The city council is investing millions to improve Queensferry High Street and the town centre for residents, businesses and visitors.
The first phase of work began yesterday (October 7) from Seals Craig to Hawes Car Park and will run for 8-10 weeks. This will focus on re-surfacing and pavement widening, with minimal traffic management and no reduction in parking throughout this period.
Following a pause during the festive period, the second phase is scheduled to begin in January 2026 and will last for around one year.
This phase will create a new road layout, widen pavements, introduce new disabled, electric vehicle and car club parking, resurface the High Street, narrow Newhalls Road and improve public spaces throughout the area.
There will also be a new westbound segregated cycleway from the Hawes Car Park into the High Street along with a contraflow cycle lane on Edinburgh Road.
Transport and Enviornment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m delighted that we’ve reached this important stage in the transformation of Queensferry High Street, the town centre, and the wider community.
“This ambitious public realm regeneration will create a safer, more accessible, and vibrant environment for residents, visitors, and businesses alike.
“Our plans bring high level improvements to the area all whilst preserving and refurbishing elements of Queensferry’s unique historical character. Throughout the planning and development process, we’ve engaged extensively with local residents, businesses and the broader community to ensure their views and needs have been considered.
“This project will secure and revitalise Queensferry High Street’s prosperity for generations to come and I’m very excited to see how works develop over the coming months.”
Plans to improve Scotland’s care system have been slow to come together after not enough early delivery planning by the Scottish Government and COSLA.
The Promise, a national commitment to improving the lives of care experienced people by 2030, was made by the Scottish Government in 2020.
Organisations and individuals remain dedicated to achieving that goal. But five years on, there is still confusion about what different bodies should be doing to deliver the changes needed.
Plans to date have lacked detail and direction for individual sectors. New structures set up by the Scottish Government to help deliver The Promise have lacked clarity about their roles and responsibilities.
And Scottish Government efforts to streamline The Promise’s complex governance arrangements have been insufficient. This has contributed to slow progress and made collective accountability challenging.
From the outset, there was no assessment of what resources and skills were needed to deliver The Promise by 2030, or how success would be defined or measured.
A framework to measure progress was agreed in December 2024 but further work remains. The Scottish Government is working on national data, which is not currently good enough to assess if services are improving the lives of care experienced people.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Public bodies remain committed to improving Scotland’s care system and the lives of people who go through it. But initial planning about how The Promise would be delivered didn’t provide a strong platform for success.
“The Scottish Government needs to work with its partners to clearly set out the action that will be taken over the next five years to deliver The Promise, and how that work will be resourced.”
Angela Leitch, a member of the Accounts Commission, said: “Despite public bodies working hard to support local and national change to the services underpinning Scotland’s care system, greater pace and momentum is now needed.
“Local bodies need to work with their national partners to clarify roles and responsibilities, and prioritise the work needed to achieve The Promise’s aims.”
Commenting on the latest report on the Promise by the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission, Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children First, said: “This report makes it clear that time is running out to keep the Promise.
“Investing in prevention and whole family support is the best way to stop children going into care in the first place. No child should be taken into care because support isn’t available.
“Real efforts have been made across Scotland over the last five years but as today’s report recognises, lack of clarity and accountability and failure to value and invest in the crucial role of the third sector are standing in the way.
“Children can’t wait. At Children First our commitment to keeping the Promise is as strong as ever. But unless the recommendations of the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission are acted on immediately the Promise won’t be kept.”
New report reinforces case for stronger wealth taxes as a key building block of wider package of UK and Scottish fair tax reforms
A new report for Tax Justice Scotland has exposed Scotland’s staggering wealth gap with just five families holding more wealth (£19.3bn) than a quarter of Scotland’s population with the least wealth combined (£18.9bn).
The news comes as campaigners, frontline delivery organisations, academics, trade unions and others gather in Edinburgh for a major tax justice conference to explore the urgent need for a package of fair improvements to the tax systems at Scotland, UK and global levels.
The report, Taxing Wealth for a Fairer and Greener Scotland, produced by the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) on behalf of the campaign, makes clear that fairer taxes on wealth at UK and Scotland levels must be at the heart of this package of reforms to invest in and drive progress towards a fairer, greener and more prosperous future.
Tax Justice Scotland says improved wealth taxation is only one part of a fairer tax system and is today also challenging all political parties in Scotland to outline detailed proposals for using the powers of the Scottish Parliament to improve devolved and local tax systems.
The STUC analysis highlights the extreme end of wealth inequality after official data showed the wealthiest 2% of Scottish households have more wealth than the poorest 50% combined.
The report shows that the fortunes of Scotland’s very wealthiest people are surging far faster than people’s pay packets. Between 2024 and 2025, the combined wealth of Scotland’s ten richest families shot up by almost 8%, outstripping average earnings growth (5.9%).
Incredibly, the five richest families in Scotland are estimated to have more wealth (£19.3bn) than the Scottish Government collected in Income Tax (£19bn) last year.
For illustrative purposes, the STUC analysis shows that a modest annual wealth tax of just 2% on all those with assets of more than £10 million could raise nearly half a billion pounds (£492 million) from Scotland’s 10 richest families alone, enough to pay for 12,000 new nurses, or 11,000 new teachers, or to double the Scottish Child Payment and lift more than 30,000 children out of poverty.
Given such a wealth tax would apply to all those with assets of more than £10 million in Scotland, it would raise even more.
Roz Foyer, General Secretary of the STUC, said on behalf of Tax Justice Scotland:“This research lays bare the shocking concentration of wealth in Scotland. While families across the country are struggling to pay their bills, a handful of the super-rich are lining their pockets with more and more money.
“It doesn’t have to be this way: fairly taxing this eye-watering wealth could, according to STUC research, mean more 12,000 new nurses in hospitals, 11,000 more teachers in classrooms or to double the Scottish Child Payment and lift more than 30,000 children out of poverty
“Politicians across the UK should be in no doubt that it’s their dithering and delay that is deepening the crisis within our communities and public services. The powers to make a radical change to our tax system are at their disposal. The excuses must end. Scotland can work for everyone, not just the richest few. It’s time that work was started without equivocation.”
Tax Justice Scotland believes a series of tax reforms are needed to deliver the investment Scotland needs, while incentivising positive behaviours, to tackle poverty, strengthen public services, cut emissions and support fair work, while reducing the many forms of inequality that persist, including gender and economic inequality.
The campaign says this package of reform is essential to building a fairer, greener and more prosperous future for everyone in Scotland. While, over time, raising enough revenue is likely to require broad-based tax increases – fairer wealth taxation is vital.
As the Chancellor prepares her autumn Budget, campaigners point to growing momentum behind fairer taxes, with 68% of people in Scotland thinking the very richest should pay more. Over three-quarters (79%) of people in Scotland back a UK-wide wealth tax on the very richest people.
Previous analysis has shown that the measure, alongside a series of other reforms to improve existing UK-level taxes on wealth, like increasing Capital Gains Tax and applying National Insurance to investment income, could raise up to £60 billion a year across the UK.
A UK-wide wealth tax, if introduced, could help boost the Scottish Budget. But the STUC’s analysis shows that if the UK Government fails to act, the Scottish Parliament could use its own tax powers, with HMRC support, to introduce a locally-administered wealth tax.
The findings come against a backdrop of growing fiscal pressure: the Scottish Fiscal Commission has warned of a £4.7 billion shortfall in the Scottish Budget by the end of the decade, alongside mounting longer-term challenges. The Commission is urging all parties to work together before and after the Scottish election to address these challenges.
While making the case for improved taxation on all forms of wealth, Tax Justice Scotland says improving tax on property wealth in Scotland is particularly essential. Campaigners say the outdated and unfair Council Tax, still based on property values from 1991, must finally be replaced with a reformed property tax that reflects today’s housing wealth.
Property wealth has surged by almost £100 billion in just ten years, yet the Council Tax system remains frozen in time, letting those in the most expensive homes pay far less than they should, while many others are left paying over the odds.
Tax Justice Scotland say replacing Council Tax, alongside wider reforms to better tax the wealthiest and to build upon modest but progressive changes to Income Tax in Scotland, would collectively make sure those with the broadest shoulders contribute a fairer share.
Campaigners emphasise that while tax isn’t a silver bullet, it can play a much bigger role in building the Scotland we want to see.
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, a member of Tax Justice Scotland, said:“Our tax system can do so much more to help build the country the people of Scotland want, but, right now, it’s stacked in favour of the wealthy.
“It’s time to fix the system; and that must include better taxing wealth right across the UK and, in Scotland, finally replacing the outdated Council Tax.
“With the Scottish election fast approaching, all political parties have a clear choice: defend a broken system that protects the richest while short-changing critical priorities or back a fairer one that delivers a fairer, greener and more prosperous country for all of us.”
Last year, only 26.5% of those with learning disabilities in GGC who were eligible for cervical cancer screening attended their appointment – 1
October kickstarts Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a good opportunity to remind women of the importance of attending their breast screening appointment.
“One in eight women in Scotland will be diagnosed with breast cancer. But when it’s found early, the chances of successful treatment are much higher.
“In fact, women are five times more likely to survive. Breast screening alone saves around 130 lives every year in Scotland,” said Heather Jarvie, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) Public Health Programme Manager.
“Breast screening helps us detect cancers that are too small to see or feel. That’s why we encourage every woman who receives an invitation to attend. It could be lifesaving.”
Who is eligible for breast screening?
Women aged between 50 and 70 will be invited for breast screening every three years. Those eligible will be invited by NHSGGC via letter, email or post, depending on what they selected as their communication preference with their GP.
Anyone over the age of 70 can make an appointment for breast screening directly via the breast screening service.
Breast screening is also offered to non-binary people whose birth certificate originally said female, who haven’t had breast removal surgery, trans women who are taking hormones, and trans men who haven’t had breast removal surgery.
Don’t miss out
NHSGGC is also taking this opportunity to encourage women who may have missed their appointment, or who cannot make their appointment, to please contact their local breast screening service to rearrange another suitable date. Heather explained:
“We understand that life happens and at times appointments may be missed or dates and times simply don’t work due to conflicting events. Please don’t miss out because of this. Anyone who has missed their breast screening appointment should get in touch.”
West of Scotland Breast Screening Service contact number: 0141 800 8800.
Heather also provided reassurance to anyone who may have nerves about attending. She said: “We also understand that for some attending a screening can feel daunting, but we’re here to support you every step of the way.
“Our team is friendly, professional, and ready to make your experience as easy and reassuring as possible. We suggest that women watch the ‘what to expect’ video ahead of time to set their mind at ease.”
What happens at a screening appointment?
Eligible women living in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, will either be invited to the NHSGGC breast screening centre in Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow City Centre or to one of NHSGGC’s breast screening mobile units that visit localities throughout the year.
This mobile unit, often called the screening bus, is a welcoming, private, and fully accessible space, designed to make visits as comfortable and supportive as possible.
Each appointment involves a mammogram, four quick X-rays, two of each breast, carried out by a specially trained female mammographer. The process only takes a few minutes, and there’s time beforehand to ask questions or share any concerns.
If you have or care for someone with additional support needs
Heather also explained the reasonable adjustments that can be made to appointments: “We have options available for people who have additional support needs.
“They or their carers can call our breast clinics and request extra support, whether that’s a longer appointment or bringing someone with them. We have easy read booklets too for people with learning disabilities to look through ahead of time so as they can understand what to expect.
“Please remember to contact the breast screening service before your appointment to discuss any support needs you may have”
What all women should do at home
Women are also urged that if they notice any unusual changes in their breasts, they should not wait for their screening. They should speak to their GP right away, even if they’ve recently had a mammogram.
Signs and symptoms to look out for include:
A lump or swelling in your breast, chest or armpit
Changes in the skin of your breast (dimpling, redness)
A change in size or shape of one or both breasts
Nipple discharge (not related to pregnancy or breastfeeding)
A change in the appearance of your nipple (inversion, rash)
Feeling overwhelmed? Starting college or uni can be both exciting and stressful. Remember you don’t have to face any worries alone – help is available.
Here’s what you need to know:
On Campus Support – Many unis or colleges offer in-house mental health services. Search the ‘Think Positive Hub’ to see what’s available near you.
NHS inform – Explore guides and resources:
Mental health guides to help issues such as anxiety, phobias, and sleep problems.
Tips on boosting your mental wellbeing
Info on where to find the right support
Free mental health apps to help with sleep, stress, and anxiety.
Need to talk? Reach out to Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 or webchat. Experienced advisors are available to listen and offer information and advice.
Open weekdays 6pm–2am & weekends 6pm Fri–6am Mon
Urgent help?
Contact your GP to access urgent mental health support. If the GP is closed, NHS 24’s Mental Health Hub is available on 111. Specially trained advisers are ready to help and connect you with the right support.
Need more info? Check out our student health tips at #NHSinform.
A duo will undertake a mammoth 24-hour fundraising walk for Change Mental Health’s Stafford Centre service in Edinburgh.
Starting at the service on Edinburgh’s Broughton Street, Joe Sangster and Callum O’Brien will walk an entire day around the Forth estuary, all the way to Kincardine Bridge, to Rosyth, over the Forth Road Bridge then back to Stafford Centre.
Commencing at 12 noon tomorrow (8th October), the pair hope to return to Stafford Centre at the exact same time on 9th October. They are labelling the event as ‘Walk and Talk’, a nod to the fact that 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health.
Both Joe and Callum hope to raise at least £800, which will pay for some vital upgrades and improvements to Stafford Centre’s café kitchen. The café is an important asset to the centre, tackling social isolation and loneliness, and ensuring people have a space to make connections with access to a hot meal.
Joe Sangster said: “This is going to be a difficult walk, especially through the night with chilly temperatures, but this is ultimately to help the people we support.
“Fundraised income might just be for new refrigerators and appliances, but they keep the service going. It ensures people can have that hot meal in a safe space where they can break down isolation and converse with people facing similar challenges.
“This money is hugely appreciated.”
The two work for Change Mental Health in Stafford Centre, a free drop-in community resource creating a safe environment to help people build supportive networks, while helping people with their mental health.
Through a range of services, Stafford Centre aims to reduce isolation, promote belonging and build resilience, to build skills and confidence while helping people to find their community. As well as the centre’s drop-in, it can support with welfare rights, counselling and outreach – as well as supporting veterans and men experiencing trauma.
Michele Mason, Head of Edinburgh & Lothian Services, said:“The staff team and people we support are with Joe and Callum every step of the way.
“This is an admirable challenge and feat, and it means we can make improvements to Stafford Centre through the money they have raised.
“It’s fundraising challenges and donations like this that help us improve the service, so people can access transformational support in their community.”
Just a 10p donation can feed a hungry child with Mary’s Meals charity initiative, backed by Hebridean Baker Coinneach MacLeod
School children in Scotland can be heroes for hungry children in some of the world’s poorest communities by donating their pocket money for porridge.
Mary’s Meals’ Pocket Money for Porridge campaign, run in partnership with Inner Wheel, is calling on teachers to set up a collection where pupils can each donate 10p to the charity. The charity’s low-cost approach means they can serve a school meal to a hungry child for just 10p.
Mary’s Meals feeds three million children with a nutritious meal every school day in 16 countries. The promise of a daily meal encourages children from the world’s poorest communities into the classroom where they will gain an education that could be their ladder out of poverty.
In some of the countries where Mary’s Meals works – Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – the school meal served is a vitamin-enriched porridge, which helps children to learn and grow. Schools are being encouraged to run a Pocket Money for Porridge collection in conjunction with World Porridge Day on 10 October.
The initiative is being backed by social media sensation and bestselling cookbook author Coinneach MacLeod, the Hebridean Baker.
Coinneach, cookbook author, TV star and a judge in this year’s Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship, says: “It’s incredible that something as humble as my favourite breakfast – porridge oats, can do so much good.
“Filling a hungry child’s tummy and opening the door to learning, that’s the wonderful work of Mary’s Meals.
“I’d love for kids in classrooms in Scotland to support Mary’s Meals this World Porridge Day and throughout October by bringing 10p to class, which can stop a child going hungry.”
For Ivy, a pupil at Nansato Primary School in Malawi, her daily cup of porridge makes a real difference to her performance in school. She says: “Porridge gives me enough energy to learn better.
“After eating porridge, I actively take part in class and the porridge keeps me healthy. If there was no porridge at school, it could have been difficult for me to understand what the teachers teach due to hunger.”
Sally Davidson, Supporter Engagement Officer at Mary’s Meals, says: “Just 10p can change the world!We can serve a school meal to a hungry child for that tiny amount, and we want pupils here to help this October.
“World Porridge Day is coming up on October 10 and there’s never been a better time to make the power of porridge go even further!”
Teachers can download a Pocket Money for Porridge fundraising pack, packed full of ways their class can get involved, from:
Aura Print has found that over the past five years, Good Morning Britain has racked up nearly 92,000 Ofcom complaints, making it the most complained-about show in the UK.
Reality favourites like Love Island and outspoken presenters such as Julia Hartley-Brewer and Dan Wootton aren’t far behind, whilst royal-related shows such as Harry and Meghan’s Oprah appearance and the King’s Coronation sparked nearly 15,000 complaints in total.
Key findings:
Piers Morgan comments on Meghan Markle had the most complaints for a single broadcast: 57,973
Piers Morgan, Julia Hartley-Brewer and Dan Wootton are amongst the most complained about TV presenters in the UK
MAFS UK generated under 2,000 complaints, showing Love Island especially riles viewers
Royal coverage triggers complaints: King Charles Coronation (8,000 complaints) Oprah with Meghan & Harry (6,500)
Emmerdale takes the lead as the British soap with the most complains
ITV is the station with the most complaints with over 210,000, followed by TalkTV with over 20,000 and GBNews with over 17,000
So, whichTV shows are the most complained about of the past 5 years?
Good Morning Britain has racked up nearly 92,000 Ofcom complaints, making it the most complained-about show in the UK.
2021 and 2024 stand out as the years with the highest number of complaints. The single most complained-about episode was on 8 March 2021, with 57,973 complaints, coinciding with the infamous Piers Morgan episode discussing Meghan Markle’s mental health.
Aura Print’s research found that Good Morning Britain sees occasional explosive spikes linked to high-profile controversies, but day-to-day episodes generate around 50–300 complaints each.
Reality favourites likeLove Island follow with over 66,000 complaints, proving that when drama hits the screen, Brits love to dial in. Key moments such as explosive rows, Casa Amor, movie nights, and provocative content generate the bulk of complaints for this show.
In comparison, Married at First Sight UK has generated less than 2k complaints in its run, showing that Love Island especially riles up Brits.
Second to Piers Morgan, Julia Hartley-Brewer is one of the most complained-about presenters, racking up 18,500 complaints, more than double the 9,207 complaints against GB News’ Dan Wootton.
Some shows have sent viewers dialing like never before, particularly when the royals are involved. Coverage of King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023 triggered more than 8,000 complaints, while Oprah with Meghan and Harry received almost 6.5k complaints.
Even fan-favourite entertainment shows aren’t safe. I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! andBig Brother collectively pulled in over 10,000 complaints, with moments like bug-eating trials and live evictions sending viewers into a frenzy.
The most complained about episodes of TV in the past 5 years
Programme
Service
Air Date
Number of complaints (2021-2025)
Good Morning Britain
ITV
8 + 9 March 2021
57,973
Love Island
ITV2
6 August 2021
24763
Julia Hartley-Brewer
TalkTV
3 January 2024
15536
Dan Wootton Tonight
GB News
26 September 2023
8846
Good Morning Britain
ITV1
5 August 2024
8419
Good Morning Britain
ITV1
5 August 2024
8201
Celebrities: What’s Happened to Your Face?
Channel 5
22 April 2021
7082
Oprah with Meghan and Harry
ITV
8 March 2021
4,398
Love Island
ITV2
28 July 2021
4330
King Charles III: The Coronation
ITV1
6 May 2023
4165
King Charles III: The Coronation
ITV1
6 May 2023
4087
Leading the charge is Good Morning Britain, whose 8 March 2021 broadcast racked up a staggering 57,973 complaints, the most for any single episode in recent history.
Ofcom has since reminded broadcasters to provide timely warnings or signposting for sensitive content, especially around topics such as mental health and suicide. Their statement included:
“Mr Morgan’s comments were potentially harmful and offensive to viewers, and we recognise the strong public reaction to them. But we also took full account of freedom of expression. Under our rules, broadcasters can include controversial opinions as part of legitimate debate in the public interest, and the strong challenge to Mr Morgan from other contributors provided important context for viewers.”
Love Island’s 6 August 2021 episode received 24,763 complaints after contestant Faye Winters outburst at her interest Teddy Soares. The outburst sparked widespread viewer complaints around whether the show did enough to step in.
The most complained about TV episode of 2024 was Julia Hartley-Brewer’s TalkTV show on 3 January 2024 provoked 15,536 complaints,
Dan Wootton Tonight racked up 8,846 complaints when Laurence Fox made derogatory remarks about Ava Evans following her appearance on the BBC’s Politics Live, calling her “pathetic and embarrassing” and questioning her appeal to men.
People across Edinburgh and the east are being encouraged to sign up for a fundraising walk that pays tribute to people with dementia.
Alzheimer Scotland’s Memory Walk 2025 takes place on Sunday, 26 October and will raise vital funds to support dementia care, research and improvements in brain health.
Communities across the area are being invited to join the event in Lauriston Castle Gardens on Cramond Road South, where they can walk in memory of loved ones affected by the illness.
The Edinburgh event is the last of four memory walks taking place across Scotland throughout 2025.
Events have also taken place in Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow. Tickets cost just £10 for adults and children can be registered for free. It’s quick and easy to set up a sponsorship page, which can be shared with family, friends and colleagues.
Every penny raised will help people with dementia and their carers, as well as supporting better brain health for everyone in Scotland.
Scotland’s Memory Walk is also about celebrating the lives of people with dementia and walking to remember them.
Among those taking part is Karen Witherspoon from Cleikiminfield, Edinburgh.She will be walking in memory of her mum Margaret Walker who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and passed away in 2024 aged 82.
Karen, 61, a university administration manager, will be joined on the walk by husband John, daughters Lauren, 37, and Amy, 32, and son-in-law Patrick.
She said: “My mum Margaret was such a loving person who was devoted to her family. She was always there for me and my sister Nicola, and when I had my daughters she spent almost every day with them.
“She loved bingo, reading and music, and kept fit by going for walks with my dad William and her best pal Pat.
“She was the best mum.
“We started noticing signs that things weren’t quite right and then in 2021 she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It seemed to progress fast, but we did our best to make the most of the time we had with her.
“Alzheimer Scotland have been a great source of advice and support for us, and before mum passed she joined us on our first memory walk to raise money for them – walking around Arthur’s Seat.
“It felt good to be able to give back and this year we’ll be taking part in the memory walk again. Whatever we raise, I hope it helps support the work Alzheimer Scotland are doing so that other families like ours can get the help and support they need.
“It’s a shame mum isn’t here to join in, but we’ll be doing it in her memory. I hope she’s looking down and is proud of us.”
Lauren Heap, Centre Manager for Alzheimer Scotland’s Edinburgh and West Lothian’s Brain Health and Dementia Resource Centre, said: “Alzheimer Scotland is proud to support people living with dementia and their families and carers, from our centres here in Edinburgh.
“We are delighted to host this Memory Walk in Edinburgh. It is such a special event and it will be wonderful to walk alongside our supporters again in the local community.
“Scotland’s Memory Walk has always had a wonderful ability to bring people together. Every pound raised helps Alzheimer Scotland continue to develop and deliver vital dementia support. We can’t wait to see Lauriston Castle Gardens filled with a sea of purple t-shirts.”
To find out more and to sign up for Scotland’s Memory Walk, visit:
Picutred: Neil Thompson, RHASS Director and Rev Dr Scott Rennie
RHASS and Edinburgh’s St Giles’ Cathedral come together to celebrate the extraordinary efforts of Scotland’s farmers in a Harvest Thanksgiving service
A John Deere tractor and a seed drill took centre stage outside of Edinburgh’s St Giles’ Cathedral yesterday (5th October) as the exceptional efforts and hard work of Scotland’s farming community were recognised in a Harvest Thanksgiving service in partnership with RHASS (the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland).
Conducted by Rev Dr Scott Rennie, the service celebrated the tireless efforts of Scotland’s farming community, while acknowledging the ever-changing weather conditions farmers across the country have faced ahead of this year’s harvest.
Displays of seasonal vegetables, including broccoli, pumpkins, potatoes, parsnips and carrots were donated by RHASS Directors for the service from farms across the country to shine a light on the array of local produce grown in Scotland.
RHET (the Royal Highland Education Trust) also supported the Harvest Thanksgiving celebrations by creating a display inside the cathedral.
Their exhibit drew on educational resources used in schools to highlight what’s in season, Scottish crops, images of harvesting through the ages, examples of school growing projects, and a seasonal calendar.
This provided visitors with a chance to reflect on Scotland’s food harvest and the work of farmers, while showcasing RHET’s role in connecting young people with food and farming.
The produce on display during the service has since been donated to Edinburgh charities, Empty Kitchens Full Hearts, the Grassmarket Community Project and the Salvation Army Hostel, to be made into meals for those in the city who are in need.
RHASS Chairman, James Logan, said: “At RHASS, we’re proud to stand side by side Scotland’s rural community all year round and the harvest season provides us with an opportunity to take stock and show our incredible gratitude towards those farmers working day and night to help feed our nation.
“This year has brought more unpredictable weather and following a dry spring harvest experiences can vary widely for each farmer. Everyone involved in farming and rural life plays a vital role in producing our food, and they all deserve recognition and thanks. Sunday’s service provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these efforts, and we are grateful to all who joined us and shared produce in support of local causes.”
Speaking on the Harvest Thanksgiving service, Katrina Barclay, Executive Officer at RHET, commented: “As an education charity, it’s an honour for RHET to be asked by the team at St Giles to be part of this celebration of harvest and to share some of the learning information we create for teachers all about food and farming in Scotland.”
Catherine Jones, Social Enterprise Director, said: “We are truly thankful for this incredible donation of fresh vegetables again this year.
“Every week, we support more than 230 vulnerable adults who often struggle to access healthy and nutritious meals. Food poverty continues to be a serious issue across our communities, and contributions like this make a real difference to those most affected.
“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to St Giles’ Cathedral for their ongoing support, and to RHASS and the dedicated farmers whose hard work has made this gift possible.”
Rev Dr Scott Rennie, Minister of St Giles’ Cathedral, said: “In this time when we are more than ever aware of our need of local food production and the vital role that Scottish farmers in bringing the food we need to our tables, we are delighted to partner with the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland.
“There is a particular poignancy to celebrating the Harvest in the heart of Scotland’s capital city, a city filled with tables set for visitors and residents alike. We are reminded of where our food comes from, and the labour in its production. For all this, and more, we give thanks to God.
“Bringing farming equipment to the Royal Mile is one way to remind us of all of our dependence on those who work hard to produce our food.”
For further information about the work of RHASS, visit: rhass.org.uk
Feeling overwhelmed? Starting college or uni can be both exciting and stressful. Remember you don’t have to face any worries alone – help is available. 
On Campus Support – Many unis or colleges offer in-house mental health services. Search the ‘Think Positive Hub’ to see what’s available near you.
NHS inform – Explore guides and resources:
Need to talk? Reach out to Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 or webchat. Experienced advisors are available to listen and offer information and advice.
Urgent help?
