We’re reaching out with a feel good community story we hope you’ll help us share:
At LIFT – Low Income Families Together, based at Muirhouse Millennium Centre, we are preparing for our Easter celebration taking place on Friday 3rd April, and we need the support of our amazing local businesses and community.
Every year, we support families across Edinburgh who are facing incredibly tough circumstances. For many of the children attending our Easter event, an Easter egg isn’t just chocolate, it’s a moment of joy, a sense of belonging, and a reminder that their community cares.
This year, we are inviting local businesses to be part of something truly special by donating:
Easter eggs Easter-themed gifts or treats Vouchers or small prizes for our event Baking or party food Monetary donations to help us purchase eggs and supplies
Our Easter event on 3rd April will bring families together for a day filled with fun, smiles, and celebration — and with the right support, we can ensure every child leaves with something special.
We would be so grateful if you could help us spread the word and encourage local businesses to step forward. We are also happy to acknowledge and publicly thank businesses who support the event.
Donations can be dropped off at:
LIFT – Low Income Families Together Muirhouse Millennium Centre 7 Muirhouse Medway Edinburgh EH4 4RW
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (“the College”) is later this week launching a new exhibition “Rag: A History of Blood.” The exhibition- which runs from Friday 27th February- uncovers the history of blood and explores the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, menstruation and menopause as well as the subject of scientific racism.
It will feature textile art created by artist Leigh Bowser and The Blood Bag Project, a craft project which raises awareness of Diamond Blackfan Anaemia and includes interviews with HIV/AIDS survivors and specialists who were working during the height of the global HIV epidemic including Edinburgh-based Dr Jacqui Mok. A first edition of rare text Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s Arcana Naturae Detecta – the book which showed the first ever drawing of a blood cell- will be on display. The exhibition is divided into the themes of blood-based scientific discoveries, blood myths and stigma and the blood trade.
Blood has been studied and analysed for thousands of years and examined for its ability to give life, to spread disease and to sow division. Bringing together artefacts spanning scientific illustrations, textile art, interviews, early modern rare books and medicines, “Rag: A History of Blood” highlights the social, medical and cultural impact of blood.
Dr Daisy Cunynghame (curator of ‘Rag: A History of Blood’) said:“Blood is fascinating because it is so much more than a body fluid. We might need it to live, but we also need it as an idea, as a basis for our storytelling and our social taboos. We use it to mean so many things – the blue blooded, the blood brothers, each from our own bloodline.
“ We really wanted this exhibition to have a grounding of science, but to look at how the idea of blood touches all of our lives.
The idea that menstruation is a source of shame, and how that ancient idea is still with us now and still makes people ashamed to admit they are on their period, or they are going through the menopause.
“It was fascinating pouring through hundreds and hundreds of historic images of wombs in our collections and yet not being able to find any of non-pregnant women. And to read the euphemistic language used – ‘the flowers’, ‘the sickness’ and ‘the monthlies’ for menstruation, ‘the change’, ‘unthroned queen’ or ‘old maid’s anxiety’.”
We have a film for you tomorrow night at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre about rewilding. 6pm-8.45. Film starts at 6.30.
There are also two ecology and urban rewilding practitioners coming to speak to us about what we can do to restore nature in our local environments. Wouldn’t it be lovely to keep our birds singing and our local mammals living near us? The deer, badgers and foxes, whether you enjoy seeing them or not are part of our essential environment.
At the base of this food chain are the insects which the birds rely on to feed their chicks.
What can we do to preserve and even increase the natural habitats around us?
Come along and find out Tuesday night and meet some of your neighbours too!
Island communities are set to benefit from a new plan to improve housing and healthcare, alongside efforts to grow the economy and increase the number of people living on Scotland’s islands.
The second National Islands Plan will deliver targeted actions across seven key themes, including committing to delivering more affordable homes, improving access to childcare and exploring permanent transport links – specifically bridges and tunnels to improve connectivity. The Plan also introduces further efforts to pilot remote diagnosis technology to improve access to medical advice.
Further actions include an island scholarship pilot scheme for postgraduate students, and the promotion of Gaelic and island languages such as Orcadian and Shetlandic.
Launching the refreshed plan while visiting Orkney and Shetland, First Minister John Swinney said: “Island communities are a key national asset and are central to our vision of Scotland as a successful country in which to live, work and study.
“Islanders have told us clearly what they need to pursue their ambitions: homes they can afford, transport they can rely on, and more accessible local services – this plan will deliver for our island communities. It is focused, it is practical, and it puts islanders in the driving seat of their own future.
“When our islands thrive, Scotland thrives.”
Louise McQuaid, Young Islanders Network Senior Development Worker said: “The Young Islanders Network (YIN) is delighted to see the release of the New National Islands plan and we are particularly pleased that some of our key feedback can be seen in the actions of the new plan.
“We welcome the continued support for YIN within the plan and look forward to helping ensure that the voices of young islanders are heard and able to influence decision making which affects their lives.”
Luke Fraser from the Scottish Islands Federation said: “The Scottish Islands Federation welcomes the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to island focused policymaking through the National Islands Plan II and we look forward to working in collaboration to implement the key priorities.
“Ongoing, dedicated support for islands is essential – not as an extension of rural policy, but as a recognition that islands face some fundamentally different challenges and opportunities. As the Plan moves into delivery, sustained focus, long-term investment and meaningful partnership will be key to ensuring it delivers lasting benefits for island communities.”
Scotland’s leading healthcare organisations raise serious concerns over proposed changes to Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill
A group of six major medical and healthcare membership organisations in Scotland has issued a joint consensus statement warning of their significant concern regarding changes now being proposed to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.
The organisations – whose members span a wide range of clinical and ethical perspectives on assisted dying – emphasise that while they take no collective position on the principle of assisted dying, they are united in their concern that provisions relating to no duty to participate and conscientious objection may be removed from the Bill, and the impact that this could have on the workforce.
The Scottish Government has recently indicated that key provisions relating to ‘no duty to participate’, as well as other protections linked to professional regulation and employment rights are not within devolved powers and may be removed from the Bill at Stage 3. These issues would instead be addressed later through a Section 104 Order – secondary legislation that receives only limited parliamentary scrutiny.
The signatory organisations state that removing issues of such significance risk undermining both professional confidence and public trust.
The joint letter, sent today to Liam McArthur MSP, the Scottish Parliament Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, as well as the Secretary of State and Chair of the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee states:
“The prospect of removing matters of such professional, ethical, and legal significance from parliamentary scrutiny at Stage 3, and deferring them to secondary legislation after the Bill has passed, raises important questions about transparency, accountability, and the robustness of the legislative process.
“These protections are central to the safe, ethical, and fair delivery of care, and to the confidence of our medical workforce who may be affected by the legislation.”
The organisations highlight four core concerns:
1. Removal of key safeguards from primary legislation
2. Risk to professional confidence and public trust
3. Inadequate scrutiny of consequential provisions
4. Implications for safe and ethical implementation
The group of organisations in consensus express their continuing commitment to work constructively with the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament to ensure that any legislation affecting assisted dying is developed transparently, rigorously, and with full consideration of the healthcare workforce it will impact.
Signatory organisations:
Association for Palliative Medicine (Scotland)
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland
Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
The UK will cohost a major conference on the future of international development to drive shared growth and prosperity and tackle global challenges head on
UK to cohost major international conference to reshape response to global challenges.
The Conference will bring together partners from around the world to underscore need for more diverse forms of finance, cutting-edge technology and a focus on local leadership to drive solutions.
It will establish new partnerships for international cooperation based on modern and diverse coalitions.
The Global Partnerships Conference will bring together a diverse coalition of governments, international organisations, philanthropists, investors, innovators, civil society, business and technology leaders on 19–20 May.
The Conference will build new coalitions to respond to shared challenges, unlock investment, support country-led resilient growth, and build alliances for international cooperation – making the UK and our partners safer, more resilient and prosperous.
Taking place in London, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will co-host, alongside the Republic of South Africa, independent philanthropic organisation Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the UK’s impact investor and development finance institution, British International Investment.
The UK’s security and prosperity are tied to what happens beyond our borders. Economic upheaval, illegal migration, extreme weather events, violence, conflict and fragile health systems disrupt supply chains, drive up costs and create instability. Rising global pressures affects us all and demand a new response: one that mobilises investment, delivers impact and provides value for money for the taxpayer.
The UK government says it is transforming our approach to development, thinking like an investor, not a donor and shifting from service delivery to system support, from grants to expertise and from international intervention to supporting local solutions.
The Global Partnerships Conference will help to progress the ‘transformation’.
It will focus on reforming how we cooperate, building on demands from global partners for a new dynamic, and test solutions that will mobilise finance, apply new technology, and back local leadership, to tackle these pressures.
It will forge agreements based on new, diverse and modern partnerships to support countries to grow their economies, become self-sufficient and ultimately exit the need for aid dependence.
Minister for Development Baroness Chapman said: “The UK is inviting countries and partners from around the world to London for a summit on the future of International Development later this year.
“We have heard what developing countries have been saying to us. They want to work in partnership with the UK. Countries want to have more control, move beyond aid, attract investment, strengthen their own health and education systems, and take charge of their own futures.
“This is why we’re co-hosting this conference with South Africa, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and British International Investment.
“We want to bring together the vast talents of philanthropic organisations, charities, businesses, researchers, financial institutions and public sector agencies to tackle the problems that hold developing countries back. Whether that’s fighting TB and Malaria, helping countries recruit and train their own teachers, or use technology to collect tax.
“The world is changing and development must change too. With less money to spend we have to make it work harder, in a modernised approach. What matters elsewhere in the world matters here, and this summit will show how we can achieve real progress when we work together.”
Ms Maropene Ramokgopa, South African Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, said: “At a time when the world faces converging crises, partnerships that are anchored in shared values and practical cooperation, matter more than ever.
“The Global Partnerships Conference reflects the enduring bond between South Africa and the United Kingdom, and our shared commitment to advancing inclusive growth, sustainable development, and a more equitable world.
“Through partnerships and collaboration, we can accelerate progress on developmental priorities while contributing meaningfully to global solutions. As co-host of the Global Partnerships Conference, South Africa looks forward to continue deepening cooperation that strengthens institutions, mobilises investment and delivers tangible outcomes, which leave no one behind.”
Kate Hampton, CEO of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation said: “Supporting urgent, lasting change for children all over the world requires not only renewed effort but new ways of collaborating.
“CIFF is motivated by both head and heart, and committed to working with the UK government, South Africa, BII and other partners in the Global Partnerships Conference, as we align around shared goals.
“Philanthropy is not a substitute for the action of sovereign governments, but can work alongside them – with development banks, private investors, academics and civil society – to mobilise the necessary resources and skills, and accelerate progress for people.”
Leslie Maasdorp, CEO of British International Investment said: “We are ushering in a new era of development which prioritises investment, economic partnerships and sustainable and green growth.
“The conference will shape how we turn potential into progress in less developed countries for our mutual benefit.”
Whilst many businesses invest in state-of-the-art computers and up-to-the-minute software to keep them safe online, the digital experts at West Lothian’s Workflo Solutions are warning the most exploited vulnerability for many businesses is actually human error. And so to mark CyberScotland Week, which runs from Monday 23rd until Saturday 28th February, they are urging everyone to tighten up their protection.
Cyber-attacks that target small to medium-sized businesses have increased sharply in recent years, propelled by advances in AI technology.
From phishing scams and ransomware to credential theft and web-based intrusions, hackers are harnessing the power of AI to increase the speed, scale and sophistication of these devastating online attacks, stealing sensitive data for financial gain with greater ease than ever before.
And according to Workflo Solutions, many employees are simply not keeping pace with these fast-moving developments. As a result, they are putting businesses at significant risk.
It is estimated that more than 95% of data breaches in the UK are caused by human error. Significant incidents – categorised as those costing at least £500 – average nearly £195,000 per business, amounting to a staggering £14.7billion worth of damages per year to the UK economy.
The most common human errors include falling for phishing scams, using weak or compromised credentials, misconfiguring security settings, and falling victim to social engineering.
Commenting ahead of CyberScotland Week, Workflo Solutions’ managing director Michael Field urges businesses to stay vigilant; “CyberScotland Week is an opportune time to remind businesses of the need to create a strong security posture through their staff:
Create a culture where cyber security feels simple, relevant and part of everyday work.
Keep training short, frequent and practical by using real examples of phishing, social engineering and reconnaissance that staff might encounter.
Reinforce good habits through reminders, clear policies and easy routes to report suspicious activity.
Lead by example and reward secure behaviour so employees feel responsible and motivated to protect the organisation.
“As AI becomes more integrated into everyday systems and business processes, the overall attack surface continues to grow, creating new entry points for exploitation within interconnected digital environments.
“It is therefore vital that we come together during CyberScotland Week to raise awareness, boost resilience and reduce the risk of human error.”
To give businesses an extra helping hand during CyberScotland Week, Workflo Solutions is offering 200 businesses a free dark web domain audit.
By heading to www.workflo-solutions.co.uk and signing up for this free service, businesses will be notified if any of their company email addresses or passwords have been breached, enabling them to take proactive steps to reverse these vulnerabilities and avert a potential damaging attack.
Funding for broadcasting, education and cultural projects
A £620,000 package to support the continued growth of the Gaelic language has been announced by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes on the first day of World Gaelic Week.
The funding includes an additional £200,000 for MG ALBA (the Gaelic media service) to deliver high-quality content including series two of BBC ALBA’s award-winning crime thriller An t-Eilean.
Independent research has found that Gaelic media generates £1.34 for every £1 invested and supports 340 jobs across Scotland, including 160 in island communities.
The new funding will also support ongoing work to establish the first dedicated Gaelic cultural centre in the Highlands and structural improvements at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig – the world’s only Gaelic-medium college on the Isle of Skye.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This year’s World Gaelic Week is particularly special, being the first since Gaelic gained official status through the Scottish Languages Act.
“This new investment will help the language thrive, from broadcasting that brings Gaelic to new audiences to education initiatives that help more people learn it.
Watch Deputy First Minister @_KateForbes welcome #WorldGaelicWeek – the first since Gaelic gained official status.
The Scottish Government is supporting Gaelic's continued growth with an extra £1.8 million in the draft Scottish Budget.
“An t-Eilean’s success demonstrates there is a global appetite for high-quality Gaelic content. The programme has brought Gaelic into living rooms around the world and this funding will ensure the communities and talent behind that success continue to flourish.”
Sorcha Groundsell, who will return in series two of An t-Eilean in the lead role of Detective Sergeant Kat Crichton, said: ‘’I’m so pleased that An t-Eilean has been recommissioned for a second season.
“It was a wonderful and deeply fulfilling experience to be a part of season one and I have every faith the team will build on the work they did and that they will take the show to new heights and even broader audiences.
“It’s so important that we continue to platform Gàidhlig and to provide further opportunities for Gael creatives so that we can reinforce the language as a vital and vibrant force on the global cultural stage. I’m looking forward to picking up Kat’s journey and seeing where the show takes her in this next series!’’
The First Minister is expected to unveil the Scottish Government’s Islands Plan in Shetland later today. The plan includes measures to support Gaelic’s growth in island communities where it is traditionally spoken.
More than 280 tonnes of used fishing nets will be sent from Scotland to Ukraine to help the nation defend itself against deadly Russian drone attacks.
The used salmon farm nets had been stored ready for recycling but will now be sent to Ukraine following a request from its government.
Vital infrastructure and strategic locations in Eastern Ukraine will be protected as the nets are draped overhead catching exploding drones.
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “As we approach the fourth anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine the Scottish Government is committed to aiding Ukraine’s defence and this donation demonstrates that our support is unwavering.
“The Ukrainian Minister for the Development of Communities made a direct request for Scotland to supply used fishing nets, which would be repurposed to provide anti-drone netting on public roads in Eastern Ukraine.
“We identified 228 old salmon farm nets, weighing 280 tonnes, sitting in storage awaiting disposal. They work by trapping the drone propellers, stopping them reaching their target.
“Drone attacks are a near daily occurrence. They have been responsible for many deaths and casualties as well as causing huge devastation across Ukraine. This will help counter some of these deadly attacks.”
Five things stroke professionals believe can improve stroke care in Scotland to save lives and livelihoods
The Stroke Association and Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) have today (23 February) revealed a bid to persuade political parties vying for power in May’s Scottish election to make stroke a priority for the next government.
Stroke is a huge health issue in Scotland. More than 10,000 Scottish residents have a stroke every year1 with about 150,000 people currently living in Scotland with the effects of the condition2. It’s the country’s third biggest killer3 and the leading cause of complex adult disability4, which can leave survivors unable to see, speak, move or even swallow.
Scotland is also being left behind by its UK counterparts on stroke. It has the highest incidence of stroke of the four UK nations and the largest proportion of people living with a disability because of stroke5.
More than 200 health professionals and six major health bodies – the British and Irish Association of Stroke Physicians, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, the Scottish Stroke Nurses Forum, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow – are proposing radical change.
The Stroke Association and CHSS are supporting stroke professionals in communicating five cost-effective, practical actions to politicians. These are changes developed by doctors, nurses and allied health professionals themselves. They are:
• Deliver an equitable 24/7 national thrombectomy service. Thrombectomy saves brains and money. It is a standard medical procedure in many countries and should no longer be a postcode lottery in Scotland.
• Increase inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation capacity. Front-loading spending on inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation will save money and promote recovery from stroke by reducing the need for ongoing support.
• Give acute stroke care the same hospital status as other specialist units. Stroke is designated a clinical priority and needs the same protection for beds, staff and other resources that is afforded to coronary care or trauma units.
• Develop an innovative long-term stroke specific workforce recruitment and retention plan. Measures to address the shortfall in stroke staff will include a biggerprofile for stroke in education syllabuses and increased opportunities for careerprogression.
• Ongoing failure to meet stroke standards to be escalated to Health Improvement Scotland. This will make the auditing process more robust and ensure NHS boardsplace greater emphasis on meeting the needs of stroke patients.
John Watson, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said:“Successive Scottish governments have not invested in stroke treatment and care to anything like the level it needs, and it’s taking a terrible toll on lives, livelihoods and the NHS.
“A national thrombectomy service has been promised for years, but progress remains glacially slow. According to the latest figures, less than one in five Scots who needed this life-changing procedure, got it. It can be the difference between resuming life as normal and living with life-limiting disability.
“The stroke community’s other proposals not only put the best interests of patients at heart, but they have also thought about whole hospital systems and the immense pressure on the NHS and social care. Sorting stroke can help address the NHS crisis, not least in reducing the need for ongoing support for stroke survivors.”
Chief Operating Officer at Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, Allan Cowie, said:“Stroke is devastating lives in every community in Scotland – this is impossible to ignore for any successive government. We are seeing more people of working age having strokes, and yet the standard of care they receive depends far too much on where they live and when they arrive at hospital. That is simply unacceptable.
“When only around half of patients receive the basic stroke care bundle that we know leads to better outcomes, and when life-changing procedures like thrombectomy are available to so few, it’s clear that Scotland is still failing people at the moments they need the NHS most.
“The five actions put forward by stroke professionals are practical, evidence-based and affordable – and they would transform the future for thousands of people every year. Investing in stroke care is not only the right thing to do for patients and families, it is one of the smartest ways we can relieve pressure on the NHS and social care.
“Scotland can and must do better. We are calling on all political parties to grasp this moment and commit to delivering stroke as a national priority. Lives, livelihoods and recovery depend on it.”
The latest Scottish Stroke Statistics published in January once again laid out the extent of stroke in Scotland. It devastates lives in all corners of society including increasing incidence of strokes in people of working age (under 65s) over the last 10 years6.
According to the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme annual report 2025 just 52.9% of stroke patients received the stroke care bundle*, which is associated with better patient outcomesagainst a national quality standard of 80%. In 2019 it was 64%.7 The British and Irish Association of Stroke Physicians (BIASP), the professional body representing stroke physicians across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, added:“We are fully supportive of addressing inequalities in patient access and outcomes across all five nations.
“The situation in Scotland is worrying. Standards of stroke treatment and care are sliding, so we have joined forces with other stroke professionals in Scotland to outline what we believe are affordable, deliverable solutions to an increasingly frustrating position.
“For example, thrombectomy is one of the most effective interventions in modern medicine, as it significantly reduces the risk of long-term disability when delivered promptly. Yet Scotland’s specialist thrombectomy units are hampered by limited operating hours, with only one currently performing the procedure seven days a week.
“As stroke doctors, this puts us in a very difficult position. We want every patient who should have a thrombectomy to have access to this life-changing treatment, but we are thwarted by lack of resources, whether human or material.
“We call on the Scottish Government to take action and support us in ensuring thrombectomy is available for all who need it.”
More than 200 doctors, nurses and allied health professionals have signed the Stroke Association and CHSS’s Scottish election campaign call to make their views known to political parties developing their manifestos for May. It is hoped that parties taking stroke seriously will commit to delivering stroke as a priority.
*The stroke care bundle comprises the prompt delivery of a) admission to a stroke unit; b) brain scanning; c) screening for swallow problems; d) administering aspirin (unless contraindicated).
About Thrombectomy
Thrombectomy is a treatment for ischaemic stroke, which removes large arterial blood clots from the brain and reduces the risk of patients having long-term disability such as paralysis, blindness and communication problems. About 1 in 10 peoplewith stroke could benefit from thrombectomy.8
It should be carried out on eligible patients as soon as possible after onset – and ideally within six hours9.
The thrombectomy rate in Scotland is less than half what it is in the rest of the UK – only 2.2% of the total number of patients who had an ischaemic stroke compared to 4.4% for the UK. In Scotland in 2024 this equated to 212 people10 of the more than 1,000 patients who should have had the procedure.
Case study – Tracey Donaldson
Tracey Donaldson, 56, from Glasgow credits thrombectomy for letting her have the retirement she’s worked hard for. Tracey had a stroke on Wednesday, 19th February 2025 – she thinks about 8.45am.
Tracey served as a school secretary for 19 years, taking early retirement in December last year and having previously worked in banking for 20 years.
Rewind to 19th February 2025 and a work colleague noticed Tracey was showing the classic signs of a stroke – her left-side collapsed and she was struggling to speak. School first aiders rushed to the scene and called an ambulance.
She arrived at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QUEH) at about 10:30am and doctors quickly got to work. She had a CT scan confirming a significant ischemic stroke and was promptly prepared for a thrombectomy, she thinks about two hours after her stroke.
A matter of hours later, Tracey showed nurses that she could walk and her speech had returned.
Incredibly, Tracey passed all the tests set by physiotherapists to check her mobility and was discharged from hospital at 4.30pm on Friday, 21st February.
She said: “I was very tired that first week at home. I had lots of visitors, and it was quite overwhelming at times. But otherwise, it was like I hadn’t had a stroke.”
True to form, Tracey quickly resumed her busy life.
She adds: “I went along to a stroke support group when I retired. Everyone was exceptionally welcoming, but I felt like an imposter as I had no visible effects of the stroke, noting that others around me had not been as fortunate. So, I focused on getting back to normal my way – spending time with family and friends and trying new experiences.”
Tracey concludes: “I strongly believe the recovery from my stroke has been miraculous due to having a thrombectomy quickly. I am forever grateful to the QEUH doctors for saving my life and letting me live life to the full.”
Tracey returned to work in April ‘25, but anxiety brought on by the stroke prompted her to prioritise her health and take early retirement eight months later.
Easter eggs
