Menu for Friday the 31st of July 
We are excited to share a delicious community meal with you. We do our best to have a variety of options, including vegetarian and a delicious pudding. What’s on the menu today:
Carrot and herb soup
Lentil curry
Potato croquette
Garden salad
Chocolate chip bread and butter pudding
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 Broughton High School pupil has won a national photography award after impressing judges in the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place Photography Competition.
Eliza G was named winner of the Secondary School Category at Scotland’s Civic Celebration, held in Glasgow and attended by young people, community organisations and civic leaders from across the country.
The My Place Photography Competition invites young people to explore the buildings, streets and places that matter to them through photography.
Judges praised this year’s entries for the insight and creativity they brought to Scotland’s built environment.
Joe Traynor, Director of the Scottish Civic Trust, said: “The My Place Photography Competition encourages young people to look closely at the places around them and consider what makes them distinctive.
“Eliza’s photograph stood out for the quality of observation and perspective it brought to the subject. We are delighted to celebrate this achievement.”
Eliza received the award during Scotland’s Civic Celebration in Glasgow on Wednesday 29 July, where winners from across Scotland were recognised alongside community-led regeneration projects and civic initiatives.
The competition forms part of the Scottish Civic Trust’s My Place programme, which encourages young people to engage with their local heritage and built environment. For more information visit: scottishcivictrust.org.uk
A charity support line providing a one-step gateway to cost of living and whole family support will be expanded by Scottish Government funding to help up to 7,500 families.
Children First’s service offers practical, emotional and financial help and advice to families across Scotland 365 days a year by phone, webchat, text, email, video and face to face. Scottish Government investment will allow the charity to more than double the support it provides, including:
A total of £2 million from the Scottish Government in 2026-27 will equip the charity to bolster its offer across the country as a key part of work under the child poverty delivery plan “Bringing Hope, Building Futures”.
Visiting the charity in Glasgow, First Minister John Swinney said: “During the cost of living crisis, there are families struggling to make ends meet and accessing help can often be overwhelming.
“We want to provide a better future for every parent and every child, and to do that we need to make support as simple, accessible and effective as possible.
“That’s why we are pleased to be supporting Children First to develop a national front door for support, so that help is in the right place, at the right time. Organisations like Children First play such an important role and I am pleased that we are supporting them to double the support they provide to families across Scotland.”
In 2025-26, the Children First support line has supported over 5,000 families nationally. This investment will enable the charity to expand staffing, enhance specialist expertise and increase Money Advice capacity, including helping people with their energy bills, ensuring more families can easily access support which is sustained for as long as they need it.
Linda Jardine, Director of Children and Family Services, Children First said: “This funding is fantastic news for Scotland’s children and families, who often tell us that they don’t know where to turn for support.
“Parents and carers, who are often stressed and exhausted trying to find the right help when they need it, will welcome this with open arms.
“By connecting families to joined-up practical, emotional and financial help through our support line, we will reduce the impact of poverty, strengthen families and make sure thousands more of Scotland’s children enjoy the safe and secure childhood, which is every child’s right.
“Children First’s support line is open seven days a week, 365 days a year. If your family is in need of help, our friendly and understanding support line team are here to help. Call us on 08000 28 22 33 or start a webchat at childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline.”
Jasmine, a young Mum who has been supported by Children First said: “Things are so expensive nowadays and with my baby I was feeling the pressure before I met Children First. I also felt quite lonely and alienated because I didn’t know other young people who had babies. It wasn’t good for my mental health.
“The help from Children First has been outstanding. The emotional and financial help they’ve given has had a positive impact on us – I can get fresh fruit and vegetables for the baby and I feel less isolated because I’ve met other young mums. Without the support from Children First, I don’t think our lives would be anywhere near as good.”
Get Ready for the Eclipse Event!
A spectacular solar event is coming to Scotland’s skies this August – and Dynamic Earth is here to help you get eclipse-ready with FREE activities and a new Planetarium show!
Ahead of the partial solar eclipse this August, join us on Wednesday 5th August for Get Ready for the Eclipse: a lively day of space science and hands-on discovery. 
Drop in for free activities | Find out how solar telescopes work and learn the safest ways to enjoy the eclipse with volunteers from the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh, The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
What’s Up: The Solar Show | Step into our 360° Planetarium for a live presenter-led stargazing show with a special solar focus led by our in-house astronomers Dr Alastair Bruce and Toni Newell.
Meet Professor Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Enjoy a talk and Q&A session with Scotland’s Astronomer Royal following the What’s Up: The Solar Show at 12pm and 2pm.
Bring your questions, discover hands-on activities, and get ready for this summer’s must-see moment in the sky!
‘Get Ready for the Eclipse’ is proudly supported by the Institute of Physics.
For more information about this event, and how you can get involved, visit our website: https://dynamicearth.org.uk/event/get-ready-for-the-eclipse/
Reminder – PYCP AGM Next Wednesday!
We’re looking forward to welcoming colleagues, partners, supporters, parents, families and members of the community to Pilton Youth & Children’s Project’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday 5 August at 5.30pm ONLINE.
Our AGM is a chance to look back on the past year’s achievements, celebrate the impact of our youth work, community activities and holiday programmes and share our plans for the year ahead.
We’d love you to join us and hear more about how, together, we’re supporting children, young people and families across North Edinburgh.
Date: Wednesday 5 August
Time: 5.30pm
Venue: Online via MS Teams
To receive the Teams link, email: info@pycp.co.uk
Please feel free to share this post with anyone who may be interested in our work.
It’s estimated that 24% of Scottish children are living in poverty, despite the existence of benefits like the Scottish Child Payment.
How do we break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and make lasting, substantial change for the welfare of children?
Be part of the discussion at Festival of Politics event ‘Stopping child poverty’ alongside panellists from @jrf_uk, Includem, and @CaledonianNews
27 Aug – 6.30pm
Panellists:
Chris Birt leads the Scotland team at Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) that works to find solutions to poverty in Scotland and amplify the voices of people experiencing poverty. Prior to joining JRF, Chris worked for the Scottish Government as Head of the First Minister’s Policy and Delivery Unit.
Louise Hunter is the CEO of Includem, a sector-leading organisation providing intensive support to children, young people and families across Scotland. Louise has worked across the third and public sectors for the past 25 years, supporting the most marginalised groups and lobbying for change. Louise is also a Commissioner as part of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Commission.
Professor John McKendrick is Professor in Social Justice at Glasgow Caledonian University and was appointed Commissioner for Fair Access (to higher education) by the Scottish Government in 2023.
He is also Co-Director of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit in the Glasgow School for Business and Society at Glasgow Caledonian University. He co-edited the book Poverty in Scotland 2021 that brought together almost thirty sector leaders to share their thoughts on what must be done to tackle poverty in Scotland.
Musselburgh Racecourse’s most popular meeting of the year has been confirmed as another capacity sell-out, the East Lothian course has announced.
Ladies Day, in association with Champagne Pommery, will welcome more than 8,000 guests on Friday 7 August, with all hospitality packages and general admission tickets sold out with still more than one week to go.
A packed entertainment programme will see rapper, singer and songwriter Tinchy Stryder join the line-up as a special guest, while top DJ and The Voice presenter Reggie Yates hosts the Ladies Day After Party.
Fashion as always dominates the high-summer occasion, with more than £4,000 in prizes available in the Champagne Pommery sponsored Style Awards to the best dressed racegoers on the day, including the first prize of holiday travel and accommodation to the famous Maison Pommery estate in Reims, France.
Stylish men will also take to the main stage to compete in a new Best Suit Award sponsored by Slater Menswear, while Edinburgh milliner Sally-Ann Provan is supporting the Best Hat Award which is always hotly competed.
Aisling Johnston, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Musselburgh Racecourse, said: “Ladies Day continues to be a winner with racegoers of all ages and we are delighted to announce the 2026 edition is sold out.
“By continually investing in the experience, entertainment and fashion elements, we’ve created an event that appeals to both returning visitors and first-time racegoers and the stage is set for another fantastic afternoon of competitive Flat racing on track and gorgeous glamour off track.
“Champagne Pommery returns as our headline partner, reinforcing the premium feel of the occasion, and our guests couldn’t be in better hands for celebrating in style. The course and the grounds are in fantastic shape and our staff are ready to put on another day to remember.”
PICTURES: Alan Rennie and Jess Shurte
EXCITING NEWS FOR NORTH EDINBURGH!
Thanks to an incredible £8.5 million award from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we’re one step closer to making The Art Works a reality.
Coming to Granton, The Art Works will be a brand new free-to-visit home for Scotland’s national art collection, opening up access to more than 130,000 artworks – many of which have never been on public display!
Imagine being able to discover thousands of artworks, watch conservators at work, explore behind the scenes, take part in events and workshops, learn new skills, meet friends for a coffee or simply enjoy the surrounding green spaces. The Art Works will be a place to spend time, discover something new and connect with Scotland’s art in entirely new ways.
It’s also about bringing more opportunities to Edinburgh, creating training, apprenticeships, volunteering and careers in conservation, art handling, digitisation and collections care, while helping artworks travel to communities across Scotland and beyond.
We know the impact art can have – visitors have told us it: “changed my perception of the world” and “makes me feel relaxed.” With The Art Works, we’ll be able to create many more moments like these for people of all ages.
We’re incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for helping make this vision possible, alongside the Scottish Government’s investment.
Construction is planned to begin as soon as possible, and we can’t wait to share more updates as The Art Works takes shape!
IMAGES
Elisabeth Frink, Desert Quartet IV, 1989. National Galleries of Scotland. © The Executors of the Frink Estate and Archive. All Rights Reserved, DACS. Photo Credit Stewart Attwood
Duane Hanson, Tourists, 1978. © Estate of Duane Hanson. Artist Right Society, New York, DACS, London 2026 (2) Photo Credit Stewart Attwood
Stephan Balkenhol, Grosser Mann (Large Man), 1988. National Galleries of Scotland purchased 1999. © Stephan Balkenhol. All rights reserved. DACS, London 2026 (1) Photo Credit Stewart Attwood.
A first-of-its-kind project for the UK’s botanic gardens will launch at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh this autumn, with the introduction of films demonstrating botanical terms newly developed within British Sign Language (BSL).
The short videos are designed to enhance deaf visitors’ engagement with the Garden’s remarkable Living Collection.
Created in partnership with BSL experts based at the Scottish Sensory Centre, University of Edinburgh, the films tell stories about botanical forms such as palms, ferns and fronds through sign language and will form an integral part of a new multimedia visitor experience when the Garden’s historic Palm Houses reopen following restoration.
Sarah Cathcart, Director of Learning and Engagement at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh said: “Working closely with the Scottish Sensory Centre’s BSL glossary team, we have developed a set of elegant and expressive new signs in British Sign Language to deliver a more meaningful and immersive experience for members of the deaf community visiting the Garden.
“These signs represent just the beginning of this important project. Through this collaboration we will continue to expand botanical vocabulary, ensuring that the natural world is more inclusive and accessible for all.”
Dr Audrey Cameron, Project Lead, Scottish Sensory Centre’s BSL Glossary project added: “At present, very few botanical terms exist in BSL – even for familiar plant species such as daffodils.
“By creating new language designed specifically for the deaf community, this unique project takes an important step forward in widening access to the wonders of plant biodiversity.”
To create the new signs, RBGE scientists and horticulturists worked with BSL experts to define the very essence of a plant or botanical feature. These qualities were then used by a deaf-led team of BSL scriptwriters and signers to create the videos.
Visitors to the Palm Houses will be able to access the content through QR codes positioned throughout the restored 19th‑century buildings.
As part of the Garden’s commitment to accessibility and knowledge‑sharing, the new BSL botanical signs will be shared with organisations across the UK.
.Richard Shillcock, the Communist Party of Britain candidate for the upcoming Southside/Newington ward by-election, has launched a fierce critique against central government accusing political leaders of prioritising military spending over critical public services.
Responding to voters questioning the link between local council services and military budgets, Shillcock outlined a direct connection between UK defence spending and the decline of local communities.
Skyrocketing Military Spending
Shillcock noted that since the 2022 Edinburgh Council elections, annual UK defence spending has surged from £48 billion to £62 billion, with further increases planned.
He highlighted that during this same period, the UK has committed over £25 billion in support to Ukraine—including £16 billion in weapons—alongside active arms deals with Israel totalling hundreds of millions of pounds.
Shillcock argued that the funds directed toward international conflicts are directly starving local councils of resources.
Richard Shillcock said: “The choice is simple: welfare or warfare. We can invest in people or waste money on war.
“My message to Edinburgh voters is clear—every cut to public services, every council tax rise, every waiting list, every crowded school, every substandard home, and even every pothole could be fixed if we stopped funding war.”
A Challenge to Rival Parties
In a direct challenge ahead of the 3 September by-elections, Shillcock called out rival political campaigns for offering superficial solutions to deep-seated systemic issues.
“Unlike others, the Communist Party of Britain is not going to pretend that performative tinkering with our political system will bring about substantive improvements for working-class people,” Shillcock ssaid.
“Voters should challenge every single candidate standing on whether they prioritise investing in people or wasting money on war.”
