FRIDAY 20 JUNE 2 – 4pm at GYPSY BRAE
Come along to this special Community Cycling & Walking event on Friday 20 June!
R2: Pedal and Paint community event
Carers Week: Playlist For Life
Caring for someone living with dementia can be hard
Personal playlists however can give dementia carers, who are often relatives or friends respite, by helping to reduce symptoms including distress, anxiety, loss of communication and low mood.
Want to know how to make a playlist? Join our free webinar for family and friends this Thursday to learn how:
https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/…/how-to-make-a…/…
Edinburgh’s community groups encouraged to apply to Co-op’s Local Community Fund for share of £5m
Applications are now open for Co-op’s Local Community Fund and local charities and community groups can apply for a share of the £5 Million fund.
Co-op is looking to support local community causes across the UK that enable people to access food; improve mental wellbeing; create opportunities for young people; promote community cohesion; or build sustainable futures.
Co-operation and people working together, can be a very powerful tool in making a positive difference in local communities. That’s why Co-op is seeking new local causes that provide opportunities and resources that help people to thrive.
Thanks to Co-op Members, the Local Community Fund has helped 39,000 causes across the UK since 2016.
David Luckin, Head of Community Partnerships, Funding and Impact, Co-op, said: “It’s always exciting to start the search for local causes to take part in a new round of funding.
“Our members have told us that they want Co-op to focus on the real issues affecting people’s lives, and act on the issues that matter most. We know that things are increasingly challenging for communities and through this funding we can make a difference locally and help people to thrive.’’
Applications are open until Sunday, 6 July – for more information, and to apply, visit coop.co.uk/causes
With its history dating back 180 years, Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer-owned co-operatives. Its 6.5m members own the business and play an intrinsic part in its governance with a say in how the organisation is run.
First Minister: Strengthening ties with EU more important than ever
EU Ambassadors to visit Bute House
First Minister John Swinney will meet European Union Ambassador to the United Kingdom Pedro Serrano at Bute House today (11 June) to discuss the challenges and opportunities to arise from the recent deal between the UK and the EU.
They will be joined by the Slovenian Ambassador Sanja Štiglic and Bulgarian Ambassador Tihomir Stoytchev, as part of a delegation to Scotland. Later today the First Minister will also meet the Minister-President of Flanders at an event to celebrate 25 years of Flemish trade and investment in Scotland.
The First Minister said he viewed both engagements as opportunities to reinforce the strong relationship that exists between Scotland and the EU.
John Swinney commented: “The European Union is one of our most important economic and security partners. While the deal struck on the 19 May represents long-overdue progress in rebuilding our relationship, no agreement can deliver the economic, social and security benefits we lost with Brexit in 2020.
“That is why I firmly believe Scotland’s best future lies as an independent country within the EU. More than ever, the current uncertain economic and geopolitical environment reinforces the importance of Scotland having the security, stability and opportunity that comes with EU membership.
“In the meantime we will continue to engage with nations and regions across Europe to maximise opportunities through trade, investment, innovation and academia. As we enter the next phase of negotiations, we stand ready to be closely involved as the UK Government develops its future priorities for working with the EU.”
Care Reform (Scotland) Bill passed
Transforming social care?
Plans to transform social care across Scotland will be progressed after the Scottish Parliament approved the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill.
Thousands of people with experience of accessing, delivering and receiving social care, social work and community health services have helped co-design the legislation, putting people at the heart of reform.
The Bill will bring forward a number of enhancements to social care that include:
- enshrining Anne’s Law into legislation to uphold the rights of people living in adult care homes to see loved ones and identify an essential care supporter
- strengthening support for unpaid carers by establishing a legal right to breaks, following the additional £13 million already allocated for up to 40,000 carers to take voluntary sector short breaks
- empowering people to access information on their care and improving the flow of information across care settings
- improving access to independent advocacy to guarantee people are heard and involved in decisions about their own care
- creating a National Chief Social Work Adviser role to provide professional leadership and champion the sector, as part of plans for a new National Social Work Agency.
Alongside the Bill, an advisory board will be established to drive progress and scrutinise reform, replacing an interim board that met for the first time in May.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “More than 200,000 people across Scotland access care each year.
“Anyone may need care during their lives, and that care should be high quality and delivered consistently across Scotland.
“That is why we have been so determined to bring forward much-needed reform, alongside the work we are already doing through the near £2.2 billion total investment in social care and integration in 2025-26.
“Reform is not easy to deliver and it is being made more challenging by recent UK Government changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions and changes to migration. These will undoubtedly impact on care delivery.
“However, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to deliver the sustainable change to social care that people urgently need.
“This is a significant step that will strengthen the rights of people living in care homes, support unpaid carers and social workers and improve experiences for the many people who access social care across Scotland.”
- An essential care supporter is someone, for example close relatives or friends, who plays a vital role in providing their loved ones with regular care and support alongside staff. This includes companionship, personal support and advocacy.
- Additional funding for Short Breaks Fund – gov.scot
- Care Reform (Scotland) Bill | Scottish Parliament Website
Tomorrow: Edinburgh to host The Great British Care Cycle Relay
Cycling adventure begins at Glencairn Care Home to shine a light on the care services at the heart of every community
The Great British Care Cycle Relay, which celebrates the care services at the heart of every community, is set kick off at Glencairn Care Home in The Grange, Edinburgh at 9.00am tomorrow – Thursday 12 June.
It includes five individual, day-long cycle rides in Scotland, England and Wales totalling around 500km, with colleagues, supporters and families of all ages and abilities taking part and visiting care services enroute.
Eleven cyclists, including one from Renaissance Care, are taking part in the Scottish leg of the relay. The group will cycle a 123km loop, passing through Stenhousemuir and Winchburgh and visiting care homes such as Canmore Lodge Care Home in Dunfermline, Caledonian Court in Larbert and Linlithgow Care Home. The cyclists will also stop off at Alzheimer Scotland’s new and expanded facilities in the city.
The Great British Care Cycle Relay also takes in a 94km York route through North Yorkshire, a 103km Nottingham route in the Midlands, a 125km route through Cardiff and South Wales and a 110km finale from Brighton to London on 16 June. By the end, Championing Social Care expects over 70 cyclists to have been involved.
The end of the relay marks the start of Care Home Open Week 2025 (16 to 22 June), which aims to highlight the amazing work that is modern care.
Ian Condie from Dunfermline is taking part in the race with his wife Jenny, he said: “We’re looking forward to the cycle, but with a little trepidation!
“At 123 kilometres, it’ll be the longest distance we’ve ridden on our tandem this year, although as part of the route goes through Fife, it will be familiar territory for us.
“This is a cause close to our hearts, as having lost my 98-year-old mum in January after a short illness, we’ve had first-hand experience of the fantastic job those involved in the care sector do for both those receiving care and their families. Mum as a resident at Orchardhead Care Home in Rosyth for the last couple of years and had been happy and well looked after there. It’s good to give something back.”
Organiser of The Great British Care Cycle Relay, Championing Social Care, is encouraging those people who want to take part, but are not cyclists, to instead to cheer the riders on as pass by or help give them a warm reception when they visit care homes enroute.
The care home gatherings will provide an opportunity for the cyclists to connect with fellow colleagues, share stories, and enjoy the contagious enthusiasm that radiates throughout the relay.
Championing Social Care Trustee and Founder and Chair of the Great British Care Cycle Relay, Vishal Shah said: “The Great British Care Cycle Race is a fabulous precursor to Care Home Open Week.
“It’s now its third year and our largest one yet. It connects the joy of cycling with visiting the incredible care services at the heart of communities up and down the country. The aim is to bring more of the general public closer to understanding what it’s actually like to live and work in care and help dispel the negative narratives that often are shared.
“As a keen cyclist, any opportunity to get on a bike is always taken, but this relay is particularly special. My motivation for taking part stems from a deeply personal connection, as my grandmother lived with dementia and received incredible support from social care, which enabled her to live a life of quality and purpose.
“We were supported as family to not only navigate this journey but also enjoy the special connections and memories that we continued to create and share together.”
Robert Kilgour, Chairman of Renaissance Care said: “We’re proud to host the launch event here at Glencairn Care Home. Care homes play a vital role within communities delivering essential support to older adults and easing pressure on the wider health and social care system.
“Every day, our dedicated staff bring compassion, expertise, and commitment to promoting the physical and emotional wellbeing of our residents. We’re extremely proud of the work they do, and this event is a welcomed opportunity to shine a light on the outstanding work happening across the social care sector.”
In 2024, over 5,500 care services took part in Care Home Open Week, which represents around a third of the total number of homes in the country. It is hoped this year’s event will have even higher participation from care services, communities and government ministers.
Lothian Road assault: Police release CCTV images
Police Scotland have released images of a man they believe may be able to assist officers with an ongoing investigation into an assault in Edinburgh which occurred at around 2.05am on Saturday, 26 April, 2025 on Lothian Road.
The man in the images is described as being of South Asian appearance, slim build, 5ft 6in to 5ft 9in tall and aged late teens to early twenties, with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark hooded jacket, dark bottoms and dark trainers.
Detective Constable Christopher Stewart said: “I would urge this man or anyone who recognises him to please make contact with us.
“I would also ask anyone who witnessed the incident, or anyone with information relating to the incident, to please speak to officers via 101, quoting reference 1272 of 27 April 2025.
“Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Hundreds of women advertised for prostitution in Edinburgh in one weekend as MP calls for action
Tracy Gilbert, Scottish Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, yesterday (10/06/2025) led a parliamentary debate at Westminster calling for urgent government action to address the demand driving prostitution and sex trafficking across the UK.
The debate, “That this House has considered the matter of tackling demand for prostitution and sex trafficking”, focused on the urgent need to adopt a demand-reduction approach to tackle the exploitation of women and girls who are coerced, trafficked, or driven by poverty into the sex trade.
The speech highlighted the issue in Edinburgh, and some of the vulnerable women who have been affected by this, including Fiona Broadfoot who has spoken out about her treatment whilst working in an Edinburgh brothel.
Ms Gilbert said: “In Edinburgh over the weekend (7th –8th June 2025), 142 women were being advertised for prostitution on one pimping website alone.
“Five of the top ten adverts are explicitly posted by so-called ‘agencies’ – so the site isn’t even tryingto hide the organised nature of this exploitation.”
Tracy Gilbert highligh2ted that current legislation fails to effectively deter those who purchase sex and called on the Government to explore legislative models that criminalise the buying, not the selling, of sex, as adopted in countries such as Sweden and Norway.
In her speech, Tracy Gilbert gave examples of reviews made after the buying of sex some included:
- “Bad attitude. Everything was off limits.”
- “Finally got her to lay2 there but it’s like shagging a dead fish.”
- “No smile, her atrocious English made the interactions even more impossible.”
Tracy Gilbert added: “Men who buy sex are reviewing women as if they are reviewing an Xbox game.
“These comments prove that men who pay for sex treat women as subordinate sex objects whose role is to service their sexual desires.”
Spending Review: Biggest boost to social and affordable housing investment in a generation
The Chancellor is today [WEDNESDAY 11 JUNE] expected to announce the biggest boost to social and affordable housing investment in a generation.
As part of the Spending Review Rachel Reeves is expected to confirm £39 billion for a new Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years. This will turbocharge the Plan for Change commitment to get Britain building and deliver the 1.5 million homes this country needs.
This investment will be significantly higher than what the previous government spent on affordable housing. The last five year 2021-26 programme was only £11.5bn, averaging £2.3bn per year.
This means the government will be spending almost double this on affordable housing investment by the end of this Parliament (£4bn in 2029/30).
This is the first time in living memory that the government has set out a programme that provides ten years of certainty. This provides the sector with the confidence to deliver for now and the future, making it easier for those on low incomes to access a safe, high-quality home.
This comes on top of a ten-year social rent settlement that will set a rent policy for social housing from 2026 that enables providers to borrow and invest in new and existing homes, while also protecting social housing tenants. This ten year settlement will see rents rise at CPI+1% from 2026, alongside a consultation to follow shortly on how to implement social rent convergence.
It also builds on ambitious reforms to the planning system that the Government has already announced, which were judged by the OBR to add £6.8bn to the economy and boost housebuilding to its highest level in 40 years by 2029/30.
A government spokesperson said: “The Government is investing in Britain’s renewal, so working people are better off.
“We’re turning the tide against the unacceptable housing crisis in this country with the biggest boost to social and affordable housing investment in a generation, delivering on our Plan for Change commitment to get Britain building.”
RACHEL REEVES: “WE ARE INVESTING IN BRITAIN’S RENEWAL”
- Chancellor vows to ‘invest in Britain’s renewal’ as she lays out the Government’s Spending Review.
- Reeves to announce the Government’s plans to invest in Britain’s security, health and economy to make working people better off.
- Billions of pounds of new capital investment will boost British business and create British jobs to kickstart economic growth and drive up living standards in line with the Plan for Change, including the biggest ever local transport investment in England’s city regions outside of London and the South East.
The Chancellor will today publish the Government’s Spending Review to ‘invest in Britain’s renewal’ as she vows to make all parts of the country better off.
Rachel Reeves will announce plans for billions of pounds of investment in projects across the United Kingdom that will create jobs, prosperity, and put more money in people’s pockets.
The Chancellor will say detailed spending plans come after the Autumn Budget and Spring Statement fixed the foundations of our economy to deliver stability, outlining: “The choices in this Spending Review are possible only because of the stability I have introduced and the choices I took in the Autumn.”
The Chancellor will confirm the Government’s commitment to delivering for every part of Britain, by announcing reforms that will guarantee towns and cities outside London and the South East can benefit from new investment. This will include the biggest ever local transport infrastructure investment in England’s city regions, which will truly connect people to opportunities that improve their quality of life, a key objective of the Government’s Plan for Change.
Ms Reeves is also expected to spell out the Government’s plans to invest in the British people’s priorities of security, health and economy.
The Spending Review comes on the back of the Government’s announcements in recent days to invest £15.6 billion in local transport projects, £86 billion to boost science and technology, and create ten thousand jobs by building Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station – which will drive forward Britain’s status as a clean energy superpower, as outlined in the Plan for Change.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Chancellor is expected to say: “This Government is renewing Britain. But I know too many people in too many parts of the country are yet to feel it.
“This Government’s task – my task – and the purpose of this Spending Review – is to change that. To ensure that renewal is felt in people’s everyday lives, their jobs, their communities.
“So that people can see a doctor when when they need one. Know that they are secure at work. And feel safe on their local high street.
“The priorities in this Spending Review are the priorities of working people. To invest in our country’s security, health and economy so working people all over our country are better off. That is what this Spending Review will deliver.”
She will add: “I have made my choices. In place of chaos, I choose stability. In place of decline, I choose investment. In place of retreat, I choose national renewal.
“These are my choices. These are this Government’s choices. These are the British people’s choices.”
Councillor presents congratulatory motion to Eric Liddell Community
Following the visit of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to The Eric Liddell Community in April this year, local Councillor Marie-Clair Munro brought forward a Congratulatory Motion that received cross-party support.
The motion formally recognises the charity’s vital work, championed by Her Royal Highness, in delivering specialised dementia care across Edinburgh and establishing a welcoming hub to combat loneliness and isolation.
Last Friday (6 June), Councillor Munro visited The Eric Liddell Community to present the motion in person. The recognition was formally handed to Irene Adams OBE, Chair of The Eric Liddell Community, and Paul Drury, Head of Fundraising and Community Services.
Councillor Munro was in attendance as Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal made her first appearance at The Eric Liddell Community since becoming the Royal Patron of the charity. Following this event, the local councillor has praised the charity for its ongoing commitment to supporting the local community and shining a light on the importance of compassionate, person-centred care.
Councillor Munro said: “I was honoured to be invited along to The Eric Liddell Community in April to be in attendance and meet Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, during her first official visit as Royal Patron of the Charity.
“I have always admired the important work that The Eric Liddell Community does within our local area and further beyond and have had the pleasure of working with the team during a range of events, including as part of The Eric Liddell 100 programme in 2024.
“Following my interaction with Her Royal Highness, I was inspired to write this Congratulatory Motion to mark my support of the incredible work being done, and I am proud to say that this has received cross-party backing, highlighting the esteem in which the organisation is held.”
The Eric Liddell Community is delighted to see the support shown by Councillor Munro and those who backed the motion, local backing is invaluable in enabling the charity to provide help for some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable people and families whilst continuing to share the legacy of The Flying Scotsman, Eric Liddell.
Chair of The Eric Liddell Community, Irene Adams OBE, expressed her gratitude, adding: “Everybody at The Eric Liddell Community would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Councillor Munro and her cross-party supporters for presenting us with such meaningful recognition for the work that we do.
“Through working with individuals such as Councillor Munro and Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, we have the opportunity to expand our services and provide support to those who need it most.”
This June, The Eric Liddell Community is proud to launch its annual Summer Appeal, with a focus on recognising the vital contributions of unpaid carers.
These individuals provide essential care and support to their loved ones, often without formal recognition or access to resources. At the heart of this year’s appeal is the Community’s Befriending Project, which continues to make a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of those caring for people living with dementia.
By offering emotional support and meaningful connection, the project helps to ease isolation and enhance quality of life for carers, acknowledging the incredible role they play in our community.
For further information about the appeal and The Eric Liddell Community, please visit https://ericliddell.org/get-involved/