Queen Margaret Uni transforms its teaching and learning spaces

Queen Margaret University’s attractive modern campus, which was built in Musselburgh in 2007, is undergoing a significant transformation which will see the development of exciting new teaching and learning spaces.

The Future Spaces project involves the revitalisation of some of the University’s most important learning and teaching spaces to help ensure QMU meets the changing needs of students and staff.

The work also aims to support QMU’s ambitions to refresh, enhance and modernise the campus so that it continues to attract prospective students and supports the growth of the university. 

With an investment of £2.1 million, students and staff can expect to see a dramatic change to the Learning Resource Centre and some ground floor classroom areas, which will ultimately expand capacity for self-directed and collaborative student learning and informal teaching activity.

The enhancement and repurposing of spaces will also provide more flexible use of key areas of the building and a wider choice of more comfortable, vibrant, and sociable study space options. Some of the changes will also provide increased capacity for larger practical group work, which will provide greater flexibility with timetabling and support the delivery of high demand courses. 

Bruce Laing, Director of Campus Services, explained: “Queen Margaret University already has an attractive, bright, modern campus development, but it’s important that we continue investing in our buildings to ensure they reflect changes in the way students work and developments in the way we teach.

“Essentially, we want to create welcoming and comfortable study and teaching spaces where students want to be, and which will support and enhance their learning. Aside from supporting current students studying at the University, the investment will help us to remain competitive in our ability to attract prospective students.”

A range of stakeholder engagement took place across the university through workshops, surveys and feedback sessions to help shape the plans and deliver attractive, flexible spaces which would inspire, motivate and support students to fully engage in a diverse range of learning opportunities.

The renovation work involves the transformation of the Learning Resource Centre to create spaces which support social learning through collaborative and peer-group projects, and flexible spaces which support a diversity of informal teaching and supervision activity.

Bruce Laing continued: “We are delighted to be working with Morris & Spottiswood in the transformation of the building spaces, and it is hoped that the full first phase of the project will be completed by mid-September, allowing our students to take full advantage of the new spaces in their first semester.

“We are also excited about showcasing our new interior spaces to hundreds of prospective students and their families at our September and October open days this year. More importantly, we are confident that the current transformation of learning and teaching spaces will help us enhance the student experience so that students are well equipped to go out into the world and make a difference.”

David Thorn, Operations Director at Morris & Spottiswood said: “Our aim is to create places where people can thrive, and this project really seeks to deliver such spaces, so we are thrilled to be involved. 

“All stakeholders are committed to successful delivery, and we have experienced true commitment to partnership working across our team, Designers ADP Architecture, Project Managers HD Property Consultants and the wider project delivery team.”

Professor David Stevenson, Dean of the School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management and Project Sponsor, concluded: “This is an exciting, creative project for the University which, after two years of work, will now revitalise and improve our learning environment.

“We are pleased that our partner Morris & Spottiswood is providing the excellent support that we need to deliver our vision and that they share our commitment to ensuring the QMU environment is a happy, productive and enjoyable place to be.”

Are YOU losing out on Pension Credit?

SUPPORT and ADVICE from GRANTON INFORMATION CENTRE

THE Scottish Government has confirmed it will no longer provide Winter Fuel Payments to all pensioners in Scotland. Replicating the recent decision announced by the UK Government, Winter Fuel Payments will now be means-tested, which means only individuals in receipt of Pension Credit and certain other benefits will receive it.

Because Pension Credit is a ‘gateway benefit’, which opens up access to other support including Winter Fuel Payments, it is now more crucial than ever that individuals claim Pension Credit so that they don’t miss out on additional money they are entitled to.

If you’ve reached State Pension age, you can claim Pension Credit if your weekly income is less than:

£218.15 if you’re single

£332.95 if you’re a couple.

Even if your weekly income is higher than these thresholds, you could still claim Guarantee Credit if you meet one of the following criteria:

*you’re a carer

*you have a severe disability

*you have certain housing costs, such as service charges

*you’re responsible for a child or young person who usually lives with you.

If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit. If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.

MANY, MANY, ELIGIBLE PENSIONERS ARE MISSING OUT ON PENSION CREDIT!

To claim Pension Credit, you can either:

*claim online on GOV.UK (if you already claim State Pension and there aren’t any children or young people included in your claim)

*call the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234 and they can fill in the application for you over the phone (lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm).

To discuss your benefit entitlements and to find out what you can claim, get in touch with us at Granton Information Centre.

Our Welfare Rights Advisers are here to help!

Call 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk

Overdose Awareness Day: Memorial Service at Saughton Park Bandstand

Please share this event to remember those lost to their battles with substance use on Overdose Awareness Day.

https://ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/edinburgh/saughton-park-gardens/memorial-service-for-overdose-awareness-day/e-deyjrp…?

Community Police drop-ins at PCHP

⭐️New Drop-in Alert⭐️

Join us for an open and friendly Community Police Drop-in session! This is your chance to meet our local officer, discuss any concerns, ask questions.

📆When: 26th of August
📍Where: Pilton Community Health Project, 73 Boswall Parkway, EH5 2PW
⏱What Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM

No appointment needed, just drop in.

Whether you want to share your thoughts, seek advice, or simply say hello, we are here to listen.

#PCHP40

#FiveWaysToWellbeing

#Connect

#communitywellbeingprogramme

#CommunityWellbeing

The NEN North Edinburgh News

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

Granton Library

Granton Information Centre

UK steps up support to tackle mpox outbreak on visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Africa Minister Lord Collins has announced new funding to tackle the outbreak of mpox cases in the DRC

  • UK support announced for ongoing mpox and cholera outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to improve access to clean water. 
  •  Lord Collins made the announcement during a visit to the DRC where he also discussed how the two countries can deepen their collaboration across a range of sectors.
  •  He welcomed the recent ceasefire in eastern DRC and commitments to bring an enduring peace to the region.

The UK has announced new funding to work with DRC to bolster the regional African response to outbreaks of mpox and cholera in the country. 

During a visit to the Institute National de Recherche Biomedical (National Institute of Biomedical Research) in the DRC, Lord Collins announced £3.1m of UK funding for a new partnership with UNICEF that will benefit over 4.4 million people in affected communities as well as help preventing the further spread of mpox to neighbouring countries.

This funding announcement follows a declaration from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the upsurge of mpox in the DRC and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). 

 The Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury said: “Working together, with our partners and using the expertise and dedication of Congolese scientists, including those at the world-leading research centre I have visited in DRC, our support will play an important role in ensuring global health security for all.

“By protecting the health and well-being of communities across DRC, and by helping contain these outbreaks, we reduce the risk of diseases spreading further afield. This will ultimately benefit us all.”

The UK remains in regular contact with the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on developments of the outbreak and is supporting the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa to respond to this health emergency.

The UK Health Security Agency is closely monitoring the situation, working with international partners including the World Health Organisation, European, US and Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and national public health agencies.

As the largest flexible donor to the WHO globally the UK is also helping it to allocate resources where most needed through vaccines and treatments.  As the second biggest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – providing £1.65bn over the 2020-2025 period – the UK is also working closely with them on ensuring access to mpox vaccines for low and middle income countries.

Professor Christian Ngandu, Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator at DRC’s National Public Health Institute said: “The UK’s support to the DRC, in partnership with UNICEF, on the mpox response, will contributed to saving the lives of affected populations by aligning with the DRC’s national mpox preparedness and response plan.”

The announcement came as Lord Collins visited DRC this week to bolster bilateral ties between the UK and DRC and drive forward the bilateral relationship in key areas, including climate and trade and investment. 

The Minister announced £6m of new UK funding to provide clean drinking water and sanitation to some 200,000 displaced in partnership with UNICEF and SAFER, helping improve access to clean water for all.

In meetings with key government ministers including the President, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, Lord Collins welcomed the UK and DRC’s strong partnership and underlined the UK’s commitment to strengthening collaboration in areas such trade, investment, climate and combatting sexual violence in conflict.

Following the successful UK-DRC Trade and Investment Mission in April, the Minister met with UK-linked businesses to discuss how the UK can play a constructive role in supporting improved supply chains of critical minerals in DRC and assist British businesses entering the DRC market.

The Minister also welcomed an announcement by British International Investment this week to invest up to $35 million (£27 million) into the development of Banana Port, a $300-400m project led by Emirati company DP World, that will help transform DRC’s economy.

In addition, he welcomed the UK’s new £90m Congo Basin Forest Action programme which will look to improve economic livelihoods whilst preserving forests and nature. 

Lord Collins also discussed the UK and DRC’s long-standing collaboration to combat Conflict Related Sexual Violence, meeting with government ministers and civil society to understand more about this issue.

On the conflict in eastern DRC, Lord Collins welcomed the ceasefire agreement between DRC and Rwanda, recognising the important role played by Angola.

He expressed UK support for President Tshisekedi’s commitment to bring an enduring regional peace to the east and underlined the UK’s condemnation of the actions of all illegal armed groups in eastern DRC, including the UN-sanctioned M23.

The UK is delivering a three-year humanitarian programme in the east of DRC, providing life-saving emergency assistance and increasing the resilience of crisis-affected communities affected by the conflict.

Improving cancer care

Funding for projects to benefit patients and clinical staff

A total of £1.5 million funding in 2024-25 is supporting 12 projects to continue providing direct and personalised support to patients with cancer.

The Single Point of Contact (SPoC) pilots provide patients with ongoing contact to support them, putting them at the heart of all decisions and actions involving them throughout their care journey.

The NHS Lothian SPoC uses a centralised digital hub delivering telephone communication and support to patients with a range of cancer types.

Around 40% of calls are diverted away from Clinical Nurse Specialist workload, which has led to improvements in the quality of their telephone contacts. Patient engagement work carried out by NHS Lothian and Healthcare Improvement Scotland has indicated high satisfaction with the service.

Confirming the funding, which is included in the 2024-25 Budget, as he met nurses at Edinburgh Cancer Centre with experience of the service, First Minister John Swinney said: “We are fully focused on improving cancer survival, and delivering excellent and accessible care is at the core of how we do that.

“The Single Point of Contact Service meets requirements identified by Boards to deliver improvements in communication and support for patients with navigating cancer care.

“By taking in the region of 2,000 calls per month and providing person-centred support to those patients throughout their care journey, the Edinburgh Single Point of Contact project provides consistent access for patients to have conversations about their care, freeing up capacity for specialist staff to focus on the most complex cases.”

Katie Gibson, Neuroendocrine Tumour Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, said: “I’ve seen first-hand how the SPoC service has transformed our ability to care for cancer patients.

“The centralised system streamlines communication and allows us to spend more quality time with those who need it most.

“As a result, patients are aware of who to contact for the support and advice they require from diagnosis , treatment and beyond.”

Over £1.5 million will support 12 pilot projects across Scotland to deliver a single point of contact to people diagnosed with cancer.

Funding has been delivered in response to needs identified by individual Boards and proposals submitted by them, pilots vary by cancer type and location:

  • NHS Lothian has received £ 343,740 to support the telephone-based SPoC service at Edinburgh Western General, serving boards within the South East Scotland Cancer Network
  • NHS Borders has received £82,000 for 3 cancer care co-ordinators, providing support across a variety of cancer sites
  • NHS Dumfries and Galloway has received £71,000 for 2 cancer co-ordinator posts, providing a telephone-based support service across a range of tumour sites  
  • NHS Fife has received £107,354 to staff a Single Point of Contact Hub, dealing with all urgent suspected cancer referrals.  
  • NHS Forth Valley has received £67,556 for 2 healthcare support workers (HCSW) providing a single point of contact for 7 tumour groups
  • NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and NHS Lanarkshire have received total funding of £202,668to develop a regional approach to digital remote follow up of prostate cancer patients in the West of Scotland
  • NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has received £67,566 for 2 support workers to augment specialist gynaecological nursing support  and £141,324 for 4 SPoC roles across GGC sites to smooth and facilitate the patient journey, for people diagnosed with lung cancer
  • NHS Grampian has received £84,500 for 3 posts to provide a joint service with Macmillan Navigators, providing support following an Urgent Suspicion of Cancer (USC) referral
  • NHS Highland has received £270,680 for 7 Cancer Support Workers providing tailored support throughout diagnostic pathway and onto treatment
  • NHS Tayside has received £33,288 to provide support for people diagnosed with advanced Upper Gastrointestinal or Hepatopancreatobiliary tumours and lung, renal and prostate cancers
  • NHS Western Isles has received £68,000 for 2 HCSWs, as part of the Macmillan Team, to support people with all types of cancer

Health Improvement Scotland is currently carrying out a scalability assessment of all 12 projects in order to identify best practice and how best to scale and expand these pilots.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines partners with Jet2.com for 2025 Mediterranean fly-cruise programme

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has teamed up with airline Jet2.com for its new 2025 fly-cruise programme.

Between October and November 2025, Fred. Olsen’s smaller ship Balmoral will play host on a range of Mediterranean sailings, with Jet2.com to operate chartered flights from London Stansted and Manchester.

With cruises ranging from seven to 12-nights, guests will have opportunities to take in the charming cliff-top towns of Cinque Terre and the Amalfi, the beautiful Bay of Kotor and the enchanting Greek islands. Ashore, they can discover the origins of Flamenco dancing, sip Jerez sherry, wander the Dalmatian markets and witness Krka Waterfall.

Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Services at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are really excited about this new partnership with Jet2.com for Balmoral’s 2025 Mediterranean fly-cruise programme.

“They are renowned for their customer service, and as such will complement the high standard of service that our guests come to expect from us. This collaboration highlights our commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences for our guests, before they even step foot aboard one of our ships.

“A fly-cruise is perfect for guests who want to maximise their time ashore, by reducing the time in sailing from the UK. Plus, guests can tailor their holiday by booking onto consecutive fly-cruises for those looking to enjoy a longer autumnal break in the sunshine.”

Fred. Olsen’s fly-cruise fare includes economy flights and transfers to and from the ship, a luggage allowance of 22kg, plus 10kg of hand luggage.

Balmoral will be operating six fly-cruise sailings in the Mediterranean in 2025, as follows:

Balmoral’s 10-night L2524 ‘Spanish Colours and Cultures’ cruise, departing from Southampton on 17th September 2025. Prices start from £1,599 per person.

Experience Ibiza’s renowned sunset from the decks of Balmoral
Enjoy authentic Spanish cuisines, such as tapas and Jerez sherry
Visit the iconic landmark of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral
Itinerary: Southampton, UK – La Coruna, Spain – Cadiz, Spain – Ibiza, Spain – Cruising by Benirras Beach at sunset, Ibiza, Spain – Barcelona Spain – Valencia, Spain (overnight port)
For more details: Visit L2524 ‘Spanish Colours and Cultures’

Balmoral’s 10-night L2525 ‘Colourful Cliffside Towns of the Amalfi Coast’ cruise, departing from Valencia, Spain, on 27th September 2025. Prices start from £1,799 per person.

Marvel at beautiful Cinque Terre, Bonifacio and the Amalfi Coast
Experience ‘la dolce vita’, Italy’s culture of enjoying life’s pleasures
Savour limoncello, scialatielli pasta and Italian pizza
Itinerary: Valencia, Spain (overnight port) – Cruising by Benirras Beach at sunset, Ibiza, Spain – Mahon, Menorca, Spain – Propriano, Corsica, France – La Spezia, Italy – Salerno, Italy – Cruising Amalfi Coast and Capri, Italy – Naples, Italy – Sorrento Italy, Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy (overnight port)
For more details: Visit L2525 ‘Colourful Cliffside Towns of the Amalfi Coast’

Balmoral’s 10-night L2526 ‘Bays, Mountains and Islands of the Dalmatian Coast’ cruise, departing from Civitavecchia, Italy, on 7th October 2025. Prices start from £1,799 per person.

Experience the beauty of the Dalmatian Coast from Balmoral
Visit Lake Bled, Lokrum Island and Krka Waterfalls
Immerse yourself in authentic Croatian culture
Itinerary: Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy (overnight port) – Cruising by Stromboli, Italy – Cruising the Strait of Messina, Italy – Cruising Bay of Kotor, Montenegro – Kotor Montenegro – Koper, Slovenia – Cruising St Anthony Channel, Croatia – Sibenik, Croatia – Split, Croatia – Cruising by Mount Biokovo, Makarska Riviera, Croatia – Dubrovnik, Croatia (overnight port)
For more details: Visit L2526 ‘Bays, Mountains and Islands of the Dalmatian Coast’

Balmoral’s eight-night L2527 ‘Greek Island Odyssey’ cruise, departing from Dubrovnik, Croatia, on 17th October 2025. Prices start from £1,599 per person.

Explore the idyllic island of Santorini and Zakynthos’ coastline
Indulge in authentic Greek cuisine and watch traditional dancing
Visit the renowned ruins of the Acropolis in Athens
Itinerary: Dubrovnik, Croatia (overnight port) – Argostoli, Kefalonia, Greece – Cruising Zakynthos coastline, Greece – Kalamata, Greece – Piraeus (for Athens), Greece – Thira, Santorini, Greece – Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece – Rhodes, Greece (overnight port)
For more details: Visit L2527 ‘Greek Island Odyssey’

Balmoral’s 12-night L2528 ‘Discovering Turkish Treasures’ cruise, departing from Rhodes, Greece, on 25th October 2025. Prices start from £1,999 per person.

Explore a multitude of renowned European landmarks
Embrace local Turkish traditions, and enjoy the fragrant local tea
Delve into the winding streets of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul
Itinerary: Rhodes, Greece (overnight port) – Bodrum, Turkey – Kusadasi, Turkey – Istanbul, Turkey – Valletta, Malta – Malaga, Spain (overnight port)
For more details: Visit L2528 ‘Discovering Turkish Treasures’

Balmoral’s seven-night L2529 ‘Mountain Landscapes of Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar’ cruise, departing from Malaga, Spain, on 6th November 2025. Prices start from £1,099 per person.

Explore the mountainous landscapes of Iberia
Experience flamenco dance and soulful fado music
Embrace cuisines such as gazpacho, sardines and pasteis de nata
Itinerary: Malaga, Spain (overnight port) – Gibraltar, Gibraltar – Cruise Mouth of River Tagus, Belem Tower and Discovery Monument, Portugal – Cruising by the Monument of the Discoveries, Portugal – Cruising by Cristo Rei and Abril 25 Bridge, Portugal – Lisbon, Portugal (overnight stay) – Southampton, UK

For more details: Visit L2529 ‘Mountain Landscapes of Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar’

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fly cruises, visit the website www.fredolsencruises.com/fly-cruises

Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 215 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm), or contact your ABTA travel agent.

‘Scotland’s tap water is first class – but we need to make sure it stays that way’

Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland’s annual report

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) for Scotland’s latest annual report shows that Scottish Water’s compliance with the stringent standards for drinking water remains very high, although continued investment is needed to ensure it stays that way in the face of a number of challenges.

Matt Bower, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator said: “Our drinking water in Scotland is amongst the finest in the world; however, ageing water treatment assets and changing source water quality mean that we cannot take this for granted.

“We must ensure that the scale and pace of investment in the maintenance and replacement of water assets is sufficient to safeguard the consistently high quality of our drinking water for future generations.”

  • The report, covering Drinking Water Quality in Scotland during 2023, states that a total of 272,017 regulatory tests were carried out on Scotland’s drinking water last year. Of those tests on samples taken to represent quality at consumers’ taps, 99.88% met the required standards. A direct comparison with previous years is not possible due to changes in the numbers and locations of samples.
  • The quality of water leaving water treatment works and treated water storage points, while still high, showed a slight deterioration in compliance with the standards on the previous year.
  • The number of water quality incidents requiring detailed investigation by the DWQR during 2023 was 29, a very similar figure to previous years.
  • A full copy of Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 2023 is available at www.dwqr.org.uk

Extend Child Benefit for your teen by 31 August

Child Benefit can be claimed for children after they turn 16 if they are staying on in approved education or training

Parents have less than 2 weeks to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) their 16-19 year-old is continuing education or training or their Child Benefit payments will stop.

Hundreds of thousands of teenagers will decide on their future this week as they receive their GCSE results on Thursday (22 August 2024).

For parents of 16-19 year-olds who haven’t yet extended their claim, Child Benefit payments will stop after 31 August. If their child is going to continue in approved education or training, parents can continue receiving Child Benefit and HMRC is urging them to extend their claim now.

To make sure they do not miss out, parents can quickly and easily extend their Child Benefit claim online on GOV.UK or via the HMRC app. More than 270,000 parents have extended their claim digitally so far, with the changes applied to their record without the need to wait on the phone.

Parents should keep their claim details up to date, even if they’ve opted not to receive Child Benefit payments due to the High Income Child Benefit Charge. Parents who want to opt back into receiving Child Benefit payments, can do this quickly and easily online on GOV.UK or in the HMRC app. 

Child Benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for the first or only child, and up to £881 a year for every additional child.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Child Benefit is an important financial support for many households and we don’t want to see any eligible family miss out.

“You can extend your claim quickly and easily online or via the HMRC app, just search ‘Child Benefit when your child turns 16’ on GOV.UK.”

Victoria Benson, CEO of Gingerbread, the charity for single parent families, said: “Child Benefit is valuable to families and particularly single parent families, who are forced to make ends meet on a single income.

“It’s really important, with the 31 August deadline fast approaching, that parents whose children are going into further education and training extend their claim as soon as possible to avoid missing out on this crucial financial help.”

Child Benefit can continue to be paid for children who are studying full time in non-advanced education, which includes:

  • A levels or Scottish Highers
  • International Baccalaureate
  • Home education – if it started before their child turned 16, or after 16 if they have a statement of special educational needs and it was assessed by the local authority
  • T levels
  • NVQs, up to level 3

Child Benefit will also continue for children studying on one of these unpaid approved training courses:

  • in Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships or the Jobs Growth Wales+ scheme
  • in Northern Ireland: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work
  • in Scotland: the No One Left Behind programme.

If a child changes their mind about further education or training, parents can simply inform HMRC online or via the HMRC app and payments will be adjusted accordingly.

Parents can check the status of their claims at any time by viewing their proof of entitlement in the app or online. 

Parents will need a Government Gateway user ID and password to use HMRC’s online services. If they do not have one already, they can register on GOV.UK and will just need their National Insurance number or postcode, and 2 forms of ID.

Edinburgh volunteers needed for Scottish Poppy Appeal

Scotland’s leading Armed Forces charity, Poppyscotland, has put out a call for volunteers to step forward and make a difference across Edinburgh.

Every year, Poppyscotland runs the iconic Scottish Poppy Appeal, which provides the nation with the national symbol of Remembrance, the four-petalled Scottish Poppy.

Hundreds of volunteers step up annually to help organise the Scottish Poppy Appeal in their local area, volunteering their time to help distribute poppies and collecting tins, and arrange collections at supermarkets, shopping centres and other key locations.

This year, volunteers are needed in the capital to help organise the Appeal, with dedicated support from the Poppyscotland team. The charity is seeking members of the community, a community group, school, local business, or anyone who wishes to make a difference to Scotland’s Armed Forces community in the city.

The money raised during the Scottish Poppy Appeal goes directly to Poppyscotland’s Welfare services, supporting veterans, those still Serving and their families at times of need. This could include, for example, providing an emergency grant to stop a veteran losing their home, funding housing adaptations so that a disabled veteran can continue to live with their family, and much more.

Current Poppyscotland volunteer, Eilidh, said: “It has been really interesting getting to meet people who have Served or have had family Serving. They provide the most incredible stories. People just want to talk to you when they see you volunteer with Poppyscotland, so it never gets boring.

“Poppyscotland are amazing and have supported me with every step. Any time I have a slight worry or confusion, they’re there to help me out and they are some of the friendliest people I’ve met. I’ve loved everything about my experience to date.”

Poppyscotland’s Head of Fundraising and Learning, Gordon Michie, said: “Every year, we are so grateful for the generous support of the public. But our volunteers are the strength behind the Scottish Poppy Appeal. Their tireless dedication and professionalism means that the national symbol of Remembrance can be found across the nation.

“We have a dedicated team that look after our volunteers. This makes volunteering for Poppyscotland easy and stress free. But we need you to step forward so that we can continue to change lives for the better.”

To find out more about volunteering for the Scottish Poppy Appeal, contact Poppyscotland’s Volunteering team on 0131 550 1597, email:

volunteer@poppyscotland.org.uk 

or visit www.poppyscotland.org.uk/volunteer