CLIMATE AND NATURE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES NETWORK
TODAY is your last opportunity to register for our annual Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network seminar.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to find out about the amazing work of groups across Scotland. You may even want to join …
Find the full agenda here: https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/…/climate-and…
And register for free by emailing beautifulscotland@keepscotlandbeautiful.org before noon TODAY – Monday 1 December!
Small businesses across Scotland are gearing up to take their share of a much-needed Christmas boost, as new data predicts the UK could spend £5.3 billion with small firms over the festive period, delivering critical end-of-year gains for this vital segment of the economy.
In wider positive economic signs, the new data from the Small Business Saturday campaign also found Brits could spend over £23 billion in total across the UK this festive season, representing a nominal 16% year-on-year spending rise.
On average, one fifth of the nation’s seasonal spending pot could go to small businesses this year – equating to £5.3 billion and representing an estimated 19% nominal uplift on the projected spend recorded in 2024.
And this trend is reflected across Scotland, with Scottish households set to show their love for small businesses, with just under a quarter (21%) of the Country’s planned festive budgets tipped to go to small businesses this year.
Across Scotland over a fifth of 22% of households expect to spend more on Christmas celebrations this year than last year.
The research also showed the most popular spending priorities are food (75%), gifts (71%), alcohol (53%) and clothing (47%), while over half (51%) will put festive spending towards nights out – slightly more than the national average of 46%.
As the Small Business Saturday campaign kicks off, organisers are issuing their annual call for the nation to support and spend with small businesses on 6 December and throughout the crucial ‘peak’ trading season, which is essential for sustaining many small businesses throughout the year.
“It is promising to see positive economic signs ahead of this year’s critical festive season. This bigger seasonal spending pot offers an incredible opportunity to boost the amazing small businesses across Scotland and the wider UK,” says Michelle Ovens CBE, director of Small Business Saturday UK.
“Despite ongoing challenges, small businesses have experienced a period of relative stability this year.
“Public support can make all the difference in helping them finally turn a corner as the year ends – especially with Black Friday and Cyber Monday on the horizon, as small firms can really struggle to keep up with deep discounting events.
“It is vital the nation gets behind our favourite small businesses so we can unleash their power in supercharging the economy next year and delivering immeasurable wider value across society and our local communities.”
Encouragingly public support for small businesses continues to stay strong, with four in five people (84%) thinking it is important to support small businesses and 95% believing they add value to the local economy.
This comes as the number of small businesses rose to 5.6 million for the first time since 2020, after a series of falls in the UK’s small business population since the pandemic.
Jean Pryde, Founder of Brilliantly Brave in Moray, Scottish Highlands, said: “Winter always brings a flutter of nerves for a small creative business, but this year we feel more hopeful than anxious.
“We put our Christmas cards out in October – that’s early even by greeting card standards – and it’s been heartening to watch sales rise day by day through November. It feels as though people want to lean into the season again, and that support for small, values-led businesses is growing.
“For us, the festive period is not just about sales figures. Every card we send out helps fund free, local mental-health support here in Scotland, and that purpose sits behind everything we do. So if spending does rise this year, it won’t just give us a stronger winter, it will help us reach more people who need it.”
Small Business Saturday came to the UK in 2013 and is backed by principal supporter, American Express, which founded the campaign in the US in 2010. Over the time it has been running in the UK, the campaign has seen a growth in public support for small businesses with billions of pounds spent with small firms on Small Business Saturday.
Last year over 10 million Brits shopped small on Small Business Saturday, according to American Express, with a collective £634m spent on the day itself in-store and online in 2024, and average spend per person on the day rising to a level not seen since 2020 (3).
On Small Business Saturday customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, both online and in bricks-and-mortar stores; from independent shops and restaurants to small service and b2b based businesses like accountants, plumbers and digital marketeers.
Many small businesses get involved in the campaign by hosting events, offering promotions, and collaborating with other local businesses.
Dan Edelman, General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: “It’s positive to see the attraction of spending with small businesses remains strong among the public, especially with the festive season fast approaching.
“American Express is proud of its long-standing support of Small Business Saturday, a vital campaign encouraging the nation to shop small, whatever their budget.”
As well as encouraging the public to make a conscious effort to spend with small firms across the festive season and beyond, campaign organisers also suggest supporting favourite independents in other ways, such as leaving positive reviews or spreading the word amongst friends and family.
To learn more about Small Business Saturday visit –
Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be paid to more than 96,000 carers across Scotland from 4 December.
Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment, currently made twice a year, for people in Scotland who get Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on the qualifying dates.
The payment of £293.50, which is only available in Scotland, will be made automatically from 4 December to people who were paid Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on 13 October 2025. Carers due to get the payment will get a letter from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made.
Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “As one of the first payments introduced by Social Security Scotland in 2018, I’m proud of the difference that Carer’s Allowance Supplement has made for carers across the country.
“The payment recognises the important role that carers play in our local communities and wider society. We have also recently widened eligibility for our Young Carer Grant, meaning even more unpaid carers in Scotland are benefitting from extra help.”
Paul Traynor, Head of External Affairs, Carers Trust Scotland, said: “Since its introduction, Carer’s Allowance Supplement has provided vital additional support to unpaid carers in Scotland, helping to recognise the invaluable contribution they make to their cared for people and communities.
“With over one million payments made and hundreds of millions of pounds delivered, this supplement has helped ease financial pressures for thousands of unpaid carers.”
If a carer is eligible for December’s Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment but has not received a letter or payment by 15 December, they should contact Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222.
ST MARY’s EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL – PALMERSTON PLACE
All are very welcome to our service for World AIDS Day, on Monday 1st December.
Whatever your faith or background, join us to remember those who have passed away, and those who are still living with this condition.
The Vittoria Group has revealed the first two beneficiaries of its new Vittoria Giving Back programme, launched last month in honour of the group’s 55th anniversary, to support local organisations making a difference across Edinburgh.
The inaugural recipients Teens+ and Prospect Bank School were selected from the first round of applications, with each receiving donations worth up to £1,000. Rather than providing cash, the Vittoria Group chose to fund specific items requested by each organisation, ensuring the support would deliver long-term, practical impact.
Teens+, a transitional education service, based beside Vittoria on the Walk on McDonald Road, supports young adults with complex learning difficulties across its four centres in Edinburgh and East Lothian, helping learners gain confidence and prepare for life beyond school.
As technology becomes central to everyday independence, whether communicating online, completing coursework, making bookings or working toward qualifications, Teens+ highlighted the growing need for accessible IT equipment. The group will receive a specialist laptop to help students build essential digital skills and engage safely in an increasingly online world.
The second recipient is Prospect Bank School in Leith, which supports primary-aged children with complex, long-term additional support needs, including intellectual disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The school focuses on helping pupils communicate, manage sensory input, and participate in meaningful learning experiences. Funding from Vittoria Giving Back will enable the purchase of a SENSIS Cube – a piece of sensory play equipment designed for spinning, swinging and climbing, offering pupils calming or stimulating activities tailored to their needs.
The Vittoria Group is encouraging local schools, charities, youth groups and community organisations to apply for the next round of support.
Applications can be submitted via givingback@vittoriagroup.co.uk.
“Alongside schools, youth work improves the wellbeing, readiness to learn and educational outcomes of children and young people.” PEF National Guidance, Scottish Government
Next week, YouthLink Scotland’s #EducationNeedsYouthWork campaign will spotlight the role of youth work in:
Please join the campaign by posting examples and evidence from your local practice that demonstrate the impact that youth work can have in building skills, improving young people’s experiences and outcomes in education.
Use the #EducationNeedsYouthWork hashtag and tag YouthLink Scotland and we will share more widely across our social media channels.
Thank you!
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL NEIGHBOUR CENTRE
We are holding our annual general meeting (AGM) on Tuesday 2nd December at 3.30 – 4.30pm.
Please do come along to hear about exciting plans for the future of our lovely centre, and to make your views known.
We are very interested in your vision for the future and the directions we can take.
All members welcome.
There’s been some good news to round off this special 30th anniversary year for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre.
The Centre has just been awarded over £3500 from Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership’s Community Grants Fund to pilot a 6 month Monday Café offering free breakfasts, training opportunities, and monthly community lunches to reduce food poverty, build social connections and strengthen community use of the centre.
Happy New Year!
Thank you so much! We are so humbled and grateful to everyone who has got involved in our 2025 campaign to send Christmas cards to the isolated older people in our community.
If you haven’t yet but still want to make a difference, sign up today and pop your card in the post to us by Thursday 4th December or drop off in person to Heart of Newhaven by Monday 8th December.
You will receive an individual profile of a local older person in our community, and all you need to do is write them a Christmas card to transform their Christmas
… And if you’ve sent a card, scroll down to find a super easy way to support Vintage Vibes without it costing you a penny!
We have profiles for older people across every part of Edinburgh…
From DAVID who loves computer games, to SHEILA who dances around the living room to Glastonbury, from ROBIN the film buff to FAY the foodie.
These Christmas cards make a huge difference to people who are often or always alone, and often feel invisible during the festive period.
The messages don’t need to be long, a simple Christmas joke and a kind word will do, it’s the act of letting someone know they matter that makes all the difference.
And it’s great to get the kids involved in too!
Check out these amazing cards from the Beavers, Scouts & Young Leaders at 21st Craigalmond Scouts in South Queensferry!
*Although there is a suggested donation to help us tackle isolation all year-round, anyone can also get involved without donating by using the code NODONATE.
Already sent a card? Here’s a super easy (and free!) way to tackle local loneliness…
Will you be shopping online this Christmas?
We’re heading towards that magical but expensive time of year again – but there is a super easy way to do a little bit of good with every purchase.
With any online shopping you need to do as we head towards Black Friday and Christmas, you could raise vital funds for Vintage Vibes with just one click.
Vintage Vibes have just registered with EasyFundraising, which means that when anyone shops with 8,000+ online stores (including supermarkets), Vintage Vibes can receive a small free donation, courtesy of who you shop with – without it costing you anything. 
SIMPLE – EASY – IMPACTFUL
It’s super simple, you just sign up (at no cost to you) and then download the ‘donation reminder’ and it will pop up when you’re on an eligible website. All you do is click ‘click to get donation’ and the business will give a little donation to Vintage Vibes. Yay!
It’s predicted that more than £3m will be raised this way for charities across the UK during the coming months and we’d love to be able to increase our reach in Edinburgh in 2026, so every penny raised helps us support more local isolated older people
Find out more about EasyFundraising
As a tiny local charity, ever single share helps!
Be the reason someone smiles this Christmas – and help us spread the word about our work however you can.
You can find links to all our social media channels below, filled with posts and videos that can be shared with friends, family and colleagues! 
Thank you so much – we are forever grateful.
Georgia, Andrew, Alison, Cara and Emma
VINTAGE VIBES xxx
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT MUST HAND OVER STURGEON INFORMATION
Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton has issued a decision which requires the Scottish Government to disclose some of the written evidence supplied to James Hamilton as part of his investigation into whether former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had breached the Ministerial Code.
The Commissioner’s decision – Decision 279/2025 – is the latest in a series of rulings where his office has considered this matter.
Previously, the Scottish Government had claimed that it didn’t hold the requested information but, in December 2023, the Court of Session agreed with the Commissioner that the information was in fact held, and that the Scottish Government should therefore issue a response.
The decision comes after the requester appealed the Scottish Government’s subsequent response to the Commissioner, on the basis that much of the information was exempted from disclosure.
In his decision, the Commissioner finds that, while some information was appropriately withheld, other information should be disclosed to the requester.
In particular, the Commissioner finds that the Scottish Government had incorrectly applied the exemption which protects information where disclosure would harm the effective conduct of public affairs to all the withheld information, finding that disclosure would not substantially harm the Scottish Government’s ability to carry out future investigations of this type.
The Commissioner also meticulously reviewed the redactions applied by Scottish Government to information which was withheld to avoid breaching court orders. Following this, he instructed the release of further material.
Similarly, The Commissioner found that, while some information had been appropriately withheld because it related to confidential legal communications, other information where this exemption had been applied should be disclosed.
In some cases, this was because it did not meet the standard required for the exemption to apply while, in others, he found that, while the exemption could be appropriately applied, the public interest nevertheless favoured the disclosure of the information. Under freedom of information (FOI) law, many exemptions must be set aside if the disclosure of the information is in the public interest.
The Commissioner also identified significant procedural concerns in the Scottish Government’s handling of this case.
He found, for example, that the Scottish Government had failed to provide all of the information falling within the scope of an Information Notice served on the authority in March 2024 to enable the Commissioner to investigate the case.
Under FOI law the Commissioner can issue legally enforceable Information Notices to secure the provision of information needed to investigate FOI appeals.
During his investigation, the Commissioner subsequently found that there was additional material falling within the scope of the Information Notice which had not, initially, been supplied to his office.
While the Commissioner’s decision finds that this failure to fully comply with the Information Notice was a matter of significant concern, he also accepts that the omission was a genuine oversight, as opposed to an attempt to deliberately obstruct his investigation. As a result, he took the decision in this case not to refer this failure to the Court of Session.
The Commissioner’s decision also raises concerns with the Scottish Government’s interpretation of the request, the changing of its position during his investigation, and its failure to make a full and appropriate case for the application of exemptions to all of the information it proposed to withhold.
Commenting on this case, Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton said: “This was a very complex case, and that complexity was compounded by the way in which elements of this case were handled by the Scottish Government.
“When a public body seeks to withhold information under FOI law, it is the responsibility of that body to appropriately make their case to me. It is not for my staff to identify sensitive information on behalf of an organisation, or to make the case for an exemption on its behalf. Authorities must, therefore, ensure that its case is fully and appropriately stated in its entirety.
“It is also particularly disappointing that, had it not been for the diligence of my staff and their forensic analysis of this case, many of the failures that arose may have gone undetected.
“While there is no evidence of impropriety, this nevertheless reflects poorly on the Scottish Government handling of this case, and I trust it will take urgent action to prevent such occurrences happening again.”
The Commissioner’s decision requires the Scottish Government to disclose some information which had been wrongly withheld, and issue a revised response in relation to a small amount of other information, by 12 January 2026.
Westminster’s Treasury Committee has launched a new inquiry into the UK Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy.
MPs will examine whether the Government understands the true scale of the challenge of addressing financial exclusion, as well as what steps must be taken to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives.
It will also consider the effectiveness of current measures, such as banking hubs, and explore whether further interventions may be needed to improve financial inclusion in the future.
This follows the Committee’s report on whether organisations should be forced to accept cash, which was published earlier this year.
In its report, the Committee concluded that a lack of action from the Government to tackle declining cash acceptance could lead to a two-tier society with the most vulnerable bearing the cost.
Chair of the Treasury Committee, Dame Meg Hillier, said: “The Government has set out its stall on improving financial inclusion in this country, so now the Committee will have a closer look at whether it’s likely to make a meaningful difference to people’s lives.
“Improving financial inclusion must not be a box-ticking exercise. Words must lead to action.
“The Treasury must have a strategic vision, supported by concrete, integrated plans with clear methods for measuring their impact, and they must work closely with the private sector on this. My Committee will work to ensure that happens.”
