Applications for LeithChooses 2026/27 close in less than two weeks: apply by 12th October
Constituted community groups can apply for project funding of up to £5,000, but only until 23:45 on Monday 12th October 2026, so please ensure you apply in good time. Though this deadline has been extended in the past, this is unlikely to happen this year and going forward in order to be fair to those who submit their applications on time.
As usual, projects should be new or adding new value (not continued funding of an existing service) that will be of benefit to the community in Leith. Projects should be designed to start after 31st March 2027 and run until March 2028 at the latest. This year’s theme is ‘Greater Leith Harmony’.
Need help? Get in touch today.With the deadline so close, please email leithchooses@edinburgh.gov.uk as soon as possible so there’s time to talk through your project.
Our final online applicant information session is TODAY 30 September from 5.30pm to 6.30pm online. Register to attend
Don’t miss your chance to make a difference in Leith. We look forward to hearing your ideas for new projects.
Landlords must act fast on damp and mould under new law coming into force next week
Landlords will have strict timescales to investigate any report of damp or mould, provide written findings, and carry out necessary repairs under new legislation which comes into effect next week.
The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 – also known as Awaab’s Law – comes into force on 6 October.
Guidance for landlords and tenants was published by the Scottish Government ahead of the legislation going live. This outlines:
landlords must ensure reports of damp or mould are investigated promptly – this includes reports made by tenants or issues landlords discover during unrelated visits such as inspections
investigations and repairs must be carried out by someone with relevant skills and experience
necessary repairs must tackle the root cause of the damp or mould, not just treat the symptoms.
Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Everyone deserves the right to live in a warm, safe and secure home, free from disrepair. These regulations mean any reports of damp or mould will be swiftly investigated, with landlords required to appropriately tackle the root cause.
“The vast majority of homes in Scotland are already free from damp and mould, but we’re determined to protect everyone, which is why we’re extending these safeguards to social and private tenants.
“Shaped through close work with tenant and landlord representatives, we have published guidance giving landlords the clarity they need to comply confidently, while ensuring tenants are clear on their rights.
“With the law coming into force next week, it’s vital that both landlords and tenants take the time now to understand their rights and responsibilities. We’ll also be raising awareness of just how important it is for landlords and tenants to work together, so that damp and mould issues are identified early and resolved quickly.”
Young people reveal how adult criminals exploit children to commit crime in Scotland
A new Scotland-wide campaign was launched yesterday warning that adult criminals are grooming and exploiting children to commit crime, enabling them to profit while leaving children to face the risks and consequences.
The campaign, created by Fearless – the youth service of the independent charity Crimestoppers – is shaped by young people with lived experience of crime, exploitation and the justice system. It challenges adults across Scotland to look beyond behaviour and recognise the criminal exploitation of children for what it is: child abuse.
Launching at the Grosvenor Picture Theatre in Glasgow, the campaign includes new films and social media content for young people, parents, carers and professionals, and has been developed with support from Scottish Government, Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce and the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit.
Young people told Fearless that exploitation does not always feel like exploitation from the inside. Adults can use trust, friendship, money, status and protection to draw children into criminal activity, particularly when the child feels other options are limited.
But one young person reflected:“You’re not getting paid to carry or sell the drugs. You’re getting paid to take the risk.”
That insight sits at the heart of the new campaign.
The campaign asks children to look more closely at what is really being offered to them. Criminal exploitation often sees adults profiting, while transferring the greatest risks onto children. The arrest, the violence, the debt, the injury, the criminal record and the consequences are carried by the child, while those directing the activity remain further removed from harm.
Over several months, Fearless listened to young people speak openly about criminal exploitation and the realities they see around them. They talked about violence, arrest, drugs, debt, weapons and being deprived of their liberty. They also spoke about what criminal exploitation appeared to offer and why it could feel difficult to walk away from.
The conversations revealed something many adults struggle to understand. Many young people already know the terrible risks they face. What they challenged Fearless to understand is that awareness of risk is not always enough to help them when the alternative feels like being left with nothing.
The campaign also challenges adults to hold two truths at once.
Some children who are victims of criminal exploitation cause harm – sometimes serious harm. But children can cause harm while also being harmed themselves. It’s not about excusing behaviour – it’s about understanding that there can be a wide range of reasons for offending behaviour, including exploitation.
Fearless is urging adults not to stop at what they can see:
To stay curious
To consider who is actually benefiting
And to ask what might be happening behind the behaviour
The campaign also explores why children do not always feel able to leave these situations.
While fear, threats and violence can be part of criminal exploitation, young people told Fearless that leaving is often about more than what they are escaping. Sometimes it is about what they fear being left without.
As one young person explained:“People don’t leave because there’s nothing there for them. What would they be left with?”
If criminal exploitation appears to offer opportunity, belonging, protection or hope, then safer alternatives must feel real enough to compete.
The campaign argues that it is not enough to tell children what to walk away from – communities, services and trusted adults must also give them something worth walking towards.
Children need more than a route away from harm. They need genuine opportunities, meaningful connections, hope for the future and a sense that they matter.
Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland Manager, said:“I am so grateful to the young people who helped develop this campaign. I asked them to be honest with me, and they were. Never have I been more struck by the level of hopelessness some young people are living with, and yet by their determination to help us understand their reality and get this campaign right.
“Young people, children the same age as my own, shared stories that no child should have to live through. What struck me most was the compassion they showed when talking about other children who were being exploited. They could see the circumstances, pressures and lack of choices facing others, yet they rarely afforded themselves the same understanding.
“Many do not recognise that they are being exploited because what they are experiencing feels normal to them. They often see it as simply the choices they have to make to get by. But those choices are frequently being made in a landscape of limited and harmful alternatives, where what feels like survival comes at a terrible cost and where an adult is manipulating a child’s circumstances for their own gain.
“The people exploiting children should never be offering them what can feel like the strongest sense of opportunity, belonging or hope in their lives. Yet for some children, I fear that is the reality.
“Every child deserves a future bigger than the one their exploiters have planned for them. No child should be written off as too difficult, too risky or too far gone.
“If you know who is exploiting young people, you can speak up 100% anonymously to our charity. At fearless.org, we cannot track your IP address or any contact details that could identify you.”
Children and Young People Minister Siobhian Brown said:“The criminal exploitation of children and young people is an abhorrent crime. Those who are exploited must be recognised as victims of child abuse and given the protection and support they need.
“I am pleased that the Scottish Government, Police Scotland and Fearless are jointly funding this important campaign, whose powerful messages have been shaped by the voices and experiences of young people themselves.
“The Scottish Government is working to protect children and young people from this type of harm. Our Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy Delivery Plan includes action to reduce the criminalisation of exploited children and implement new child criminal exploitation and cuckooing offences in the Crime and Policing Act 2026.
“We’re also developing Scotland’s approach to contextual safeguarding to protect children and young people from harms posed to them from outside their homes.”
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said:“Every child deserves to be safe from harm and exploitation. This campaign is seeking to protect children from manipulation and exploitation by criminals involved in drug dealing, shoplifting and other crime, often leaving them to face the risks and consequences alone.
“Listening to the experiences of young people is vital if we are to understand the pressures and vulnerabilities that can place them at risk. I thank Fearless for amplifying those voices and providing a safe space for children to connect and communicate.
“Police Scotland is committed to working with partners to safeguard children, support those affected by exploitation, and ensure those responsible are identified and held accountable.”
To help parents, carers and professionals access further information and support:
The Prime Minister announced a new settlement for older people yesterday: a state pension ‘that rises every year’, no personal care charges and a high-quality National Care Service to give peace of mind in later life
A National Care Service will be established in the next Parliament, providing free personal care for older people, based on need rather than ability to pay.
The current State Pension Triple Lock will be maintained – but only until April 2030. From then, it will be adjusted so the State Pension rises by at least inflation or 2.5% each year with a new link built in to keep pace with earnings over time.
Savings under the adjusted Triple Lock will be used for a new National Care Service, with Baroness Casey to recommend how and when it is built up.
The Prime Minister announced a ‘new settlement’ for older people: a state pension that rises every year, no personal care charges and a high-quality National Care Service to give peace of mind in later life.
The vision set out today draws a line under decades of drift with a clear plan to fix the system so that people can receive the dignity and security they need.
The Prime Minister warned today that if we don’t fix our broken social care system, it will eventually break the NHS too. There are huge costs to the NHS both through pressures on A&Es and an inability to discharge patients home because of a lack of adequate social care.
The new National Care Service will be introduced in phases, so its scope can grow as the savings increase from adjusting the Triple Lock, and as workforce and provider capacity are built up. It will be fully funded – and not through borrowing.
Baroness Casey will recommend how this could be done through the work of her independent Commission, which is being informed by public deliberation and ongoing cross-party talks. Her report is due in summer 2027.
The current Triple Lock will be maintained throughout this Parliament, increasing the State Pension by over £2,000. But from April 2030, the adjusted Triple Lock will mean the State Pension continues to rise by 2.5% or inflation – whichever is higher – and by even more if that is required to maintain its value relative to earnings.
This will ensure the living standards of pensioners keep up with the rest of the population. For example, if the value of the State Pension is around a third of average earnings by 2030/31, as average earnings rise, the State Pension will rise in line with that too.
This adjusted Triple Lock will mean that if inflation spikes, pensioners will be protected. If wages rise, pensioners will share in that, with the State Pension tracking earnings over time. Nobody’s pension will ever go down. And State Pensions will be put on a sustainable footing for decades to come.
The Government will legislate for the change during this Parliament.
Adjusting the Triple Lock is estimated to reduce state pension spending by £15 billion a year by the end of the 2030s, rising to £50 billion a year by 2050.
The UK will continue to have one of most generous approaches to increasing the State Pension in the world, according to the government – but British pensioners have the LOWEST STATE PENSIONS IN EUROPE.
The plans provide a credible pathway to delivering a National Care Service that will put an end to years of neglect where vulnerable people have been left at risk as a result of Westminster’s failure to face up to the difficult issues. The new system will include personal care, helping with things like eating, bathing and using the toilet.
Following the Prime Minister’s vision for the core principles of the service, Baroness Casey’s independent Commission will continue its work to develop recommendations on how to deliver it in practice, and will soon begin the next phase of its ‘Big Conversation on Care’ to make sure everyone gets the chance to feed in their views.
Around three in four adults over 65 are expected to need care and support during later life, with one in seven facing costs of more than £100,000. Currently, whether someone pays for care varies significantly by condition.
Two people with the same need for help with everyday tasks may face different rules if one needs support linked primarily to a health condition and the other to social care. The result is a broken system where the most vulnerable in society are at risk of losing everything just to access basic care.
The service will not cover bed and board, for which existing means-tested council contributions will remain. Councils will continue to exclude the value of a home from financial assessments where a partner or dependent relative lives there, and deferred payment agreements will remain available to help eligible people avoid having to sell their home during their lifetime to meet care costs.
Tackling the broken social care system is part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to take on the most difficult issues facing the country that have been left ignored by politicians for too long. ‘By facing up to the challenges that others have said are intractable, like fixing the youth unemployment crisis and ending rough sleeping, this government is working to bring back hope’.
REACTION:
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney commented: “In Scotland, we provide free personal care for older people without punishing pensioners. Andy Burnham removing the triple lock would simply repeat the mistakes of Keir Starmer.
“The blame for the UK’s financial mess lies with successive Westminster governments, not pensioners.”
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said: “We applaud the Prime Minister for his absolute commitment to fundamentally reform our broken social care system and to build a National Care Service.
“It is a critical issue that affects us all. Almost everyone will give or receive care at some point in our lives. Yet 16 years since the last White Paper set out the fundamentals of what a National Care Service might look like, the complexity and problems with social care have grown far worse. Change has never been more urgent, and the Prime Minister has grasped this.
“Recent Carers UK research has found a staggering 1.1 million people have left employment to care within the last two years, the equivalent of 1500 people a day. One in five employees (20%) now has a caring responsibility.
“Great social care has the ability to transform lives, help people to stay in work and also create valued jobs. As Baroness Casey’s work moves forward, we want to see the Prime Minister’s commitment today become a really ambitious settlement, with unpaid carers at its heart, that will truly deliver, providing people and families with the high-quality support they need.”
Responding to Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s speech at Labour Conference today and his commitment to the creation of a National Care Service, Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive of Carers Trust, said:“The Prime Minister’s plan to build a National Care Service is bold, ambitious, and undoubtedly long overdue. For years, we have been calling for a sea change in social care, and it’s refreshing to finally hear those calls echoed back from the very top of Government.
“In the midst of planning for a National Care Service, we must ensure the needs of unpaid carers are heard and acted on. The demands of caring can have a devastating impact on people’s finances, wellbeing, and ability to live fulfilling lives.
Caring is an innate part of human life and to be celebrated, but many carers provide care for 100+ hours a week, with some delivering support around the clock – without pay or comprehensive support. We cannot forget the biggest providers of care – the millions of unpaid carers.
“We know from our 135+ strong network of local carer services that there are so many pockets of brilliant voluntary sector work taking place across the country. We want to see a National Care Service that builds on these foundations and places the needs of unpaid carers at its heart.
“Though the sector has heard commitments to reform time and again, never before has a Prime Minister placed social care so clearly at the front and centre.
“We are determined to work with the Government and other organisations across the system to ensure that a National Care Service goes beyond political promise and becomes a reality this time.”
Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive at Independent Age said:“It was extremely welcome to hear the Prime Minister talk about what older people living on a low income are going through.
“Too often they are left out of the conversation, yet 1.7 million people over State Pension age are currently living in poverty, and another one million teeter dangerously on the edge.
“We were pleased, too, to hear the Prime Minister’s pledges to lower energy bills and improve housing standards – which will be welcomed by older people in financial hardship.
“Before a double lock is implemented, we need to know that the UK Government has fully considered, and put in place protection for, older people on low incomes. Any changes that are made to the State Pension must ensure no current or future pensioners on a low income lose out.
“It is important to see action to tackle pensioner poverty directly. For instance, we would love to see a public take-up strategy to drive up the numbers receiving vital entitlements like Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.
“In the spirit of the Prime Minister’s speech, everyone in this country needs to know they can rely on a strong social safety net if they reach older age without an adequate income.”
This moving documentary chronicles the legacy and talent of late Kenyan-Scottish musician Beldina Odenyo aka Heir of the Cursed. It is now also announced her albumHeir of the Cursedhas been longlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Award.
The producers of Louise Lockwood’s powerful theatrical debut Bel are delighted to announce the details for the film’s television broadcast:
9pm on Sunday, 4 October on BBC Scotland and 10pm on Tuesday, 6 October on BBC Four. The film will also be available on the iPlayer on the 4 October.
The film has so far enjoyed a great audience reception as a Closing Film at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival on 19 August, which also marked the film’s World Premiere, followed by a tour of hand-picked cinemas, including week-long runs at Filmhouse in Edinburgh and GFT in Glasgow.
This week sees a showing at HOME in Manchester featuring a post-show discussion with director Louise Lockwood and renowned poet Jackie Kay who acted as Associate Producer on the project.
Bel tells the story of Beldina Odenyo, the Kenyan-Scottish musician, singer and songwriter, who performed under the stage name, Heir of the Cursed as well as working across Scotland’s theatre and poetry communities.
After her acclaimed performance at the Scottish Album of the Year Awards in 2021, Bel took her own life, leaving behind raw, intimate video diaries and a hard drive full of original songs of great beauty.
This stirring film documents the journey her sister Leah McAleer and friends took to release her work posthumously, creating a heartfelt, insightful portrait of a complex, intelligent and profoundly talented young woman.
Marking a poignant full circle moment, it was announced last week that the posthumously released album Heir of the Cursed is longlisted for this year’s Scottish Album of the Year Award with the ceremony taking place in Dundee on 5 November.
Bel is the first feature documentary for cinematic release from Louise Lockwood who has been making acclaimed multi-award-winning television documentaries for over 20 years.
Produced by award winning producer Sarah Howitt; executive producers John Archer and Nancy Bornat [Hopscotch Films] Mark Thomas [Screen Scotland] and associate producer – the award-winning Scottish poet, novelist, and playwright Jackie Kay.
Bel was commissioned for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer by Clare Sillery, former Head of Commissioning, BBC Documentaries and BBC Commissioning Editors, David Harron and Emma Loach with Commissioning Executive Shona Thompson.
Bel is supported by Screen Scotland, BBC and National Theatre of Scotland.
Leading UK fashion brand Neon Marl, has partnered with Edinburgh-based The House of Hope, Scotland’s first dedicated wellbeing centre for people impacted by breast cancer, to design a vibrant t-shirt to raise vital funds and awareness for those impacted by breast cancer.
Launched to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month (in October), the striking black and lilac design features two tigers grasping a heart, representing courage and strength, in Neon Marl’s distinct signature style.
Available online until the end of January, the House of Hope t-shirt will raise funds to ensure those impacted by breast cancer in Scotland can continue accessing fully funded support services, holistic treatments, exercise classes and wellbeing sessions.
Breast cancer is a cause close to Neon Marl founder Amber Reeson’s heart, as at just 13 she lost her beautiful mum Eileen to breast cancer, and recently supported her best friend through diagnoses and treatment.
Amber Reeson explains: “I’m very aware of the lasting mental, physical and emotional impact breast cancer has on those affected and their families.
“The success of Neon Marl has given me the platform to help raise funds for important breast cancer charities over the years. It’s a positive way for me to offer my love and support to those affected and I’m thrilled to be working with the House of Hope.
“Moving away from the traditional charity logo t-shirt, we wanted to create a piece that everyone could buy and wear with pride, whilst also looking amazing. You can also feel proud knowing that £10 from the sale of each t-shirt goes directly to The House of Hope.”
Amber has also designed an exclusive lilac version of the t-shirt, for the House of Hope community members and supporters, which will be showcased at the Strength In Style, fundraising fashion show and lunch in Edinburgh on Saturday 6th March.
The House of Hope Centre Manager, Hazel McLindon said: “We’re delighted with Amber’s designs and the response from our community has been incredible.
“We’re really proud of our partnership with Neon Marl and all of the funds raised will go directly into maintaining and enhancing the valuable wellbeing services we offer to those impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis.”
Visit neonmarl.co.uk to purchase a House of Hope t-shirt or log on to houseofhope.org.uk to find out more about the wellbeing services and fundraising opportunities at The House of Hope.
Here’s more information from Ainslie Park Leisure Centre relating to their customers which may be of use:
• There will be no access to our car park Monday 5th October- Friday 9th October 2026
• Please allow extra travel time and consider leaving earlier than usual to ensure you arrive on time for your class or activity.
• Free on-street parking is available on Pilton Drive, directly opposite Ainslie Park.
• Accessible parking spaces are available for customers with disabilities. A valid Blue Badge must be clearly displayed. Due to limited availability, customers without a Blue Badge may be asked to move their vehicle.
• Taxi and vehicle drop-off/pick-up facilities are available for customers with mobility impairments near the entrance.
Proposals published to start dialogue with local authorities
A report from an experienced former headteacher on how to improve the way schools are funded and governed has been published.
John Wilson, an Independent Professional Adviser to the Scottish Government, was appointed to identify priorities for reform based on his extensive experience as a secondary headteacher.
His recommendations, which will be considered as part of a three-month dialogue with local authorities, include:
creating Local Schools Authorities to take on statutory responsibility for the delivery of school education
reviewing how schools measure success while making it easier for them to collaborate and share best practice with each other
clearly defining and ring-fencing national funding for education, and improving consistency in the way this funding is recorded by local authorities.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “We are determined to continuously drive improvement in Scottish education – raising standards, empowering schools and reducing variation across council areas and schools.
“There is a great deal to be proud of already. This year’s exam results showed rising attainment across the board in National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers and the second consecutive narrowing of the poverty related attainment gap.
Recent statistics show the number of young people in work, training or study nine months after leaving school is at a joint record high and record numbers of young people are being accepted into university. This includes a record number from our most deprived backgrounds.
“However, I am also clear-eyed about the need for change and for excellence. As well as developing a new curriculum and creating phone-free learning environments across Scotland, we’re seizing the opportunity provided by the public service reform agenda to address core issues in our education system.
“This report provides an invaluable contribution to this process, and I’m grateful to John Wilson and everyone else who took part. This publication is intended to contribute to a dialogue with councils. I look forward to setting out our response to the recommendations once that process is complete.”
SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER 1 – 3pm 
Saturday 3 October
1–3pm
The Heart of Newhaven
Food — especially tatties!
Meet the community
Creative activities
Fun contests
All ages welcome!
Do you drive to Spartans? If so, we have good news 
and bad news 
