Inverleith Pétanque Club will fly the flag for Scotland at the 28th European Cup in France in November.
The Edinburgh outfit locked horns with Newtongrange, Perth and Fochabers in the EuroCup qualifiers at Carnoustie at the weekend for the right to represent Scotland at the major continental tournament, which brings together top club teams from across Europe.
After a tense two days of competition at Auld Alliance Park, Inverleith came out in a head-to-head decider against Fochabers and will now prepare to travel to Sin-Le-Noble, Douai in the north of France where they will take on the cream of Europe from 5-8 November.
Shena Whelan, Treasurer of Inverleith, said: “The IPC team, and the whole of Inverleith Pétanque Club, are extremely proud to have the opportunity to be representing Scotland again at the European Cup for Clubs (‘Eurocup’) in Douai, France in November.
“It was a hard-fought win against formidable clubs we consider to be our friends. Thanks must go to Carnoustie Pétanque Club for hosting and supporting us all over two long days of play in the Eurocup qualifier.”
Scottish Pétanque Association (SPA) president David Moxham said: “Congratulations to Inverleith, who now carry Scotland’s colours to France in November.
“It was a terrific weekend of competition and it was fitting it all came down the final two games.
“Beyond the competition itself, the weekend showed clubs coming together to support national pétanque.
“Carnoustie Pétanque Club provided a warm welcome, with players, coaches and officials well looked after throughout. The club’s home on the old curling rink at Maule Street – the Auld Alliance Park – provided a distinctive setting for the qualifier, and the SPA thanks everyone at Carnoustie who gave their time and effort to hosting the event.”
Colin Sinclair, Carnoustie Pétanque Club chairperson, said it was a real honour to be asked to host this important event in the SPA calendar: “Our committee and members got enthusiastically involved in helping plan the event, and in return were treated to a very high standard of play that we hope to aspire to.
“We were very grateful to both Carnoustie Gala committee and Carnoustie Bowling Club for the use of equipment and facilities. The event ran very smoothly and positive feedback was received from both the SPA and the clubs involved.”
Anyone in the local area interested in trying out Pétanque, can contact the club for more details by emailing carnoustiepetanqueclub@gmail.com.
As part of the UK Government’s commitment to empowering local communities by spreading power throughout the country, the UK Government has released £52.1 million from the £140 million Local Growth Fund.
Through Local Growth Funds, funding is being handed straight to local decision-makers. Regional leaders have been empowered to design tailored plans that build infrastructure communities need most, delivering skilled jobs, and boosting living standards.
Our Local Growth fund will drive economic prosperity for communities that need it most in Edinburgh and South East Scotland, Glasgow and Tay City regions, Ayrshire and Forth Valley.
Workers, apprentices, businesses and communities across Scotland are to benefit as the UK Government releases the first £52.1 million from the Local Growth Fund after green-lighting five regions’ three-year investment plans for the £140 million initiative.
The locally delivered fund targets Scotland’s Regional Partnerships that contain the areas with the lowest Gross Disposable Household Income (GDHI) per capita.
By trusting local knowledge over top-down directives, regional leaders have been empowered to design tailored plans that build physical infrastructure, establish high-growth commercial spaces, and close vital skills gaps.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “The UK Government is committed to empowering local communities by spreading power throughout the country. These funds will support local leaders throughout Scotland to create skilled jobs, help start up businesses and revive our local high streets.
“After months of close working directly with regional partners across Scotland, the UK Government is now releasing £52.1 million directly to regional leaders who know their communities best so delivery can begin.”
This funding targets the Scottish Regional Partnerships that contain the communities that need it most – areas like West Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, Dundee, Clackmannanshire and Fife – which have lower GDHI than other parts of Scotland.
The £140 million package is allocated proportionally by population across five Scottish regions.
Year 1 allocations, released now to enable delivery to begin, are as follows:
Glasgow City Region: total 3 year allocation of £60.9 million, with £22,684,596 now released.
The region will deliver business support, skills and employability programmes, and capital investment supporting the creation of high-growth commercial business space, as well as regional infrastructure projects for housing supply, land use, and town centre regeneration.
Edinburgh & South East Scotland: total allocation of £37.8 million, with £14,095,909 now released.
The region will deliver regional skills and employability programmes and capital investment in establishing flagship Housing and Net Zero Accelerator Hubs (HaNZAH) to train workers in green construction and retrofit technology, alongside a new Regional Intelligence Hub to inform regional economic planning, following the model of the Glasgow City Region.
Tay Cities Region: total allocation of £19.5 million, with £7,256,931 now released.
The region will deliver skills and workforce development programmes in priority sectors such as tourism, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, and agriculture and food, alongside capital investment in new industrial infrastructure, including new small-scale innovation spaces, and business grants.
Ayrshire: total allocation of £11.8 million, with £4,400,298 now released.
The region will launch a new Shared Economic Development Service and Regional Intelligence Hub, following the model of the Glasgow City Region, alongside regional recruitment incentives, employability hubs, business start-up support structures, and accelerator grants.
Forth Valley: total allocation of £9.8 million, with £3,665,499 now released.
The region will deliver skills and employability services and specialist support for growth businesses, establish new Regional Partnership and Programme Management functions, and unlock vacant or stalled housing sites through the Forth Valley Housing Enablement Fund.
Funding is being delivered directly to Regional Partnerships to enable strategic decision-making and maximum growth impact. Regional Partnerships are collaborations between local government, the private sector, education and skills providers, enterprise and skills agencies and the third sector to deliver economic prosperity across Scotland’s regions.
Wider UK Government investment in Scotland
The UK Government is investing more than £2.3 billion over 10 years in dozens of important local and regional projects the length and breadth of Scotland, bringing much-needed economic and community renewal. These include:
· £140m Local Growth Fund
· £280m Pride in Place Programme (Phase 2)
· £12m Pride in Place Impact Fund
· £43m Growth Mission Fund
· £200m support for ten Scottish towns (Pride in Place Phase 1)
· £320m for the Glasgow City Region and North East Scotland Investment Zones
· £52m for the Inverness and Cromarty Firth, and Forth Green Freeports
· £81m for Community Regeneration Partnerships in Dundee, Scottish Borders, Argyll & Bute, and Na h-Eileanan Siar
· £188m to complete Levelling Up Fund projects
· £76m in UK Shared Prosperity Fund transition funding for 2025/26
· £60m innovation funding for Glasgow City Region (across the Innovation Accelerator 2025/26 and new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund)
· £20m Local Innovation Partnerships Fund for Tay Cities creative tech sector.
· £17.3m for Energy Transition Zone
· £5m for Community Ownership Fund projects
· £16m for Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities over 2025 and 2026.
· £50m Defence Growth Deal
· £2.6m for V&A in Dundee
· £752m to deliver Scotland’s 12 City Region and Growth Deals over 2025/26 – 2034/35
Would you like to take part in a textile art project in your community?
Share and gain stitching skills, meet other people and exchange knowledge and stories in this fascinating project facilitated by local artist Tamsin Grainger.
Members of the Granton community are invited to participate in stitching / embroidering a large collective map of Granton featuring plants and wildlife from participants’ places of origin and Granton.
The final Granton Nature Map will be hung at Royston Wardieburn Commumnity Centre and Granton Hub.
You can meet Tamsin at the library for a starter session on 7th September at 6.30pm.
Please note – You do not have to be confident in sewing to take part.
MUM LISA MARKS FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF SON JOHN’S MURDER
The Knife Angel arrived in Edinburgh yesterday and will be on display at Kirkgate, at the bottom of Leith Walk, until Sunday 27 September.
Created by artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre, the Knife Angel is made from around 100,000 knives and blades surrendered through police forces across the country.
The sculpture stands as a powerful reminder of the impact violence can have on individuals, families and communities, while acting as a catalyst for social change.
An opening ceremony marked the official launch, with Council Leader Jane Meagher, Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, and community representatives including Lisa Petrie in attendance.
Lisa’s son John was killed in a knife attack in Leith one year ago today. She said on social media: “A whole year since my son was murdered and I still don’t know how that can be true.
‘Some days it feels like it was only yesterday. I can still feel the shock, the disbelief, the moment my whole world changed forever.
‘And then there are days when it feels like you’ve been gone for far too long. Too long since I’ve heard your voice, seen your face, hugged you, called you my son, heard you shout “ mumzie or “mother!! “
‘I hate that a year has passed without you. I hate that the world has carried on when mine stopped the day you were taken from me.
‘You weren’t meant to leave. You weren’t meant to be a memory. You were meant to be here.
‘I miss you every single day. I’m angry. I’m broken. I’m still trying to understand how I’m supposed to live with the fact that someone chose to take your life.
Alyn Smith has been announced as the new Minister for Innovation, Technology & Tertiary Education.
Subject to parliamentary agreement and the approval of His Majesty the King, Mr Smith will succeed Ben Macpherson, who stepped down last week.
The First Minister made the appointment via video call as Mr Smith is currently suffering a minor illness.
The First Minister said: “I am very pleased to appoint Alyn Smith as Minister-designate for Innovation, Technology & Tertiary Education.
“Alyn is one of the most experienced parliamentarians in the UK, having served in both the European and UK Parliaments before being elected as an MSP. He has broad international experience and has shown long-term interest in skills, universities and colleges.
“Scotland’s future prosperity will be built on the talent of our people, the strength of our universities and colleges, and our ability to turn world-class ideas into jobs, investment and opportunity.
“My new Programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for post-school learning and development – from protecting free university tuition, expanding apprenticeships and delivering a new national skills plan, to supporting university research and spin-outs, and connecting business with academic institutions to drive innovation and growth.
“Alyn will work closely with Màiri McAllan to drive that agenda, working across government with other ministers and in partnership with industry and the education and skills sectors to deliver for Scotland’s people, communities and businesses.”
Mr Smith studied Law and European Law at the University of Leeds and completed a Masters degree in European Studies at the College of Europe in Warsaw. After teaching English in India and working with Scotland Europa in Brussels, he qualified as a lawyer and practised commercial law in London and Edinburgh.
In 2002, Mr Smith joined the office of Richard Lochhead MSP before becoming an adviser to the SNP Group in the Scottish Parliament on European, justice and business policy. He was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Scotland in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009, 2014 and 2019.
Mr Smith served as Member of Parliament for Stirling from 2019 to 2024 before being elected as the MSP for Stirling in May 2026.
Giant Lanterns reaches new heights as Edinburgh Zoo’s popular winter trail returns
The countdown is on for the return of Edinburgh Zoo’s Giant Lanterns trail with just a few months to go until the popular after-dark experience returns for the winter with an out- of-this-world space safari.
Following its hugely successful return in 2025 after a six year hiatus, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) welcomed more than 96,000 visitors to experience the Giant Lanterns trail with guests describing it as “the most beautiful event they have ever seen”.
Running throughout the whole of winter across 60 nights from Friday 13 November until Sunday 21 February 2027, the display will transform the zoo into a glowing universe filled with spectacular illuminated displays, towering cosmic creatures and dazzling interstellar scenes.
Visitors can wander through glowing galaxies and immerse themselves in a luminous adventure brought to life by more than 1000 handcrafted lanterns and 15,000 LED lights.
Each lantern is carefully crafted and painted by hand, with some of the trail’s more spectacular creations taking 220 hours to complete resulting in a dazzling collection of illuminated wildlife, cosmic creatures and larger than life displays, offering countless photo opportunities and interactive moments along the route.
New for this year, visitors will also be able to glide through the galaxy with walk-through planets spanning 12 metres and stand amongst animal giants such as an owl with a 7 metre wingspan, all of which are set to be one of the standout sights of the winter experience.
Lindsay Ross, events and experiences manager at RZSS, said:“We were blown away by the response to Giant Lanterns returning. This year we are taking the experience to a whole new universe.
“This is our biggest lantern trail yet with glowing planets and sparkling constellations to incredible galactic beasts, every turn offers something unexpected. Whether you are visiting with family, friends or simply looking for a magical winter evening out there is something to inspire visitors of every age.
“From the species represented in the lanterns to the conservation work they support, we hope the trail will not only create a magical winter experience but also inspire visitors to learn more about the wildlife around us and the work being done to protect it. Every ticket sold helps support RZSS’s vital wildlife conservation work in Scotland and around the world making every visit even more meaningful.”
Originally founded in 1941 as the ‘Edinburgh Old People’s Welfare Council’ by three local women, LifeCare was a trailblazer, being one of the first such organisations to be created in Scotland. Adopting our current name in 2005, LifeCare has seen lots of growth and innovation; however, tackling loneliness has remained at the heart of everything we do since day one.
Today, LifeCare has 2 day clubs, its Outreach and Help at Home services, Meals on Wheels, a thriving community centre with free carers’ classes, and community events and activities, and last year alone supported 1,140 people to live well and stay independent. LifeCare is needed now more than ever, with 3 in 5 people over 50 experiencing loneliness in Scotland, and isolation increasing the risk of dementia by 60%. People are at the heart of everything we do. Help us be here for the next 85 years and continue to fight against loneliness.
A dedicated, all-female team of Edinburgh-based Financial Advisers from PW & Partners, took on a challenging 25k sponsored walk from Prestonpans to Gorgie Road, to raise funds for the House of Hope, Scotland’s first dedicated wellbeing centre for people impacted by breast cancer and their families.
A cause close to their hearts, the 16 strong team went the extra mile to mark PW & Partners 25th Anniversary, by giving back to the local charity that supported staff member Leigh Philp’s Mum, during her breast cancer journey.
The House of Hope offers a sanctuary where those impacted by breast cancer and their families can access support services, holistic treatments, exercise classes and wellbeing sessions.
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Leigh Philp, Paraplanner at PW & Partners said: “My mum was unfortunately diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2024, five years after her primary diagnosis.
“Other than online forums and groups, she was not sure where else she could turn to for support other than family and friends.
“When The House of Hope opened in 2025, we went along to have a look, and she was so glad that we did. The house is so beautiful, very homely, and welcoming.
“They offer different sessions, support groups, treatments, holistic therapies, exercise classes and 1:1 support, with a weekly timetable, and a fabulous kitchen seating area, where you can just pop in at your leisure for a cuppa and a chat.
“The team are so friendly and make you so welcome.”
Established in 2001, PW & Partners continues to go from strength the strength as it celebrates its Silver Anniversary. Directors Shonagh Livingstone, Fellow and Chartered Financial Planner and Martha Martindale, Financial Adviser, lead the award-winning team of expert financial specialists, who genuinely care about their clients and their families.
Shonagh Livingstone said: “We’re delighted to support the House of Hope during our 25th anniversary year.
“As an all-female business, raising awareness of breast cancer is so important. We know how The House of Hope has helped Leigh’s family and some of our clients too. Giving back to a local charity that we feel close to is a fantastic way to mark our 25th year.”
To build on their 25th Anniversary celebrations, PW & Partners has also been announced as the silver sponsor for the House of Hope’s Strictly for Hope Gala Ball, taking place at Prestonfield House on 4th September.
Martha Martindale said: “After our challenging 25k walk we’re all really looking forward to the Strictly for Hope Gala Ball to help raise funds for the House of Hope.
“It’s an honour to be this year’s silver sponsor and we’re sure it will be a fantastic evening of entertainment, inspiring stories and fundraising.”
The glittering Strictly themed gala ball is the House of Hope’s biggest fundraising event of the year and will include showcase performances from Strictly legends Pasha Kovalev and Kristina Rihanoff, to raise vital funds for the wellbeing services provided by The House of Hope.
Centre Manager at The House of Hope, Hazel McLinden said: “The support and enthusiasm received from the team at PW & Partners has been outstanding and we’re thrilled to be part of the firm’s 25th anniversary celebrations and extremely grateful for the generosity of the donations and support shown during their 25k walk. Well done and thank you to everyone involved.”
Visit houseofhope.org.uk to find out more about The House of Hope and fundraising events.
Great rates Standard Fee: £26.50 Concession Fee/Reduced Fee £21.00
SUBURBAN STROLLS
There is just time to enrol on a gentle weekly walking tour, filled with fascinating facts about the city of Edinburgh – learn about the local history, interesting people and buildings.
Excellent all over well being. Starts 8th September
Mattel’s Thomas & Friends launches nationwide prize draw for nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools that sign up to Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day
This year, Mattel’s Thomas & Friends have come on-board to support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day campaign.
Thomas the Tank Engine will be appointed as Save the Children’s Chief Delivery Officer for Christmas Jumper Day and will be the first-ever locomotive to choo-choose to support the annual festive fundraiser and help keep it on track.
Together, Thomas and Save the Children will help deliver festive joy to children in the UK and around the world who need it most.
Save the Children’s annual Christmas Jumper Day is taking place on Thursday 10th December 2026 and to help encourage more children than ever to sign up and take part, Mattel is launching a nationwide prize draw for nurseries, primary schools and secondary schools.
Schools and nurseries that register by Tuesday 1st December
Nursery – A Day Out With Thomas adventure, where one nursery class of up to 30 children, plus up to 4 teachers/chaperones can enjoy a ride on a full-sized Thomas engine and child-friendly activities. Subject to availability.
Primary – An unforgettable full-day visit for one winning primary school class to Drayton Manor Resort, home of Thomas Land, with access to over 50 rides and attractions throughout the park. Includes admission to Thomas Land, reasonable return group/coach travel, lunch for all attendees and parking where applicable.
Secondary – One exclusive interactive STEM-focused workshop with a Mattel designer at your school, where students can discover the creative process behind some of their favourite toys and bring ideas to life.
Get your jumper out. You don’t have to buy a new one, upcycle an old jumper with tinsel and baubles.
Donate to Save the Children. By having fun and raising money, you’re supporting children in the UK and around the world.
When you sign up to Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day, you’ll receive a free fundraising pack with lesson plans, festive activities and all the information you need to plan the merriest day ever.
Kristina Arora, Head of Christmas Jumper Day, from Save the Children said:“With Thomas the Tank Engine coming on-board for the 2026 campaign we hope that more children than ever will sign up and take part.
By launching an exclusive prize draw for anyone who signs up to Christmas Jumper Day this year, our incredible partner Mattel is helping us to bring communities together for the festive season. The more money we raise this Christmas, the more impact we can have on the lives of children who need it most.”
“For generations, Thomas & Friends has inspired children through stories of friendship, teamwork and helping others, so we’re incredibly proud to support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day this year,” said Nancy Molenda, Vice President of Global Corporate Events and Philanthropy at Mattel.
“As Thomas takes on his new role as Chief Delivery Officer, we’re excited to help bring even more schools, nurseries and families together for a day of festive fun that can make a real difference to children who need it most, helping keep this year’s campaign on track.”
and I still don’t know how that can be true.
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