Scotland’s Bishops say it’s not too late to get behind SCIAF’s WEE BOX appeal

The Archbishop of Edinburgh and St Andrew’s Diocese Leo Cushley, together with Scotland’s other Bishops, has given his blessing to SCIAF’s WEE BOX annual fundraising appeal and the issue of access to safe water.

SCIAF – the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund – is the official relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Compelled by Christ’s love, it works with those in the world’s poorest places to end poverty, protect our common home, and help people recover from disaster. SCIAF inspires loving action in the Scottish Catholic community to sustain its work. 

Staff from SCIAF visited the Bishops as they gathered for regular conference at the Schoenstatt Retreat Centre. 

Chief executive Lorraine Currie said: “We are so grateful to the Bishops of Scotland and Catholics across the country for their support already this Lent. Our supporters in Scotland are so generous and their support for people living in poverty around the world is really overwhelming.

“This year’s WEE BOX campaign aims to highlight the issue of access to clean water and the transformational work that SCIAF supporters are funding. It is genuinely changing lives. Bringing clean water close to people’s homes helps kids get to school and improves the health of the whole family. It was amazing to see the difference basic things like taps and wells can make for people’s lives.”

Bishop Brian McGee is SCIAF’s Bishop President. He said: “What can be more unjust that not being able to access clean, safe water?  We are so lucky here in Scotland and we just take it for granted that the water from our taps will always be there.  

“Thanks to the generosity of people across Scotland, SCIAF has been funding local organisations in Ethiopia to bring clean water to communities and help people help themselves out of poverty. And we need their help again to continue to do this. Please give what you can.” 

Please use your WEE BOX to make a BIG CHANGE. Your support can show young people around the world that a better world is possible – one where they can survive, thrive and flourish.  

For more details on how to donate, please visit www.sciaf.org.uk/weebox.

To donate £10, please text SCIAF to 70580. Texts will cost £10 plus your standard network charge.  

Teddy Bears’ Picnic at LifeCare Centre

4th MAY from 11am – 1pm

With Spring in full bloom, we are inviting you to our Teddy Bears’ Picnic!

Bring your little ones (and their favourite teddy!) along for a fun-filled morning of lunch and children’s entertainment.

The picnic will be held at The LifeCare Centre, our fully accessible community hub on the 4th of May 11am – 1pm. Children under 12 months go FREE of charge.

Don’t forget to bring your teddy bear for the full picnic experience! We hope to see you there.

Grab your tickets now: [https://events.humanitix.com/teddybears-picnic]

Judy Murray OBE backs digital detox to protect Scotland’s children from online harm

Judy Murray OBE is backing On-Mute May, Children First’s new campaign, which urges people across the country to step away from social media this May to raise vital funds and awareness of the growing dangers children face online.

Research from Scotland’s national children’s charity reveals harmful online content is the biggest threat children and young people say they face today.

In Scotland, 79% of young people report feeling worried about encountering harmful content online and 78% say they are anxious about the impact social media has on their lives. Smartphone use has also emerged as a major concern for both children and parents.

Children First warns that while phone and social media use has become deeply ingrained in everyday life, children cannot protect themselves from harmful or disturbing content and adults must take urgent action to keep them safe.

Judy Murray OBE said: “I’m delighted to be backing Children First’s On-Mute May campaign. Together we’re shining a light on the serious online harm facing children across Scotland while raising vital funds for the charity.

 “I have always championed the power of sport for the life skills it develops as well as the obvious physical and mental health benefits. So, I’m encouraging everyone to take part in this digital detox and get active. It’s a great opportunity to switch off, reconnect and have fun together in whatever way you choose. 

“By taking a break from social media in May, you’re not just supporting your own wellbeing, you’re helping protect Scotland’s children.”

Children First helps protect children from harm, supports families to recover from trauma, and offers guidance through its national support line and local services. Michelle Supple, Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications said: “We are hugely grateful to Judy for lending her support to this important campaign.

“Across Scotland, our teams work with children and young people every single day who have experienced devastating harm online. 

“Children can’t protect themselves from online dangers. We need your help. Please join On-Mute May and give up or take a break from social media to raise funds to help protect Scotland’s children.” 

Young people have expressed significant concerns about online harm to Children First, underlining the importance of protecting childhood in a digital world. Sam, age 10, shared: “People in Scotland are worried about staying safe online… whether people are who they say they are.”

Erin, age 18 who has been impacted by online harm in the past said: “Being online all the time can take a toll on how you feel about yourself, how you see the world and even how people treat one another. The rise of toxic influencers, bullying in group chats, people sharing harmful content … it all adds up.

“Taking a break doesn’t mean unplugging forever. It just means giving your brain space to breathe. If you’re thinking about doing something worthwhile, join in the challenge.”

“It’s also a great opportunity to switch off and connect with your children and family and spend quality time making memories together.”

Anyone wishing to take part in On-Mute May can sign up through the Children First website: www.childrenfirst.org.uk/onmutemay

The charity’s support line is also available for anyone who is worried about a child’s online safety, call 08000 28 22 33, 365 days a  year.

The Shared Housing Surge: UK HMO market grows by 40%

  • New data reveals a 40% jump in HMO licence applications since 2018, with over 57,000 applications received in the last year alone 
  • Edinburgh, Oxford and Bristol named UK’s HMO hotspots, with highest annual application rates 
  • Rising investment regions, including Sandwell and West Lancashire, reported application growth of nearly 1,000% 

The UK’s House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) market has seen a remarkable surge in growth, with new data revealing a 40% increase in license applications since 2018. The research suggests that landlords are increasingly pivoting towards shared housing to meet the soaring demand for affordable, high-quality living spaces. 

The study, from specialist landlord insurance provider Just Landlords, analyses data obtained via Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from local councils across the UK. It found that since 2018, the number of annual HMO applications has climbed from 41,162 to a record-breaking 57,725. 

How does the HMO market differ across the country? 

While growth has been steady throughout the UK, the situation varies from one city to the next. Edinburgh was named the UK’s HMO capital, with an average of 5,158 applications each year. 

Areas with the Highest Annual Application Rates 

  1. Edinburgh – 5,158 
  2. Oxford – 2,458 
  3. Bristol – 1,491 
  4. Southwark – 1,412 
  5. Tower Hamlets – 1,394 

Sandwell, in the West Midlands, reported the highest rate of growth, seeing applications jump by 964%, from 28 in 2018 to 298 in 2024. 

Areas with the Highest Application Growth 

  1. Sandwell – 964% 
  2. West Lancashire – 886% 
  3. Tower Hamlets – 750% 
  4. Guildford – 742% 
  5. Waltham Forest – 481% 

Clark Ross, Managing Director of Just Landlords, comments: “We’re witnessing a major evolution in the UK rental market. An increasing number of landlords are moving away from traditional lets in favour of HMOs, to help meet the growing demand for flexible, affordable housing solutions. 

“We’re also seeing an interesting geographical shift in investment. While London remains a cornerstone of the market, there has been huge growth in the Midlands and the North, with some areas seeing application numbers increase by nearly 1,000% since 2018.” 

As the sector grows, the data also points to an increasing focus on quality and compliance. Across the UK, council inspections of HMOs have risen by 83% since 2018, while enforcement actions, including improvement notices and prosecutions, have jumped by 180%. 

Areas for Improvement 

While the national picture is one of growth, the data also identifies areas where the market is still adjusting to new regulations. 

Areas like Blackpool and Fenland saw over half of their annual applications refused, while landlords in Lewisham, Wandsworth and Liverpool saw higher than average numbers of enforcement actions. 

Areas with the Highest Application Refusal Rates 

  1. Blackpool – 70% 
  2. Fenland – 51% 
  3. Sandwell – 48% 
  4. Armagh – 26% 
  5. Norwich – 24% 

Areas with the Highest Number of Annual Enforcement Actions 

  1. Lewisham – 288 
  2. Wandsworth – 146 
  3. Liverpool – 141 
  4. Denbighshire – 141 
  5. Camden – 117 

Despite increased enforcement in some areas, the overall picture of the UK HMO market remains one of strong growth and professionalisation. As more landlords enter the sector and councils continue to improve oversight, standards across shared housing are expected to continue rising. 

For professional landlords, the growing demand for shared accommodation presents a significant opportunity, particularly in high-demand university cities and growing regional investment hubs. With the right licensing, compliance, and insurance in place, HMOs remain one of the most resilient and high-yielding areas of the rental market. 

Clark Ross, Managing Director of Just Landlords, comments: “While our findings reveal an environment of tightened regulation, this should be seen as a positive step for the market.

“Higher standards protect the reputation of the sector and ensure that dedicated, professional landlords aren’t being undercut by sub-standard operators. As the sector continues to grow, the most successful landlords will be those who treat their compliance and insurance as the bedrock of their business strategy.” 

A bone-a-fide superstar: Dig up a Dino at Edinburgh Science Festival!

Edinburgh Science Festival continues this Easter break and brings more fun for young sci-curious minds at the National Museum of Scotland

Science Festival Favourites, which opened yesterday, is a series of children workshops and shows, an exciting selection of activities which would normally feature at City Art Centre. 

Children can Dig Up a Dino! (ages 5+) in a special dig site and discover all about the creatures which ruled the Earth millions of years ago, become a forensic scientist in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (8+), help solve a crime and catch the perpetrator or get their goo on in Splat-tastic! (5+), be creative with chemistry and make their very own slime to take home.  

Also part of Science Festival Favourites, the whole family can take part in Mini-Medics: The Body Show (7+), inviting everyone to scrub up, don their masks and join Doctor Watson and Nurse It-Better as they explore the human body and how to keep it healthy. The Rocket Show (7+) makes the rocket science fun and accessible as children explore forces, test materials and prepare for a launch of a rocket fit for space.

Tech Decoded, supported by the Association for Science and Discovery Centres and SeaByte, features free drop-in activities that allow families to explore technology from AI to coding. Visitors will learn how the internet works and have the chance to create their own electrical circuits.  

Edinburgh Science Festival continues until 19 April.

Strachan House residents celebrate National Scrabble Day

It was dictionaries at the ready at Strachan House care home in Blackhall, where super-competitive residents were keen to get involved in National Scrabble Day.

Staff and residents at Strachan House care home decided to embrace their love of scrabble and share it with others.

Strachan House host a scrabble club daily in the service after a few of the residents bonded over their mutual love for the game.

Resident’s attending scrabble club couldn’t believe their luck when the team informed them that it was National Scrabble Day.

Zoe Bowers the Activities Co-ordinator at the home commented: “Our residents all love to play Scrabble, we regularly have a game on the go and we love a good debate about what is and isn’t a word – thank goodness we always have our trusty dictionary on hand to settle things! 

“Some of our residents have the most amazing vocabularies!”

Fran Fisher General Manager at the home, said: “It has been a brilliant day and we have all enjoyed playing lots of scrabble, it is amazing what you learn when you get together round a Scrabble board.

“We would all love to have other scrabble clubs reach out so we can take this competition up a notch”. 

Strachan House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides nursing care, residential care, respite care.

Edinburgh universities can play ‘strong and unrelenting’ role in Healthier Communities 2030 commitment 

The Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow ‘must play a strong and unrelenting role, with collaboration to the fore’ as part of a landmark commitment to building healthier communities and a more diversely skilled NHS Scotland.

That’s the view of leading innovation agency InnoScot Health after the Russell Group – which represents both universities – laid out its Healthier Communities 2030 plan last week.

This aims to deliver a better future by “working in partnership with the NHS, national and local government, industry and the communities they serve,” in turn producing “more medics, scientists and start-ups” by 2030.

InnoScot Health believes that both Scottish universities can leverage their expertise in innovation, research, and international partnerships to make a huge contribution to that commitment by helping improve patient outcomes while delivering a major boost to the country’s economy.

Innovation Commercialisation Manager Fiona Schaefer said: “The Russell Group has made significant pledges including the training of 181,000 graduates across its universities in subjects critical to health and care, while widening access to those professions for students of all backgrounds.

“As part of that commitment, the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh will be taking a leading role in creating more highly skilled jobs and bringing external investment into Scotland’s communities by supporting life sciences companies to create new technologies and treatments.

“The commitment will also be delivered in partnership with communities through local engagement events, helping to shape ambitions aligned directly to community need and lived experiences.

“I am in no doubt that both universities’ world-leading insights can also expand Scottish healthcare’s talent pipeline, making for a more innovative, more diversely skilled NHS working closer than ever with academia and industry.”

The Russell Group says that among its commitment to producing 181,000 graduates will be doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, social scientists, technology specialists, and engineers, aimed at “directly addressing workforce shortages across the NHS and public health”.

The universities, it says, will also harness their research expertise “to develop more cutting-edge medicines, treatments and technologies that save lives, and bring new business investment”.

It will also help academics and students start new companies, creating jobs and growth in communities.

Against the backdrop of an ageing population, it warned that “without action, pressures on our public health systems will continue to grow faster than the workforce and innovation that sustains them”.

Fiona added: “It is vital that NHS, industry and academia work collaboratively and this robust commitment represents a key example of how to meaningfully strengthen those partnerships for the benefit of Scotland’s patients and wider society.

“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation and the country’s reliance on creating, growing, and retaining healthcare and life sciences talent has never been greater.”

Chesser crash pedestrian has died

A man has died following a crash in Edinburgh.

At around 12.21am on Saturday, 11, April, 2026, police received a report of a crash involving a blue MG HS and a 49-year-old male pedestrian on Chesser Avenue.

Emergency services attended and the pedestrian was taken to hospital where he has now passed away.

The 35-year-old female driver was not injured.

Sergeant Fraser Mitchell said: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this difficult time and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the crash.

“I would ask anyone who was in the area around the time of the collision to contact us, especially those who may have dash cam footage that could assist with our enquiries.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 0074 of 11 April, 2026.”

Lottery support for North Edinburgh Arts’ garden and shed projects

Spring has arrived at the NEA Community Garden, and we’re thrilled to share some exciting news with you all! We’ve received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to support our Garden and Shed projects over the next two years.

This funding will help us grow more than just plants. It will create opportunities for our local community to get involved in activities that respond to the climate emergency, focusing on outdoor learning, sustainability, and the circular economy.

It also means we can continue to strengthen North Edinburgh Arts’ commitment to sustainability, improving how we manage our carbon impact.

Watch this space for more updates!

In the meantime, come and visit our NEA Community Garden within our opening hours (Monday-Wednesday: 9am-5pm, Thursday & Friday: 9am-8pm & Saturday: 10am-2pm)

If you live locally in the areas of Muirhouse, Pilton, Drylaw and Telford, come and join our free drop-in sessions at the Garden (Tuesday & Thursday, 1.30pm – 4pm) or the Shed (Tuesday – Thursday, 10am – 2pm).

Get in touch for more information!

Still to see at Edinburgh Science Festival 2026 

Edinburgh Science Festival, the world’s first and still one of Europe’s biggest science festivals continues until 19 April

This week’s highlights include: 
 
Science Festival Favourites (13 – 19 April) 

Enjoy the perfect family day out this Easter break with a special programme of shows and workshops at the National Museum of Scotland. Kids can play the role of scientist as they Dig Up a Dinosaur, solve a crime in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation or make slime to take home in Splat-tastic.

The whole family can enjoy Mini-Medics: The Body Show and The Rocket Show, and explore our free Tech Decoded drop-in activities. 

Celebrating Jane Goodall: A Life of Impact (15 April) 

Celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE – Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace – whose groundbreaking research and community-led conservation work transformed our understanding of chimpanzees and the natural world.

Audiences will hear personal reflections from some of Jane’s former colleagues, view images and video from Goodall’s career, and will have the opportunity to submit questions for a concluding Q&A.  

The Science of Origin (17 April) 

Join Prof Dame Lorna Dawson of The James Hutton Institute and international experts for an interactive event exploring the science of provenance. 

Learn how scientists determine authenticity and link objects or people to places, including crime scenes. The panel will discuss organised crime, murders, illegal mining, conflict minerals, gold trading, wildlife crime and the fossil trade. 

Bloody Powerful: The Taboo-busting Guide to Periods, Menopause and Everything In-Between (18 April) 

Dr Brooke Vandermolen has taken the internet by storm as ‘The OBGYN Mum’, smashing down taboos and debunking myths about overlooked and misunderstood areas of women’s health and medicine.

In this special event, join Dr Brooke Vandermolen and host Prof Philippa Saunders, as they navigate the biggest myths, misinformation, and medical jargon about female health, and show how the internet is making it harder than ever to find accurate information you can trust. 

Doing Science on the Roof of the World (18 April) 

In remote Himalayan regions of Nepal, yaks are vital for local livelihoods, yet crossbreeding with cattle – where antibiotics use is common – may help spread resistant germs. 

Join an international team from the Research Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology in Nepal and the University of Edinburgh to explore this urgent issue, its implications for yak milk safety, and the challenges of conducting science in the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park. 

To view the full programme, visit: 

https://www.edinburghscience.co.uk/festival/whats-on/