images of Her late Majesty to this historic record.
The Memorial Committee is keen for everyone to submit their memories of Elizabeth II and tag them to events and locations on the site. Notable public figures have already provided memories, including Tom Daley, Dame Tracey Emin, Baroness Valerie Amos, and others.
Models of the permanent memorial and details of the Queen Elizabeth Trust and the Digital Memorial will also be displayed at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, the Millennium Centre in Cardiff and Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland on 24 April to allow people from across the UK to view the details.
Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee Lord Janvrin said: “Queen Elizabeth was admired around the world for her quiet leadership through times of great change – driven by her common sense, optimism and strong sense of duty. Our task has been to recommend a memorial capturing her role, her personality and what she meant to so many of us – whilst being of public benefit which was so important to her.
“We hope the physical Memorial will enhance a most beautiful space in the heart of our capital for people to meet, relax and reflect, whilst the new Queen Elizabeth Trust aims to benefit local communities in every part of the United Kingdom.
“The Digital Memorial will allow people across the country, the Commonwealth and beyond to share their memories of the late Queen to build a living archive of her reign for future generations.”
Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners Lord Foster said: “The Queen’s reign encompassed periods of significant change – socially and technologically – which she negotiated with incredible composure and stability.
“The memorial reaches across all ages and interests – and communicates the common values that Her Majesty promoted. With a serene and contemplative atmosphere, there will be opportunities to rediscover – or perhaps for some to discover – the legacy of Her Majesty.”
Interim Chief Executive of the Queen Elizabeth Trust Claire Whitaker CBE said: “I am delighted to be part of the Queen Elizabeth Trust, a charity which aims to make a lasting difference in communities across the UK.
“Its focus on working hand in hand with people to renew and sustain shared spaces reflects what we’ve heard from local groups across the four nations: that these places work best when they are shaped by and for the communities they serve.
” I am looking forward to seeing this work come to life over the coming months, and to supporting inclusive, revitalised spaces which bring people together for years to come.”
In addition to this Memorial for the whole United Kingdom, the UK Government has allocated funding for memorial projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee was established in 2023 to develop plans for the memorial. It has consulted experts in arts, history and heritage and other stakeholders from across the United Kingdom. His Majesty The King has been sighted throughout the process and the Committee’s proposals were approved by the Prime Minister in April 2026.
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COMMUNITY PARADE ALERT 
Get ready for big colours, big noise and big North Edinburgh spirit. Whether you’re marching, cheering or just soaking up the atmosphere, come join the fun and show what this community is made of. Let’s make it unforgettable.
If you want to be part of the parade, wear costumes, sing, dance, or just walk the route, contact stephnecf@gmail.com
The latest round of funding will see £740,000 invested in 13 projects through the Urban Forestry Programme’s Challenge Fund. The programme is a partnership initiative between Future Woodlands Scotland and JERA Nex bp.
Recipients include Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT), for their Urban Street Trees Canopy Custodians proramme, and Edible Estates, for their South West Edinburgh Urban Woodlands project.
The fund supports projects that create, enhance and expand urban woodlands, helping to make Scotland’s towns and cities greener, healthier and more resilient places to live. The 2026 awards span communities across the country, backing initiatives that aim to improve biodiversity, strengthen climate change resilience and bring more people into contact with nature in the places they live, work and play.
Since the first projects were funded in 2025, £1,360,000 has been invested, over 6,500 trees have been planted, engaging more than 320 volunteers, and four new urban forestry jobs have been created.
Among the projects awarded funding this year is FEL Scotland’s ‘Trees for Goals’, which will receive £94,500 to support community sports clubs to plant and care for trees in and around their grounds.
The simple but powerful scheme began as a pilot with grassroots football team Alloa Saints where a tree was planted for every goal scored throughout the season. Enough goals were scored to plant around 2,000 trees, helping connect sport with practical environmental action. The programme has grown to include 16 clubs across Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling.
Clara Walker, Executive Director at FEL Scotland, said: “This funding enables us to plant trees where they’ll make the biggest difference, strengthening communities, improving local environments and inspiring climate action through the power of sport. By working with a range of local partners, we can grow greener neighbourhoods and ensure the impact makes a difference now and lasts well into the future.”
Trees for Goals focuses on communities with low tree cover and poor tree equity, helping to bring the benefits of urban woodland to areas where it is needed most. As well as increasing tree cover, the project is designed to leave a legacy by embedding tree care into regular club activity, ensuring that young people and volunteers continue to nurture the spaces they have helped create.
Trees for Goals is one of a wide range of projects supported through the 2026 Urban Forestry Fund, reflecting the diversity of community-led urban greening taking place across Scotland.
Other successful projects in this year’s funding round include Dumfries LIFT’s NANA’s Garden, which was awarded £18,000 to plant native and fruit trees in Lochside while helping local children and families learn more about biodiversity and climate change resilience.
In Dundee, Maxwell Community Centre and Garden’s Dundee Food Forests: The Big Grow is to receive £67,600 to work with community groups and schools to create 25 biodiverse food forests in areas with the greatest tree inequity.
Meanwhile in Aberdeen, Social Juice CIC’s Silver City Trees will receive £20,000 to plant 200 fruit and native trees in priority neighbourhoods, combining greener spaces with practical community skills development.
Des Hackett, Urban Forestry Programme Manager at Future Woodlands Scotland said: “The second year of projects to receive Urban Forestry Challenge Funding demonstrates the growing ambition and creativity of organisations across Scotland to make our urban areas greener and healthier.
“From community sports grounds to neighbourhood woodlands, the 13 projects show how local action can deliver long-term benefits for climate resilience, biodiversity and wellbeing.”
A total of 29 applications were submitted this year, across two competitive grant categories: projects ranging from £2,000 to £20,000, and those ranging from £20,000 to £100,000.
Projects were chosen based on the contribution they could make to the Urban Forestry 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.
JERA Nex bp’s Thomas Hudson, Morven Project Director, added: “These projects demonstrate the power of community-led action to create lasting environmental change.
“Through the Urban Forestry Challenge Fund, we are supporting initiatives that not only increase tree cover, but also bring people together, build skills and create greener, more resilient neighbourhoods across Scotland.”
Applications for both categories of Urban Forestry Challenge Fund grants will reopen in Autumn. More information on the Urban Forestry programme is available at www.futurewoodlands.org.uk
2026 Urban Forestry Challenge Fund awards
SMALL GRANTS – up to £20,000
Trees, Bees and Fruit
This project will plant fruit trees in gardens, create community orchards and establish new native woodland, alongside resident-led learning in pruning, grafting and tree care.
Keswick Terrace Greenspace Development
New trees and shrubs will transform local greenspace into a more welcoming, wildlife-friendly area while helping absorb rainfall and reduce local flood risk.
LARGE GRANTS – £20,000-£100,000
As charities across the UK face increasing financial pressure and a decline in overall donations, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is thanking its community of regular donors whose ongoing support is helping transform the lives of pets and their owners.
Today, 3,044 regular donors collectively fund approximately one sixth of the charity’s work and aid in ensuring animals receive the care they need all year round.
With rising energy and operational costs placing growing pressure on animal welfare charities, the Home is highlighting the vital role that consistent, monthly donations play in keeping its doors open. It costs around £7,000 per day to run the Home, which receives no government funding and relies almost entirely on the generosity of the public.
Amelia Morgan, CEO at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “Regular giving allows us to plan for the future and ensure these wonderful animals receive the highest quality of care all year round, no matter what.
“We are endlessly grateful for the continuing support of our regular donors who help us be there for dogs and cats who need us.”
Even small monthly donations have a direct impact, from helping provide food for growing kittens and puppies, to covering essential treatments, specialist diets, and dedicated behavioural training to help dogs thrive.
That ongoing support is what enables the charity to make rehoming stories like Hamish’s possible.
Hamish, an anxious collie, spent almost a year in the Home’s care after struggling to trust new people. The team worked patiently to build his confidence, knowing it would take time for him to truly come out of his shell and find the right person for Hamish.
That moment came when he met his new owner Paul. Visit by visit, trust began to grow, until Hamish was ready to take the next step. Today, he is thriving, full of life, loyal and enjoying the loving home he deserves.
Hamish’s journey is just one example of the impact regular donations make every day. In 2025 alone, the Home accepted 343 animals, rehomed or reunited 318 pets, and provided more than 636,000 meals through community food banks, support that met only half of the demand seen across the region.
As demand continues to grow, the charity says regular giving will play an increasingly important role in ensuring it can continue to support pets and their owners through challenging times.
Amelia added: “Every single regular donation helps us be there for animals like Hamish and the thousands more who need us each year.
“To everyone who already supports us, thank you. You are making a real and lasting difference every single day.”
To donate to the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, please visit:
We’re excited to reveal the shortlisted finalists for the Scottish Street Food Awards 2026, returning to The Pitt this year. All eleven will be serving up at The Pitt from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd May.
The Champions award will be judged by a team of foodie experts, with the People’s Choice chosen by the public over the course of the weekend. The winners will be announced at 3pm on Sunday, 3 May, and will go on to compete in the British Street Food Awards later in the year.
This year’s line-up is a celebration of creativity, culture and craft – a group of traders bringing personal stories, bold ideas and serious flavour to Scotland’s street food scene.
Meet the finalists:
Brocail is a food trailer focused on reimagined, seasonal dishes using local Scottish and UK produce. Born from a community allotment project and seasonal supper clubs, their menu continues to celebrate fresh, nutritious food with a low-impact ethos. For the awards, they’ll showcase homemade paneer using Jersey cow milk from The Wee Dairy in Perthshire, with dishes like Paneer Kofta highlighting both the quality of the produce and creative use of its whey by-product. Follow on instagram.
D & N Sushi: A family-run business based in Moray, D&N Sushi is reimagining what sushi can be in a street food setting. Their signature Sushi-Dog swaps out the traditional bun for crispy panko-coated sushi rice, filled with bold ingredients like salmon, prawn, crab or chicken and finished with their own sauces. It’s creative, unexpected and designed to surprise – a fresh take on Japanese-inspired street food that’s as eye-catching as it is delicious. Follow on instagram.
Eat Ko:te is built on a simple philosophy: fire, smoke, salt and time create the richest flavours. Inspired by traditional charcoal cooking, the business operates with a rare combination of a Josper oven and Kasai grill – a setup almost unheard of in a street food trailer. From smoky grilled meats to scallops cooked over intense heat with garlic butter and crispy panko, every dish reflects both technical skill and a deep personal connection to the ingredients. Follow on instagram.
Ember: Based in Fife, Ember is a premium live-fire food concept built around a custom 20ft container kitchen designed specifically for wood and charcoal cooking. Their approach bridges the gap between restaurant-quality dining and street food accessibility, with a menu centred on panuozzo, premium burgers and grilled meats and vegetables. Every dish is driven by fire – creating bold, smoky flavours that showcase both technique and high-quality produce. Follow on instagram.
Far Out Bao: is a deeply personal concept rooted in Filipino heritage and inspired by the bold, balanced flavours of Hawaii. Created from a love of comforting, expressive food, the menu centres around soft, pillowy bao buns filled with sweet, salty, tangy and smoky elements. It’s a concept that blends cultural influence with storytelling – bringing a taste of the Pacific to Scotland’s street food scene in a way that feels both joyful and unexpected. Follow on instagram.
Hungarian Chimney Cake (Tekerch): Bringing a taste of Hungarian tradition to Edinburgh, Tekerch Chimney Cake combines food and theatre in equal measure. Each chimney cake is rolled, baked and caramelised fresh in front of customers, creating a sensory experience that’s as memorable as the taste itself. Crisp on the outside, soft within and finished with a range of sweet toppings, their offering blends nostalgia, craftsmanship and visual appeal – a true street food experience. Follow on instagram.
Jamie’s Backyard Slice: Rooted in Scottish food culture and personal memory, Jamie’s Backyard Slice takes the classic pizza crunch and elevates it with quality ingredients and attention to detail. Using a quarter pizza, dipped in Tennent’s lager batter and deep fried, each portion is finished with parmesan, oregano and hot honey. It’s a dish that taps into nostalgia – from school lunches to late-night chippy runs – while delivering something bigger, bolder and more refined. Follow on instagram.
Naughty Boi Smashburgers: Born from years spent working in food trucks across Scotland, Naughty Boi is the result of a shared obsession with doing smash burgers properly. After countless test runs (with friends as willing guinea pigs), the team launched their own concept – focused on quality Scottish beef, locally sourced buns and flavours that don’t get lost. Still relatively new, but backed by serious experience, Naughty Boi delivers crispy-edged, flavour-packed burgers that reflect both craft and personality. Follow on instagram.
The Peruvian brings bold, authentic flavours straight from Peru, serving the dishes the founder grew up eating – big, vibrant and unapologetically full of flavour. From classics like Lomo Saltado to tequeños, wings and salchipapas, it’s proper hands-on street food. Now evolving beyond the classics, the menu is expanding to include rotisserie chicken, smoked meats, arroz chaufa and a range of traditional sauces – from aji amarillo to rocoto – putting real Peruvian food front and centre. Follow on instagram.
Pinko’s Korean Street Food: Travelling across Scotland from market to market, Pinko’s Korean Street Food has built its reputation on bold, authentic flavours and a clear passion for sharing Korean food culture. Cooking everything fresh on-site, their menu spans crispy Korean fried chicken, corndogs, tteokbokki and award-winning kimchi. At the heart of it all is their signature Seoul Combo Cupbap – a flavour-packed rice bowl combining double-fried chicken, Aberdeen Angus beef bulgogi and punchy pickles. It’s street food rooted in tradition, delivered with energy and precision. Follow on instagram.
Spoon Me: Spoon Me is Scotland’s first banana pudding parlour – and a business built on both nostalgia and innovation. Inspired by classic American recipes but reimagined to be entirely gluten- and dairy-free, everything is made from scratch, right down to the wafers.
From the original vanilla pudding to their standout caramelised banana tiramisu, Spoon Me has developed a cult following, with customers (including visiting Americans) claiming it rivals – or even beats – the original. It’s comfort food with a modern, inclusive twist. Follow on instagram.
Get the dates in your diary and head down to The Pitt and sample the best Scotland has to offer!
Wildlife experts have been left devastated by the continued intentional destruction of dune habitat on the Ardeer Peninsula in Ayrshire by its landowners – despite the dunes being ear-marked as part of a potential Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Local community groups and national wildlife organisations called on Scottish Government agency NatureScot to designate the special habitats of the Ardeer Peninsula as part of a Garnock Estuary SSSI back in 2022, building on a long-running local campaign to protect its wildlife.
As it stands, much of the Ardeer Peninsula remains under threat from a Special Development Order dating back to 1953 which removes the requirements for planning permission that are needed almost anywhere else in Scotland.
In a welcomed move, NatureScot has been reviewing the potential boundaries for a SSSI in recent years, a vital step towards protecting its mosaic of dunes, grassland, woodlands, scrub and wetlands
However, the local community has reported that despite NatureScot engaging with landowners about the potential designation, precious and irreplaceable sand dune habitat continues to be subject to sand extraction and further degradation through the dumping of soils, while large areas of biodiverse woodland have also been cleared.
Roger Hissett from the Ardeer Action Group said, “After more than a decade of campaigning by local naturalists it is tragic to see a developer determined to destroy the special and rare habitats and wildlife of this part of the Ardeer Peninsula.
“It is so sad that this attitude still persists into the 21st century just when the area is being considered for protection for the benefit of future generations.”
Rebecca Lewis, Buglife Scotland and Northern Ireland Manager said, “The Ardeer Peninsula has an important role to play in supporting the Scottish Government’s commitment to reversing biodiversity loss and NatureScot’s strategic goal of protecting 30% of Scotland’s land for nature by 2030.
“We are delighted that NatureScot agree that it is worthy of consideration for SSSI notification, but the ongoing activity is a blow to the integrity of this nationally important wildlife site- which has been called Scotland’s best site for bees.”
It is hoped that some of the damage that has taken place could be reversed with appropriate management and funding. The Garnock Estuary, which includes the Ardeer Peninsula in Stevenston and Garnock East in Irvine, is a unique mosaic of dunes, grassland, woodlands, scrub and wetlands.
Although it has been modified by the site’s complex industrial past, it remains an incomparable haven for wildlife, including species that have been lost across much of the landscape.
It is home to over 1,000 invertebrate species, including at least 99 of conservation concern and some found nowhere else in Scotland. The estuary is one of the most important breeding bird populations on the Lower Clyde coast and supports at least 46 rare plants, including endemic sub-species and those for which Scotland has an international responsibility.
PICTURES: IAIN HAMLIN
Thousands of children each year end up in hospital through accidental poisoning. But in Take Action Today areas, emergency admissions for under-fives have dropped by almost 50% since 2013.
Take Action Today helps parents keep their young children safe from accidental poisoning through free safety resources, checklists and fact sheets.
Join the 1 million families who have benefited from Take Action Today – access free safety resources at www.rospa.com/home-safety/household-cleaning-products
SCIENTISTS in Glasgow are launching a new Cancer Research UK-funded project to find a way to stop bowel cancer cells hijacking the body.
The team, based at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in the city, will focus on a particular system inside the human body, called the Wnt pathway – a key messaging system controlling growth.
A specific genetic mutation can cause this system to tell cells to grow and produce new cancer cells out of control.
The cancer cells then hijack the pathway and prevent it from growing healthy cells, effectively starving the body of healthy growth. This can eventually lead to the growth of tumours in the lining of the bowel.
Dr Nadia Nasreddin, researcher at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Professor Sansom’s group, said: “We hope to find a way to help healthy cells fight the mutant cell colonisation of the bowel lining, by using drugs that can promote healthy cell growth.
“If we boost the Wnt pathway in normal cells, we can improve their health, restore their capacity to divide and produce new healthy cells, and reduce the ability of cancer cells to grow in the bowel.”
With funding of £357,759 from Cancer Research UK, the project will help tackle bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK.*
Treatment options for bowel cancer remain limited, particularly for patients who are diagnosed at later stages of the disease, making the search for new therapies vital. Scotland is disproportionately affected by the disease with around 4,000 people diagnosed each year. **
Bowel cancer is caused by changes in the DNA (called mutations) in important cells in the intestine called intestinal stem cells.
These cells maintain the intestine’s lining by constantly dividing to replace old or worn-out cells with healthy new ones. These cells live within a specific environment, characterised by high activity of the Wnt pathway.
Eighty per cent of colon cancer cases are caused by mutations in a particular gene which is responsible for controlling the Wnt pathway environment and can be inherited.
When this mutation occurs, it creates a very high Wnt environment which results in the cell’s dividing and producing new cells faster than normal.
It also produces a molecule that deprives normal cells of their Wnt environment causing normal intestinal stem cells to stop dividing and producing new ones.
This results in mutant cells in the lining of the intestine that, over time, replace the normal cells eventually forming into a tumour.
The team will test four different molecules to determine which best supports the health of normal intestinal stem cells in mouse models.
Researchers will further develop any which show a clear benefit to survival into drugs for human use.
Science engagement lead at Cancer Research UK, Sam Godfrey, said: “We are delighted to fund this exciting research project which looks at the beginnings of cancer and seeks ways to prevent it developing.
“Harnessing our own body’s power to support healthy growth and halt the excessive growth which results in tumours could lead to the kind of breakthrough which transforms the way we see, and treat, bowel cancer.”
Bowel cancer kills 16,800 people in the UK (1,700 in Scotland) every year and is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people.*
A recent study by the American Cancer Society published in The Lancet Oncology showed early-onset bowel cancer rates in adults aged 25-49 are rising in 27 of 50 countries studied and are rising faster in young women in Scotland and England than in young men.**
Our clubs are back this week, with an exciting new addition to our What’s New Wednesday!
We will be running a 4-week boxing programme in partnership with BLAST Boxing at Fetlor for P6+.
To sign up, please fill in the link below:
