Interested in Scottish History? Our group has 2 spaces available!
Our Scottish History group meets every Wednesday from 10am–12pm, exploring Scotland’s fascinating past with group leader Derek.
The group runs in 8-week blocks, with each class costing just £4. There are also some fabulous trips out with Derek to enjoy along the way!
Fancy joining us? Get in touch to book your space:
0131 315 4989
Or send us a message on Facebook
An initiative supporting women and children to escape abusive relationships will see its funding doubled from £2 million to £4 million for the current year.
The Fund to Leave scheme has supported 1,519 women and 2,094 children to leave unsafe situations since its launch in February 2026 – an additional £2 million will be made available in 2026-27, taking total investment up to £4 million, to ensure that there is no cap on support and to help more women and children leave abusive relationships safely and rebuild their lives.
The initiative provides immediate financial support for essentials for women leaving an abusive partner – removing the financial barriers that can trap women in harmful relationships by giving them the means to act quickly and safely.
The Scottish Government has also pledged further support for survivors of domestic abuse to ensure they are not unfairly burdened by Council Tax debt resulting from an abusive relationship. The Scottish Government will consult on creating a statutory exception to joint and several liability rules to protect victims of domestic abuse. Further details will be announced in Parliament next month with a public consultation expected in 2027.
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “There is absolutely no place for domestic abuse in modern Scotland – it is one of the most harmful and pervasive forms of violence against women and girls.
“We are determined to break down financial barriers that will often stand in the way of leaving an abusive partner. Our Fund to Leave scheme provides immediate financial help for women so they can begin to safely rebuild their lives and protect their children from harm.
“Since its formation last year, the initiative has already helped more than 1,500 women rebuild their lives – I am pleased to provide further support for this initiative to remove the cap and help more women benefit from its significant impact.
“Nobody should have to face additional harm as a result of domestic abuse. We recognise that joint and several liability for council tax can create very difficult circumstances for those experiencing or who have experienced abuse.
“We will take forward work with local councils to ensure solutions are in place to protect victims of abuse from unfair council tax debt – I will provide further detail to Parliament on these measures next month.”
Beat the boredom this October Half Term with Butterfly Conservation’s five fun, slightly spooky and wild-inspired activities for the family!
The nights are drawing in but there’s still lots to see when the sun goes down!
Head out after dark with a torch and look for fallen fruit, berries or Ivy and you might find some moths enjoying a sweet treat. Many caterpillars are nocturnal, so you can also check out plants and leaves to see if any caterpillars are out having a midnight feast.
You can even make your own moth magnet. Heat a bottle of red wine (moths don’t mind what vintage) and stir in 1kg sugar until dissolved but make sure not to boil. Allow the mixture to cool and then soak lengths of rope or fabric in the sugary concoction. Drape the ropes over low branches, bushes or fences just before dusk and check for moths by torch light during the first two hours of darkness.
You can identify what you spot on Butterfly Conservation’s moth pages [https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths]
Looking to get a bit more creative with your pumpkin designs this year?
Head over to Butterfly Conservation’s butterfly [https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies] and moth [https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths] pages to pick your favourite, copy their outline onto your pumpkin and cut out your design.
For the perfectionists of the family, you can make things more detailed by printing out a picture and tracing the butterfly, moth or caterpillar using tracing paper and thick pencil. Whatever you create, make sure to tag Butterfly Conservation in your designs on social media at @savebutterflies
Looking for a spooky nature-themed Halloween outfit? Make your own Death’s-head Hawk-moth mask.
This fun craft is great for kids on rainy days and can make a fun party activity. Download Butterfly Conservation’s moth mask template and follow the simple steps [https://butterfly-conservation.org/discover-and-learn/activities-and-resources/make-a-moth-mask]
Caterpillars have loads of clever ways of avoiding predators, from colourful bodies to spitting acid.
Learn all about their adaptations on Butterfly Conservation’s Discover and Learn page [https://butterfly-conservation.org/discover-and-learn/activities-and-resources/clever-caterpillar-adaptations] and then have a go at coming up with your own caterpillar creation – will it have horrible hairs, cunning camouflage or maybe a toxic taste?
You could even bring it to life with whatever materials you have around the house!
Although it’s seen as a quieter time of year for wildlife, there’s still lots of weird and wild things to see.
Grab your scarves and head out for a walk around your local green space – and don’t forget to take a magnifying glass to get a bit closer.
Look out for skeleton leaves, strange-looking lichens (and some of the caterpillars that eat them), and maybe even moth “mummies” pupating in leaf piles.
Check out Butterfly Conservation’s spooky spotter sheet for some inspiration of what to look out for [https://butterfly-conservation.org/discover-and-learn/activities-and-resources/spotter-sheets]
Looking for more fun activities to do with the kids this autumn? Check out Discover and Learn | Butterfly Conservation [https://butterfly-conservation.org/discover-and-learn]
It’s that time of year again!
The AGM is on Monday, 9 November at 18:00.
If you would like to help shape the future of the centre, maybe you would like to join the Management Committee. Or maybe you have a skill that you can share?
Come along and tell us about it!
LIFT@MUIRHOUSE MILLENNIUM CENTRE WINS WORKPLACE AWARD
The Forth Awards, presented by Livingston Designer Outlet, celebrated the very best of Edinburgh and the East yesterday at a stellar show which saw local heroes pick up awards alongside Scottish stars Emeli Sandé, Cammy Barnes, Craig Hill and more.
A sold out Usher Hall enjoyed a surprise line-up including a stunning performance from Emeli Sandé, dance sets from iconic voices including Kelly Llorenna, Janice Robinson and Simone Denny, entertainment from ‘Dirty Dancing’ and a rousing set from man of the moment Cammy Barnes.
Forth 1 presenters distributed awards to hometown heroes, nominated by Forth’s audience, across categories including Best Teacher, Best Workplace and the prestigious Forth Local Hero Award.
Station stars including Arlene Stuart, Steven Mill, Garry Spence, Callum Gallacher, Grant Thomson, Lynsey Gibson and more hosted the show as well as a charity auction to fundraise for Forth 1’s Cash for Kids, making a difference for kids across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Falkirk.
10 awards were handed out across the star-studded show, recognising hometown heroes across Best Teacher, Best Restaurant, Best Workplace and the all important Forth Local Hero Award.
WINNERS:
The Forth Best Artist Award with Victor Paris – Cammy Barnes
The Forth Contribution to Music Award with The Liquid Room – Janice Robinson
The Forth Icon Award with The Edinburgh Playhouse – Emeli Sandé
The Forth Fringe Award with Watermans – Darrell Martin
The Forth Best Restaurant Award with Saltire Hospitality – Luca’s Kitchen
The Forth Cash for Kids Award with Newtown Décor – Rocco Wood
The Forth Best Teacher Award with Omni Centre – Matthew Crawford, Beath High School
The Forth Best Workplace Award with Fuse – L.I.F.T @ Muirhouse Millennium Centre
The Forth Visitor Attraction – Falkland Palace & Garden
The Forth Local Hero Award with Edinburgh’s Christmas & LNER – Lisa Petrie
The talented ensemble from ‘Dirty Dancing’, currently showing at Edinburgh Playhouse, kicked the afternoon off with an outstanding performance before Darrell Martin was presented with this year’s Forth Fringe Award.
Founder of Just the Tonic Comedy Club, which presents hundreds of shows every year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Darrell has welcomed some of comedy’s top names to his club in Nottingham over the past 30 years including Sean Lock, Jo Brand, Rob Beckett and more.
One of the UK’s most successful songwriters, Emeli Sandé was honoured with this year’s Forth Icon Award, marking a career which has seen her pick up four BRIT Awards, achieve three UK No.1 singles and sell over 6 million albums.
The Scottish star’s upcoming 2027 UK tour celebrates 15 years since the release of her hit debut album ‘Our Version of Events’ and guests at the Forth Awards were treated to her biggest hits including ‘Next To Me’ and ‘Read All About It’.
Picking up her award Emeli Sandé said, “This is awesome, Scotland is where my whole journey began so thank you for this recognition.”
Dunfermline restaurant Luca’s Kitchen picked up the Forth Best Restaurant Award for their family-friendly authentic Italian fayre, whilst L.I.F.T at Muirhouse Millennium Centre won the Best Workplace Award.
Community project based in Muirhouse Millennium Centre, Low Income Families Together (LIFT) works with individuals and families to develop new skills to improve their lives – from tackling child poverty, budgeting skills, confidence building and employability skills, the team go above and beyond for their community.
Man of the moment and local lad Cammy Barnes took home the Forth Best Artist Award after storming onto the UK’s music scene blending contemporary country songwriting with traditional Scottish music.
Hailing from Fife, Cammy shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent in 2023, supported Amy Macdonald on tour and is now set to play two huge dates at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro in 2027. The singer songwriter treated the audience to a rousing set including a song dedicated to his hometown ‘Beauty In These Streets’, ‘Whiskey Roll’ and a special cover of ‘Tennessee Whiskey’.
Picking up his award, Cammy said: “I can’t believe I’ve just won that award! A massive thank you to all the team at Forth 1 and Clyde 1 for backing me and playing my music on the radio – it has singlehandedly changed my life.
“When I started this journey I just wanted to make my wee girl proud – and now we just sold out The Hydro! Things like this don’t happen to be, so I’m buzzing.”
Matthew Crawford, a guidance teacher at Beath High School in Cowdenbeath won the Best Teacher Award for his commitment to his pupils and their parents and the Best Visitor Attraction went to Falkland Palace & Garden in Fife, recognising its staff and volunteers in a year of ongoing building works.
One of the afternoon’s most heartwarming moments came when Rocco Wood was presented with the Forth Cash for Kids Award. Born at just 28 weeks, three months premature, Rocco was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and has overcome significant challenges in his 17 years.
Cash for Kids has been able to support Rocco and his family for many years, mostly recently funding an eye-gaze communication device which has given Rocco a new way to express himself, communicate and display his cheeky sense of humour.
American singer songwriter Janice Robinson collected the Forth Contribution to Music Award, honouring a vocalist career spanning over 30 years, beginning with her global hit ‘Dreamer’ as part of ‘Livin’ Joy’. Janice went on to support the iconic Tina Turner on tour and released hit dance tracks include ‘Earthbeat’ and ‘There Must Be Love’, which she performed at this afternoon’s ceremony.
Janice said: “It feels amazing to be recognised after decades of a song that has lived in the hearts of so many people in the UK.
“Looking into the audience and realising that most of these people were really young when ‘Dreamer’ came out – I’m so blessed to have done something that brings people such joy.”
For the final award of the day, local Edinburgh woman Lisa Petrie was honoured with the Forth Local Hero Award for her extraordinary campaign for stricter retail security on knives, and the roll out of life-saving bleed kits across the local community.
After losing her son John in 2025, Lisa has campaigned tirelessly – meeting the First Minister, the King and MSPs to introduce accessible bleed kits across Edinburgh.
Lisa has assembled and distributed over 100 emergency medical bleed control kits to pubs, community centres and shops across Edinburgh and Midlothian, aimed at saving lives in all kinds of medical emergencies.
On stage, Lisa said, “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Pauline and the team at L.I.F.T. – I would have turned my face to the wall and cried, but I’ve had support and an army behind me after losing John.
“It’s been hard, but knowing that there’s other families out there and we can support each other, that’s what I want. These aren’t stats, these are kids, they’re human beings. I need change and I know that we will save lives and make change for John. These awards have given me more strength to keep going.”
The 2026 Forth Awards had the Usher Hall audience on their feet with dance performances from Canadian dance and house star Simone Denny before UK trance-popstar Kelly Llorenna brought the day to a rousing end with ‘Set You Free’.
Recognising everything from small acts of kindness from teachers and care workers, to achievements in the world of entertainment, The Forth Awards were once again a celebration of inspiring stories from Forth 1’s local heroes and performances to remember.
David Robertson, Director Of Content for the Hits Radio Brand (including Forth 1), Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “In our 21st year of the Forth Awards, we continue to be inspired by the local listeners striving to make a difference and delivering, at times, life-changing work in their local communities.
“Whether it’s a teacher supporting kids in school, or individuals like Lisa Petrie campaigning on a national level, it’s Forth 1’s honour to shine a spotlight on them and say thank you.
“We send our huge congratulations to all of today’s worthy winners, and a special thanks to our outstanding performers for entertaining our sold out crowd.”
The former Stockbridge favourite Ping On returned to its original home for one night only on Sunday 4th October, as Sotto celebrated its second birthday by recreating the much-loved Cantonese restaurant for an evening in aid of Dementia UK.
Ping On was a Stockbridge institution for 56 years, having first opened in the area in 1968 under the ownership of Kenny Mak. It went on to become a firm favourite with generations of Edinburgh locals before Sotto opened in its former premises in 2024, transforming the space into an Italian trattoria and enoteca.
To mark Sotto’s second birthday, owner James Clark brought Ping On back to the restaurant for one night, with the Sotto team temporarily swapping Italian cooking for some of the dishes that had made the restaurant a Stockbridge staple.
The menu featured Kenny’s family recipes, including sizzling ribs, spring rolls, lemon chicken, beef in black bean sauce, egg fried rice and banana fritters.
The evening brought together former Ping On customers returning to the restaurant, alongside Sotto regulars, with more than £4,000 raised for Dementia UK.
The Institute for Health Equity’s new report A Fairer, Healthier Scotland: The Collaboration for Health Equity reinforces that health inequalities are largely driven by the conditions of daily life that shape health, including income, housing, work and education, rather than access to health services alone.
The Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) is a partnership between Public Health Scotland, University College London’s Institute of Health Equity (directed by Professor Sir Michael Marmot) and three collaborating areas: Aberdeen City, North Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.
Each area utilised local evidence to develop their own priorities to reduce inequalities, with a shared emphasis on prevention and working in partnership.
COSLA’s Spokesperson for Health and Social Care Cllr Paul Kelly commented: “Through our unique position close to communities, Local Government already has a strong understanding of the wider social, economic and environment determinants which act as the building blocks of health.
“This report reaffirms that empowering local authorities to develop place-based solutions makes a positive difference to people, families and communities, preventing issues before they arise and reducing inequalities in outcomes.
“As a joint sponsor of Public Health Scotland, COSLA will explore how we can build on this successful approach, creating the conditions for more people to live longer, healthier and fulfilling lives.”
A Fairer, Healthier Scotland: The Collaboration for Health Equity is an independent assessment authored by University College London’s Institute of Health Equity outlining progress and opportunities arising from the Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland.
The first phase of the programme ran from 2024 to 2026 and aimed to better understand barriers to reducing health inequalities and to test practical approaches for improving health equity.
More information about CHES can be found here: ww.publichealthscotland.scot/ches
Coming up next Monday (19 October) at 1:30pm – Bear With Me
Join storyteller Jan Bee Brown and musician Toby Hawks for the tale of the young hero Beloved and his Bear.
This event is part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival; and is dementia inclusive and family friendly (age 8+).
Entry by donation (suggested donation £5), with all donations going to support our dementia friendly Sunshine Social Club.
Our ’25/26 Annual Report is here!
Behind every project is a person making a difference. Read how, together, we’re supporting NHS Lothian through innovative research, improved environments and better experiences for patients, families and staff.
Thank you for being part of it.
Read it today 
https://ow.ly/3cxo50ZXGvh
We’d like your photos! Still time to enter (closes end of October).
Don’t be intimidated by the standard of international nature photography competitions, we’d like your phone photos, of things you see around you.
The point is together to capture a snippet of some of the amazing species we share our community with. (also prizes for different age categories)
More details here: https://www.grantoncommunitygardeners.org/photo-competition
