Local community invited to support Macmillan Coffee Morning at Utilita Energy Hub in Leith
A Cup of Kindness: Join Utilita Leith’s Macmillan Coffee Morning
Residents are invited to come together for coffee, cake and community spirit as the Utilita Energy Hub in Leith hosts a special Macmillan Coffee Morning on Friday, 25 September raising funds for people living with cancer across the UK.
Taking place at the hub’s free-to-hire community space, the event forms part of the UK’s biggest coffee morning fundraiser, organised by Macmillan Cancer Support. Visitors will be able to enjoy coffee, tea, homemade cakes and cookies, and community activities such as Name The Bear, while helping to raise vital funds for the charity.
The event will be held from 11am to 2pm at the Utilita Energy Hub, located at 41 Newkirkgate, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6AA and is open to everyone.
Funds raised will help Macmillan Cancer Support continue its work providing practical, emotional and financial support to people living with cancer and their loved ones.
Hub Supervisor Natasha Baillie said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Macmillan Coffee Morning and bringing our local community together for such an important cause.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do at the Utilita Energy Hub, and we hope residents will join us for a coffee, a slice of cake and the opportunity to help make a difference for people affected by cancer.”
Visitors can also find out more about the services and support available through the Utilita Energy Hub, which provides a welcoming space for local residents and community groups throughout the year.
A spokesperson for Macmillan Cancer Support added: “Donations from thousands of Coffee Mornings, big and small, help raise vital funds to support the almost 3.5 million people in the UK living with cancer, from the moment they are diagnosed, throughout treatment and beyond.”
The event is free to attend and open to all, although donations to Macmillan Cancer Support are welcome on the day.
Staff and residents at Strachan House care home in Edinburgh wish to invite neighbours and friends from the local community to their free weekly coffee morning.
Taking place every Friday from 2nd October 10.30am-12pm, residents from within the local community will have a chance to meet and chat over tea or coffee and homemade cakes provided by the home.
Guests will also have a chance to take a tour of the home, and ask any questions they might have about care.
General Manager of the home, Fran Fisher said: “Our Community Coffee Morning allows individuals from the local area to meet and connect with one another regularly. It’s a great chance to share stories, make new friends, and of course, enjoy our wonderful spread provided by our hospitality team!’
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 residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.
There’s still time to stand as a candidate in the next SYP elections!
Being an MSYP gives young people the opportunity to represent their peers, campaign on the issues they care about and develop skills and confidence along the way.
If you know any young person aged 14–25 who lives in Scotland, this could be their chance to get involved.
The Communications and Digital Committee has written to the Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, setting out its view on key proposals for the next BBC Charter ahead of publication of the Government’s White Paper.
The Committee says this is not a “routine” Charter review and that the 2028 Charter must equip the BBC to navigate dramatic changes in how public service media is distributed, discovered and consumed.
The BBC is already under significant financial pressure. Therefore, any new or expanded responsibilities in the next Charter—in areas such as promoting regional growth, technological innovation or media literacy—must be matched by adequate funding or a clear acknowledgement that the BBC will have to do less in other areas. The Committee says the Government should be “bold, confident and unapologetic” in ensuring the BBC has the financial sustainability it needs to deliver any obligations set out in the new Charter.
There is no obvious benefit in giving the BBC a broad new public purpose to drive economic growth across the UK, as the Government has proposed. The BBC already contributes £6.7 billion to the UK economy and there is a risk that such a change could distort commissioning priorities and distract the BBC from its core public service objectives. Instead, the Committee says the new Charter should retain the spirit of the BBC’s current fourth purpose, which puts public value first, while articulating more clearly the BBC’s vital contribution to developing the UK creative economy.
In 2015, broadcast television reached 92% of people in the UK each week on average, compared to just 54% last year. To uphold the principle of universality in a changing market, the BBC will increasingly need to distribute content through third-party platforms such as YouTube. However, this comes at the expense of control over how content is presented, access to audience data and the BBC’s direct relationship with audiences. The new Charter should support both strong BBC-owned services and flexible third-party distribution.
Simply making content available on a platform does not guarantee that audiences will find it, and evidence to the Committee highlighted the need for stronger safeguards on prominence, data access, platform accountability and fair value. The Committee says the Government should set clear minimum expectations for agreements between public service media providers and video-sharing platforms, backed by new legislation if voluntary agreements prove insufficient.
Greater collaboration will become increasingly important if public service media providers are to overcome shared challenges and compete with global platforms at sufficient scale. The Committee welcomes discussions between the BBC and Channel 4 about an expanded iPlayer, but says any arrangement must be a genuine, mutually beneficial partnership that respects the different brands and funding models of participating organisations, while maintaining plurality and competition. If the Government also decides to give the BBC a new or strengthened duty for technology and R&D in the next Charter, this should be framed around innovation in the public interest and clearly linked to the broadcaster’s mission and public purposes.
Baroness Keeley, Chair of the Communications and Digital Committee, said: “The upcoming BBC Charter Review is fundamental for the future of public service media in the UK.
“It comes as national public broadcasters face ever greater competition for viewers from streaming platforms and international technology giants, and so cannot be designed in isolation from the Government’s wider digital and media policy.
“The Government should use the BBC Charter Review White Paper to set out a coherent and ambitious strategy for public service media over the next decade. It must also be realistic about what can be asked of the BBC as it grapples with significant financial pressures.
“We can see no obvious benefit in a specific requirement for the BBC to drive economic growth across the UK. It already makes a massive contribution to the UK’s creative economy. Including an explicit economic growth public purpose in the new Charter risks both mission drift and skewing commissioning towards more generic, more exportable content.”
You can learn to save seed at our one-day workshop ‘Introduction to Saving Seeds: the politics and practicalities’. We will talk about all the powerful and exciting reasons to save seed, and the basics of how to go about it, with opportunities for hands-on experience and a chance to see the farm’s various seed-saving projects.
The day will include practical activities, tours of the seed saving projects in the farm’s Community Garden and Market Garden, fresh soup and bread for lunch, and plenty of time for questions and chat.
At Lauriston Farm, we save seed for growing on our farm year on year, and we know how our crops improve from this practice as the seeds adapt to the particularities of our land. We also grow seed crops for sale, as well as an abundance of seed for exchanging and sharing with our wider community.
This is one of our favourite subjects and we’re excited to share it with you – join us if you can!
Choice of two dates: Friday 16 October or Saturday 24 October (10am-3:30pm)
Catalyst Sterna Racing will complete a multi-year STEM Racing journey on the world stage after becoming Scottish regional champions and securing qualification for Singapore.
Catalyst Sterna Racing, a three-member team from James Gillespie’s High School, Edinburgh, is preparing to compete against the world’s leading young STEM Racing teams at the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals 2026 in Singapore.
Catalyst Sterna Racing’s journey began with third place at the Scottish regionals in Development Class in 2023–24 and second place at the 2024 UK National Finals.
After narrowly missing national qualification the following season, the team returned in 2025–26 as Scottish regional champions, won Fastest Car regionally and secured the Scottish National Champions award at the UK National Finals to qualify for Singapore.
Its technical work includes braced wheel spokes designed to reduce wheel mass and moment of inertia, with the aim of limiting wheel slip at launch. The team has also developed a deliberately unconventional “Pods²” concept as it looks to push beyond increasingly similar car designs.
Jess Lockwood-Holmes, Team Manager for Catalyst Sterna Racing said: “We are most excited about simply competing and representing Scotland on the world stage. We are here to finish our STEM Racing journey with a bang in Singapore.”
The team is also balancing World Finals preparation with a major life transition: its members qualified only months before leaving school and are now beginning university studies. They see Singapore as the opportunity to complete their STEM Racing journey while representing Scotland.
The World Finals will bring together more than 500 students aged 13 to 19 in 90-plus teams from 34 countries across all five continents. Held on Sentosa Island alongside the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, the competition features around 200 races on a four-lane track and 540 judging sessions covering engineering, enterprise, design, project management and other disciplines.
Teams design and build a 1:25 scale model Formula 1 car, race it and present their work to judges while operating in a way that mirrors a real F1 team. Cars are checked against strict technical regulations before racing, while engineering portfolios, enterprise documents and project management plans are assessed over four days of competition.
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman, STEM Racing, said: “Every year, the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals showcases not only exceptional engineering talent but also the creativity, resilience and collaboration of young people from every corner of the globe.
“They don’t just design and manufacture a miniature car – they build a business with a team that has every member contributing to its success.”
The World Champions title can open doors to university scholarships, Formula 1 careers and a global network of industry connections.
The event is supported by title sponsor Aramco and partners including Denford, Autodesk, Ansys, Maaden, Singapore Grand Prix, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation, UCL Mechanical Engineering, Singapore Tourism Board and the FIA.
The wonderful and magical Mio Shudo is returning with an 11-string creative team to Edinburgh Multicultural Festival at Lauriston Castle on Sunday curating your cultural experience of the Japanese danxe, cudtoms and traditions. Unmissable!
Join us at the Kyoto Friendship Garden to meet Mio’s team and enjoy your day basking in the Edinburgh’s autumnal spells and colours.
Don’t forget to book your FREE tickets at edmcf.co.uk
Targeted crackdown has reduced knife robberies by almost a quarter in 7 forces since June 2024
More than 230 areas most affected by knife crime will see more police patrols, CCTV and early prevention work as part of a knife crime crackdown across 27 police forces in England and Wales.
The Home Secretary is backing local plans developed by police and councils to tackle crimes, save lives and protect local communities.
Each plan will be tailored to the area. They will combine tough police enforcement activity such as enhanced police patrols, alongside programmes designed for young people most at risk of being a victim or a perpetrator of knife crime.
There will also be improvements to public spaces, including better lighting and redesigning areas to prevent weapons being hidden.
Growing evidence shows that concerted action in small, targeted areas is the most effective way of driving down knife crime.
This crackdown comes as new data shows 7 forces – Metropolitan Police, West Midlands Police, Greater Manchester Police, West Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, Avon and Somerset Police and British Transport Police – made real inroads into tackling an issue that has blighted communities across the country, identifying and arresting more people through the better sharing of data.
Across these forces, knife-enabled robbery has plummeted by nearly a quarter (23%) since the General Election – with more than 3,600 fewer knife robberies reported.
This builds on huge steps forward on knife crime since the government came into office. Overall knife crime is down by 11%, as the government continues to make progress towards its target of halving it within a decade.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, and no young life should be blighted by knife crime.
“Targeted policing and prevention, focused on the areas where the need is greatest, is already cutting knife robberies by nearly a quarter. That means safer streets, and fewer lives lost.
“I am now taking this approach to more than 230 areas across the country. This government is getting tough on knife crime and on the causes of knife crime to make our communities safer.”
On Thursday (17 September), Shabana Mahmood visited the West Midlands, one of the regions receiving additional funding through the Knife Crime Concentrations Fund.
She was joined at a local boxing gym, which plays a vital part in supporting vulnerable young people to stay away from crime, by members of the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime: Lynne Baird MBE, Pastor Lorraine Jones Burrell MBE, and Pooja Kanda OBE.
Campaigning by these 3 women – who have all tragically lost children to knives – has helped keep the issue at the top of the national agenda and reinforced the need for action on enforcement, prevention and protecting young people from being drawn into violence.
Pooja Kanda OBE, founder of Justice for Ronan Kanda, said: Having lost my son Ronan, I know the devastating consequences of knife crime. Behind every statistic is a family and community that has been changed forever.
“These reductions are encouraging, but I am even more encouraged by the Home Secretary’s commitment to targeted action in areas experiencing the greatest harm. Enforcement is vital, but sitting equally alongside prevention and early intervention – reaching young people before violence sets in and addressing the circumstances that allow it to develop.
“Ronan’s Law showed what can be achieved when government, campaigners, policing and communities work together. The progress we are seeing matters. Now we must remain determined, build on it, and continue to give young people genuine alternatives and hope.”
Lynne Baird MBE, founder of the Daniel Baird Foundation, said: “The Daniel Baird Foundation welcomes the Home Office’s focus on tackling knife crime, and the targeted action being taken in communities most affected by violence.
“Reducing knife-enabled robbery and preventing young people from becoming involved in violence is vitally important. We commend the funding’s ability to be used for preventative measures, including education, early intervention and an understanding of the devasting consequences that knife crime can have.
“Our vision is in line with the government’s – stop the violence where we can. Prevention saves lives. Preparedness saves lives too.”
Pastor Lorraine Jones Burrell MBE, founder of Dwaynamics, said: “As a mother who lost my son Dwayne to knife crime, and as someone who has spent many years working on the frontline with young people, families and communities affected by violence, this announcement gives me greater peace of mind, despite the tears that will always remain. For me, it is loss mixed with hope.
“I particularly want to commend the Home Secretary for the leadership, determination and humanity being shown in driving this work forward. What stands out to me is that this is not only about policies, policing or statistics.
“There is a human approach at the heart of it: one that recognises the value of every young life and understands the devastating impact violence has on families and communities. As a bereaved mother, that matters deeply to me.
“Through my involvement with the government’s Knife Crime Coalition, the importance of grassroots organisations that bring people together around a shared determination to save young lives has been recognised.
“There is compassion alongside action, and that gives me hope. It shows our young people that their futures matter at the very highest levels of government. This is how we begin mending what has been broken.”
Patrick Green, CEO of The Ben Kinsella Trust, said: “The Knife Crime Concentration Fund is an important government investment in targeted prevention, directing resources to the areas most affected by knife crime and helping local partners focus support where it is needed most.
“We know that lasting reductions in knife crime are achieved when enforcement is combined with education, early intervention and strong community partnerships. I welcome the government’s commitment to a more joined-up approach that recognises the vital role prevention plays in tackling knife crime.”
Caroline Willgoose, mother of Harvey Willgoose and knife crime campaigner said: “This funding, targeted to the specific needs of local communities, is an extremely welcome step from the government.
“In Harvey’s memory, I will continue working every day to make sure that no parent has to suffer in the same way. I will do whatever is possible to make this funding a success, and thank the government for their focus and attention on stopping knife crime.”
Serena Wiebe, member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime said: “We welcome this investment and the targeted government approach being taken in the communities most affected by knife crime.
“The fall in knife-enabled robbery is encouraging and shows that when we understand where violence is happening and focus our response, we can make a real difference.
“What is particularly important is that this approach brings together targeted enforcement, prevention and community-led intervention. We need to intervene earlier and invest in trusted local organisations that understand their communities, can build relationships with young people and reach them before they get to crisis point.
“We have spent 20 years working with young people affected by violence and inequality, and one thing I have learned is that violence isn’t inevitable. By combining intelligent, targeted enforcement with long-term prevention, community expertise and opportunities for young people, we can make our streets safer and, most importantly, stop young people losing their lives.”
Faron Paul, Founder and CEO of Fazamnesty and member of the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said: “It is encouraging to see knife crime moving in the right direction, but there is still much more work to do.
“The £26.25 million Knife Crime Concentrations Fund is an important opportunity to bring enforcement, prevention and community-led intervention together in the areas experiencing the greatest harm.
“From our work on the ground, we know trusted community organisations have a vital role to play alongside police, councils and other partners. Every knife taken off the streets matters, but our ultimate goal must be preventing young people from picking one up in the first place.”
Leanne Lucas, Founder of Let’s Be Blunt CIC and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime said: “Early intervention does not mean simply educating children as young as possible. It means recognising risk and intervening at the earliest appropriate point – whether that is with a young person, an adult, a parent or a whole family.
“That intervention must also be trauma-informed. Prevention should never rely on fear, shock or distress. It should be age-appropriate, evidence-informed and delivered in a way that understands people’s experiences, builds trust and supports them to make safer choices.
“Families need education and support just as much as young people do. Parents and trusted adults are often the people best placed to spot changes, ask questions and help prevent situations from escalating.
“From both lived experience and through the work of Let’s Be Blunt, I have seen how important it is that national decision-making is informed by those working within communities every day.
“There is still much more to do, but it is encouraging to see government recognising the importance of local knowledge and giving areas greater ability to respond to what they are seeing on the ground. This investment is a positive step in supporting that approach.
“We cannot only invest after harm has happened. Prevention means acting sooner, working together and making practical, trauma-informed changes that reduce the opportunity for harm in the first place. That is where real, long-term change begins.”
Sacha Ray, CEO of Lives 2Not Knives and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime said: For over 19 years, Lives Not Knives’ model has been built on the premise that preventative action is far better than the cure.
“Knife crime statistics are moving in the right direction. It cannot be underestimated how preventative work such as the mentoring in schools, youth club spaces and knife crime roadshows, which Lives Not Knives deliver play a huge role in preventing more young people picking up a knife.
“Lives Not Knives welcome the government’s continued targeted approach and successful drive to reduce the blight of knife crime and the harm it causes.”
Anna-Mai Andrews, Interim CEO, Steel Warriors said: “Taking a knife off the street is where prevention starts, but it only lasts if young people have somewhere to go and someone to trust.
“Steel Warriors is where prevention persists; we melt down confiscated knives and forge them into free outdoor calisthenics gyms, with classes run by coaches from the same communities they serve. We welcome this holistic approach to prevention in the places that need it most, and we’re ready to work with local partners to give more young people opportunities for something new.”
Dr. Nathaniel Peat, founder of The SafetyBox said: “This is an excellent and much-needed move from the government. Knife crime cannot be solved by enforcement alone and the blended approach is needed.
“Lasting change happens when government, police, councils, charities, community organisations, schools, and local partners work together to address the root causes of violence. This is very promising news.”
Tracey Burley, Chief Executive, St Giles, said: “Any reduction in the number of young people being harmed through knife crime is welcome, and these figures show what can be achieved when there is sustained focus on the issue.
“But we cannot afford to become complacent. Lasting reductions will not come through enforcement alone. They require long-term investment in prevention, early intervention and trusted relationships with young people and their families.
“At St Giles, we see every day the difference that credible support, combining professional expertise with lived experience, can make.
“The real test will be whether we can sustain this progress and ensure that young people have the safety, support and opportunities they need before violence becomes part of their lives.”
We’re delighted to share that we’re finalists for the Living Wage Scotland Awards 2026 – Local Champion (Public & Third Sector)!
This recognition means a lot to us because we’re committed to making sure young people and our staff have access to fair, meaningful employment.
Through our Scransitions employability programme, we support young people to move into living-wage employment, building skills, confidence and experience along the way.
But we also believe in practising what we preach.
We’re proud to employ 9 young people on the Living Wage, giving them real opportunities to earn a fair wage, develop their skills and thrive at work.
We believe that if we want to see better opportunities for young people, we need to create those opportunities ourselves too.
We’re incredibly proud to have this work recognised through the Living Wage Scotland Awards.
A recruitment competition to appoint Scotland’s first Victims and Witnesses Commissioner has been launched.
The role will promote and support the rights and interests of victims and witnesses in Scotland. It will also promote best practice and a ‘trauma-informed’ approach by criminal justice bodies and those who provide support services to victims.
The information pack for candidates says applications are being sought from “talented individuals with drive, integrity, credibility, resilience and excellent communication skills”.
The high-profile position will be independent of government and parliament.
Salary
The appointment is for a fixed term of up to 8 years, attracts a starting salary of £96,353 and is pensionable through the Civil Service Pension Schemes.
Closing date
Applications should be submitted by 12 noon on 23 October 2026.
Appointment by the King
The successful candidate will be appointed by His Majesty on the nomination of the Scottish Parliament.
BREAKING NEWS!
