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Cineworld celebrates National Cinema Weekend with £4 tickets this weekend

Plus, spend £15 at the snacks counter and receive a FREE scratchcard with a guaranteed reward on National Cinema Weekend

Cineworld is celebrating National Cinema Weekend on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, giving film fans the chance to experience the biggest movies on the biggest screens for just £4. For the first time ever, Cars and Obsession are both playing in 4DX for only £4!

All weekend long, guests can watch any film, at any time, in any format for just £4 at Cineworld cinemas nationwide. That includes premium experiences 4DX, ScreenX and Superscreen, as well as recliner seating. IMAX tickets will be available for just £6 – only £2 more.

And there’s more. This National Cinema Weekend, guests who spend £15 or more at the snacks counter will receive a FREE scratchcard with a guaranteed reward, only at Cineworld. Every card is a winner, giving moviegoers another reason to make a weekend of it. We are also running a Merchandise sale, with merch pieces from favourite films at £1, with the option to buy 3 for £2.50!

The National Cinema Weekend line-up includes some of the year’s biggest releases, including Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, Insidious: Out of the Further, The Dog Stars, Rise of the Footsoldier: Retribution and The Death of Robin Hood. Families can also enjoy Minions & Monsters, Toy Story 5, PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie, Moana (Live Action) and more – all for just £4.

Film fans can experience The Odyssey the way it was meant to be seen – in IMAX at Cineworld. With IMAX available across 25 Cineworld locations nationwide, audiences can see the epic on the biggest possible canvas for just £6, including at Cineworld Leicester Square’s IMAX with Laser – the only IMAX in London’s West End.

And Spider-Man: Brand New Day is swinging back into 4DX for National Cinema Weekend. Following its record-breaking release, which became the biggest film ever in 4DX, fans have another chance to experience every swing, hit and turn with 4DX’s moving seats and environmental effects – this time for just £4.

Also included in the £4 ticket: ScreenX extends the action across three walls for an immersive 270-degree viewing experience, while Superscreen pairs a huge screen with powerful Dolby Atmos sound.

This coming weekend the perfect chance to catch the films you missed the first time around, or experience your favourite releases of the summer all over again – for just £4.

National Cinema Weekend takes place at Cineworld cinemas nationwide on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September 2026. Tickets are £4 for all films and formats, with IMAX available for £6.

Edinburgh Multicultural Festival returns to Lauriston Castle

SUNDAY 20 SEPTEMBER from 12.30pm

Do we have news for you!

Edinburgh Multicultural Festival is BACK at Lauriston Castle on 20 September featuring Dance, Music, Storytelling, Circus and Crafts from around the globe and celebrating cultural diversity nestled in our city. And you are invited!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/2026-edinburgh…

The City of Edinburgh Council

MADE (Mums and Dads Edinburgh)

The NEN North Edinburgh News

Images released as police investigate serious assault at The Pitt

POLICE have released CCTV images of a woman they wish to speak to as part of an ongoing investigation into a serious assault which occurred within The Pitt, West Shore Road, at around 1am on Saturday, 27 June, 2026.

The female pictured is between 25-35 years old, white, with long blonde hair, tattooed arms and legs. She was wearing a white vest top, dark coloured shorts, white trainers and white socks pulled up.

Detective Constable Lindsay Johnston said: “Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 2259 of 26 June, 2026. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.”

20 women, 12 hours of football, £2,000 target SMASHED!

A group of 20 women took on a 12-hour continuous football match on Sunday to raise money for St Columba’s Hospice Care.

Two teams played 7-a-side football from 8am until 8pm at South Queensferry Hub in an endurance challenge.

The women hoped to raise at least £2,000 for St Columba’s, who also kindly provided playing strips for the day, but organiser Amie Johnston has been in touch to report that the group has raised £3500, ‘playing all day in the rain!’

https://www.justgiving.com/page/amie-johnston-1

City Council: Clarification on Council Housing allocation following media misinformation

Last week, an article in the media and subsequent posts on social media channels, inaccurately reported details about how we prioritise and allocate council housing.

It is important that we address misinformation and set out the facts.

Status of those applying for council housing

We cannot house asylum seekers. This is a matter managed by the Home Office, not the Council.
People who have been assessed and granted ‘Leave to Remain’ status by the Home Office have legal rights to services including access to housing and other public services. They are afforded the same process, support and respect as every other applicant.
It is entirely false to say people in this position have been prioritised for housing.
We provide advice and assistance to any individual or household who declares themself homeless and this can, but does not always, include the provision of accommodation.

How we prioritise council housing

To address the housing emergency in Edinburgh and to reduce the number of people staying in unsuitable temporary accommodation, we temporarily paused the letting of council homes and accelerated our work to bring empty council housing back into use.
This has allowed us to prioritise temporary housing for people assessed as legally homeless and to reduce the number of people staying in unsuitable accommodation in accordance with Scottish and UK housing legislation. This does not mean that people in this position have a permanent council house.

Community book exchange reopens on 8 September following handcrafted rebuild by Mull boatbuilder

A much-loved community book exchange in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge will reopen on Monday 8 September, after being destroyed in the storms of January 2025 and rebuilt from scratch.

The Little Free Library was created by bookbinder and artist Rachel Hazell, aka The Travelling Bookbinder, who first installed it in Stockbridge in 2016. It quickly became a fixture for local readers, walkers and visitors – and during the Covid-19 lockdowns, a source of connection and comfort for residents cut off from much else.

When the library was blown down and damaged beyond repair last winter, Hazell set out to find someone who could build a replacement able to withstand Scotland’s weather while staying safe, accessible and welcoming to readers of all ages.

The job went to Yann Jameson, a boatbuilder based on Mull, who constructed the new library from locally sourced larch and finished it with three coats of marine-grade oil to protect it against rain, wind and damp.

The reopening lands during the National Year of Reading 2026, and continues a movement with an unlikely point of origin. When the Little Free Library movement began in 2009, its founders drew inspiration from the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who around the turn of the 20th century funded the creation of 2,509 free public libraries across the English-speaking world – and set themselves the goal of surpassing that number, which they did within a few years.

Today there are more than 200,000 Little Free Libraries in 128 countries worldwide, and Little Free Library tourism – seeking them out while travelling – has become its own small pastime among book lovers.

Registered as Little Free Library #36444, the Stockbridge library is part of that worldwide network, used by locals and passers-by alike, and stocked with everything from romance and contemporary fiction to philosophy and Penguin Classics – all shared on the movement’s founding principle: “Take a book, share a Book.”

Rachel Hazell, founder and bookbinder, said: “When I first installed the library in 2016, the idea was simply to share books I’d loved and to support my belief that everyone has a book inside them. Over the years it became something much bigger than that, particularly during lockdown, when people told me it was a source of comfort, connection and escape.

“When it was destroyed in the storms, I was heartbroken. It’s taken longer than I’d hoped to find the right person to build a replacement, but Yann has created something truly special and robust.”

“I take my role as librarian very seriously, although admittedly the collection isn’t organised according to the Dewey Decimal System. I try to keep it well stocked, though sometimes the new titles that appear on the shelves are very tempting.

“I’m absolutely delighted to see it return. It belongs to the community as much as it does to me, and I can’t wait to see people using it again.”

Local resident Barbara said: “It’s been strange walking past the empty spot all year – the library was always a nice excuse to stop for a minute, get my bearings and see what’s new. Glad to have it back, and it looks better built than ever – very smart!”

The Stockbridge Little Free Library officially reopens on Tuesday 8 September and is free for everyone to use.

Making sure children get the support they need in school

Consistent additional support for learning

Children with additional support needs will be supported wherever they are in Scotland through a new National Staged Intervention Model for additional support for learning that is being developed.

Education Secretary Màiri McAllan made the commitment as she set out plans to provide a nationwide approach to identifying, planning, delivering and reviewing support for children and young people who experience barriers to learning in all council areas – to ensure they receive the right support at the right time.

The newly-published route map sets out the next steps to introducing a model that will set out more clearly how support is delivered to meet the needs of children and young people in different areas.

It is being developed in partnership with local government in response to recommendations from the McManus Review of additional support for learning, and will be rolled out in phases with full implementation across all of Scotland’s 32 council areas planned for August 2028.

Ms McAllan said: “Every child deserves the best possible support that is right for their needs, regardless of where they live in Scotland so they can realise their full potential.

“A National Staged Intervention approach will help ensure that how support needs are identified, responded to and reviewed is consistent, no matter where a child or young person goes to school.

“Through this Model children and young people will receive support that is right for them, and families will have greater understanding of the support available to their child. For teachers, it means clearer national guidance being developed alongside updated training, aligned with the Model to help them support pupils with additional needs.

“We will develop the Model jointly with councils, teachers and school staff, and with children and their families, to ensure the National Staged Intervention Model delivers the support children and young people need across Scotland.”

Councillor Tony Buchanan, COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People said: “COSLA is committed to working collectively with Scottish Government to improve the outcomes for all children and young people.

“We recognise the need in particular to support children with additional support needs and are focused on building upon the strong practice that already exists and recognise that developing a national model offers opportunity to further enhance the consistency of approach our children and young people.

“Together with our professional associations and colleagues in Scottish Government, we look forward to enhancing what is working well and helping embed continuous improvement across the support framework that is available to children and families in all parts of Scotland.”

Sheena Devlin, General Secretary at the Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES) said: “ADES welcomes the direction of travel set out today. Scotland already has much strong practice in supporting children and young people with additional needs, and a national model offers the opportunity to build greater consistency of approach to recording and planning for our children and young people.

“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and partners to shape the detail, ensuring the Model strengthens what is working well while improving the support framework available to children, young people and families wherever they live.”

See First Minister’s Questions

First Minister’s Questions now takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood.

During Tuesday’s FMQs, the First Minister answers questions from backbench MSPs.

On Tuesdays, tickets are valid from 2pm and allow access to Time for Reflection, General Questions and First Minister’s Questions (Backbench Members).

During Thursday’s FMQs, the First Minister answers questions from party leaders.

On Thursdays, tickets are valid from 1.30pm and allow access to General Questions and First Minister’s Questions (Party Leaders)

You can book free tickets to watch these #FMQs sessions from the public gallery one week in advance, from the Scottish Parliament website:

https://ow.ly/MyWZ50ZG4mv

Local charity secures funding from Loganair to cut Meals on Wheels emission

Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, will support six community projects through its 2026 GreenSkies Community Fund, sharing £23,472 between organisations from the Isle of Lewis to Winchester – and Stockbridge charity LifeCare is one of the recipients.

The fund helps charities, community groups and small businesses across its network reduce their carbon footprints and improve long-term sustainability.

Borve Maritime Museum on the Isle of Lewis receives £5,000 to install a rooftop solar photovoltaic system, cutting electricity use at the community-run venue, while the Community Tree Planting programme, based in Inverness, receives £5,000 to create new woodland and restore habitats through volunteer-led work at sites across Scotland.

In Aberdeen, Beannachar receives £3,757 to replace an ageing electric vehicle charging point used to support adults with learning disabilities across the community, and in Edinburgh, LifeCare receives £2,715 for a charging point that will lower emissions from its community outreach and Meals on Wheels services.

Winchester Cathedral receives £5,000 to fit solar panels to its buildings, generating renewable power and reducing operational emissions at the historic site. On the Isle of Man, the Thie My Shee community orchard receives £2,000 to plant fruit trees and build accessible growing spaces for local food production.

Together the six projects span renewable energy, sustainable transport, food growing and biodiversity across Scotland, the Isle of Man and England.

Rebecca Borresen, director of safety and sustainability at Loganair, said: “The GreenSkies Community Fund sits at the heart of Loganair’s commitment to the communities we connect.

“This year’s projects show what that support makes possible, from solar power on a remote island to greener transport for older people in our cities.

“These six organisations are turning local ambition into measurable environmental change. We’ll keep backing the groups across our network who are building a more sustainable future for the places we serve.”

The GreenSkies Community Fund forms part of Loganair’s wider environmental programme, which includes carbon offsetting, investment in sustainable aviation technologies and a target of reaching net zero by 2040.

Since its launch, the fund has supported community projects and businesses across the UK in adopting greener practices.

Chris Hoy’s stage 4 diagnosis highlights dangerous myth men believe about prostate cancer

Sir Chris Hoy’s stage four prostate cancer diagnosis has highlighted the importance of understanding the often-silent nature of the disease, after the six-time Olympic gold medallist revealed his cancer had spread to his bones.

Hoy has previously spoken about how he had no obvious symptoms of prostate cancer and initially sought medical advice after experiencing shoulder pain. A scan subsequently revealed a tumour, with further investigations finding that the primary cancer was in his prostate and had spread to his shoulder, pelvis, hip, ribs and spine.

In response, Dr Karen Faulkner, Associate Medical Director at Panthera Clinic, says Hoy’s experience is a powerful reminder that men should not wait until they feel unwell before taking their prostate health seriously.

research: https://pantheraclinic.co.uk/.

Comment from Dr Karen Faulkner, Associate Medical Director at Panthera Clinic: “Chris Hoy’s diagnosis is a powerful reminder that prostate cancer does not always announce itself with obvious symptoms, and by the time symptoms develop, the disease can already be advanced.

“One of the most dangerous misconceptions about prostate cancer is that you will know when something is wrong. Chris Hoy’s experience demonstrates why this isn’t necessarily the case. He had no clear warning symptoms and initially sought medical advice because of shoulder pain, only for investigations to reveal that the cancer had originated in the prostate and had already spread to his bones.

“While every patient’s circumstances are unique, his story highlights why men shouldn’t use feeling fit, healthy or symptom-free as reassurance that everything is fine.

“Prostate cancer can develop silently, particularly in its earlier stages, which means men need to be aware of their individual risk rather than simply waiting for their body to tell them something is wrong.

“Symptoms men should speak to a healthcare professional about include:

Needing to urinate more frequently, especially at night
Difficulty starting or stopping urination
A weak or interrupted urine flow
Feeling that the bladder doesn’t fully empty
Blood in the urine or semen
Pain or discomfort when urinating
Persistent pain in the lower back, hips or pelvis

“However, it is important to stress that prostate cancer may not cause any noticeable symptoms in its early stages. The absence of symptoms should not necessarily be taken as reassurance, particularly for men who have other risk factors.

“Age remains one of the biggest risk factors for prostate cancer, with the likelihood of developing the disease increasing as men get older. Family history is also important. Having a father, brother or son who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer can increase an individual’s risk.

“Ethnicity is another important factor, with Black men statistically more likely to develop prostate cancer and often at a younger age.

“These risk factors do not mean that someone will definitely develop prostate cancer, but they can help healthcare professionals assess an individual’s level of risk and determine whether further investigation or discussions about testing may be appropriate.

“For men who are over 50, have a family history of prostate cancer or belong to a higher-risk group, Chris Hoy’s story is an important reminder not to wait until something feels wrong before speaking to a healthcare professional.

“It is also important to remember that prostate cancer is not one single disease and that a diagnosis does not automatically mean the same outcome for every patient. Treatments and outcomes vary depending on factors including how advanced the cancer is, where it has spread and how it responds to treatment.

“Chris Hoy has also spoken openly about continuing to live his life and finding hope despite his stage four diagnosis. His experience is an important reminder that even when cancer is advanced, patients should have open conversations with their healthcare team about treatment, symptom management, support and their individual options.

“For anyone who has been prompted by Chris Hoy’s story to think about their own health, this is a good opportunity to speak to a healthcare professional rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.

“The key message is simple: feeling healthy does not necessarily mean you are free from prostate cancer. Knowing your risk, understanding the potential symptoms and having conversations with a healthcare professional can all play an important role in detecting and managing the disease.”

https://pantheraclinic.co.uk/.