For the first time, Heart of Newhaven is delighted to be an official livestream venue for this year’s CHRISTMAS LECTURES® from the Royal Institution.
Join us on the evenings of Thursday 11th, Saturday 13th, and Tuesday 16th December as we stream the lectures live from London.
Bring your curiosity and excitement — families from across the local area are warmly invited to watch the lectures come to life in real time and be among the first to uncover the mysteries of the Universe with Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock!
🎟 Free Events — Please Pre-Register
Although the events are free to attend, please help us manage numbers by pre-registering on our Eventbrite page
Each lecture is suitable for all ages, and you’re welcome to attend one, two, or all three evenings.
City council pushes forward with controversial Portobello parking controls
The City of Edinburgh Council is set to decide on introducing year-round parking controls in Portobello, based on surveys conducted during peak tourism months – despite widespread community opposition and the possibility of a legal challenge if the proposals proceed.
The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) Sub-Committee will meet on 16 December to consider a recently published report recommending that councillors advance the TRO, despite the vast majority of consultation responses opposing the scheme, and with more than 1,900 people having signed a petition calling for its rejection.
Jane Grant, Chair of the local Traders Association, which represents over 50 small businesses, said: “The Council is pushing forward with a plan that will pile yet more financial pressure on already struggling households and lead to fewer people shopping locally.
“If approved, these parking controls will damage a vibrant and welcoming seaside community, make it harder for disabled people and those with caring needs to live fulfilling lives, and force more working class families to leave the area.
“As local residents and business owners we have tried to engage with the Council at every stage and will continue to do so, but if this poorly-designed and unwanted parking plan goes ahead we reserve the right to challenge its legality and process by which the Council has designed this plan.
“We are a strong and united community and will not allow the Council to ignore local people and impose these measures unchallenged.”
A local campaign group, Portobello and Joppa Residents & Businesses Against CPZ claim that the Council’s data used to justify year-round parking restrictions is flawed, inconsistent, and unrepresentative.
In a letter to the committee members (see below), issued ahead of the vote, the group highlighted that the surveys were conducted only in June and September – at the height of seasonal, temporarily heightened traffic levels, and the methodology behind the parking “heat map” remains undisclosed, with no clarity on data sources, weighting, or modelling applied.
The campaigners also highlight that Saturday parking analysis relies on just two survey days, both during peak visitor periods and unusually warm weather conditions. They assert that drawing conclusions about typical Saturday parking from such a small sample is statistically unreliable.
Furthermore, ongoing roadworks during the survey period distorted normal parking patterns, casting further doubt on the data’s reliability.
Local campaigner and resident Nikki Middleton said: “Although the Council report claims sixteen survey events, the actual data covers only seven days, with no surveys in winter, poor weather, or during term-time.
“Summer surveys, conducted during peak tourism months, have been used to justify this scheme, yet no explanation has been provided on how seasonal bias was accounted for.
“Portobello’s year-round parking pressures are very different from the summer months. This is not only unethical but goes against every principle of good governance and objective data validation.”
The proposals suggest implementing parking controls in the western part of the proposed Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), while the eastern section (Joppa) would be reviewed within the first year.
In practice, this allows council officers to introduce controls in the eastern areas without further legal process if deemed “necessary,” effectively keeping the door open to expand the scheme at any time, but preventing proper scrutiny and input from local people.
Nikki Middleton added: “The Council pretends to reduce the CPZ boundary, but in reality, they are only temporarily shrinking it while leaving the door wide open to extend it back to their original plans within a year – a cynical ploy intended to gather more cash from local people already struggling amid a cost of living crisis.”
The proposals also adjust CPZ operating hours to Monday–Saturday, 08:30–17:30, removing Sunday restrictions – an apparent attempt, the campaigners argue, to soften public perception without addressing core concerns.
The Council received 2,341 consultation responses. While the report acknowledges strong community opposition, it omits the exact percentage of objections.
The most significant concerns cited include the cost of parking – described by about 35% of respondents as “unaffordable, unwanted, excessive, or penalising residents”- and over 15% expressing the belief that the scheme is a money-making exercise for the Council.
Nikki Middleton added: “While the Council insists this isn’t about revenue, the report itself confirms that, after operational costs, the Portobello CPZ is expected to generate an annual surplus of around £500,000.”
Community members, traders, and campaigners continue to call on the public to attend the Sub-Committee meeting next week and urge the Council to halt the CPZ proposals and respect the clear, overwhelming opposition of those who live, work, and spend time in Portobello.
Communities across Scotland are to receive new funding to ensure everyone can benefit from the creative arts.
Eleven grassroots projects – including one involving pupils from Craigmillar’s Castlebrae High School – have been selected to receive a share of £320,000 from the Scottish Government’s Creative Communities Scotland fund, which supports organisations delivering activities such as dance, filmmaking, creative writing, music-making and storytelling.
The fund aims to support and empower communities to develop cultural activities that benefit individual and collective wellbeing, with a focus on reaching those who face barriers to taking part in creative activities
The programme will be managed by Inspiring Scotland, which will also provide project support to successful organisations while they plan, deliver and assess the impact of those activities.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Creativity can transform lives and create confidence within communities – so I’m very pleased that so many projects, from Galashiels to Orkney, Aberdeen and Govanhill, have been successful in their applications.
“These grants will enable community-led organisations to develop and deliver projects that harness the power of creativity in supporting people and the communities they serve.
“The Creative Communities Scotland fund forms part of a £34 million increase in support to the culture sector this year to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in and benefit from the creative arts, no matter their background or location.”
Erica Judge, Director of Funds at Inspiring Scotland, said: “The high level of interest in Creative Communities Scotland shows the incredible potential of creative and cultural activities to positively impact people’s lives.
“By supporting 11 organisations working across 9 local authorities, this funding will help communities overcome barriers to cultural participation – creating opportunities to enjoy the arts, reduce loneliness, strengthen communities, develop new creative skills, and experience joy and pride.”
Dave Close, Executive Director of the Hot Chocolate Trust said: “Some young people are bursting with talent but can’t access the resources to make music and learn. Some have been told that they’re ‘not musical’. Some have got things they need to say but they can’t find the words yet.
“With support from Creative Communities, the Beautiful Noise project at Hot Chocolate Trust is about releasing all these new possibilities and making something special together.”
A Place in Childhood – £20,034 Craigmillar, Edinburgh City
Working with 20 S1-S3 pupils from Castlebrae High School in Craigmillar, this participatory project will give young people a professional-grade experience of all aspects of film making: script development, filming, production, post-production, editing and finally a screening of their work.
Camglen Buddies Leisure & Social Club – £11,933 Cambuslang/Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire
Working with a videographer and a theatre professional, adults with additional support needs will have the opportunity to produce their own film, addressing key aspects from storyboarding, creating sets/props, filming and finally, celebrating their production.
Eildon West Youth Hub – £23,572 Galashiels, Scottish Borders
‘Chromonauts: Demolition Art’ is a year-long, youth-led visual arts programme for young people who face multiple barriers to creative participation. The project will work with young people to reclaim ‘overlooked corners’ of Galashiels to create new art-works/civic spaces.
Empower Women for Change – £29,372 Glasgow City
Participants will co-design and co-facilitate a programme of creative arts activities called Freedom in Expression: Joy in Creativity. This will provide safe, culturally relevant spaces where women from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly refugees and asylum seekers, can express themselves through creative writing, painting, clay, glassmaking, collage, yoga, mindfulness, and storytelling.
ESOL Scotland – £34,293 Glasgow City
This year-long programme of workshops will integrate English language learning with film making and photography, contributing to a community exhibition and screening that ‘celebrates the voices and journeys of our learners’.
Forgan Arts Centre – £33,439 Newport-on-Tay, Fife
Building on a previous pilot, the organisation will run two strands of creative workshops for adult and young carers. Working with professional artists, the workshops will focus on building creative participation, wellbeing, and connection between carers.
Friends of Sanday Kirk – £31,720 Sanday Island, Orkney
Focused around Sanday Kirk and a Craft Hub, the project will create three separate pieces of art using different techniques: community mosaic project, mural project on Craft Hub’s gable wall, and the design and construction of a herring-shaped public bench to celebrate the island’s fishing heritage and its former herring yard, benefiting the whole community.
Gorebridge Community Development Trust – £34,423 Gorebridge, Midlothian
The Create365 arts project aims to improve wellbeing for the community and reduce isolation through four strands of work: 1) weekly rhythm sessions focused on art, music and writing; 2) monthly themed sessions; 3) seasonal sessions; and, 4) a ‘big year’ showcase presenting the output from the three other strands.
Hot Chocolate Trust – £34,413 Dundee City
This project will provide a year-long set of music producing activities aimed at 12-21 year olds. These sessions will offer young people the opportunity to begin their engagement with music all the way through to exploring professional music pathways.
Romano Lav – £32,448 Govanhill, Glasgow City
Co-produced with community members and co-facilitated by Roma staff, this community arts programme will support participants of all ages and genders to take part in a range of art forms including visual/digital arts, storytelling, ceramics, film and photography. It will culminate in a final exhibition as part of the Govanhill International Festival.
Touch of Love Outreach – £34,291 Aberdeen City
The ‘New Young Scots: Fix & Design Lab’ will work with young people to collect, repair and redesign everyday items. Its aim is for the young people involved to gain practical and social skills, reduce isolation and celebrate identity and culture through arts-based upcycling.
The city council has published their fifth annual update on actions to end poverty in the city by 2030, delivering a clear snapshot of what’s been achieved – and what still needs to be done.
The update report, which was considered and agreed by councillors yesterday, also responds to the Edinburgh Poverty Commission 2025 update on its inquiry into the causes of, and solutions to, poverty in Edinburgh.
According to the report, collaboration between the council and partners over the past 12 months has led to:
£26m put into the pockets of low-income households in Edinburgh
working with employers to encourage take up of the real living wage, saw a record 790 employers sign up, and collectively employing over 221,000 workers
supporting 5,100 people into work and learning
intervention from specialist council teams prevented 1,700 households from homelessness and helped almost 600 households to move on from temporary accommodation
literacy, numeracy, and attainment levels improved for pupils in the most deprived areas of the city
subsidised childcare places provided for working families through Edinburgh’s Affordable Childcare for Working Parents service
new approaches to using data and online tools made it easier for people to access their entitlements – providing an average of £5k per year to 132 people
The Poverty Commission’s 2025 update report found that, like Scotland as a whole, Edinburgh is not yet on track to meet its headline target to reduce poverty rates to 10% by 2030.
They have called on the Council to make the most of the powers it has, increase the pace and scale of delivery and reform the way services are delivered in communities across the city.
In response to this, the Policy and Sustainability Committee agreed the response and actions for the year ahead. They include:
delivering the city’s plans for five Neighbourhood Prevention Partnerships, as part of a city-wide poverty prevention programme to make it easier for people to get help
completing the Review of Support for the Third Sector, to provide sustainable funding for voluntary and third sector partners
improving the availability of affordable childcare across the city to help parents and carers back into work
Council Leader, Jane Meagher said: “I’m grateful to the members of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission and End Poverty Edinburgh for all their hard work in producing their updated report and recommendations.
“Their original calls to action from back in 2020 undoubtedly focused our minds, and our collective efforts since have prevented thousands more people from entering poverty and homelessness and helped many more into secure work. This is alongside putting tens of millions of pounds worth of previously unclaimed benefits into residents’ pockets.
“But, despite five years of investment and hard work, poverty remains stubborn and, if anything, more complex and severe – which is why this latest report and the action plan behind it is so important.
“I agree with the Commission that we can’t do this alone and with their call on all levels of government to work with us in a way that makes best use of our local knowledge to support the communities that need it the most.
“I will today be writing to both the UK and Scottish Governments setting out what we, as a Council, are doing to tackle poverty here in Edinburgh and where we need their support.”
Linda Craik, Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission said: “During our review we heard some quite distressing stories of the impacts and effects of poverty on families and we’ve heard the frustrations of those agencies and individuals who are trying to help them.
“But we’ve also seen some fantastic examples of collaborative working which is starting to make an impact on the poverty landscape.
“While we are going in the right direction as a city – and there are glimmers of hope – overall the city is not on track to end the poverty cycle by 2030.
“The council, and partners, have worked collaboratively at local level to eradicate poverty in Edinburgh, but more needs to be done – and quicker – if things are to improve.
“We need to make access easier for those who need it, and I believe that a number of the actions set out by the council and partners will make access quicker and easier for those who need it most.
“My message to the city is – please listen to the people you are trying to help – we may have the answers and solutions that you need.
“End Poverty Edinburgh is happy to work with anyone who wants to be part of movement to eradicate poverty in our city.”
Edinburgh Science Festival is the first and still one of Europe’s biggest science festivals, taking place annually over the Easter holidays with 2026 dates confirmed as 4-19 April and the theme of Going Global.
The team is delighted to offer the Festival audiences a sneak peek of next year’s programme with two fantastic events, both taking place on Sunday, 12 April at Usher Hall.
At 2pm, Hamza Yassin’s Adventures in Nature brings wildlife cameraman, presenter and author Hamza Yassin in conversation with science presenter Siân Bevan, sharing stories of unique experiences and adventures as a wildlife cameraman.
Having been born in Sudan, Hamza moved to the UK as a young child and now lives on the incredible west coast of Scotland where he is often found high up in the mountains filming his beloved eagles.
Hamza will be available for book signing after the event.
At 7pm, An Evening with Astronaut Helen Sharman will see the first British astronaut sharing her extraordinary experiences from her historic 1991 mission aboard the Mir space station.
Audiences will hear about her training, blasting off on a Soyuz rocket and what it’s like to live and work in space including conducting science experiments.
In conversation with Earth scientist and former BBC presenter Dr Hermione Cockburn, Helen will reflect on the evolution of space exploration – from Tim Peake’s International Space Station mission to private space companies – and the growing international diversity in space programmes.
Edinburgh Science Director and CEO, Hassun El-Zafar said: “As we prepare for the launch of our full 2026 festival programme in February, we are delighted to reveal that Helen Sharman and Hamza Yassin will be joining us in April.
“Our 2026 Festival theme ‘Going Global’ will showcase the research and innovation created through international partnerships which address shared challenges.
“We are excited to have Helen and Hamza, who have both worked at the forefront of their respective industries, back with us at the Festival to share their stories and experience.”
Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, said: “Space is getting really exciting again! “I’m delighted to return to Edinburgh to share some insights, including my own experiences of what it’s like in space.”
Tickets for both events will go on sale at 10am tomorrow – Wednesday, 10 December and will be available at:
The festive season should be one of joy. Yet for many families, Christmas will be spent facing the fear and uncertainty of having a seriously ill child in hospital.
At The Sick Children’s Trust, we make sure families can stay together during their child’s most critical moments. But we cannot do it alone. We need your vital support.
Without our ‘Homes from Home’, families would face an average of 82 minutes of travel each day to be by their child’s hospital bedside, or be forced to sleep in hospital chairs, expensive hotels that they can’t afford, or even in their cars.
The stress and worry of being unable to be with their seriously ill child is unimaginable, especially at Christmas time. We urgently need donations so we can continue supporting families at this extremely traumatic time.
Families like Frances and Jack experienced this first-hand when their baby son, Milo, developed life-threatening sepsis. They stayed with us at our Acorn House ‘Home from Home’ for ten days while Milo received specialist care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Frances said:“At Acorn House we had somewhere comfortable to sleep, a shower and shared kitchen, meaning we could look after ourselves as best we could while still being on the hospital grounds.
“We never wanted to leave Milo’s side, but The Sick Children’s Trust gave us the chance to rest while being able to return to the hospital in minutes should he take a turn for the worse. We can’t describe how grateful we are to have had that vital support.
“After making a full recovery Milo is now a happy, thriving eight-month-old. We’re really looking forward to celebrating Milo’s first Christmas, which is even more special when we think about how critically ill he was.”
This year has been tough for our charity, with rising costs and supporters feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis but this Christmas, we expect all ten of our ‘Homes from Home’ to be full. For families, it’s free.
For us, it costs £40 to support a family for just one night, and we rely entirely on voluntary donations to make this possible.
Please donate what you can to keep more families together this Christmas.
Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy festive season.
Research shows UK’s growing trend towards batch cooking with a third of us embracing the ‘Meal Prep’ revolution
TV personality and chef Matt Tebbutt has joined forces with ScottishPower to help families enjoy hearty, home-cooked meals this winter while saving money on their energy bills as more and more of us embrace weekend ‘meal prep’.
The partnership with the celebrity chef comes as new research commissioned by ScottishPower reveals that more than a third of us (39%) now prefer to batch cook at weekends rather than to traditionally prepare meals from scratch every evening.
This ‘Weekend Kitchen’ research commissioned by ScottishPower through Censuswide comes as more than 500,000 ScottishPower customers sign up for Half Price Weekends to pay less for their weekend electricity.
To help households make the most of the savings, Tebbutt has created a series of winter warmers and family favourites – including a rich Vegetable Tagine, spicy Chipotle Chicken Tacos, and Turkey Wontons – all designed for batch cooking during the cheaper weekend energy window.
“As someone who’s often juggling a busy schedule, I know how valuable it is to meal prep,” said Matt Tebbutt.“These recipes for ScottishPower’s Half-Price Weekends are perfect for batch cooking, meaning families can enjoy delicious, comforting meals through the week while making the most of the discounted weekend hours.”
But it’s not just cooking habits that are changing. The same research found that weekend chores split opinion across the UK:
Two-thirds (66%) of Brits surveyed said that they would prefer to complete their weekend to-do list for half the price than drag chores into the next week and pay full price.
One in three (35%) Brits would rather spend an hour ironing rather than having lunch with their in‑laws.
Over half (55%) even said they’d prefer tackling the laundry to dealing with surprise guests.
Andrew Ward, Chief Executive of ScottishPower’s Customer Business, added: “Our new research shows just how much people value getting household jobs done at the weekend. That’s why Half‑Price Weekends, part of our Power Saver initiative, make it easier and cheaper for customers to cook and clean – at half the usual electricity cost.
“With these delicious recipes from Matt Tebbutt, we’re going one step further to provide batch cooking and meal prep inspiration for the week ahead. Taking the pressure off during the week, at the weekend our customers are rewarded with time and savings on their electricity while helping us balance demands on the grid.”
Best known for hosting several TV cookery shows, Matt’s approachable style and love of hearty, seasonal dishes make him the perfect partner for ScottishPower’s ‘Weekend Kitchen’ winter energy-saving push, featuring a range of recipes and top tips to help households maximise their time and money.
By signing up to ScottishPower’s Half-Price Weekends, households can tackle weekend tasks while paying just half the standard electricity unit rate every Saturday and Sunday, between 11am and 4pm.
By encouraging households to shift more of their energy use to off-peak hours, the Half-Price Weekends initiative helps balance demand on ScottishPower’s electricity grid and reduce household bills. More than 500,000 ScottishPower customers have already signed up to pay less for their weekend electricity with over £10 million collectively saved.
A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to eight years and four months in prison following a violent offence and discharge of a firearm in Edinburgh.
Arran Reid pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh today, Tuesday, 9 December, 2025 to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to danger of life.
Officers were made aware of the attempted murder of a 54-year-old man on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh around 9.20pm on Thursday, 22 May.
Reid was arrested and charged in connection with the incident on Monday, 16 June.
On Friday, 13 June, officers were made aware of a window having been damaged at a property on Walter Scott Avenue.
Following enquiries, it was established that the damage had been caused by the discharge of a firearm.
Reid was also charged in connection with this incident on Tuesday, 15 July.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “I want to make it clear to those intent on being involved in serious criminality that we will not give up and you will be brought to justice.
“This conviction is testament to the hard work and dedication by detectives, specialist officers and partners across the country.
“It also highlights Police Scotland’s commitment to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and its national strategy.”
Operation Portaledge is the ongoing investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
Independent Commissioner finds last government’s support schemes left the front door open to covid fraud with £10.9 billion lost to pandemic fraudsters
Government has already actioned recommendations in Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner’s report – including new fraud powers and voluntary repayment scheme
Further action planned to retrieve lost funds and prevent repeat of mistakes in future crises
Taxpayers lost £10.9 billion to fraud and error as the previous government’s pandemic response left the front door open to fraud, an independent report reveals today.
The Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner, Tom Hayhoe’s, final report to Parliament finds many schemes – including Bounce Back Loans and Eat Out to Help Out – were rolled out with huge fraud risks and no early safeguards – costing the taxpayer millions.
Weak accountability, bad quality data and poor contracting were identified as the primary causes of the £10.9 billion pound losses – which were enough to fund daily free school meals for the UK’s 2.7 eligible million children for eight years.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves appointed Tom Hayhoe in December 2024 to ensure mistakes of the past are never repeated, with this government already recouping almost £400 million of covid support cash.
Chancellor, Rachel Reeves said:“Leaving the front door wide open to fraud has cost the British taxpayer £10.9 billion — money that should have been funding our public services, supporting families, and strengthening our economy.
“We have started returning this money to the British people and we will leave no stone unturned in rooting out the fraudsters who profited from pandemic negligence.”
The government has already actioned many of the Commissioner’s early proposals. These include:
A voluntary repayment scheme, launched in September, giving claimants until 31 December to pay up.
Tougher sanctions powers through the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill, which became law on 2 December.
Specialist fraud recovery teams to track down suspected fraudsters and recover taxpayer cash, from 2026.
Josh Simons, Cabinet Office Minister, said: “We’re taking more action to bring fraudsters to justice and make the state the hardest possible target: giving investigators new powers to take on cases, using artificial intelligence to speed-up counter-fraud work, and setting up a repayment scheme to claw back money into the public purse.”
The report highlights that counter fraud controls were ‘inadequate’ and only improved later in the pandemic. Hayhoe makes further recommendations to ensure the country is prepared for further crises that need an economic response from government – emphasising that future preparation and robust controls will provide the best value for money for taxpayers.
The government will consider the report in full and respond early in the new year.
