Summer of Football at Spartans Community Foundation
Fun football festival in partnership with The Scottish FA
Friday 19th June, 3-5pm
Food provided
Free of charge, book now – https://scf.classforkids.io/term/370
We are excited to share we have two free creative workshops starting TOMORROW (Thursday)!
~ Ceramics course
Come along and learn how to hand-build with clay.
This 6-week course is free and offered to a small group.
We only have a few spaces remaining – please let us know if you would like to join by emailing us at hello@pchp.org.uk
~ Banner making workshop
Get inspired by nature and make a botanical banner to celebrate the historic Victorian Palm House at RBGE.
This free workshop is in collaboration with @The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Only 2 spaces left for this one! And no need to commit to future dates.
Both workshops are open to all.
Looking forward to having you join us – but let us know fast! 
STARTING TOMORROW at SPARTANS
Need transport for your weekly shop? PEP has you covered!
Pick-ups start at 9:30 AM
Enjoy 2 hours to shop (and time for a cuppa 
)
Bus leaves at 12 PM to take you home
2 bags per person limit
Bags delivered right to your front door
It’s a friendly, easy, and convenient way to get your shopping done!
Book your spot today: 0131 315 4466
Spaces are limited—don’t miss out!
We’re here to listen.
Join your local Forth Community Police Officers at our April drop‑ins. Stop by, say hello and chat about any community concerns or questions you may have.
Mon 20 April
Granton Library
2pm–3pm
Sat 25 April
Morrisons, Pilton Drive
10:30am–12:00pm
Everyone welcome!
EASTER AT PY
Have a look at our Easter Programme!
There will be NO SIGN UPS for trips – spaces will be given to our regular attenders, please only attend the trips if you have been spoken to by a member of the team.
Everyone is welcome to our clubs as long as they have a completed consent form
Lets have a fun holiday!
Does anyone recognise this photo?
PYCP have been contacted by the founder of Football Aid, who shared this brilliant picture taken at Tynecastle Park when Football Aid first launched.
The girl in the photo is believed to be Jodie Anderson from Pilton, who was around 6 years old at the time — so likely to be around 27 now.
They’d love to reconnect with her, so we thought we’d share it here in case someone knows her or she happens to see it herself.
Please feel free to share with family and friends.
Debbi McCulloch, Chief Executive Officer of the Spartans Community Foundation, gave evidence in the Parliament yesterday, where she spoke extensively to the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee about the Foundation’s work in Pilton and the wider community.
During the evidence session Ms McCulloch said that North Edinburgh has fantastic networks and collaboration, referring to R2 and that network’s ability to signpost and help individuals and directly help individuals who might otherwise be missed:
Ms McCulloch said that 94% of young people surveyed by the Spartans said that they felt like they had a trusted adult at the foundation.
She says the Foundation’s work has increased employment and volunteering opportunities and has provided families with a place where they can come and be listened to in a dignified way:
Ms McCulloch also gave examples of the impact of the Foundation’s work, referring to Naomi Hume, who is now the Assistant Operations Manager, who started off attending the Foundation’s Street Football offering:
More than 80 grassroots initiatives across Scotland will share in over £3 million funding to help deliver more ambitious community projects and activities and enable them to generate their own income.
North Edinburgh’s Heart of Newhaven and R2 are among the projects to be awarded Strengthening Communities Programme funding.
To date the Strengthening Communities Programme has helped hundreds of organisations to develop and improve their work with local communities and boost local economies.
This latest tranche of funding for 2026-27 will back community organisations to deliver local projects including spaces for business, improving access to employability and skills services, family and young people’s activities, and health and wellbeing support.
The First Minister announced the funding on a visit to the Usual Place in Dumfries – a charity that supports young people with learning disabilities to develop skills, gain qualifications and access employment.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Local organisations are best placed to understand what their communities need and how to deliver it. This programme helps to support and empower community initiatives to deliver what their area needs most – whether that is spaces for small businesses, culture and sport activities, or employability support.
“By providing this funding, we are helping organisations to become more financially resilient and develop the means to generate income for themselves. This will not only help boost local economies, but in turn help these projects generate more funds to serve wider community needs.
“The Usual Place is a fantastic example of this type of initiative. Their work to support young people with additional support needs to build community connections and friendships, and develop the skills needed to access employment, helps to improve peoples’ lives and future opportunities. I was pleased to visit the charity and see first-hand the difference it is making for people in Dumfries.”
Craig McEwen, Chief Executive at The Usual Place said: “Following a very difficult year for The Usual Place, we are now in a much better financial position.
“With the interim funding found to give us breathing space and now the success in securing funds through the Strengthening Communities Programme, we have the space to create capacity to implement some strategic changes, decided by the Board of Trustees, to enable us to diversify our income streams to ensure a more stable future for The Usual Place. Over the past ten years we have put back into the economy of Dumfries and Galloway £9.8m, so our value speaks for itself.
“We thank the First Minister personally, and the Scottish Government for believing in the work we do in reducing the disability employment gap here in Dumfries & Galloway and beyond.”
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES PROGRAMME
FUNDING BY ORGANISATION 2026/27
Organisation Name / Funding 2026/27
Active Communities £39,461
Annan Harbour Action Group £47,000
Antonine Sports Centre £44,980
Ardrossan Community Development Trust £40,679
Arisaig Community Trust £46,604
Assynt Development Trust £17,000
Belhelvie Community Trust £26,325
Bluevale Community Club £51,952
Bute Community Land Company £17,760
Campsie Memorial Trust £21,750
Castlemilk Community Football Trust £53,000
Community Development Company of Nesting £25,300
Comrie Development Trust £53,000
Cromarty Community Development Trust £33,100
Culbokie Community Trust £30,277
Dalbeattie Community Initiative £53,060
David Livingston Trust, Blantyre £31,500
Development Coll £41,597
Dufftown and District Community Association £18,825
Dunvegan Community Trust £26,661
Eday Partnership £18,000
Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association (GURCA) £8,500
Glengarry Community Woodlands £20,000
Go Golspie £40,000
Gorebridge Community Development Trust £48,169
Grow 73 £18,688
Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust £40,647
Heart of Newhaven £47,356
Helmsdale & District Development Trust £30,000
IG – Great Bernera Community Trust £39,048
Inspired Community Enterprise Trust (ICET) (The Usual Place) £25,402
Isle of Canna Community Development Trust £12,537
Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust £25,355
Isle of Luing Community Trust £27,000
Kilmadock Development Trust £10,049
Kinloch Historical Society £35,000
Kinlochleven Community Trust £24,110
Kinning Park Complex £42,500
Kirkcolm Community Trust £9,500
Kirkcudbright Development Trust £32,500
Kirknewton Community Development Trust £35,000
Lesmahagow Development Trust £60,504
Linlithgow Community Development Trust £34,885
Lochwinnoch Community Development Trust £25,773
Lockerbie Old School £53,500
Maslow’s Community SCIO £44,847
Midsteeple Quarter, Dumfries £56,420
Minginish Community Association £24,000
New Cumnock Development Trust £44,563
Nith Valley Trust £32,444
North Edinburgh R2 Co-ordinator £56,205
North Glasgow Community Food Initiative £29,388
North Ronaldsay Trust £23,000
One Dalkeith £36,057
Pollok United Nethercraigs CIC £46,498
Portgordon Community Trust Limited £28,723
Possilpark People’s Trust £32,700
Rannoch Community Trust £43,722
Roseneath Pennisula West CDT £44,500
Ruchazie Growing 21 £40,000
Sandness Community Development Group £22,028
Scalloway Community Development Company £38,468
Scourie Community Development Company £12,000
Shapinsay Development Trust £20,000
SHAX £50,500
Sleat Community Trust £38,601
South Islay Development Trust £20,000
South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust £33,990
Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry SCIO £10,000
Stow Community Trust £36,382
Stranraer Development Trust £47,000
Stranraer Water Sports Association £35,690
South West Arts & Music Project (SWAMP) £20,000
Take a Bow Development Trust £48,320
Tayport Community Trust £48,638
The Furniture Project, Stranraer £40,500
The Pavilion, Glasgow £37,987
Three Kings Cullen Association £40,800
Tiree Community Development Trust £22,650
Torridon and District Community Association £46,090
Unst Partnership £37,288
Whitburn Community Development Trust £37,195
Wick Development Trust £26,030
Please note that all funding amounts are subject to due diligence.
STARS COME OUT FOR CHARITY FUNDRAISING EVENT
The Big Match features two men’s teams (Residential United v Commercial City) made up of football enthusiasts (of varying levels of skill and fitness!) from Edinburgh’s property and legal spheres.
They will be joined by local celebrity chef Tom Kitchin, ex-Hearts and Premier league player Christophe Berra, and ex-Hibs player and former pupil of Broughton High, Darren Dods.
The Big Match aims to raise a game-changing amount of money for local charities and this year we’re delighted they’ve chosen Spartans Community Foundation as their beneficiaries, so we’re keen to spread the word!
This is the fourth year of The Big Match. It’s free to spectators and the atmosphere is always brilliant, with vocal crowds!
The game is always hard fought – the referee will have a tough job harnessing the levels of competitive spirit on the pitch tomorrow!
TOM KITCHEN
CHRISTOPHE BERRA
GRANT HANLEY & DARREN DODDS
