“I have made my decision: we are going to change”

SUNAK OUTLINES NEW APPROACH TO NET ZERO

Let me get straight to it.

I know people in our country are frustrated with our politics.

I know they feel that much gets promised, but not enough is delivered.

I know they watch the news or read the papers and wonder why in the face of the facts as they have them, choices are made as they are.

I know that they dislike Westminster game playing, the short termism, and the lack of accountability.

But most of all I think people are tired of the false choice between two versions of change that never go beyond a slogan.

I have been Prime Minister for nearly a year now and it is the privilege of my life.

I know the fundamentals of our great country are solid and timeless.

Its people are its greatest strength, economically and socially.

Their hopes and genius are what propel us forward, not Government.

Government can set the framework, step in when needed, and step back when necessary.

It can make big decisions.

But what I have concluded during my time so far as Prime Minister, is that those decisions – the decisions that could bring real change, change that could alter the trajectory of our country –  can be so caveated, so influenced by special interests, so lacking in debate and fundamental scrutiny that we’ve stumbled into a consensus about the future of our country, that no one seems to be happy with.

And this is because too often, motivated by short term thinking, politicians have taken the easy way out.

Telling people the bits they want to hear, and not necessarily always the bits they need to hear.

We are making progress, including on my five priorities.  

Inflation – down again today and on track to be halved.  

Fastest growth in the G7 over the last two years. 

Debt – on target to be falling. 

The NHS – treating more patients than last year.  

And small boats – crossings significantly down on last year.

But put simply: that isn’t enough.

If for too many, there remains a nagging sense that the path we’re on no matter which party is in government isn’t quite what we hoped for, and that no one seems to have the courage to say so.

That we make too little, that we spend too much, that things take too long and that even when we know these things, we seem powerless to change them.

Now, I am here today to tell you that we do not have to be powerless.

Our future doesn’t have to be a foregone conclusion.

Our destiny can be of our own choosing.

But only if we change the way our politics works.

Can we be brave in the decisions we make, even if there is a political cost?

Can we be honest when the facts change, even if it’s awkward?

And can we put the long-term interests of our country before the short-term political needs of the moment, even if it means being controversial?

I have spent my first year as Prime Minister bringing back stability to our economy, your government, and our country.

And now it is time to address the bigger, longer-term questions we face.

The real choice confronting us is do we really want to change our country and build a better future for our children, or do we want to carry on as we are.

I have made my decision: we are going to change.

And over the coming months, I will set out a series of long-term decisions to deliver that change.

And that starts today, with a new approach to one of the biggest challenges we face: climate change.

No one can watch the floods in Libya or the extreme heat in Europe this summer, and doubt that it is real and happening.

We must reduce our emissions.

And when I look at our economic future, I see huge opportunities in green industry.

The change in our economy is as profound as the industrial revolution and I’m confident that we can lead the world now as we did then.

So, I’ll have no truck with anyone saying we lack ambition.

But there’s nothing ambitious about simply asserting a goal for a short-term headline without being honest with the public about the tough choices and sacrifices involved and without any meaningful democratic debate about how we get there.

The Climate Change Committee have rightly said you don’t reach net zero simply by wishing it.

Yet that’s precisely what previous governments have done – both Labour and Conservative.

No one in Westminster politics has yet had the courage to look people in the eye and explain what’s really involved.

That’s wrong – and it changes now. 

The plans made on your behalf assume this country will take an extraordinary series of steps that will fundamentally change our lives.

A ban on buying new boilers even if your home will never ever be suitable for a heat pump.

A ban that takes effect in just three years for those off the gas grid.

And mandatory home upgrades for property owners in just two years’ time.

There have even been proposals for:

  • Taxes on eating meat
  • New taxes on flying
  • Compulsory car sharing if you drive to work
  • And a government diktat to sort your rubbish into seven different bins.

Now I believe deeply that when you ask most people about climate change, they want to do the right thing, they’re even prepared to make sacrifices.

But it cannot be right for Westminster to impose such significant costs on working people especially those who are already struggling to make ends meet and to interfere so much in people’s way of life without a properly informed national debate.

That’s especially true because we’re so far ahead of every other country in the world.

We’ve had the fastest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the G7. Down almost 50% since 1990.

France? 22%.

The US? No change at all.

China? Up by over 300%.

And when our share of global emissions is less than 1%, how can it be right that British citizens, are now being told to sacrifice even more than others?

Because the risk here, for those of us who care about reaching Net Zero – as I do – is simple: If we continue down this path, we risk losing the consent of the British people.

And the resulting backlash would not just be against specific policies but against the wider mission itself, meaning we might never achieve our goal.

That’s why we have to do things differently.

We need sensible, green leadership.

It won’t be easy.

And it will require a wholly new kind of politics.

A politics that is transparent, and the space for a better, more honest debate about how we secure the country’s long-term interest.

So, how do we do that? What is our new approach to achieving net zero?

First, we need to change the debate.

We’re stuck between two extremes.

Those who want to abandon Net Zero altogether – because the costs are too high, the burdens too great or in some cases, they don’t accept the overwhelming evidence for climate change at all.

And then there are others who argue with an ideological zeal: we must move even faster, and go even further no matter the cost or disruption to people’s lives and regardless of how much quicker we’re already moving than any other country.

Both extremes are wrong.

Both fail to reckon with the reality of the situation.

Yes, Net Zero is going to be hard and will require us to change.

But in a democracy, we must also be able to scrutinise and debate those changes, many of which are hidden in plain sight – in a realistic manner.

This debate needs more clarity, not more emotion.

The test should be: do we have the fairest credible path to reach Net Zero by 2050, in a way that brings people with us?

Since becoming Prime Minister, I’ve examined our plans and I don’t think they meet that test.

We seem to have defaulted to an approach which will impose unacceptable costs on hard-pressed British families.

Costs that no one was ever told about, and which may not actually be necessary to deliver the emissions reduction that we need.

And why am I confident in saying that?

Because over the last decade or more, we’ve massively over delivered on every one of our carbon budgets despite continuous predictions we’d miss them.

We’ve seen rapid technological advances which have made things like renewables far cheaper:

Just consider offshore wind, where costs have fallen by 70% more than we projected in 2016.

And people are increasingly choosing to go green – look at how demand for electric vehicles has consistently outstripped forecasts.

Given these things, I’m confident that we can adopt a more pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic approach to meeting Net Zero that eases the burdens on working people.

And that’s the second part of our new approach.

Now I’m not saying there will be no hard choices.

And nor am I abandoning any of our targets or commitments.

I am unequivocal that we’ll meet our international agreements including the critical promises in Paris and Glasgow to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

I’m proud that our country leads the world on Net Zero, with the most ambitious 2030 target of any major economy.

And as we’re as committed as ever to helping developing countries.

Just the other week I announced $2bn for the Green Climate Fund – the single biggest commitment of its kind, the UK has ever made.

But we can do all this in a fairer, better way – and today I can set out the details of what our new approach will mean for people.

That starts with electric vehicles.

We’re working hard to make the UK a world-leader.

I’m proud that we’ve already attracted billions of new investments from companies like Tata’s Jaguar Land Rover gigafactory.

And I expect that by 2030, the vast majority of cars sold will be electric. Why?

Because the costs are reducing; the range is improving; the charging infrastructure is growing.

People are already choosing electric vehicles to such an extent that we’re registering a new one every 60 seconds.

But I also think that at least for now, it should be you the consumer that makes that choice, not government forcing you to do it.

Because the upfront cost is still high – especially for families struggling with the cost of living.

Small businesses are worried about the practicalities.

And we’ve got further to go to get that charging infrastructure truly nationwide.

And we need to strengthen our own auto industry, so we aren’t reliant on heavily subsidised, carbon intensive imports, from countries like China.

So, to give us more time to prepare, I’m announcing today that we’re going to ease the transition to electric vehicles.

You’ll still be able to buy petrol and diesel cars and vans until 2035.

Even after that, you’ll still be able to buy and sell them second-hand.

We’re aligning our approach with countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Sweden, and US states such as California, New York and Massachusetts and still ahead of the rest of America and other countries like New Zealand.

Now, to get to Net Zero, we also need a fairer, better approach to decarbonising how we heat our homes.

We’re making huge advances in the technologies that we need to do that, like heat pumps.

But we need a balance.

Between incentivising businesses to innovate, so heat pumps become even cheaper, more effective, and more attractive. 

But without imposing costs on hard-pressed families, at a time when technology is often still expensive and won’t work in all homes.

For a family living in a terraced house in Darlington, the upfront cost could be around £10,000.

Even the most committed advocates of Net Zero must recognise that if our solution is to force people to pay that kind of money support will collapse, and we’ll simply never get there.

So, I’m announcing today that we will give people far more time to make the necessary transition to heat pumps.

We’ll never force anyone to rip out their existing boiler and replace it with a heat pump.

You’ll only ever have to make the switch when you’re replacing your boiler anyway, and even then, not until 2035.

And to help those households for whom this will be hardest I’m introducing a new exemption today so that they’ll never have to switch at all.

Now, this doesn’t mean I’m any less committed to decarbonising our homes.

Quite the opposite.

But rather than banning boilers before people can afford the alternative; we’re going to support them to make the switch.

I’m announcing today, that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which gives people cash grants to replace their boiler, will be increased by 50% to £7,500.

There are no strings attached.

The money will never need to be repaid.

And this is one of the most generous schemes of its kind in Europe.

Next, energy efficiency.

This is critical to making our homes cheaper to heat.

That’s why we’ve got big government grants like the Great British Insulation Scheme.

But under current plans, some property owners would’ve been forced to make expensive upgrades in just two years’ time.

For a semi-detached house in Salisbury, you could be looking at a bill of £8,000.

And even if you’re only renting, you’ll more than likely see some of that passed on in higher rents.

That’s just wrong.

So those plans will be scrapped, and while we will continue to subsidise energy efficiency – we’ll never force any household to do it.

And that’s not all.

The debate about how we get to Net Zero has thrown up a range of worrying proposals and today I want to confirm that under this government, they’ll never happen.

The proposal for government to interfere in how many passengers you can have in your car.

I’ve scrapped it.

The proposal that we should force you to have seven different bins in your home.

I’ve scrapped it.

The proposal to make you change your diet – and harm British farmers – by taxing meat.

Or to create new taxes to discourage flying or going on holiday.

I’ve scrapped those too.

And nor will we ban new oil and gas in the North Sea which would simply leave us reliant on expensive, imported energy from foreign dictators like Putin.

We will never impose these unnecessary and heavy-handed measures on you, the British people but we will still meet our international commitments and hit Net Zero by 2050.

And if we’re going to change politics in the way I’m talking about, we can never allow carbon budgets to be set in the same way again.

The last Carbon Budget process was debated in the House of Commons for just 17 minutes and voted through with barely any consideration given to the hard choices needed to fulfil it.

It was the carbon equivalent of promising to boost government spending with no way to pay for it.

That’s not a responsible way to make decisions which have such a bearing on people’s lives.

So, when Parliament votes on carbon budgets in the future, I want to see it consider the plans to meet that budget, at the same time.

If the first part of our new approach to meeting Net Zero is to change the debate and the second part is a more pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic approach that eases the burdens on families…

…then the third is to embrace with even greater enthusiasm, the incredible opportunities of green industry and take the necessary practical steps to create whole new sectors and hundreds of thousands of good, well-paid jobs right across the country.

We’re already home to the four of the world’s largest offshore wind farms, we’re building an even bigger one at Dogger Bank and we’re improving our auction process to maximise private investment into this world-leading industry.

We’re lifting the ban on onshore wind.

We’re investing in four new clusters to capture and store carbon from the atmosphere.

And we’re building new nuclear power stations for the first time in thirty years.

Just this week, we took a significant long-term decision to raise funding for Sizewell C – putting beyond all doubt our commitment to decarbonising our power sector.

And later this autumn, we’ll shortlist the companies to build the new generation of small modular reactors.

But one of our biggest constraints to reaching Net Zero and improving our energy security, is this:

We’re investing billions in new energy projects, yet we don’t have the grid infrastructure to bring that power to households and businesses.

And when energy security is national security – that’s unacceptable.

Right now, it can take fourteen years to build new grid infrastructure.

There are enough projects waiting to be connected to generate over half of our future electricity needs.

So, I can announce today that the Chancellor and Energy Security Secretary will shortly bring forward comprehensive new reforms to energy infrastructure.

We’ll set out the UK’s first ever spatial plan for that infrastructure to give industry certainty and every community a say.

We’ll speed up planning for the most nationally significant projects.

And we’ll end the first-come-first-served approach to grid connections by raising the bar to enter the queue and make sure those ready first, will connect first.

So, from offshore wind, to nuclear, to a revolution in our energy infrastructure investors should have absolute confidence that we’re getting on with the job and the UK will remain the best place in the world to invest in the green industries of the future.

Not least, because of something else this country has always excelled at: innovation in new technologies.

As a country that emits less than 1% of the world’s carbon emissions, one of the most powerful contributions, we can make is our unique ability to develop new technologies that can help the world.

Like the SENSEWind team in Scotland developing the technology to service floating offshore wind turbines while still out at sea.

Or the researchers at Cambridge who pioneered a new way to turn sunlight into fuel.

And that’s why today we’re going further, creating the new, £150m Green Future Fellowship.

This will support at least 50 leading scientists and engineers to develop real, breakthrough green technologies.

And it builds on the £1 billion I invested as Chancellor, in the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

And finally, we can’t tackle climate change without protecting nature; and vice versa.

Just the loss of forests alone accounts for the equivalent of ten times the global emissions of the entire United Kingdom.

And in the coming weeks, ahead of my attendance at COP28, I will set out the next stage in our ambitious environmental agenda.

So, in conclusion.

This country is proud to be a world leader in reaching Net Zero by 2050.

But we simply won’t achieve it unless we change.

We’re now going to have a better, more honest debate about how we get there.

We’ll now have a more pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic approach that eases the burdens on families.

All while doubling down on the new green industries of the future.

In a democracy, that’s the only realistic path to Net Zero.

Consent, not imposition.

Honesty, not obfuscation.

Pragmatism, not ideology.

That’s how we’ll turn the challenge of net zero into the greatest opportunity – and the proudest achievement – of our lifetimes.

And this is just the start.

What we begin today, is bigger than any single policy or issue.

We are going to change the way our politics works.

We are going to make different decisions.

We won’t take the easy way out.

There will be resistance, and we will meet it.

Because I am determined to change our country and build a better future for our children.

Nothing less is acceptable.

What the PM’s new approach to Net Zero means for you

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak explains his new approach to Net Zero


I’m absolutely committed to reaching Net Zero by 2050.

But no one in politics has had the courage to look people in the eye and explain what that involves.

That’s wrong – and it changes now.

We’re changing our approach to meeting Net Zero to ease the burden on working people.

So what does that mean for you?

Removing unnecessary and heavy-handed measures

The debate about how we get to Net Zero has thrown up a range of worrying proposals and I want to confirm that under this government, they’ll never happen.

I’m scrapping the proposal for government to interfere in how many passengers you can have in your car and the idea that we should force you to have 7 different bins in your home.

I’m also scrapping the proposal to make you change your diet – and harm British farmers – by taxing meat.

And the proposal to create new taxes to discourage flying- I’ve scrapped that too.

We will never impose these unnecessary and heavy-handed measures on you, the British people, but we will still meet our international commitments and hit Net Zero by 2050.

Extending deadlines to transition to clean energy

We know the upfront costs for families are still high – so to give us more time to prepare, we’re easing the transition to electric vehicles on our roads and heat pumps in our homes.

That means you’ll still be able to buy new petrol and diesel cars and vans until 2035, in line with countries like Germany and France.

It also means we’ll never force anyone to rip out their old boiler for an expensive heat pump, which for a family living in a terraced house in Darlington, could cost up to £10,000.

How can we afford to make these changes

This country is proud to be a world leader in reaching Net Zero by 2050.

Because of the progress we have already made, the UK’s share of global emissions is now less than 1%.

In fact we are a world leader in cutting emissions, surpassing the targets most countries have set for 2030 including Australia, Canada, Japan and the US.

We have overdelivered on all our previous targets to date.

Given this progress, reaching our targets does not need to come unnecessarily at the expense of people facing higher costs – and that’s why today we can ease the burden on working families.

We will continue to meet our international agreements, including the critical promises in Paris and Glasgow to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, but our new approach to Net Zero is:

  • Pragmatic, proportionate and realistic
  • Accountable to the British public
  • Meet our Net Zero commitment
  • Supporting British families

In a democracy, that’s the only realistic path to Net Zero.

Consent, not imposition.

Honesty, not obfuscation.

Pragmatism, not ideology.

That’s how we’ll turn the challenge of Net Zero into the greatest opportunity – and the proudest achievement – of our lifetimes.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s speech this afternoon on meeting net zero, Environmental Audit Committee Chairman, Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, said: “The Prime Minister’s speech this afternoon, contrary to prior media speculation, reinforced his clear commitment to net zero Britain.

This was very welcome, as was his reflection on how far we have come in meeting our environmental goals. It was a measured and realistic response to the current Net Zero challenge and the demands the transition will make on the British public.

“The very welcome ‘rabbit in the hat’ is the 50% increased grant for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to £7,500 for any household scrapping their fossil fuel boiler. There is also specific relaxation of the proposed timeline to replace oil-fired boilers for those households off the gas-grid by 2026, of which there are some 1.5 million, including the majority in rural areas of South Shropshire. The Government has clearly listened to concerns that, without Government support, some low carbon alternatives are simply too far out of reach for many at this point.

“As our Committee found during our work on heat pumps earlier this Parliament, successful heat pump installation often requires significant additional work to insulate homes properly and may require changes to radiators. There are simply not yet enough skilled engineers in the supply chain. The Government appears to have learned the lesson from previous home heating schemes for homeowners and landlords and I expect this straightforward grant support will enable the supply chain to develop.

“We still have the leakiest housing stock in Europe, but the cost of requiring energy efficiency measures on the 20% of hardest to insulate homes, such as those which are listed or old properties in rural areas, lacked credibility. Energy efficiency policies will now be focussed on the 80% of homes which need improving and can be achieved to meet emission reduction targets.

“Delaying the ban on sale of new petrol and diesel cars is disappointing, but reflects the reality that this is where most of the major car manufacturing nations are. The take-up of electric vehicles has been led by fleet buyers, which is happening faster than predicted and likely to continue until economies of scale bring down the purchase price for individuals able to buy new cars. The industry has called for ambition and certainty. It is now absolutely imperative that this date does not slip further. The Government must now accelerate its efforts to get charging infrastructure up to speed.

“I was encouraged to learn the Chancellor and the Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary will confirm their plans to make the grid ready for Net Zero Britain: the Environmental Audit Committee will be engaging actively with these policy proposals. It was also good to learn that the next Contracts for Difference auction round for Offshore Wind will be improved to reflect sustainable pricing in a global context, which shows the Government has learned from the last round and should enable projects to come forward to help meet renewables targets.

“On scrutiny, the Prime Minister is right to point to the deficiencies in how Parliament examines carbon budgets. The effective bypassing of the Commons chamber on measures which have such a significant effect on the UK economy means that we as parliamentarians do not have a stake in the crucial policy decisions we are asked to approve on the nod. So I welcome his commitment to present a full delivery plan for the Seventh Carbon Budget to Parliament for scrutiny before we are asked to approve the Government’s plans.

“My colleagues on the Environmental Audit Committee and on the other Commons and Lords committees examining Government policy will have heard the Prime Minister’s criticism of poorly-scrutinised policies developed in departments, with too little external engagement.

“Colleagues across Parliament who take scrutiny seriously will welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to opening more Government decisions on climate targets up to fair and rigorous scrutiny.

“We look forward to greater openness from Government on its climate plans and greater responsiveness to those Commons committees tasked with holding the Government to account.”

REACTION HAS NOT BEEN UNIVERSALLY POSITIVE:

Edinburgh Zoo’s Penguins Café upgrades the visitor experience

Workplace design and management consultancy, Space Solutions, has refreshed Edinburgh Zoo’s Penguins Café to enhance the customer experience.

Overlooking Penguins Rock, Europe’s largest outdoor penguin pool, the Penguins Café is a busy eatery at Edinburgh Zoo. Challenged with a tired and inefficient space, SPACE upgraded the café to accommodate its large, diverse clientele while meeting the ambitious timescales of completing the project ahead of the opening weekend of school summer holidays.

The SPACE Design & Build team undertook the design services and fit-out, collaborating with graphic designer Heather Cumming who handled the updated branding, from the new logo to menu boards and wall murals.

Transforming the black and white space with bright, vibrant colours, the refreshed Penguins Café mirrors the excitement of visiting the adjoining penguin enclosure, with penguin facts featuring around the space.

Following a review of the space and customer needs, SPACE retained many of the existing features and furniture to reduce waste, including reupholstering the existing banquette seating for reuse.

To seamlessly manage the high foot traffic, SPACE designed a two-colour flooring system, with blue areas designated for highlighted key customer touch points, such as servery counter and seating areas, while neutral beige trails encourage movement. Cleanable, soft seating and coverings as well as acoustic rafts suspended from the ceiling were incorporated to better the acoustics in the active space.

Isobel Jones, Senior Interior Designer at SPACE, said: “We are thrilled to have worked with Edinburgh Zoo to refresh the popular Penguins Café. Our design has enabled the space to feel bigger and work more efficiently for both customers and staff.

“At the heart of the café remains an appreciation of the penguins, enabling visitors to retain the excitement of visiting Penguins Rock while improving their dining experience.”

Beccy Angus, Head of Discovery Learning at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, commented: “Overlooking Penguins Rock, Penguins Café is situated in the heart of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo.

“The café is an essential part of the customer experience and the refreshed design will ensure all of our visitors continue to have a memorable time at the zoo which helps inspire them to protect, value and love nature.”

Space Solutions has been creating award-winning interiors since 1997. The business continues to develop the concept of workplace consultancy and has worked with major public & private organisations across the UK. The business has locations in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee Livingston and London and employs 198 members of staff.

It’s time to register for Self Assessment, says HMRC

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding anyone who is new to Self Assessment for the 2022 to 2023 tax year that they have just two weeks until 5 October to tell HMRC and register.

New Self Assessment customers could be someone who has set up a side hustle to earn money in addition to their PAYE job or disposed of cryptoassets; they may be newly self-employed or a new landlord renting out property.  Whatever the circumstances, if a customer has any income that they have not already paid UK tax on, they need to register for Self Assessment.

Customers can use HMRC’s online checking tool on GOV.UK to quickly assess whether they will need to complete a tax return. And they can use the step-by-step guide to check what they need to do to file their first Self Assessment tax return.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “If you are new to Self Assessment and unsure how the process works – HMRC is here to help. We have a wealth of resources and guidance available on GOV.UK to help customers register, sign up to the online services and complete their tax return.

“We want to help customers get their tax right first time, just search ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.”

Customers can register for Self Assessment on GOV.UK. They will then receive their Unique Taxpayer Reference, which they will need when completing their return.

The deadline for customers to file their tax return online and pay any tax owed for the 2022 to 2023 tax year is 31 January 2024. And last year, 96% of customers filed their return online.

Filing online means customers don’t have to complete it all at once, they can save their progress and finish it later and have that added reassurance that HMRC has received their form when they press submit.

HMRC has a wide range of resources to help customers file a tax return including a series of video tutorials on YouTube and help and support guidance on GOV.UK. HMRC has produced 2 videos to help customers registering online for Self Assessment these are for those who are self-employed and those who are not self-employed.

If customers think they no longer need to complete a Self Assessment tax return for the 2022 to 2023 tax year, they should tell HMRC before the deadline on 31 January 2024 to avoid any penalties or needing to complete a tax return. HMRC has produced 2 videos explaining how customers can go online and stop Self Assessment if they are self-employed and those who are not self-employed.

Customers need to be aware of the risk of falling victim to scams and should never share their HMRC login details with anyone, including a tax agent, if they have one. HMRC scams advice is available on GOV.UK.

Family Music Time in Stenhouse

Join Live Music Now Scotland for a brand new series of performances, connecting a multicultural community through the power of music

‘Family Music Time’ is a new opportunity to enjoy free of charge music performances from some of Scotland’s most talented emerging artists.

The relaxed and informal concerts are taking place in a stunning venue that welcomes all.

“Live Music Now Scotland is very much looking forward to working with the local community of Stenhouse, along with the team at St Salvador’s and its Community Food Initiative” says Live Music Now Scotland Director, Carol Main MBE.

“The location is in the heart of an area of multi-cultural diversity and multiple deprivation. There is little or no opportunity for people to come together socially or interact with their neighbours, with many living in social isolation.

“Through Family Music Time, musicians from Live Music Now Scotland, including those from Poland, Spain, Latin America and Scotland, will offer the chance of shared social pleasure and joy through the international language of music and traditional cultures.”

“St. Salvador’s Scottish Episcopal Church is a growing congregation in Stenhouse, Edinburgh. Our vibrant and multicultural congregation reflects the diversity of the surrounding area. Through our worship and social outreach, we seek to engage and support our local community, says Revd Dr Ross Jesmont of St Salvador’s.

“We are looking forward to collaborating with Live Music Now Scotland to host a series of music events for local children and their families.

“The opportunity to have live music events in an area of the city where this is not a regular feature is an exciting prospect. We hope these events will both provide families with an opportunity to enjoy live music in their area and inspire a new generation of musicians.”

Sun 24 September  Troppos Ensemble,
Troppos Ensemble, instrumental ensemble with a Latin twist

Sun 29 October

Sun 29 October Megan MacDonald and Calum McIlroy,

Megan MacDonald and Calum McIlroy, accordion and guitar duo

Sun 26 November

Sun 26 November Roo and Neil,

Roo and Neil, fiddle and accordion duo

All at 2.00pm I St. Salvador’s Scottish Episcopal Church, Stenhouse.

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre Open Day this weekend

SATURDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER from 11am – 3pm

DRYLAW Community Association is delighted to announce our OPEN DAY at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on SATURDAY 23rd September from 11am – 3pm .

This is to celebrate the re-opening of Drylaw since threats of closure. There will be loads of FREE activities for all ages and food for all.

More activities and events will be shared as the date approaches. See you here!

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, 67b Groathill Road North, EH4 2SA

Charity Auction? Ewe better hurry!

Sheep sculptures featured in national ‘Flock to the Show’ public art trail raffled off in 2 weeks

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There are less than two weeks to go until the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) raffles off their colourful  ‘Flock to the Show’ sheep sculptures, which featured in a popular national public art trail earlier this year. 

There are 500 raffle tickets available for each sheep, at a cost of £25 each. The funds raised will support the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland Bicentennial Fund, which supports projects dedicated to sustainability in the rural sector. 

The popular ‘Doddie’s Sheep’ will see a minimum of £20 from the sale of each ticket donated to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation – this sheep was decorated by Megan Reilly in the distinctive bright blue and yellow Doddie’5 tartan. 

The 38 fibreglass sculptures were decorated by local artists from across the UK in a range of striking designs and travelled around Scotland earlier this year, before flocking home to the Royal Highland Show in June. 

The campaign celebrated the return of the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing & Woolhandling Championships to the Royal Highland Show. Some of the sheep have already been purchased outright so won’t be available in the raffle, but the majority still need to find their forever homes. 

The raffle closes on October 2nd and is open to residents of the UK only. Buy your tickets here: royalhighlandshow.org/flock-to-the-show 

RHASS Chairman, Jim Warnock, commented: “The Flock to the Show campaign was a resounding success, bringing joy to people across the length and breadth of Scotland and at the Royal Highland Show. 

“We are delighted that our flock raised awareness of important issues in the agri sector and they will continue to do good by being raffled off to raise funds for the RHASS Bicentennial Fund and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.” 

The Power of Three – The Royal Commonwealth Pool Taster Weekend

The Royal Commonwealth Pool is holding a taster weekend on Saturday, 23rd and Sunday, 24th September, with the chance to access their fitness classes, swim, and gym for £3 for the entire weekend, bookable online or in venue – perfect for those wishing to try before they buy.

Affectionately known as ‘the Commie’, this iconic venue rich in sporting history, which has hosted three Commonwealth Games in 1970, 1986 and the diving events in 2014, has a top-spec gym, Edinburgh’s only 50-meter pool, diving facilities, and fitness studios with a variety of classes, including spin and Les Mills classes.

To take advantage of this offer, people will be required to sign up online here or in venue and book for the activities they wish to try.

Edinburgh Leisure is also running their September campaign, so for customers joining in September, there will be no joining fee and gives access to member benefits like priority bookings, free gym introductions and 1:1 Instructor Sessions. 

There is no contract and it’s possible to freeze or cancel your membership at any time.  So, wherever you’re at on the map or in life, Edinburgh Leisure has activities to help you enjoy a healthy, happy and active life for less.

See all information about the Taster Weekend here.

Tomorrow: North Edinburgh Community Festival Gathering

We are hosting a Festival Gathering and invite you to come along and share your thoughts.

This will take place on THURSDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2023 AT 6PM at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre. We’d love to see you there.

We now have a Ko-Fi account. A Ko-Fi account lets anyone donate a minimum of £3 to the festival which will go towards providing free meals at the festival next year. We have lost some funding for next year, so any contributions to this festival cause are most welcome.

Here is the link – https://ko-fi.com/northedinfest

Please do feel free to circulate or forward this onto others that might want to be part of the festival next year.

Best wishes and hopefully see you at the Festival Gathering!

Keeping history alive for future generations

Family honour Victoria Cross recipient at The Royal Scots Museum, Edinburgh Castle

On Monday (18 September 2023), the Royal Scots Regimental Museum in Edinburgh Castle was delighted to welcome Mr Brian Gaskin and his family from Ontario, Canada. 

They came to view the Victoria Cross which Brian’s grandfather, Private (Pte) Henry H. Robson, originally from South Shields, had won for an act of “most conspicuous bravery” in December 1914, when aged 20, whilst serving with the Regiment in Flanders.

For Mr Gaskin, his family’s trip to Scotland has a deeper resonance. As a fourteen-year-old boy in 1965, Brian had been present at the ceremony when, after Pte Robson had passed away, his family had presented his Victoria Cross to the Royal Scots Museum. 

Mr Gaskin has now returned with his wife, Jane, his son Kevin and grandson Luke to “visit the museum and medals and keep the history alive”.

Pte Robson was a regular soldier in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots, which had deployed to Belgium in August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force that was sent to prevent the German advance. 

The Battalion took part in a number of significant actions as the war ebbed and flowed that autumn before an attack near Kemmel on 14 December.  Badly wounded during the action for which he received the award, Pte Robson survived the war and emigrated to Canada where he raised a family.

Pte Robson was presented with his Victoria Cross by King George V and Queen Mary at Buckingham Place on 12 July 1915.  

The official citation reads: “Private H. H. Robson. 2nd Battalion The Royal Scots. For most conspicuous bravery near Kemmel on the 14 December 1914, during an attack on the German position, when he left his trench under a very heavy fire and rescued a wounded non-commissioned officer, and subsequently for making an attempt to bring another wounded man into cover, whilst exposed to a severe fire. In this attempt he was at once wounded, but persevered in his efforts, until rendered helpless by being shot a second time.“

For Pte Robson’s great great grandson, Luke Gaskin, a first visit to Scotland was a wonderful opportunity not just to see the medal, tangible evidence of his family’s history, but to see its place in wider Regimental history and how that story continues to be told today.

Lt Colonel Gordon Rae, Chairman of The Royal Scots’ Museum and Heritage Committee, presented the Gaskin family with a copy of “Pontius Pilate’s Bodyguard”, the Regiment’s three volume history, as a memento of their visit showing the bond between the Regiment and the family. 

Lt Colonel Gordon Rae said: “It was a great honour to host three generations of Private Robson’s family at the Regimental Museum today.”

PICTURES: Malcolm Ross

National Lottery funding helps empower local communities across Edinburgh

FRESH START AMONG THE BIG WINNERS

Charities and community groups across Edinburgh are today sharing in the latest round of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. 

Thanks to National Lottery players, they are amongst 453 projects sharing in  £11, 824,401 for a range of activities, helping to empower and connect people in communities across Scotland. 

West Pilton’s FRESH START is among the big winners, receiving £180,000. The local charity will use the funding to continue to support people moving on from
homelessness across Northwest Edinburgh.

Across the three years of the project, the group will support approximately 5,800 people with 450 volunteers. Volunteers will be individuals with lived experience of homelessness.

Fresh Start said: “We are delighted to announce that we have been successful in our fundraising application to the National Lottery Community Fund.

“This award will allow us to continue to run our services, helping people with lived experience of homelessness, providing support through starter packs, the community pantry, community meals, empowering people with new skills, growing produce, cooking skills and having access to specialised advice.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “National Lottery funding can make amazing things happen in local communities across the country.

“This project delivered by Fresh Start (Scotland), is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.

“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”

Edinburgh College received over £136,000 to continue delivery of their counselling service for students. The counselling is delivered by trained staff, either in
person or online, and is flexible to suit the schedule and needs of the individual in
need of support.

There was over £82,000 for Edinburgh Women’s Aid, who will use their funding to build an integrated mental health programme for women and children who have experienced domestic abuse.

As well as supporting hands on mental health delivery, this project will look to improve internal evaluation processes and engage with other services across Edinburgh to make their services more effective. The project will work with 555 people over the three year delivery period.

Dads Rock received £67,391. The project will continue to match trained peer support volunteers with new dads during the perinatal period who are experiencing anxiety, depression, difficulties in bonding with their new baby.

Passion4Fusion offer a range of programmes for the diverse needs of minority ethnic families in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Thanks to an award of £41,500 they will be able to offer a range of support services for black, African people dealing with long term conditions.

One service user Nala* (*not her real name) a 57-year-old African woman with a range of long-term health conditions who moved to Edinburgh to seek asylum.

Nala was missing important appointments as she struggled to read and interpret her medical letters in English. A worker from the project supported her to understand the health systems in Scotland, linked her with African groups and supported her at hospital appointments.

Nala said: “I am very happy I found people like me who can understand my situation. I was feeling very lonely and isolated but now I have my new African family I belong to.

“I am now able to do things that I haven’t been able to do in a while for instance, I really love going to the gym and I wouldn’t have done it without the support.”

Commenting on the project Huruma Health worker Lucrecia said “There is nothing more rewarding than helping others.

“As you can imagine, being alone in this country can be challenging and most of our service users have no immediate family members. The Huruma project creates culturally appropriate family support and a sense of belonging.”

Jonathan Ssentamu, Founder and CEO, Passion4Fusion, said “The Huruma Project continues to address the disproportionate impact of health inequalities affecting Africans in our community who are finding it difficult to access mainstream services.

“ This contribution is enabling us to support our service users, we’re so grateful for the continued support for our work.”

An award of £30,000 means that the Scottish Book Trust will run their ‘Reading is Caring’ programme for the next three years. 

The programme uses shared reading to support people living with dementia and anyone who cares for them and is designed to ease daily challenges of dementia by creating special moments of connection, sparking positive memories and relieving stress.

Martha and her husband Sandy took part in the project while caring for Martha’s mother Susan, who was living with dementia at the time.

Martha said: “Thank you again for your wonderful course – it added new skills and confidence to the way I read with Mum for her last few months and that was something very special.”

Commenting on the latest funding, Koren Calder, Project Manager, Scottish Book Trust, said: “This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will allow us to reach more people living with dementia and the people who care for them, by creating new, flexible ways to access the benefits of the Reading is Caring programme.”

A neurodiversity charity is to launch a three-year specialist service for children and young people in Lanarkshire living with the challenges of neurodiversity thanks to Lottery funding.

Edinburgh-based Salvesen Mindroom Centre has been awarded £109,343 from The National Lottery Community Fund, made possible by National Lottery players, to deliver a dedicated one-to-one support service for children and young people who have neurodevelopmental conditions and neurodiverse families in North and South Lanarkshire.

The initiative will be led by two highly-skilled outreach specialists within the communities and address issues including problems surrounding the assessment and diagnosis of neurodevelopment conditions; securing appropriate help at school or in further and higher education; and dealing with complex correspondence and multiple agencies.

Support will be tailored to individuals and families and is aimed at achieving positive changes on a practical level and, through advocacy, ensuring the voices of children and young people are heard.

Between 15 and 20% of the population are estimated to be neurodivergent and Mindroom has witnessed a 137% rise in people using their services in Lanarkshire since 2018.

Chief Executive Officer Alan Thornburrow says: “We have seen at first hand the difference that receiving appropriate resources can make to neurodivergent children, young people and neurodiverse families in crisis.

“Over a number of years, we have steadily increased our caseload in Lanarkshire in response to a growing demand for our services and we’ve had some amazing feedback from clients whose lives have improved.

“This award from the National Lottery will help us ensure that many more people are helped and their lives transformed. We put the needs of the client at the very heart of our rights-based approach and aim to empower individuals, families and carers to become more confident and active participants in whatever they choose to do.

“We already have valuable, established relationships with a range of agencies and organisations in Lanarkshire including the NHS, Love Autism, schools and social work departments. This longer-term funding will enable us to build on these vital connections and increase our provision so that more neurodivergent children and young people and neurodiverse families can receive personalised help and benefit from opportunities for enhanced support.”

The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still: said: “National Lottery funding can make amazing things happen in local communities across the country.

“This project delivered by The Salvesen Mindroom Centre (SMC), is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.

“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”

The Lanarkshire initiative, funded under the National Lottery’s Improving Lives scheme, will run from September 1 this year to the end of August 2026.

For more information on the Salveson Mindroom Centre go to:  

https://www.mindroom.org/

Commenting on the latest grant round of funding The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still: said: “National Lottery funding continues to make extraordinary things happen in communities across Scotland.  

“I am delighted that this funding will be used to support projects across Edinburgh which have been developed by and for local people which will allow communities to come together to make life better for everyone.

National Lottery player players can be proud to know that that money they raise is helping to support this vital work in Edinburgh.”

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funding on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.    

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk     

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