North Edinburgh News – Page 34 – The NEN

Scotland 2026 – who gets to belong?

FESTIVAL OF POLITICS – SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

MONDAY 17th AUGUST 5.30 – 6.30pm

With growing polarisation, mistrust, and a sense of being left behind for many communities, how can Scotland bring diverse voices together, move from division to empathy, and ensure community voices are at the heart of decision-making?

Come along and take part in this free panel discussion at the Scottish Parliament on 17 August: https://ow.ly/zmb450Zx3oS

(featuring The artwork of Gerard M Burns)

Chair:

Katie Hagmann MSP, Convener, Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Panellists:

Dr Hayley Bennett is Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on the design and delivery of social security, labour market programmes, and anti-poverty initiatives for the working-age population in the UK.

Gerard M Burns is an artist and studied drawing and painting at the Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 1983. Burns has had a successful teaching career, leaving his post as Principle of Art at Glasgow’s St Aloysius College to focus full time on painting. He has completed commissions for a number of private and commercial collections, notably his painting The Rowan which hangs in the Scottish Parliament.

Professor Dr Nasar Meer FRSE is Professor of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow and Academic Chair of the Stuart Hall Foundation. He has been a Commissioner on the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Post-COVID-19 Futures Inquiry, a Member of the Scottish Government COVID-19 and Ethnicity Expert Reference Group. He has previously held a Minda de Gunzburg Fellowship at Harvard University, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the UK Academy of Social Sciences, and a past recipient of the RSE Thomas Reid Medal.

Yuliia Hryshchenko is the founder of SCIO Music & Art Centre Nightingale. After fleeing Ukraine with her three children in 2022, she rebuilt her life in Scotland and turned her family’s journey into a mission to make arts accessible to every child.

She believes creativity can heal, build confidence and strengthen communities.

Have your say on Lottery funding

National Lottery Good Causes: Fund what matters to you

It Starts with Community. And it starts with you.

There are just seven weeks left to respond to the UK Government’s call for evidence, on how the money raised for good causes by National Lottery players should be spent – and they want to hear from individuals and groups across Scotland.

Since 1994, the National Lottery has generated over £53 billion for good causes – through projects that help people connect, grow and build a better future, all across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England.

Our priorities, and our strategy It Starts With Community, have been shaped by 18,000 people across the UK who told us what their communities needed. And last year, our funding teams covering every postcode area of the UK funded an idea every 8 minutes.

Find out more and share your thoughts:

https://www.gov.uk/…/national-lottery-good-causes-fund…

Edinburgh residents announce launch of active volunteering group, Goodgym Edinburgh

Launching 11th August 2026
Edinburgh community combine getting fit and supporting local organisations with practical volunteering
Sessions will be free and inclusive of all fitness levels
Funded by Places for People
The new group will combine exercise with practical volunteering.

GoodGym Edinburgh, the first GoodGym group in Scotland, will run weekly sessions to support local charities and organisations such as food banks, schools, community gardens and youth centres.

Residents will run, walk and cycle to sessions, combining exercise and volunteering to benefit themselves and Edinburgh as a whole. As a result, Edinburgh GoodGymers will be improving their local area and their own mental and physical wellbeing.

The London School of Economics found participation in GoodGym sessions led to “extraordinary” increases in life satisfaction, connectedness and belonging.

For the launch, GoodGym will be supporting the Leith Links Community Croft on 11th August with gardening tasks, whilst learning about gardening, food growing, and the concept of an urban community croft.

Each GoodGym session will be providing much needed volunteer support to Edinburgh’s community groups and charities.

Edinburgh GoodGymers will also run, walk and cycle to visit isolated older people, helping with practical tasks they aren’t able to do on their own such as gardening and moving furniture. These visits create crucial social interaction that the GoodGymer and isolated older person wouldn’t ordinarily have.

Kelly Brown, Director, Places for People Scotland, said: “We’re proud to support GoodGym Edinburgh, helping people to improve their health while making a positive difference in their local community.

“This initiative will build connections, reduce isolation and provide valuable support to local organisations.”

Dave Entwistle, GoodGym Edinburgh Area Activator (group leader) said: “Volunteering has played a huge role throughout my life, it has created some of my most meaningful friendships, experiences, opened a lot of doors and helped me feel connected to the communities I have lived in.

“I am looking forward to being a part of creating those same opportunities for others in Edinburgh by connecting people with amazing projects around the city and building our own GoodGym Edinburgh community.”

GATHER Community Arts Exhibition

Gather Exhibition

A Creative Community Hubs Network Event

We are hugely excited for Gather, a new exhibition showcasing work by artists and community members from across Edinburgh for the very first time.

This is a very special exhibition, and we’d love you to join us for it!

Gather Exhibition

Private View: 11th September 2026, from 4:30pm

Main Exhibition: 12th – 26th September 2026

St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AE

Free. No need to book.

#creativecommunityhubsnetwork

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The Creative Community Hubs Network consists of eight partner organisations based across Edinburgh: WHALE Arts, The Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Granton:hub, North Edinburgh Arts, Duncan Place Leith, The Crannie, Lyra and Craigmillar Now

Support for Cairngorms businesses

Scootish Government funding to help impact of wildfire

Businesses affected by the wildfire in the Cairngorms will receive a share of up to £3 million of Scottish Government funding.

The grants will be available through the Highland Council’s support scheme for businesses affected by the Cairngorms wildfire.

Economy and Tourism Secretary Stephen Flynn said: “The wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park has had a significant impact on many businesses, particularly those premises within the cordon that have been unable to trade.

“I want to thank business owners, employees and local residents for their patience and understanding of the necessary precautions put in place by emergency services to tackle the fire and maintain public safety.

“We understand the difficult position that many now face which is why I am pleased to be able to confirm up to £3 million for the Highland Council to support affected businesses directly.

“This will provide immediate relief for impacted businesses but we will continue to work closely with the Highland Council, HIE and Cairngorms National Park Authority on what further support may be required for the area in the longer term.”

The fund will be administered by The Highland Council with a focus on helping businesses recover from the impact of the wildfire, maintain business continuity and support longer-term recovery.

They will release full details of how to apply in the coming days.

TODAY: Community Lunch at Empty Kitchens Full Hearts

Menu for Friday the 7th of August

We are excited to share a delicious community meal with you today. We do our best to have a variety of options, including vegetarian and a delicious pudding.

What’s on the menu today:

Courgette and mint soup

Roast pork and gravy

Seasonal veg

Roast potatoes

Summer fruit crumble – with option of vanilla and nutmeg sauce

Please check the board or ask our volunteers about allergens. And just a heads-up, our food is served until it runs out! Do come along and enjoy. Thank you!

A Call To Gather: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo returns for a spectacular summer of connection

A celebration of Scottish identity, international friendship and the power of unity on the world’s most iconic stage

The call has gone out. And it has been answered. This August, more than 800 performers from across the globe have gather at Edinburgh Castle Esplanade for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2026, A Call To Gather.

From Europe, New Zealand, Qatar and the United States, to Scotland’s own world-renowned military and traditional performers, A Call To Gather will see an extraordinary international cast come together for a full programme of music, dance and spectacle. As the 2026 lead service, the Royal Air Force provides the military heart of the show.

Representing the Narrator throughout the production is The Call 1914 Statue, voiced by acclaimed Scottish actor Richard Rankin. The striking bronze monument in West Princes Street Gardens honouring the Scottish soldiers who answered the call from around the world during the First World War. The statue provides a powerful visual link to this year’s central theme, the enduring call to come together.

This year, as the world gathers once again in the heart of Edinburgh, A Call To Gather celebrates not only the extraordinary talent on the Esplanade, but the enduring connections that have brought the Tattoo and its audiences together for more than 75 years. But the spirit of the show reaches far beyond the Esplanade.

The Tattoo will continue its longstanding commitment to charity, donating money raised from the show its charity partners.

Alan Lane, Creative Director at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “Performers and audiences will come from across the globe, answering the call to join us in Edinburgh, in a celebration of the music, dance and performance.

“The Tattoo is unlike any other show in the world. And every year, we challenge ourselves to delight and move our audience, whilst always honouring the traditions the Tattoo is built on.

“It will forever be the case that the scale, the setting, and the sense of occasion of the Tattoo are extraordinary, and A Call to Gather builds on those foundations with a renewed sense of global connection. There’s never been a more important time to connect with each other through culture.”

Jason Barrett, Chief Executive Officer at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo: “For more than 75 years, the Tattoo has brought people from Scotland and around the world together through the shared language of music, performance, and culture. A Call to Gather captures that spirit perfectly.

“This summer’s show is a powerful reflection of the unique role the Tattoo plays in bringing people together, and how that impact of sharing cultures reaches far beyond the Esplanade. A role never more important than today. Together we gather, connect, and share something extraordinary – so thank you.”

The full line up for 2026 includes: Central Band of the Royal Air Force, the Band of the Royal Air Force College, the Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment and the Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, the Royal Air Force Salon Orchestra, German Army Band (Heeresmusikkorps) Koblenz, New Zealand Army Band, Qatar Police Academy Band and Drill Team, United States Army Field Band, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Performers, Royal Air Force Massed Military Bands, The 10th Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment Pipes And Drums, 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, The Combined Universities Officer Training Corps Pipes And Drums, Vancouver Police Pipes And Drums, The Pipes And Drums Of The Queen’s Royal Hussars and The Royal Dragoon Guards and 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment.

The spectacular celebration of music, military precision, culture and connection kicks off tonight (Friday 7 August) and runs until Saturday 29 August 2026.

Tickets for 2026 are limited, but remaining tickets can still be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone, 0131 225 1188.

Code of Practice for Mental Health

Views sought on changes to restraint and seclusion guidance

Responses are being sought on proposals to improve guidance around the use of restraint and seclusion in hospitals.

The proposed updates to the Code of Practice for the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 aim to strengthen protections for adults and children to ensure that their safety, emotional wellbeing and rights are taken into account with any potential use of restraint or seclusion.

It also seeks to support practitioners, services and Health Boards to deliver safe care, based on the needs of individual patients being treated under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The draft measures include guidance on:

the clear definitions of restraint and seclusion
the lawful limits of restraint
the use of restraint and seclusion with children and young people
the use of restraint and seclusion in relation to people with learning disabilities or autistic people
the use of restraint during nasogastric tube feeding

Minister for Mental Wellbeing Maree Todd said: “The safety and wellbeing of people receiving mental health treatment and support is at the heart of these proposals.

“These proposed revisions to the Code of Practice reflect the increased concern over the use of restraint and seclusion – and in particular with children and young people, as well as developments to human rights legislation over the past 20 years.

“Revisions will give practitioners clearer, consistent and rights‑based guidance, and help ensure people are treated with dignity and respect.

“I urge people with a stake in this – patients, families, carers and clinicians to respond.”

Updates to the Code of Practice for the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 – Scottish Government consultations – Citizen Space

Broon Scots at North Edinburgh Arts

EXHIBITION: 6th – 29th AUGUST

From 6th to 29th August 2026 we are delighted to be hosting photography exhibition ‘Broon Scots: Snapshots of Scotland’s South Asian Diaspora’.

Led by documentary photographer Hermann Rodrigues, BROON SCOTS has built an extraordinary archive of Scotland’s South Asian communities since the 1990s. Spanning thousands of images and personal stories, the collection offers an intimate look into the vibrant Bangladeshi, Indian, and Pakistani lives that shape the nation today. He was awarded the Best Asian Photographer of the Year by the Asian Media Group.

Through themes ranging from formal portraits and dynamic community gatherings to quiet domestic spaces, restaurants, and public monuments, Rodrigues constructs candid windows into the everyday. By looking beyond superficial narratives, these photographs challenge long-held stereotypes and celebrate the rich, evolving cultural tapestry of a modern Scotland. Broon Scots is not merely a record of the past, but an active, growing chronicle of belonging, resilience, and shared identity across generations.

You can find out more about the project here: https://broonscots.com/

The exhibition can be visited at North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) on our Mezzanine Gallery, and is accessible to the public during NEA’s usual opening hours:

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday: 9am – 5pm

Thursday & Friday: 9am – 8pm

Saturday: 10am – 2pm

All welcome!