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All aboard: Royal Mail reveals stamps honouring iconic Hornby model railways

Royal Mail has issued a set of 12 stamps to celebrate the world of Hornby Model Railways, a brand that has shaped British hobby culture for over a century.

Frank Hornby, the inventor of Meccano, produced his first clockwork Hornby Series trains in 1920. In 1929 the first models representing real British locomotives arrived.

Each stamp features an exclusive photograph of an iconic Hornby model, specially commissioned by Royal Mail.

Stamps in the set are:

  • 1 locomotive, GNR (1920)
  • Princess Elizabeth, LMS (1937)
  • 4MT tank locomotive, BR (1954)
  • AL1 electric locomotive, BR (1963)
  • InterCity 125 High Speed Train, BR (1977)
  • Merchant Navy class locomotive, BR (2000)
  • Bournemouth Belle Pullman cars, BR (2009)
  • Experimental ‘Hush-Hush’ locomotive, LNER (2021)

An additional four stamps presented in a vibrant miniature sheet celebrate the rich heritage of Hornby through four nostalgic designs, each featuring classic packaging, catalogue covers and promotional artwork from different eras.

The stamps are set against an illustration of a London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) locomotive in full steam.

Royal Mail worked with renowned model railway historian and author, Pat Hammond, on the stamp issue.

David Gold, Director of External Affairs & Policy, Royal Mail, said: “Hornby trains entertained millions, preserved the romance of rail travel, and become a cultural icon of British design and imagination.

“Each of these stamps celebrates a piece of history, of Hornby’s craftsmanship and its role in British culture for generations.”

Martyn Weaver, Brand MD, Hornby, said: “To see Hornby Model Railways celebrated on Royal Mail stamps is a real honour.

“Hornby has been part of British life for more than a century, inspiring creativity, craftsmanship and a lifelong interest in railways and modelling. These stamps recognise the enduring appeal of model railways and the role the hobby continues to play in bringing people together across generations.”

Pat Hammond, Archivist to the Train Collectors Society, said: “The Hornby brand is over 100 years old and that is a major achievement. It is part of Britain’s heritage, and long may it be so.”

HORNBY RAILWAYS:

Hornby’s story began in 1920, when Frank Hornby, the inventor of Meccano, introduced his first clockwork Hornby Series trains.

These 0 gauge models, crafted from pressed steel, brass and tinplate, were twice the size of today’s 00 gauge scale. By the late 1920s, Hornby had launched electrically driven train sets and in 1929 introduced models based on real British locomotives. The iconic LMS Princess Elizabeth locomotive appeared in 1937, followed by the debut of the smaller 00 gauge system, Hornby Dublo, in 1938.

The introduction of plastic mouldings and a two-rail system marked a new era, and by the late 1970s Hornby was producing highly detailed models that appealed to both children and adult enthusiasts. Highlights included the British Railways High Speed Train (HST), released in 1977, which became one of the brand’s best-selling models.

Hornby continued to innovate into the 21st century, combining heritage with cutting-edge technology. From live steam locomotives and digital control systems to collaborations with beloved brands such as Thomas and Friends and Harry Potter, Hornby has remained a leader in model railways.

Today, the company boasts an extensive tooling stock and continues to create authentic, finely detailed models that celebrate Britain’s rich railway history.

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order from today (12 February) at www.royalmail.com/hornby and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 12 stamps is priced at £21.30.

The stamps go on general sale on 19 February from Royal Mail and from 27 February in selected Post Office branches.    

Spokes public meeting: Holyrood Hustings on Monday 16th March

Spokes/CUK Election Hustings

#Holyrood2026

Spokes and Cycling UK are holding a joint election hustings, on Monday 16 March, for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, to hear from Holyrood candidates on cycling and related policies.

Rather than the usual hustings approach, which can be rather boring, our meeting will comprise several sections, with speakers undertaking Initiation, Interrogation, Combination, Clarification and Education, as in the agenda below.

Speakers

All the main parties currently represented at Holyrood have been invited to send along a candidate for an Edinburgh, Lothians or Lothians List seat.  So far, we have…

  • Conservative – awaited
  • Green – Chas Booth [councillor, Lothians List candidate, councillor, Spokes member]
  • Labour – Daniel Johnson [MSP, standing again in Edinburgh Southern]
  • LibDem – awaited
  • Reform – awaited
  • SNP – Kate Campbell [councillor, Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh & Tranent candidate]
  • Chair/Maestro – Brendan Paddy, Spokes member, Director of Ramblers Scotland

Provisional agenda

  • Initiation – each candidate speaks for up to 3 mins on what they and their party would do for cycling and its wider policy context
  • Interrogation – each candidate in turn is questioned by the audience & chair for 5 minutes, on what they have said
  • Combination – two or three important questions are put to all candidates
  • Clarification [if time] – audience follow-up reactions or questions to any candidate
  • Education – each speaker has 2 minutes to say what they have learned and will take away with them

Arrangements

  • Date Monday 16 March
  • Time  Starts 7.30, Ends 9.30.  Doors open 6.45 for coffee, stalls and chat, including a special stall to join Spokes or renew your membership
  • Online We hope to live broadcast on our youtube channel – confirmation nearer the time – and make the recording available a few days later

Submit a question

If you have a question for all candidates (“Combination” section above) please email it in advance to spokes@ spokes.org.uk with the subject line hustings question. Note that questions to individual candidates (“Interrogation”) can only be asked in person at the meeting, after their Initiation speech.

Background

Check out the Holyrood 2026 manifesto signed by over 60 Scottish organisations, including Spokes. Commitments we’d like to see from parties include 10% of the transport budget going to active travel, and reorganised street space with well maintained, accessible networks of walking and cycling routes.

“No platform gets a free pass”: UK Government takes action to keep children safe online

Westminster Government will give parents and carers greater clarity and support as the Prime Minister announces immediate action to make the online world safer for children

  • PM announces new powers to act within months to keep children safe amid rapid technology changes
  • New action will ensure no platform gets a free pass – as government today will close loopholes that put children at risk, and lays the groundwork for further, faster action
  • PM leads new crackdown on AI chatbots to protect people from illegal content

The UK Government will give parents and carers greater clarity and support as the Prime Minister announces immediate action to make the online world safer for children.

Speaking to parents and young people later today [Monday 16 February], the Prime Minister will make clear this government will act at pace to keep kids safe online as they navigate a digital world that did not exist a generation ago, and one that is shaped by powerful platforms, addictive design and fast-moving technologies.

The new measures announced today include crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI. The government will move fast to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law. This will ensure the Act keeps up with rapidly evolving harms.

This follows government action to call out abhorrent non-consensual intimate images being shared on Grok, which subsequently led to the function being removed.

The Prime Minister will also make clear today that his government is taking new legal powers to lay the groundwork for immediate action following its consultation on children’s wellbeing online. The Government is committed to following the evidence, and these powers will mean we can act fast on its findings within months, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation every time technology evolves.

That means being able to act quickly on measures like setting a minimum age limit for social media and restricting features like infinite scrolling that are harmful, in line with the consultation. The law is crystal clear: the distribution of nude images of children is already illegal. But the government will also consult on how best to ensure tech companies can safeguard children from sending or receiving such images in the first place.

The consultation will also confront the full range of risks children face online. This includes examining restrictions on children’s use of AI chatbots, as well as options to age restrict or limit children’s VPN use where it undermines safety protections and changing the age of digital consent.

The government will also strengthen protections for families facing the most devastating circumstances, by ensuring that vital data following a child’s death is preserved before it can be deleted, except in cases where online activity is clearly not relevant to the death.

This marks a clear shift in how the UK approaches child online safety, meaning the UK can continue to be a world leader in keeping children safe online.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online.

“Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up. With my government, Britain will be a leader not a follower when it comes to online safety.

“The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass. 

“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action.

“We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “I know that parents across the country want us to act urgently to keep their children safe online. That’s why I stood up to Grok and Elon Musk when they flouted British laws and British values. 

“We will not wait to take the action families need, so we will tighten the rules on AI chatbots and we are laying the ground so we can act at pace on the results of the consultation on young people and social media.

“We are determined to give children the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future at time of rapid technological change.”

The children’s digital wellbeing consultation will launch next month and will be guided by what parents and children say they need now, not in several years’ time.

Ministers are already engaging with parents, young people and civil society groups, and the message has been consistent and clear that parents want support and fast.

To help parents immediately, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched the ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ campaign. It offers practical guidance on safety settings, conversation prompts parents can use with their children, and age‑appropriate advice on dealing with harmful content, including misogynistic material and ragebait.

Chris Sherwood, NSPCC CEO, said: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s promise to act quickly and decisively to hold tech companies to account and make the online world safer for children. The status quo can’t continue, and without real change the pressure for an under‑16 social media ban will only increase.

“Much of what is being proposed mirrors what we have been pressing for: proper age‑limit enforcement, an end to addictive design, and stronger action from platforms, devices, and AI tools to stop harmful content at the source. Delivered swiftly, these measures would offer far better protection than a blanket ban.

“We also strongly support putting children’s voices at the centre of this debate. They understand both the benefits and risks of being online and – after their insights have been overlooked in discussions so far – their experiences must now help guide the decisions made in the months ahead.

“We need urgent action and an ambitious agenda if the Government is going to take on tech bosses and make a difference for children and young people.”

Andy Burrows, Chief Executive of Molly Rose Foundation, said: “Parents are right to demand urgent action on online safety, and we strongly welcome the Government’s ambition to move quickly and decisively to tackle appalling and preventable harm. 

“This announcement should reassure parents that change is on the way. It means that children and families could see much needed safety improvements within months, including action against high-risk AI Chatbots and new measures to prevent girls from being coerced into sending nude photos.  

“This a welcome downpayment but the Prime Minister must now go further. Sir Keir Starmer should commit to a new Online Safety Act that strengthens regulation and that makes clear that product safety and children’s wellbeing is the cost of doing business in the UK.”

Letters: SCSC calls for urgent introduction of LDAN Bill

Dear Editor

A recent report from the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament on ADHD and autism support highlighted that children and adults are frequently waiting multiple years for assessments of these conditions.

It called on the Scottish Government to take urgent action to develop and implement a national plan that ensures adults and children with autism and ADHD across all health boards in Scotland have clear, consistent pathways to support.

The report further reinforces the need for the Scottish Government to introduce the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill to Parliament at the earliest opportunity.

The LDAN Bill would help tackle long waiting times through new national and local strategies and introduce mandatory training for health and social care staff, as well as teachers and school staff, to ensure people’s needs are identified and met. 

The importance of the LDAN Bill in tackling the inequalities faced by individuals and their families cannot be overstated, and it has the potential to make a real difference for them in Scotland across education, healthcare, and employment. 

Yours faithfully

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Kenny Graham, Falkland House School

Lynn Bell, LOVE Care

Stephen McGhee, Spark of Genius

Niall Kelly, Young Foundations

Missing Man: Body Found

Around 10.15pm on Thursday, 12 February, 2026, the body of a man was found near Cockburnspath, East Lothian.

Formal identification is yet to take place, however, the family of Gary Hill, 56, who was reported missing from the area on Monday, 9 February, 2026, has been informed.

The death is being treated as unexplained but is not believed to be suspicious.

A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

National Galleries of Scotland secures landmark Peter Doig acquisition

NATIONAL GALLERIES LARGEST EVER PRINT ACQUISITION BY A LIVING ARTIST

Peter Doig, Morning Paramin Display at Modern One. Photo Credit Paul Watt

Peter Doig| Morning, Paramin

National Galleries Scotland: Modern One, Belford Road, Edinburgh

Open from 14 February

FREE

The National Galleries of Scotland is excited to announce a landmark acquisition of 67 prints by Scottish artist Peter Doig, alongside a commitment that one edition of all future prints made by the artist will also join the national collection.

This is the first time that the National Galleries of Scotland has secured not only an artist’s entire print collection to date, but all prints to be created in the future.

This monumental addition to Scotland’s national collection celebrates Doig’s personal connection to Scotland, as well as his status as a leading artist of his generation. To mark this significant acquisition a selection of prints will go on display for free at National Galleries Scotland: Modern One in Edinburgh from 14 February 2026. Visitors will be able to explore works relating to Morning, Paramin a 2016 book made in collaboration between Doig and the St Lucian poet Derek Walcott.

Peter Doig is a contemporary painter known for his dreamlike landscapes that blur observation and memory, referencing personal experiences, popular culture, and art history alike. Born in Edinburgh in 1959, Doig moved to Canada as a child, and since 2002 has lived and worked in Trinidad. In 2021, Doig relocated his main studio to London, which is now his principal residence.

His breakthrough as a painter was in 1990, while the artist was studying towards a master’s degree at Chelsea School of Art. His inventive style, sensuous colour palette and suggestive imagery set him apart from the conceptualism which then dominated much of contemporary art. Today, Doig is rightly credited with having reinvigorated the medium of painting internationally.

The National Galleries of Scotland has been working in partnership with the Contemporary Art Society (CAS) since 2018 to enable this gift from Doig through the CAS Great Works scheme, supported by the Sfumato Foundation.

The ambition of the Great Works scheme is to ensure that major artworks, which might otherwise be inaccessible to gallery audiences, are able to enter public collections during the lifetime of the artist. Doig is one of the most highly regarded painters working anywhere in the world, and it is only thanks to this partnership with CAS that the acquisition is possible.

A key consideration of the Great Works scheme is the relationship of the artist to the location of the gallery receiving the acquisition, giving artists a lasting presence in a place that is of particular significance to them. This acquisition will provide a unique resource for anyone wanting to research Doig and will mean that Scotland’s national collection will represent the artist across his whole career.

Doig has also generously agreed not only to donate all of his printed work to date, but to give one edition of all future prints too. This incredibly unique agreement ensures that Scotland’s national collection will hold the most comprehensive representation of the artist’s graphic work anywhere in the world.

The prints Doig makes are an essential element of his practice. Working out many of the details of his paintings in print, he is a tireless innovator and image maker across both mediums. The artist has made prints from the very beginning of his career, and continues to do so now, having just installed all the equipment he needs in his London studio. As well as being one of the most powerful painters stylistically, Doig is also a master print maker, employing a number of techniques that makes his prints as interesting and evocative as his paintings.

While the display at Modern One is only a portion of the works that will be added to the national collection, it gives a fascinating insight into the artist’s work.

The one room display explores Doig’s time in Trinidad, where he worked for many years. During this time, he became friends with the St Lucian poet Derek Walcott (1930 – 2017) and the 28 etchings exhibited at Modern One form a lasting expression of this friendship. Morning, Paramin, a book of poems written by Walcott in direct response to Doig’s paintings, was published in 2016.

Walcott describes both the paintings and Doig’s complex relationship with place in his poems. There is an empathy between the two men: “because Art can make us love two countries with one heart, not separately either, but blent”.

The prints selected by Doig for the book are in turn a response to the poems.  They suggest a process of looking again, of re-examination, of a reflection on grief and loss, as well as a sense of place and atmosphere. They stand as a memorial to an intimate, creative friendship and a dialogue between painter and poet.

This unprecedented donation facilitated by CAS further develops the National Galleries of Scotland’s long-standing relationship with the artist. A major retrospective of Doig’s work was held at National Galleries Scotland: National in 2013. The exhibition surveyed Doig’s paintings and works on paper following the artist’s move to Trinidad, placing particular emphasis on the artist’s approach to serial motifs and recurring imagery.

At the time Doig said: ‘I left Scotland as a child as many of my generation did; however I know Edinburgh, the city where I was born, through many visits as a child and youth. To be able to exhibit my paintings in the magnificent rooms of the National Galleries is a great great honour.”

In 2021 the National Galleries of Scotland also acquired an important early oil painting, At the Edge of Town 1986-8, thanks to the Acceptance in Lieu scheme. Making this recent and significant acquisition of Doig’s prints all the more meaningful for the collection and the artist.

Peter Doig said: “I am delighted and deeply grateful that the National Galleries of Scotland will be the custodians of my prints.” 

Simon Groom, Director of International & National Partnerships at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “Peter Doig is one of the most consistently inventive artists working anywhere in the world today.

“The works reveal a transforming vision of the world, steeped in a sense of beauty and mystery, rich in their imaginative suggestion yet remaining grounded in the real. This remains as true of his prints, which have been an essential element of his practice from the very beginning of his career.

“We are indebted to Peter and the Contemporary Art Society for their generosity and great vision, in enabling the National Galleries of Scotland to represent Scotland’s greatest contemporary artist across his whole career, and to create an internationally unique resource that will be accessible for exhibition, loan and study now and for future generations.”

Caroline Douglas, Director, Contemporary Art Society, said: “It is absolutely wonderful to see the first group of prints from this remarkable, groundbreaking gift of work go on display in Edinburgh.

“Peter Doig is one of the most important artists working anywhere in the world today and print making lies at the core of his practice. We are delighted that National Galleries Scotland: Modern in Edinburgh will be the home to this remarkable body of work, which will be a resource for artists, scholars and art lovers forever more.”

‘Lucky’ stroke survivor joins study led by the University of Edinburgh

~ Warning not to ignore subtle stroke signs just because they are uncommon ~ 

A stroke survivor is warning others to watch out for unusual symptoms after joining a study funded by the British Heart Foundation. 

Gordon Robb had a stroke involving a bleed in his brain, but his only symptom was finding that written words suddenly looked as if they were in a foreign language. 

The 63-year-old is now taking the drug clopidogrel, as part of a clinical trial run by researchers at the University of Edinburgh. This study will examine if clopidogrel or aspirin, which are ‘antiplatelet’ drugs that reduce the risk of blood clotting, can prevent future strokes, heart attacks and premature deaths in people who have had a haemorrhagic stroke – a stroke caused by a bleed in the brain. 

Gordon only discovered his stroke had happened after his cousin, whose husband had died from a stroke a few weeks earlier, insisted he go to hospital. 

Having first thought his sudden inability to read was caused by tiredness, he now describes himself as an ‘extremely lucky man’. He had none of the more commonly known symptoms of a stroke, such as problems with his face, arm, speech, eyes or balance.  

Difficulty recognising written words on its own, without any other symptoms, affects fewer than one per cent of people at the time of their stroke, say researchers. 

A few months on, Gordon’s symptoms are improving, although it now takes him half an hour to read a chapter instead of his previous 10 minutes, and more recently he has noticed he occasionally can’t find the right word during a conversation. 

Gordon said: “I am incredibly lucky, and quite honestly felt like a fraud in the stroke ward because I was no different to how I am normally, except that I suddenly could not read words. 

“A group of student doctors in neurology who were brought to see me even said they would have struggled to diagnose that I had had a stroke. 

“I knew some of the classic signs of a stroke like facial weakness, being unable to raise my arms or speech issues, but had none of these.  

“It just shows the importance of paying attention to unusual symptoms, even if they aren’t ones you have heard of before. If I hadn’t gone to the hospital, and quickly received treatment, I could have been walking around with a ticking time-bomb in my head.” 

The stroke survivor, from Bonnyrigg in Midlothian, had only been to hospital once in his life previously. A keen cyclist and runner, who had climbed to base camp at Mount Everest two years ago, he felt in perfect health. 

So when, on September 27 last year, he checked his emails and could not read them, he put it down to tiredness. 

Gordon, the former vice-president of a biotech company, said: “I was in the garden, went in to have a cup of tea, listen to some music and check my emails on my phone – and it was like they were in a foreign language. 

“I could see them clearly, and see who they were from, but the words meant nothing to me. 

“I just assumed I was tired because I had been up late the night before. When friends were then messaging me about the Ryder Cup that evening and I couldn’t see the messages, I just gave myself an early night.” 

 The following evening, when he was unable to read the instructions on a cash machine to withdraw money, he resolved to go to see his GP the next day. 

However, when he told his cousin – whose husband had died from a sudden stroke just three weeks earlier – she drove straight to his house and insisted on taking him to A&E. There, doctors told him he had had a haemorrhagic stroke. 

Approximately 15 per cent of strokes are haemorrhagic. The majority of strokes are ischaemic strokes, caused by a blocked artery. 

While in hospital, Gordon signed up to a study being led by Professor Rustam Al-Shahi Salman at the University of Edinburgh, which is called ASPIRING (Antiplatelet Secondary Prevention International Randomised study after INtracerebral haemorrhaGe).  

The international study is recruiting people who have had a stroke due to bleeding in the brain, also known as a haemorrhagic stroke. Study participants in the UK will be given  ‘antiplatelet’ medicines like clopidogrel or aspirin, which reduce the chances of a stroke or heart attack by preventing cells in the bloodstream, called platelets, from sticking together and forming a blood clot.  

Antiplatelet medicines are not routinely prescribed for people who have had a haemorrhagic stroke, because of safety concerns that they may increase the risk of bleeding. But a small study called RESTART, led by the University of Edinburgh and also funded by the British Heart Foundation, found aspirin and clopidogrel are safe after a haemorrhagic stroke.  

In this new larger study, researchers in the UK now aim to understand if clopidogrel or aspirin can reduce the likelihood of having future strokes, heart attacks and other clotting and bleeding problems in people who have survived a haemorrhagic stroke.  

Major clotting or bleeding problems occur in around one in 10 haemorrhagic stroke survivors every year.  

Professor Salman said: “It has been hard to overcome the instinctive fear that if people have had a haemorrhagic stroke, taking aspirin or a drug like it might cause more bleeding. So we were very relieved when our research showed such drugs to be safe after a haemorrhagic stroke.  

“The ASPIRING study will gather further evidence to establish if aspirin and clopidogrel can help lower the risk of future strokes and heart attacks, and potentially save the lives of people like Gordon who have had a haemorrhagic stroke.

“I believe there is a huge amount more to be done to help these people, whose lives have been turned upside down and who may be concerned about the future.” 

Gordon is one of more than 4,000 people worldwide set to join the study, which is also funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Research Foundation – Flanders and the Medical Research Future Fund in Australia. 

The study was endorsed by the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum (GCRFF) multinational clinical trials initiative.  

Gordon said: “Being involved in this trial provides some reassurance, that this drug may reduce my risk of another stroke. 

“But it is also great to know that being involved could help improve treatment for people like me in the future, and relieve the pressure on the health system. 

“I feel extremely lucky that I did not have more long-term effects from my stroke, and that I have had the chance to try to help improve treatments.” 

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, the British Heart Foundation’s clinical director, said: “Facial weakness, arm or leg weakness and speech problems are well-known signs you or your loved one may be having a stroke, but there are some lesser-known symptoms like being unable to recognise the written word. 

“If you have a symptom that you feel is not right, however strange or unusual, it is really important to seek help. Every minute matters if you may be having a stroke or other medical emergency. 

“We know stroke survivors often fear having another stroke and how disabling this could be. That is why the BHF is funding clinical trials like ASPIRING, which will test whether prescribing antiplatelet drugs could protect more people.” 

The ASPIRING study is recruiting people from England, Wales and Scotland who have had a haemorrhagic stroke.

Volunteers can check their eligibility, depending on the hospital where they received treatment, and express interest by visiting www.ASPIRING.ed.ac.uk 

Community Wealth Building: Investing in local economies

The Community Wealth Building Bill has been passed by the Scottish Parliament. It will support investment in communities with councils, health boards and other public bodies focusing on the generation, circulation and retention of wealth in local and regional economies.

This could include buying or procuring more goods and services from local businesses, boosting social enterprises or helping community groups to acquire vacant buildings and land.

Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said: “Community Wealth Building is an approach to economic development that can deliver sustainable growth and foster resilience in our local economies.

“This unique legislation will help to deliver more benefit from investment in local economies so that they become fairer, greener and more prosperous.

“It will also strengthen partnership working in our communities, and I look forward to working closely with public bodies to building on existing links.”

Neil McInroy, Chair of the Economic Development Association Scotland, commented: “We support the Bill because it marks a positive shift in economic development amid wider global crises and upheaval.

“Some local councils and many organisations across Scotland are already advancing Community Wealth Building, and this Bill provides the enabling framework that secures that progress and deepens it.

“By changing patterns of wealth, it boosts productivity, helps tackle child poverty and cost‑of‑living pressures, and builds economic dynamism. Crucially, it advances economic democracy by giving communities, workers, and all of us a fuller stake in Scotland’s future.”

Stacey Dingwall, Head of Policy & External Affairs (Scotland) at the Federation of Small Business (FSB) said: “FSB is a long-time supporter of the Community Wealth Building agenda, therefore it’s welcome to see the Bill pass today.

“Opening up public procurement contracts to small businesses is crucial to boosting economic growth, yet many still face barriers to accessing opportunities.

“Passing this legislation gives us a real chance to make progress here. Investing more public money in local businesses is also an investment in local job opportunities, ensuring as much wealth as possible is retained in local communities.”

Scotland will become the first country in the world to legislate for implementation of the Community Wealth Building economic development model at national, regional and local level.

Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill | Scottish Parliament Website

Edinburgh STYLE returns as the city’s ultimate celebration of fashion and culture

Five days of runway shows, creative collaborations, and unmissable shopping land at the end of March 2026

St James Quarter, Edinburgh’s most stylish retail and lifestyle destination, is delighted to announce the return of its much-loved Edinburgh STYLE event for 2026, with an expanded five-day programme running from Wednesday 25th to Sunday 29th March.

Bringing together fashion, beauty and culture in the heart of the capital, Edinburgh STYLE 2026 will deliver a city-wide moment packed with runway shows, trend-led talks, live music and in-store experiences.

Two headline fashion moments will anchor the programme, bringing the drama and energy of the runway to the Quarter.  Wednesday 25thMarch will launch this year’s event with a high-octane catwalk show featuring Essential Edinburgh backed brands from the City’sGeorge Street and St James Quarter BID area. In B3 the underground vibe of the location will be brought to life with a runway filled with breakers, skaters, influencers and models.

Then on Saturday 28thMarch during the afternoon there will be a beautifully crafted moment of fashion, dance and music which will surprise and entertain guests. The final show of this year’s event will be a very special one in partnership with Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh, on behalf of Cancer Research UK, during the evening of Saturday 28th March.

At the heart of the event will be the ever-popular STYLE Stage, located on Level 3 of the Galleria, hosting a packed programme of free beauty masterclasses, style workshops and expert panel talks. From confidence-boosting beauty tips and capsule wardrobe refreshes to trend forecasting and insider advice, the stage will offer guests the chance to learn directly from industry leaders and discover what’s shaping the season ahead. 

Across the five days visitors can also enjoy a vibrant schedule of in-store activations including exclusive events, live music, refreshments, giveaways and gifts with purchase, bringing fashion, hospitality and culture together under one roof. A beautifully illustrated collectible map by collaborator Holly Sharpe will highlight all the brands across George Street and the Quarter who are participating.

To celebrate the return of Edinburgh STYLE for 2026, St James Quarter has also partnered with Timorous Beasties to create a striking visual takeover within the Quarter. Selected pillars on Level 4 of the Galleria will be wrapped in the studio’s bold new Graffiti Skater wallpaper design for 2026 transforming the space into an unexpected editorial backdrop.

Blending contemporary urban expression with Timorous Beasties’ signature subversive classicism, the design draws on Rococo swirls and Victorian silhouette paper cuts layered with expressive graffiti repeats, creating a visual narrative that feels both anarchic and poetic while celebrating individuality, defiance and the beauty found in urban chaos.

Susan Hewlett, Brand & Marketing Director at St James Quarter, said: “Edinburgh STYLE has become one of the most anticipated moments in our annual calendar, and we’re thrilled to be bringing it back for 2026 with a more diverse and inspiring cultural programme.

“From the return of our STYLE Stage masterclasses and panel talks to incredible in-store experiences, live music and three standout fashion shows, this year is all about celebrating creativity, confidence and self-expression.

“We are also especially proud to partner with Business Beats Cancer Edinburgh, supporting their vital fundraising efforts whilst providing cancer survivors with a meaningful platform to showcase their resilience and inspiring journeys.”

With more still to be announced, Edinburgh STYLE 2026 is set to become the defining moment where fashion, culture and the city come together cementing its place as the biggest shopping and style event of the year in Scotland.

For more information, please visit https://stjamesquarter.com/

Corstorphine Window Wanderland

28th FEBRUARY – 2nd MARCH

⭐️⭐️ Corstorphine Window Wanderland is back for 2026 ⭐️⭐️

Once again it will brighten up the last weekend of February by transforming the streets of Corstorphine into a magical outdoor illuminated gallery for all to enjoy.

This is a FREE event and everyone is invited to take part – residents, schools, community groups and businesses. We hope you will alll get involved with decorating windows or wandering, or both!

Windows will be lit up between 6pm and 9pm on the evenings of Saturday 28 February, Sunday 1 & Monday 2 March 2026.

To take part in the event and add your window display to the map, please sign up on the website https://www.windowwanderland.com/event/corstorphine-2026/