First Minister John Swinney will convene a meeting to examine the resilience of Scotland’s democracy.
Political, faith and community leaders will be brought together to assess the robustness of Scotland’s democratic system by examining root causes that might undermine shared values – now and in the future.
The gathering will be held on Wednesday (23 April) when the First Minister hopes to find agreement on a set of principles that can strengthen and protect the country’s democratic foundations.
The discussion will be centred on four key themes, each moderated by a civic leader:
Combating inequality and discrimination.
Tackling disinformation and ensuring a trusted media environment.
Enhancing trust in politics and boosting the accountability of political leaders and democratic institutions.
Strengthening vigilance to electoral interference and encouraging more active democratic participation.
The First Minister said: “Government has a clear role to play in protecting the health of our democracy.
“Across the world, we can see democratic systems under pressure, with fundamental principles being challenged and, in some cases, actively undermined. Scotland is not immune, so we must ensure we are prepared.
“As First Minister, I want to bring people together to help shape our response to these threats, and make sure we work together to protect and strengthen the democratic values that underpin who we are as Scots.
“Bringing together political, faith and community leaders will enable a discussion about key issues such as tackling misinformation, strengthening trust in politics, combating electoral interference, and ensuring Scotland’s democracy delivers equality.
“It will provide the initial foundation that will ensure Scotland has united leadership on values and principles that can help guide us in this age of uncertainty.”
The Conservatives say they will not be attending the session, saying the meeting is nothing more than a talking shop. Reform UK, who do not currently have any Holyrood MSPs, have not been invited to participate in the discussion.
Hay fever season is starting for many people across Scotland.
If you’re noticing itchy eyes, sneezing or a runny nose, you’re not alone – symptoms often begin as pollen levels rise in spring. Hay fever symptoms can start at any age.
For advice on how to manage hay fever and when to seek further help, visit nhs24.info/hay-fever
PayByPhone, a global leader in mobile parking payments, is now available in the majority of Q-Park parking garages including in OMNI, Quartermile and Capital Square in Edinburgh.
Drivers across Edinburgh are being urged to opt into the PayByPhone Auto Payment function now to take advantage of the most convenient parking experience.
By opting in to Auto Payment, drivers can enter not only the local Q-Park car parks but also most Q-Park car park across the UK without taking a ticket, and when they are ready to leave, go straight to their vehicle, by-passing the payment kiosk and any queues. ANPR camera technology scans the number plate as the car enters allowing the entry barrier to rise.
As the car approaches the car park exit, the number plate is scanned again, and the barrier rises. PayByPhone automatically takes payment from the driver’s preferred payment method that has been previously set up in the app. Digital receipts are emailed to the driver.
Adam Dolphin, Managing Director UK for PayByPhone, says, “We are delighted to be able to bring our decades of experience in simplifying a driver’s journey to Q-Park car parks in Edinburgh.
Our Auto Payment feature, which we have been successfully providing to car parks since 2019, creates a seamless experience for drivers, helping to simplify the parking experience. They don’t have to touch their phone or even open our app. They just drive in and drive out; it’s a time-saver. We encourage drivers in Edinburgh to opt into Auto Payment for Q-Park in settings in the app today.”
EV drivers can also enjoy added convenience at most Q-Park facilities by paying for their EV charging directly through the PayByPhone app. Charging sessions can be managed remotely in real time and all charging history is saved in the app for easy reference.
Dolphin says, “Because our app lets motorists handle both parking and charging in one place, they benefit from a seamless experience and a more complete view of their motoring costs so everyday journeys are simpler, smarter and more connected.”
The app is available in 11 languages, making it inclusive for all users.
For a full list of areas where PayByPhone is available, and to start using it today, download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store or visit the PayByPhone website visit www.paybyphone.co.uk.
The Eric Liddell Community was honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal on her first official visit as Royal Patron of the charity.
During her time at the community hub, Her Royal Highness met with service users, staff, volunteers, partners and funders, gaining first-hand insight into the essential work the charity provides in supporting those living with dementia, carers, and individuals facing isolation and loneliness across Edinburgh.
As part of her visit, The Princess Royal personally thanked Bernadette Morrison, a dedicated volunteer retiring after 14 years of service, for her invaluable contribution to the charity and for her volunteering work at The Eric Liddell Community Hub’s cafe.
The visit also marked the arrival of the highly anticipated Eric Liddell Exhibition at The Eric Liddell Community. This inspiring exhibition commemorates the life and achievements of Eric Liddell, the legendary Olympic gold medallist and Scottish sporting icon, whose story continues to resonate a century after his historic victory in Paris in 1924.
Following its successful launch at the Scottish Parliament, the exhibition now comes to the heart of the community, offering visitors a unique opportunity to explore Liddell’s enduring legacy and the values of passion, compassion, and integrity that defined his life.
John MacMillan, Chief Executive Officer of The Eric Liddell Community, said:“We are delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal on her first visit as our Royal Patron.
“Her continued support is invaluable in helping us share Eric Liddell’s legacy while we continue to support some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable people and families.
“During her visit, our Royal Patron made clear her support of The Eric Liddell Community’s ongoing work with people who are living with dementia and unpaid carers.
“We are also thrilled to recognise Bernadette Morrison for her dedication to the charity, and to host the Eric Liddell Exhibition, which will undoubtedly inspire and engage those who visit.”
Reflecting on her time with the charity, Bernadette Morrison said:“I volunteered for 14 years in Café Connect at The Eric Liddell Community, taking customer orders, preparing coffees, and helping to serve food.
“It was always a joy to be part of such a welcoming and supportive environment. When Her Royal Highness became Royal Patron of The Eric Liddell Community, we were all delighted with the news.
“To now have the opportunity to meet her in person is a privilege beyond words, an experience that will stay with me forever.”
The Eric Liddell Community provides essential services to its community, ensuring that those facing loneliness and isolation across Edinburgh receive the vital support they need. This includes supporting people who are living with dementia and unpaid carers. To learn more about The Eric Liddell Community, visit ericliddell.org.
If you notice that your teen seems down or withdrawn it may be because they’re feeling lonely.
Even if they have lots of friends or if they’re surrounded by family, they can still feel lonely, misunderstood or like they don’t fit in. And teens often feel emotions like loneliness even more strongly than adults.
For tips on how to support your teen or young person if they are withdrawn or feeling isolated:
Six groundbreaking projects from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh have been shortlisted for the prestigious Herald Higher Education Awards 2025.
This marks the University’s most successful year to date in terms of award recognition, with a record number of submissions making it to the finals – a particularly fitting achievement in the year that QMU celebrates its 150th anniversary.
The awards, now in their 10th year, honour excellence across Scotland’s further and higher education sector, highlighting innovation in teaching, student support, business engagement, equality and inclusion, community impact, and all the other extraordinary initiatives in universities and colleges across Scotland.
QMU has been shortlisted in the following six categories:
Enhancing Student Learning for its Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) scheme – a scheme which sees trained student leaders run collaborative sessions where students can deepen their understanding of course materials in a friendly and supportive environment, helping them build confidence, enhance study skills, and engage more effectively with their studies;
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for its work in promoting anti-racism, including its new EDI Culture Review, Strategy and Action Plan – QMU aims to adopt an organisation-wide approach to making the University a fairer and more inclusive place to work and to be part of, with inclusion and belonging at its heart;
Outstanding Business Engagementin Universities for its innovative Employer Mentoring Scheme for students – an award-winning scheme which allow students to develop their employability skills while gaining a close insight into a particular job or sector through 121 mentorships with industry professionals;
Outstanding Contribution from a Staff Member for BSc (Hons) Podiatry Programme Leader, Evelyn Weir, for her volunteering work in supporting Scotland’s homeless community – Evelyn has been running specialist footcare clinics and services for people living of the streets of Edinburgh for three decades, and she often facilitates students and graduate involvement in the delivery of podiatric services to the homeless including the Crisis at Christmas initiatives;
Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community for its Wooden Spoon Frame Running Hub initiative – in collaboration with a range of organisations and charities, QMU helped set up Scotland’s pioneering Frame Running Hub in Glasgow, helping young people with limited mobility to access frame equipment, become mobile, and foster independence through sport;
and Widening Access for its ‘Connecting QMU with Craigmillar’ initiative – a scheme which includes community art shows, partnerships, community-based learning and research, and economic development opportunities for the Edinburgh district.
Sir Paul Grice, Principal of QMU, said: “To have such a broad range of projects – and so many of them – make it to the Herald Education Award finals in this milestone anniversary year for QMU, is a tremendous endorsement of the commitment, innovation and community spirit that underpins everything we do.
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our staff, students and partners who consistently strive to create meaningful impact – both within the University and in the wider community.
“As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, these nominations reflect and recognise our ongoing efforts to create an outstanding learning experience for our students and to deliver teaching, research and community initiatives that make a difference to the world around us.”
The winners of the Herald Higher Education Awards 2025 will be announced at a celebratory awards evening on Thursday 29 May at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow.
For some more information about each of QMU’s award nomination projects:
Homebuilder continues its commitment to supporting local groups with a share of £10,000 in funding
Miller Homes, Scotland’s leading homebuilder, is inviting local groups and causes near its West Craigs Manor and Edgelaw View developments in Edinburgh to apply for the next round of its Community Fund, offering those in need a share of £10,000. Applications are now open and will close on Wednesday 30 April 2025.
Since launching in 2022, the Community Fund has made a meaningful difference to local communities, awarding £284,100 in grants to 389 organisations.
In 2024 alone, over 131 groups received funding, with a total of £120,000 distributed to worthy causes. The initiative has helped a wide range of local projects, from supporting grassroots sports teams and music groups to funding environmental improvements and replenishing foodbanks.
David McGrath, David McGrath, Executive Managing Director, Scotland and North, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative: “We are committed to making a difference in the areas where we build, and the Community Fund allows us to provide much-needed support to a variety of local causes.
“Over the years, we’ve been able to help groups at all stages—whether they are just starting out or looking for additional funding to continue their valuable work.
“We encourage all eligible organisations to apply, whether they’re enhancing local green spaces, encouraging participation in sports and activities, or supporting wellbeing and education.”
Applicants will be asked to outline how they plan to use the funding to benefit their community. Grants will range from a minimum of £250 to a maximum of £2,000. Successful applicants will be notified in May, with funding awarded early summer.
For more information on the Community Fund or how to apply, visit:
RESIDENTS FROM LOCAL CARE HOME RECEIVE A VISIT FROM ZOO-LAB
Residents from Strachan House care home in Edinburgh were filled with joy as they received a surprise visit from Zoo-Lab. Residents were able to see animals from all around the world in person, and had a chance to enjoy holding giant African snails, snakes and all manor of creepy crawlies.
Residents were able to spend time getting to ask questions at an informative session led by an enthusiastic and encouraging Zoo-lab Ranger, and learnt interesting facts such as ‘cockroaches are potentially more than 280 million years old!’
Fran Fisher General Manager of Strachan House said: “Our residents have really enjoyed their day meeting different creatures and learning all about them. We had a lot of fun, residents were able to pet certain animals on the day which was quite therapeutic!”
Strachan House Care Home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides Nursing, Residential, Dementia and Respite care for short and long-term stays.
There’s less than one week to go before the 4th Pomegranates Festival of International Traditional Dance (25-30 April) kicks off at the Scottish Storytelling Centre and various venues across Edinburgh.
The Festival celebrates Scottish traditional dance alongside traditional dance practised by cultural migrant communities across Scotland. The festival includes exhibitions, films, workshops, masterclasses, talks, shows, walking tours and ceilidh dancing.
Pomegranates is produced by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and this year’s themes that run through the programme are Masks – the mystery and power they present when used in different dance traditions, and Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Programme highlights include:
● A discussion about safeguarding our Intangible Cultural Heritage and the opportunities for Scottish traditional dance with Steve Byrne Director of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Rachel Hosker of the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh and Árpád Vörös, recipient of the knighthood award for lifetime contribution towards Hungarian folk dance. The discussion will be combined with demonstrations of traditional dance accompanied by live music including Scottish Country Dance, Step and Highland, with a Flowers of Edinburgh set by Scottish Step Dance artist Sophie Stephenson. There will also be a short display of two examples of traditional dances from Hungary and Poland that were recently inscribed in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list: Csardas (performed by Hungarian folk dancer Árpád Vörös) and Polonaise (performed by Anthony Carter, Fiona Lynch, Natalia Nowak and Renata Grillanda of Parzenica, Scotland’s Polish Folk Dance Group).
● A packed programme of ten short films celebrating Scottish Step, Highland, Indian Classical, East African, Chinese, and more. Including two short films directed by award-winning Canadian filmmaker Marlene Millar: To Begin the Dance Once More and Bhairava;Home directed by Kes Tagney and featuring Scottish stepdancer Sophie Stephenson; new work Second Guessing by Bgirl Emma Ready; and The Bright Fabric of Life commissioned by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland in 2024 and created by Estonian filmmaker Mare Tralla.
● New dance theatre piece not for glory devised and performed by award-winning dance artists Jack Anderson, Charlotte Mclean, and in collaboration with composer, and musician Malin Lewis. This contemporary and radical performance piece combines mesmerising and unique sounds from bagpipe, fiddle and loop pedal with energetic and raw dance and movement. Claiming to dissect heritage and resuscitate tradition whilst exploring kilts, queerness and ceremonial violence.
● For International Dance Day (29 April) audiences will be treated to a new dance pieceHidden Faces created by festival choreographer Jonzi D with support from B-girl Emma Ready and B-boy Sean Edwards. This new piecewill be performed by more than 15 Scotland-based dancers. Jonzi D is a MC, dancer, spoken word artist and widely recognised for his influence on the development of the UK British hip hop dance and theatre scene. Emma Ready is a breakdancer, choreographer and creative educator based in Glasgow. Sean Edwards is a multi-disciplined award-winning artist with roots in community theatre, B-boying, street jazz, clowning and mime.
Plus, there are tours of Edinburgh’s Old and New Town’s dance history, with dance historian Alena Shmakova; a special festival edition of the Traditional Dance Forum’s Ceilidh Plus which includes three hours of Scottish, Polish and Hungarian trad dances, all called on the night, with live music; and this year’s festival exhibitions by Lorraine Pritchard: Masks at the Scottish Storytelling Centre until 12 May and Venice Carnival (also inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list) at the Edinburgh City Library celebrates the popularity of mask-wearing traditions and the making processes behind this traditional craft.
Pomegranate Festival co-producers Wendy Timmons and Iliyana Nedkova said:“We are delighted that this year’s Pomegranates Festival is reaching new heights. With 15 events serving a ‘fascinating cocktail of movement’ this year’s Pomegranates highlights the intimate links of traditional dance with live music, film, fashion, poetry, art and heritage craft.
“Once again, we celebrate Scottish traditional dance alongside world-traditional dance practised by New Scots and cultural migrant communities across Scotland. However, we have two new festival themes – Masks and Intangible Cultural Heritage which we are delving into with our festival partners and over 100 artists.
“We can’t wait to share our discoveries over the long festival weekend with our new and returning audiences! Heel, toe, we are ready to go!”
The Pomegranates Festivalwill run from Friday 25 April to Tuesday 30 April 2025 and is Scotland’s annual festival of international traditional dance. Initiated and curated by Traditional DanceForum of Scotland it is presented and produced in partnership with Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh City Libraries, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Garments made from the new tartans, which are printed on fabric, will be part of the Degree Show staged in the Scottish Borders this May by final year students at the School.
Fourth year students Craig Taylor and Kayleigh Wyllie, who are both completing their Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Fashion, have both designed tartans as part of their final year ‘Honours Collection’ and are each making eight garments to showcase in the Degree Show.
Craig, 26, from the town of Beith in Ayrshire, has created designs inspired by the work of British horror movie writer and director Clive Barker – including punk subculture – and queer history.
He explained: “One of the big inspirations for Clive Barker’s film, Hellraiser, was punk subculture and wearing tartan was one of the hallmarks of this movement.
“I also looked at the queer side of Barker’s work and the of idea of liberation. For example, the English banned tartans in 1746 after the Jacobite uprising and the Battle of Culloden.
“My tartan design also includes an upside-down pink triangle, which is a queer symbol that originated in Nazi Germany as a way to shame gay men that were in concentration camps.”
Craig’s tartan is pink, red, black and white and gold, with pink triangle motifs in the squares created by the tartan’s crossing horizontal and vertical lines. Leather features alongside tartan in his garment designs, which include a cape, a dress and jacket set, a leather harness and matching jacket, a shirt and a pair of trousers. Dramatic three-dimensional structures including a large stand-up collar also reflect the visual style of Clive Barker’s movies.
Kayleigh, 22, is from the town of Glenrothes in Fife, but was born in the Philippines, a string of more than 7,000 islands between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Kayleigh moved to Scotland with her family when she was aged seven and wanted to create a tartan design that reflected both Filipino and Scottish cultures and also commemorated her Scottish father, who moved from Scotland to live in the Philippines and passed away in 2009.
“My dad and granddad often wore kilts at special events like weddings and funerals, so it was nice to create my own tartan just to pay homage to those two men,” Kayleigh said.
“My tartan design includes a navy colour from a kilt my granddad wore to my auntie’s wedding. For a personal touch, I’ve also included my dad’s handwriting. I got this from his university papers and have inserted his last name, Wyllie, as repeated parallel lines of text.”
To reflect her Scottish and Filipino heritage, Kayleigh’s tartan design also combines purple and green colours from the Scottish thistle and white from the national flower of the Philippines, a white jasmine called the Sampaguita, or Arabian jasmine
“I’ve combined both cultures by including the thistle and the national flower of the Philippines, which is a white flower with a small yellow centre,” Kayleigh explained.
The garments Kayleigh is making for the Degree Show include a tartan blouse with machine embroidered motifs; a tartan top with arched and pointed shoulders inspired by Scottish and Filipino architecture; a horizontal pleated large circle skirt and top; a corset; a shawl and a pillar-like top created with pintucks.
Both students opted to print their tartan designs onto fabric – as weaving them would take too long produce the lengths of fabric they needed to create their Degree Show garments.
After the show, Kayleigh hopes to gift some of the fabric to her family, and get experience in the design-and-make side of the fashion industry.
She said: “I’d like to give some fabric to my family, because there is a personal link to it. I’d also like to include some of it in my portfolio to show to industry – and that would hopefully show people that my designs are different.”
Craig hopes to create his own fashion brand in the future. He said: “I’d like my own brand, and to own a small business. That might be a good few years after I finish uni. First, I’d like to work in the industry for a while and get more insight into the day-to-day operations of how it works.”
The 2025 Degree Show of Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm daily between Saturday 17 May and Wednesday 21 May and will be staged at the High Mill building, a converted textile mill in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, where the school is based.
Heriot-Watt School of Textiles and Design is a centre of excellence in design and dates back to 1883, when classes in weaving, dyeing and chemistry were introduced to train workers for the local textiles industry.
Honorary Graduates include British designer Jasper Conran, the late British fashion icon Dame Vivienne Westwood and retail expert Mary Portas.
The Scottish Borders is at the heart of Scotland’s luxury textile and design industry and has a long history of textile production.
Hay fever season is starting for many people across Scotland.
