Category: West Pilton

Free, universal learn-to-swim offer

Primary School children to learn vital water safety skills

Primary children will have the chance to learn to swim as the Scottish Government capitalises on the forthcoming ‘spectacular summer of sport’.

The rollout of the National Primary School Swimming Framework, a universal offer to primary aged children, is part of a package of measures to get people more active, inspired by the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Scotland men’s team playing in the FIFA World Cup finals.

An additional £40 million for sport has been allocated in the 2026-27 Budget, with £2 million for the swimming initiative in its first year, with plans to expand the offer in future years.

Watching pupils from Pirniehill Primary School learning the basics at a pool in Edinburgh, Sport Minister Maree Todd said: “We believe that every child, regardless of their background, should be given the opportunity to learn to swim – a core skill that can save lives.

“There is no better time to offer them that chance than now. We are preparing for a spectacular summer of sport which will see Scotland welcome some of the world’s best swimmers to Glasgow and having elite sportsmen and women competing live on our doorstep is an experience which can only serve to inspire. 

“This investment is part of an additional £40 million of funding for sport – enabling more people to get active and enjoy the wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits that will last long after this year’s World Cup and Commonwealth Games have come to a close.”

Swimmer Duncan Scott, who has won eight Olympic medals and 13 Commonwealth medals across three Games, said: “I am delighted to see this Scottish Government commitment and investment in school swimming to keep children safer and more confident in, on and around water.  

“As an island nation with so much access to water it’s critical that primary school children have access to basic swimming and water-safety skills.”

Scottish Swimming Chief Executive John Lunn said: “It’s fantastic to see this commitment to school swimming after a long-fought campaign to ensure children have access to basic swimming and water safety skills.

“This is an investment in the future – a future where children are equipped with critical life skills to keep them safer in, on and around water.”

The Scottish Government has allocated an additional £40 million in the 2026-27 Budget for sport.

PYCP Chat & Chill Tomorrow

We will be holding another Chat & Chill Cafe tomorrow. Come along between 12 midday and 2pm for some lunch (free on us!)

We will also have another free PRIZE bingo session and some other free goodies to give away.

You don’t have to have children at PY to come along, everyone welcome.

Under 5s are welcome but you need to supervise them at all times.

We hope to see you then.

Lesley & Debbie

PYCP: Community Chat & Chill Cafe

STARTS THIS THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY: 12 – 2PM

To all our local neighbours:

For the next 7 weeks we are trialling a warm safe space for our Chat & Chill Cafe. Our first one is this Thursday 12 February midday to 2pm.

Whether you have children attending PYCP or not, EVERYONE in our community is welcome to join us.

Pop in, chill out and enjoy a warm space filled with good vibes and good company.

We will be serving up free homemade soup, tasty sandwiches and some extra treats to brighten your day.

Each session comes with giveaway goodies and a lively round of prize bingo (no cost to you).

We will also have our Pop up shop of affordable clothing if you want to browse and pick up some bargains (cash and card payments taken for this). Any money raised goes staight back in to the running of the clubs and groups.

If you think you can make it for our first Chat & Chill then it would be great if you can give us a quick message or send an email to info@pycp.co.uk

Thanks

PY Team

PS> If you can’t make this week, then plenty of other dates in the flyer!

Stepping Stones to deliver third Circle of Security parenting programme

STEPPING Stones North Edinburgh are pleased to share that we are partnering with PAIRS (Perinatal and Infant Relationship Service) NHS to deliver our third run of the Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) programme, starting in February after building on positive feedback and outcomes from previous groups.

Our Family Wellbeing Practitioner, Anna, will be teaming up with clinicians from PAIRS NHS to co-facilitate the group. This partnership brings together Stepping Stones’ relationship-based, community-focused approach with PAIRS’ specialist expertise in perinatal and infant mental health.

Circle of Security Parenting is an evidence-based programme that helps parents and carers understand their child’s emotional needs and behaviours. It focuses on learning about attachment in a way that is supportive and respectful, without blame or judgment.

The group offers a safe and welcoming space where parents can reflect on their experiences, learn alongside others, and develop confidence in building strong, secure relationships with their children.

We are now accepting referrals for parents and carers who may benefit from this kind of support.

Referrals are welcome from professionals, and parents can also get in touch directly to find out more.

Relief for community projects as continued funding confirmed

ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES FUND

The Scottih Government has confirmed that Investing in Communities funding will be continued for a further year.

The announcement comes as a huge relief to community projects facing massive cuts to their funding, with services being slashed and some organisations facing closure.

Scottish Greens raised concerns over the uncertainty faced by many of Edinburgh’s third sector projects at a council meeting last month.

A looming catastrophe has been averted with the announcement of one year’s transition funding while a replacement to the Investing in Communities Fund is developed.

Edinburgh Northern and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert took up the case of local community organisations and yesterday received welcome confirmation that fears have been allayed – at least for now.

She said: “Following budget cuts, I raised concerns with the Scottish Government about the future of the Investing in Communities Fund. Ministers have now confirmed a one-year transition extension for existing projects ending in March.

“This will help in the short term, but it falls short of the long-term certainty our community organisations need. I’ll keep pushing for sustained funding and stability for the services people rely on.”

Local MSP Ben Macpherson has also been on the case. He said: “This morning I visited Dr Bell’s Family Centre to discuss a situation that was of real concern.

“Using my decade of experience – including how to get things done for local organisations – I’d written to The Scottish Government about it on Monday and followed this up today, working actively as their/your local constituency MSP … I was therefore very pleased that shortly after the matter had been resolved.

“I know it’s been a worrying time for the centre and am relieved that immediate worries have been lifted. My team and I will keep working with the centre to explore more funding streams, and support the impactful work they do in our communities.”

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Edinburgh projects who received Investing in Communities funding (2023- 26) are:

  • About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
  • Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
  • Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
  • Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
  • Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
  • North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
  • Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
  • The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
  • Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
  • Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494.

Happy 15th Anniversary, NEN blog!

NEN PUBLISHED OUR FIRST BLOG POST ON THIS DAY IN 2011

The very first NEN blog post was published on this day in 2011. The post read:

Hello, and welcome to the brand new NEN blog.

For those of you not already familiar with the newspaper, we are a local community paper serving the North Edinburgh community. We’ve been here for over thirty years.

This blog, along with our new Facebook page and Twitter stream, represents our first foray into the world of social media.  We really want to encourage more participation, more questions and ideas from the North Edinburgh community – both online and offline – and hope that these new tools will help us to do that.

We already have a good website, where you can always find the latest edition of the printed newspaper. The blog won’t be replacing that, but will instead be there to show people the latest news about the area, and also to help us cover the current funding crisis we are facing as an organisation.

Above all, we want to include your input on the blog – be it ideas for stories, comments, pictures and events. So get in touch!

The NEN’s website was sadly deleted when funding ceased but our social media presence continues on both Twitter and Facebook and the blog is still going strong with 10 – 12 posts daily.

2025 was the NEN blog’s busiest ever year with 36,000 visitors. As I write this we’ve published more than 38,000 posts – all of these remain accessible online – and we’re currently on a run of publishing on 2749 consecutive days.

When the NEN office in Crewe Road North closed much of the NEN archive material was lost, but thankfully some of our picture library was salvaged and can now be found at granton:hub (Madelvic House), where the volunteer archive team has also collated all remaining hard copies of the North Edinburgh News newspaper.

Hopefully, between the physical archive and the NEN blog, you can find all you need to know about our community’s rich history – and we’re adding to that history every day!

Fresh Start needs starter pack items

📣STARTER PACK DONATIONS CALL OUT📣

With a new year now in full swing, we urgently need the following household items for our Starter Packs:

🛀Towels

🍽️Crockery / Dinnerware

🍳Pots & Pans

🛏️Duvets and Pillows

🫖Small Electrical Goods

For a full list of accepted items, visit our website 🌐

Donations of goods can be dropped off at our warehouse at 22-24 Ferry Road Drive, Edinburgh, EH4 4BR, from Monday to Thursday 9am-4pm and Fridays 9am-1pm.

Alternatively, you can order essential household items from our Amazon Wishlist, which will then be delivered directly to our warehouse: https://tr.ee/S8BHy0

Thank you so much – we appreciate your help! 💙

#SupportLocal

#EdinburghCharity

#CharityDonation

#HouseholdItems

Pilton Youth and Children Project groups return next week

🤩 Aaaaaaand we’re back! 🤩

All our clubs and groups are back from next Monday!

We’re so excited to get going again and see all of our amazing young people, 2026 is going to be GREAT!

If you’re new and want to join in on the PY fun or still haven’t got one done yet 😬make sure you have a completed consent form which can be found through the link below ⬇️

https://app.upshot.org.uk/signup/301f3ae8/f55ef57de02572ae

A Budget to tackle child poverty

SOCIAL JUSTICE SECRETARY VISITS PYCP

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has said the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 is a “landmark intervention” in the Scottish Government’s drive to tackle the root causes of child poverty and increase living standards.   

Around £8 billion has been earmarked for the social justice portfolio, boosting support for vulnerable people and low-income families.

This includes plans to:   

  • introduce a new premium element of the Scottish Child Payment in 2027- 2028, raising weekly payments for eligible parents of children under the age of one to £40 per child, benefitting around 12,000 children  
  • create a new £50 million package to boost whole family support. This will further enhance existing support and will include help with transport, skills, and commits £20 million for third sector partners to deliver the support that people need in their communities
  • increase the Tackling Child Poverty Fund from £12.5 million to £61.5 million in 2026-27 
  • invest £7.2 billion in social security, supporting disabled people, unpaid carers, those on low incomes and others, while also providing help with energy bills

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville met parents in receipt of any of the Five Family Payments, including the Scottish Child Payment, on Thursday (15 January) at Pilton Youth and Children’s Project, and said: “Eradicating child poverty is this government’s driving mission – no child should have their prospects hindered by circumstances beyond their control.  

“This Budget is a landmark intervention in our work to tackle the root causes of poverty and reduce the pressure on household finances – from increased support for Scotland’s newest parents, to new initiatives to help increase household incomes and ensure families receive the right support at the right time.  

“With more than £330 million committed across three years to our Tackling Child Poverty Fund and to investment in Whole Family Support, we are laying the groundwork to drive continued progress in the year ahead, breaking the cycle of poverty in Scotland for good.”