As part of a lottery funded project to look at our heritage we’re keen to hear from anyone who lived in North Edinburgh in the 1990s and remembers the No. 20 drop in centre we operated under the name of Family Care.
If you need more information please let me know.
Email: jenny.duffy@birthlink.org.uk
Web: www.birthlink.org.uk
Here’s our fun-filled programme of activities for children & families during the school break
And we’re very excited to announce a special children’s magic show with Tricky Ricky on Friday 21st February, 2pm.
*book your free spaces for children to attend: https://TrickyRicky_MagicShow.eventbrite.co.uk
Millions of people who provide care for loved ones or relatives could get payments to help with their energy bills when icy blasts hit parts of the country this week.
The UK’s largest online community of unpaid carers is advising those living in relevant postcodes to check they receive any Cold Weather Payments which are triggered when temperatures plunge.
What are Cold Weather Payments?
Cold Weather Payments are made for every seven-day period of weather which is either forecast to be or recorded as zero degrees Celsius or below, and come in at £25 each time. These payments are made automatically by the DWP.
With the support lasting until 31st March, and another cold snap predicted to take place towards the end of this week, the experts at Mobilise (a community of 90,000 unpaid carers) are warning unpaid carers to check whether they could be eligible for the payments.
Who is eligible?
Payments are made to eligible Brits living in areas affected by very cold weather. Postcodes beginning with CA have already triggered the highest number of payments this winter, totalling up to £75 so far, and are amongst those set to be affected again.
According to the latest forecast, by Friday, the following areas are set to see temperatures plummet to the zero (or sub-zero) temperatures required to trigger Cold Weather Payments:
As well as living in an affected area, individuals must be entitled to certain financial support to qualify for Cold Weather Payments. Many unpaid carers have to reduce paid work in order to look after their loved ones, and are already eligible for the qualifying support as a result. You could get Cold Weather Payments if you are entitled to any of the following benefits:
Full eligibility criteria can be found on the Government’s website.
What additional energy bill support is available?
Following recent changes, Winter Fuel Payments are also now limited to those who are eligible for certain means-tested benefits, and the December deadline to apply has now passed. However, carers who are not able to claim Cold Weather Payments or Winter Fuel Payments may still be entitled to other forms of support to help with their energy bills.
Additional cold weather support on offer includes:
For more advice and guidance on the energy bill support available to unpaid carers, you can find detailed information or speak to a carer support expert via the Mobilise website.
Women can expect improved miscarriage care Public Health and Women’s Health Minister Jenni Minto has pledged, after unveiling a new framework, backed by £1.5 million funding.
The framework sets out a range of actions for Scotland’s NHS boards to implement, including ensuring that women going through miscarriage have a separate, private space. It will introduce a graded model of miscarriage care across the country. This means all women can receive tailored support and services, and won’t have to wait until a third miscarriage. This will include access to progesterone prescriptions – where clinically appropriate – both for threatened and recurrent miscarriage.
These changes will be supported by £1.5 million Scottish Government funding and aim to ensure that early pregnancy care is equitable so that no women are disadvantaged, regardless of where they access and receive care.
The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health said: “The loss of a baby, no matter at what stage of pregnancy, has a profound and lasting impact on women and their families.
“To all who have experienced such a tragedy, I offer my deepest sympathy. The Scottish Government recognises this impact and is clear that women and families who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss must be provided with the right information, care and support, tailored to their individual circumstances.
“I am very grateful to everyone in Scotland’s NHS who works to provide miscarriage care and support.
“I know there is already a lot of good work underway within NHS Boards to improve miscarriage care services. The 2025-26 Budget, if approved by Parliament, will provide £1.5 million to support NHS Boards to improve delivery of sensitive and compassionate miscarriage care.”
Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive of pregnancy charity Tommy’s commented: “We are delighted to see the Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland launching today.
“The Framework is a real milestone on the path to excellent care for women and families in Scotland and Tommy’s has been pleased to work closely with our colleagues in Scottish Government as they have developed the Framework, which aims to ensure the right support and care for parents after every tragic loss.
“With compassionate care at its heart, we are looking forward to continuing to support our Scottish colleagues as they oversee the rollout.”
The Miscarriage Association’s Chief Executive Vicki Robinson said: “We are extremely pleased to see the publication of this important Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland, which represents a significant step forward in ensuring that those experiencing miscarriage receive the compassionate, high-quality care they deserve during such a heart-breaking time.
“This framework is a vital step in providing evidence-based care and offering women additional support in early pregnancy. We are proud to have contributed to its development and look forward to seeing it bring positive change. This is a crucial milestone in ensuring that miscarriage care is accessible, equitable, and compassionate across Scotland.”
LOCAL CARE HOME APPRECIATES THE WORKS OF JMW TURNER
Residents of Strachan House care home in Blackhall, were mesmerised by the wonderful works of Joseph Mallord William Turner as they attended the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition at The National Galleries of Scotland.
In the last month The National Galleries of Scotland commemorated the 250th birthday of the outstanding British artist JMW Turner. Residents of Strachan House Care Home were able to appreciate 30 of Turners watercolours that have come over from Dublin.
Interestingly, these works are only to be exhibited to the public in the month of January each year, this is due to the preservation of the collection.
General Manager, Frances Fisher, said: “Lots of our residents appreciate art and were thrilled to see the collection.
“We have had a wonderful day hearing the history of JMW Turner and admiring his works. I’m thrilled that so many of our residents got to witness the wonderful watercolours on Display at The National Galleries in Edinburgh.”
Katherine, a resident said: “I had a wonderful day admiring Turner’s watercolours. I am very fond of his works, it was so lovely to get to see them and visit the Gallery again.”
Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.
Strachan House Care Home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides residential, Dementia and nursing care, for short and long-term stays.
More than 450 students and almost 100 healthcare professionals have come together at Edinburgh Napier University’s biggest-ever nursing and midwifery careers day at its Sighthill campus.
Hosted in the University’s ENGAGE sports facility this week (4 Feb 2025), the event gave attendees the opportunity to meet with employers and learn more about available graduate roles in both nursing and midwifery.
Alongside the NHS, the range of healthcare professionals in attendance was wide and varied with organisations such as the Royal Navy Medical Branch, Royal Air Force, Marie Curie, CHAS, The Royal College of Nursing, William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre and private healthcare providers represented at the event.
Also in attendance were a range of Edinburgh Napier services including its Student Futures careers team – who helped organise the event – the University’s Alumni team, Bright Red Triangle, Edinburgh Napier’s hub for enterprise practice, a postgraduate recruitment team and a School of Health and Social Care research team.
Exhibitors were also able to undertake tours of the learning facilities at the University’s Sighthill campus, including its purpose-built Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre.
Students studying undergraduate and postgraduate Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Social Work programmes at Edinburgh Napier are taught within the centre, benefitting from realistic environments and NHS ward-like settings.
Professor Susan Dawkes, Dean of Edinburgh Napier’s School of Health and Social Care, said: “It was great to welcome so many employers on campus to meet our students and showcase the wealth of career options open to graduate nurses and midwives, from joining the NHS to opportunities to join the health and medical teams in the armed forces, or exploring some of the many other career options now open.
“Employers too were delighted to join tours of our Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre, which remains at the forefront of practical training for our student nurses and midwives.”
Adam Watling, Head of Edinburgh Napier’s Student Futures team, said: “Our nursing and midwifery careers day has been one of the biggest and best yet, and we are so pleased with the reach it has had and the experience of our students and visiting health care professionals across the day.
“The success is thanks to the effective collaboration between Student Futures and School of Health and Social and the planning and focus on securing a range of exhibitors for our many students to meet throughout the day.
“As a University, Edinburgh Napier is dedicated to ensuring that our students have the best possible careers support before and after graduation, and these types of events are a critical part of that commitment.
“We are looking forward to sharing success stories from across the day as we start to review the many insights that emerge from attendees, in the weeks and months to follow.”
Edinburgh Napier University is one of the largest providers of nursing and midwifery education in Scotland offering courses in a variety of nursing specialisms including adult nursing, child health nursing, learning disability nursing and mental health nursing.
The programmes are part of the University’s School of Health and Social Care which is home to a vibrant academic community of more than 3,000 students and 120 staff.
More information on the School itself can be found at:
https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/our-schools/the-school-of-health-and-social-care.
AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NORTH EDINBURGH CHILDCARE
A new report released today, 6 February 2025 from The Centre for Homelessness and Inclusion Health at the University of Edinburgh has revealed that Social Bite’s Jobs First initiative delivers significant economic and social benefits.
Jobs First is an innovative employment initiative supporting individuals with lived experience of homelessness and is unique within the sector in its trauma-informed and person-centred approach, providing tailored support to both employers and employees.
The independent evaluation confirmed that for every £1 invested by Social Bite and participating employers, a social benefit of £3 is returned to the UK, while enhancing public finances by at least £0.71.
The independent report, which was launched at the Impact Conference in Edinburgh, outlines the significant socio-economic benefits of the programme for employees, employers, and taxpayers.
Savings are generated by reducing pressure on the UK’s public services such as healthcare, as well as lowering welfare benefit payments, in addition to increasing tax revenues from people who may have otherwise struggled to secure employment.
According to the Centre’s cost-benefit analysis, the social benefit equates to £52,697 per employee gaining employment, which is 2.9 times higher than the cost per employee. This is primarily attributed to increased economic output of £40,000 and enhanced personal well-being valued at £12,000.
The programme has enabled many employees to thrive in their roles and continue employment beyond the programme’s completion. Participants have reported gaining new skills, qualifications, expanded social networks, and increased confidence, all while earning income to secure more stable housing and break the cycle of homelessness.
Employers, including leading hospitality group Mitchells & Butlers, reported that the initiative has helped alleviate recruitment challenges, reduced hiring costs, and provided access to a pool of motivated candidates.
Additionally, participating companies have found involvement in the programme to be rewarding for staff and beneficial to workplace culture. All employers expressed a strong appetite for the programme to be expanded and replicated elsewhere.
The Jobs First programme recently marked its third year of operation and by the end of 2024 had supported a total of 91 individuals into employment with many continuing to thrive in their new roles today. All employees interviewed for the evaluation said they would recommend it to other people with similar backgrounds.
Marzena Farana-Sherlock, Director of Social Impact at Social Bite said: “We are immensely proud of the findings from this independent evaluation by the Centre for Homelessness and Inclusion Health at the University of Edinburgh.
“Time and again, we have seen that homelessness is perpetuated by the vicious cycle where securing employment is difficult without stable housing, and obtaining housing is challenging without a job.
“This systemic issue needs to change, so at Social Bite, we took action to break this cycle in a sustainable way. Thanks to our incredible Jobs First employers, dedicated Social Bite support workers, wonderful charity referral partners, and the determination of our employee candidates, we are already witnessing remarkable outcomes that benefit all stakeholders and the UK economy.
“This is just the beginning for Jobs First. I have no doubt that its impact will continue to grow as we expand, and we would welcome an opportunity to discuss the findings with policymakers.”
Professor Sarah Johnsen, Director of the Centre for Homelessness and Inclusion Health at the University of Edinburgh, added: “Our evaluation of Jobs First has been overwhelmingly positive. It clearly shows that participants found the programme to be highly beneficial and that it was well-received by both jobseekers and employers.
“The impact demonstrated within just three years of the programme is impressive. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the ratio of benefits to costs would be even greater if all the advantages of Jobs First, including its role in reducing long-term homelessness-related costs and changes in public service use, could be fully measured.
“Jobs First employers, employees and support workers should be congratulated for their commitment to and success in the programme. It has been a privilege to hear firsthand from the employees who have taken part about how transformative Jobs First has been for their lives.”
Comfort Mensah moved to Scotland from Ghana in September 2023 and found herself classed as homeless.
She soon sought help through Social Bite’s Jobs First programme her the situation improved when she found work in a Harvester restaurant in January – almost four months after arriving in Scotland.
Now having completed the course while finishing her Masters at Glasgow University, Comfort’s role and support from Social Bite made it possible for her to find somewhere to call her own.
She said: “Social Bite came through. Even though it was hard at first as I didn’t have experience, they helped me through it. Having a job, earning my own money, and then finding a room was totally transformational.
“I never sleep well, but that first night I fell asleep before 8pm and slept right through to 8am – I’d never slept like it. Maybe this is how it is to be at peace.
“My advice to anybody in my situation is don’t give up – there is somebody out there who can help. When you meet that person, your mind will be blown by how much they will help. There is hope in humanity.”
The full report is available to view at https://www.social-bite.co.uk/what-we-do/jobs-first/ .
Leith Theatre Trust today revealed that it has secured a significant funding package potentially worth £4.5m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Just days after being included on the Theatres Trust ‘Theatres at Risk’ Register for the ninth year, and shortly after securing a 50 year lease of the complex from City of Edinburgh Council, Leith Theatre Trust is delighted to announce Heritage Fund backing of its ambitions to create an innovative cultural venue at the heart of its community.
An initial award of £247,947 for its Back to Life: the theatre that isn’t just a theatre project supports Leith Theatre to develop its capital refurbishment plans in close collaboration with The National Lottery Heritage Fund in order to secure the full remaining funding award of just over £4.2m.
The development support from the Heritage Fund also strengthens a community engagement programme, helping to ensure local people remain at the heart of the Leith Theatre story.
An impressive civic space, now suffering from damage and decay, Leith Theatre is a Grade B listed building with classic interwar architecture and a unique political history, built to commemorate the incorporation of Leith into the City of Edinburgh’s new boundaries in 1920.
Lengthy periods of closure have preserved many original features, making the theatre a distinctive and valuable heritage site. Time has left its mark, but despite deterioration, the space retains much of its classic detailing, with its ‘authentic’ and ‘faded grandeur’ continuing to resonate with all who visit.
Between 1961 and 1988, it served as a venue for the Edinburgh International Festival, hosting performances by world-renowned musicians like the Amadeus Quartet and Benjamin Britten. The theatre hosted contemporary music in the 1970s, with iconic bands like AC/DC and Kraftwerk performing on the stage.
As it reawakens, Leith Theatre has woven itself into the local community, making it an important local asset, celebrating the heritage and civic pride of Leith.
As one of few buildings in Edinburgh to sustain war damage, the theatre was closed in 1941. The Main Auditorium has now been closed for more than half its life, yet Leith Theatre has still taken its place in the community weaving an incredibly rich story and heritage.
Without support, the curtain could have fallen on Leith Theatre’s rich social and cultural history forever. This funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund opens up the possibility of significant refurbishment and a year-round, permanently open Leith Theatre for the first time since its initial opening.
The Future
As a mid-sized music and performance venue, Leith Theatre’s past informs its future. However, the building is not just a space for entertainment but also a much-loved community hub appealing to a diverse and intergenerational audience.
The Trust’s ambition is to save this valuable community asset so it can take its rightful place at the heart of Leith and in the cultural landscape of Edinburgh, contributing to local vibrant life and ultimately benefitting future generations.
The vision for the refurbishment is to ensure the building fulfils these original purposes but as a contemporary space that preserves the charm and heritage that makes it so enthralling to visitors. It will be a remix of the old and the new, retrofitting the iconic venue to preserve its rock-and-roll spirit while hitting the right notes on sustainability.
Everyone will be able to take part in the refurbishment project through events and heritage opportunities, allowing many people to access the venue and play their part in preserving and creating Leith and the City of Edinburgh’s history. People can stay up to date on these opportunities by signing up to the organisation’s newsletter and social media channels.
In the longer-term, this project ensures organisational sustainability in order to offer employment opportunities and skills development, bringing economic and social benefits to Leith.
Leith has featured in several ‘best neighbourhood’ polls and articles in recent years due to its mix of creative businesses, artists, Michelin starred restaurants, vibrant bar scene and new tram links direct from the airport. Leith Theatre’s return at last gives the area and Edinburgh a brilliant mid-size live music and performance venue in an accessible, yet out of city centre location.
Lynn Morrison, Chief Executive from Leith Theatre Trust said: “We are delighted with this initial support from The National Lottery Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we can continue to progress our strategic plans to revitalise and reimagine this beautiful heritage building.
“This is a significant milestone, and I am very proud of the team that has helped realise this ambition, which is one that I have been aiming for since appointment. It will be invigorating working in partnership with the Heritage Fund to develop and bring visibility of such an exciting lottery project to the heart of Leith.”
Anna Higham, Funding and Finance Manager from Leith Theatre Trust, said: “This project to bring Leith Theatre back to life really shines a spotlight on heritage and how important it is for communities to retain buildings of local value.
“Although this feels like the culmination of lots of hard work, it is really just the beginning, and we are excited to continue our next step development plans and launch our full capital fundraising campaign.”
Caroline Clark, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Director for Scotland said: “We are thrilled to be able to help make plans for a restored and revitalised Leith Theatre a reality.
“As a historic theatre with nearly a hundred years of stories, creativity and characters there is so much to celebrate and explore in its heritage.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, Leith Theatre Trust’s plans for the future will be developed with the community ensuring this wonderful theatre has a bright future as a lively venue and as a place for local people to experience and be involved in the arts, culture and creativity.”
MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Ben Macpherson, said: “It’s a wonderful building and I have been pleased to support the Leith Theatre team, and dream, in any ways that I could, since being elected in 2016.
“I recall first being shown around the place back then, when it was in a state of disrepair, and the progress in the years since has been remarkable. I pay tribute to all of the staff, board and volunteers for everything that has been achieved up until now.
“The space is a fantastic venue, and I cannot wait to see and hear the shows and concerts that will now take place in the near future. Leith is a creative and energetic hub, and I am excited for what is ahead for this theatre.
“I predict there will be significant demand to perform on the stage – by musicians, actors and other various artists alike – and many audiences are in for a treat! Congratulations to everyone involved in getting to this moment, and here’s to a bright future ahead! Open the curtains and turn up the amps!”
For many people, the 2025 Council Elections in England will be the first opportunity in four years to have their say on their local councillor and on who’s been running their Council.
But 16 of the 21 county councils have applied to ‘delay’ their elections due to the UK Labour Government’s devolution plans.
When the Westminster Government first suggested they might allow a delay to elections, it was clear that it would only be for a year. However it’s become increasingly clear that any reorganisation involving these councils will take much longer than 1 year.
The Government now says it expects the new local authorities to be up and running in 2027 and 2028.
That would mean current administrations and councillors on these councils will end up with a 6 or 7 year term!
In effect, elections will be cancelled and voters will have no say on who runs their council or who their councillor is for 2 or 3 more years, when the new local authorities are ready to take over.
Democracy shouldn’t be put on hold in this way – people deserve their vote and their voice!
That’s why Unlock Democracy has started a campaign to ensure elections go forward as normal on May 1st this year. Voters should have their say on what’s going on in their communities and importantly on the local government reforms that are being imposed by the Government.
We have written to the Deputy Prime Minister urging her to ensure elections go ahead.
The Government’s dalliance (and we hope it’s just that) with cancelling elections reveals some much deeper problems at the heart of our democracy. These won’t go away without the kind of major political reforms which Unlock Democracy is campaigning for. Let’s look at those issues –
A gaping hole in our democracy
There’s a serious question as to whether any Government should have the power to delay or cancel elections. At the very least, it should be a power that can only be used in truly exceptional circumstances with strong safeguards. No guardrails exist in our democracy and we should all be worried about that.
Trust in politics
To many, this looks like an attempt to avoid a difficult set of elections this May. It’s not just the Government that might suffer, it’s the official opposition too. When these seats were last fought, the Conservatives were on 43% in the national polls and the Labour Party was on 33%.
Today the Conservatives are polling around 20% worse and the Labour Party around 8% worse. Both face a very challenging election in May and it is potentially politically beneficial for both parties not to go to the polls.
With trust already at record lows, voters are unlikely to give the Government the benefit of the doubt when it tries to justify its decision on this.
The relationship between central and local government
Unlock Democracy looked at the state of local government in its 2021 report ‘Local Government in England – 40 years of decline’. Things have not improved much since then!
The relationship can be likened to a parent (central government) and child (local government) relationship, but not in a good way. In this relationship, the parent tries to control everything that the child does and thinks that if the child has any freedom bad things will happen.
It’s the equivalent of saying, if I give my child pocket money, they might spend it on drugs, so I won’t give my child any pocket money!
Over the last few decades, this is where central government has got to with local government. To a significant degree, it’s what we’re seeing in this Government’s devolution plans. Central government can dictate whether councils even exist, they can dictate what powers they have and they control the money. As discussed, it can even dictate whether elections can even take place!
This is not to say that local government has been perfect over the decades. At times Councils have wasted money and taken decisions that have not been in their residents’ best interests. But the same thing can equally be said about central government – HS2 is an obvious example of this.
This is a dysfunctional relationship and needs a reset.
How can we fix it
One of Unlock Democracy’s founding goals is to secure a Written Constitution. It’s the rulebook that our political system is lacking and it’s the guarantee of people’s rights and our democracy.
A written constitution would include rules about elections – when they happen, who can vote and on what grounds, if any, they can be postponed. No Government could ignore a written constitution.
A written constitution, developed with the input of ordinary citizens, would be a major start to restoring trust in our politics. It would contain rules that would ensure that no Government or Prime Minister can ignore. It would restore the checks and balances that have been too easily overridden in recent times.
Finally a written constitution would clearly define the powers of both central government and local government. It would give local government the legal standing it lacks. It will enable a partnership between central and local government in building a better future for their citizens.
People on most, if not all, sides of the political divide agree that our political system isn’t working the way it should. A written constitution should be a key plank in a long overdue reform programme designed to fix things.
We will continue to fight for this, whilst at the same time calling for this year’s elections to go ahead.
