charity support – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Cala Homes (East) helps volunteer group grow greener communities and tackle loneliness

Community Pledge funding supports local volunteers, improving green spaces, supporting wildlife and bringing people together

A volunteer group helping to tackle loneliness while transforming community spaces across Midlothian has received funding from leading housebuilder Cala Homes (East) to continue its work.

Newton Hutters, the local Men’s Shed based at Newton Church Centre, has been awarded more than £660 through Cala Homes (East)’s Community Pledge initiative, linked to its nearby Craighall Village development in Millerhill.

Established in 2021, in response to the social isolation experienced by many individuals following the pandemic, the group provides a welcoming space where people can make friends, learn new skills and support one another while undertaking practical projects that improve the local community.

Today, the group’s 16 members meet regularly to share skills and deliver projects that make a lasting difference locally, including growing fresh produce for Danderhall Community Pantry, creating accessible planters for residents at Angres Court, and building outdoor play and learning spaces for more than 20 children attending Danderhall Primary School’s after-school club.

The recent boost in funding from Cala has enabled the group to purchase essential gardening equipment and materials, including lightweight telescopic tools, soaker hoses and 100 native hedgerow plants, helping members continue projects that benefit both local people and wildlife.

***Credit should read Sandy Young/scottishphotographer.com***

Elaine Carrigan, Sales and Marketing Director at Cala Homes (East), said: “Newton Hutters is making a remarkable difference across the local community.

“Not only are members helping create greener, more welcoming spaces, but they’re also supporting local families, encouraging biodiversity and providing an invaluable place where people can come together, build friendships and combat loneliness.

“Through our Community Pledge, we’re proud to support initiatives that create lasting benefits for local communities, and we’re delighted this funding will help the group continue its fantastic work.”

Erika Pryde, Chair of the group, expressed her gratitude for the donation. She said: “Receiving this funding means we can continue projects that make a real difference to local people while also protecting and enhancing our environment.

“The lightweight tools make gardening much more accessible for many of our members, while the soaker hose has already helped us keep our vegetables thriving through the recent dry weather, allowing us to continue supplying fresh produce to the community pantry.

“Meanwhile the native hedgerow will provide food, shelter and wildlife corridors for years to come, creating lasting benefits for birds, pollinators and other local wildlife.

“Just as importantly, Newton Hutters is a place where people can come together, make friends and feel part of something. Many of our members have told us it has helped them overcome loneliness and given them a renewed sense of purpose. We hope this funding will allow us to continue making a positive difference, both for our members and for the wider community.”

Cala’s Community Pledge goes beyond planning expectations, supporting local community groups and organisations throughout the lifecycle of local developments, and in collaboration with the community to ensure local needs are addressed.

To learn more about Cala’s Craighall Village development in Millerhill or its Community Pledge, visit: Craighall Village | Cala Homes.

TODAY: Hobbycraft’s Superhero Saturday returns

Capes, crafts and community: Hobbycraft’s Superhero Saturday returns to raise vital funds for children’s hospices

The UK’s largest arts and crafts retailer, Hobbycraft, is calling on the nation’s creative superheroes to get involved as its much-loved Superhero Saturday fundraising event returns to stores across the UK today, raising vital funds for long-standing charity partner, Together for Short Lives.

Hobbycraft colleagues and customers will be encouraged to unleash their creative superpowers, with stores transformed into heroic headquarters for a day of fundraising, fun and creativity. From dressing up as favourite superheroes to taking part in creative activities, bake sales and other fundraising challenges, there will be plenty of ways for customers to get involved and show their support.

Every pound raised will help support Together for Short Lives and the UK’s 52 children’s hospices, providing vital care and support to children living with serious illness and their families.

Hobbycraft has partnered with Together for Short Lives since 2012, with colleagues and customers raising an incredible £3.4 million and counting over almost 14 years. The partnership is built around a shared belief in the power of creativity, art and play to bring joy, connection and precious moments to families facing unimaginably difficult circumstances.

Natalie Amosu, Marketing Director at Hobbycraft, comments: “At Hobbycraft, we believe creativity has the (super)power to bring comfort, joy and connection, and there’s no better example of that than Superhero Saturday.

“Every cape made, every craft sold and every pound raised helps give families facing unimaginable circumstances a little more support. Powered by our incredible colleagues and customers, we are all committed to making this event magical and memorable.”

Nick Carroll, Chief Executive at Together for Short Lives, comments: “Sitting right at the heart of our partnership is the shared belief that art and play have the power to enrich the lives of the children and families we support.

“To them, it’s not just painting, drawing and crafting. It’s a smile, a story and a memory made which that family will treasure forever.

“We’re so grateful to every single caped crusader and creative customer at Hobbycraft who no doubt will make this year’s Superhero Saturday the best one yet.”

Superhero Saturday will take place in Hobbycraft stores across the UK today – Saturday 22^nd August.

Customers can visit their local store to take part in fundraising activities and help support children’s hospices and the families who rely on their vital services.

Tomorrow: Summer-themed flower arranging workshop at Granton Castle Walled Garden

Summer-themed flower arranging workshop with Ochre Botanical Studios

This Sunday, 16 August, at Granton Castle Walled Garden

Drop-in session from 2-4 pm

Come along and make a small hanging design.

#flowerarranging

#grantoncastlewalledgarden

#workshop #freeevents

#communityevents

#flowerworkshop

Edinburgh schools urged to turn leftover holiday money into meals for hungry children

Edinburgh back-to-school appeal: Schools urged to turn leftover holiday money into meals for hungry children

As kids prepare to go back to class after the summer holidays, schools across Edinburgh are being encouraged to launch foreign currency collections and turn leftover coins and notes into meals for hungry children.

Through Mary’s Meals, even the smallest amount can have a life-changing impact on hungry children living in some of the world’s poorest communities. It costs just 10p to provide a nutritious meal in a place of education, while only £19.15 provides meals for a child for a whole school year.

The school feeding charity is calling on schools to start foreign currency fundraisers and asking parents to check pockets, purses and wallets for forgotten holiday money that can be sent into school with their children for the start of the new term.

St Richard’s Catholic College in East Sussex has run foreign currency collections since 2024, generating £733 for Mary’s Meals, enough to feed 38 hungry children for a full school year.

Lidia Mead, Subject Leader for RE at St Richard’s, says: “I am always blown away by the amount we collect through foreign currency collections. We all have some leftover money from our holidays, and what better way to get rid of it than to help feed children – an amazing, simple idea.”

As well as raising vital funds for Mary’s Meals, Mrs Mead believes the collections have a lasting impact on her students.

She adds: “They do a huge amount of charity work through the likes of cake sales and raffles, but this way of fundraising is different. Pupils know the money is turned into meals for children, which helps them realise the great work they are doing. Being able to feed a child for under £20 a year really puts things into perspective for them too.”

Mary’s Meals, founded in a shed in the Scottish Highlands in 2002, provides school meals to more than three million children in 16 countries, including Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, every school day. The promise of a daily meal encourages children into the classroom, where they gain an education and hope for a better tomorrow.

Funds generated through a foreign currency fundraiser can help the charity reach children like seven-year-old Sitraka, a pupil at Sahafy Primary School in Madagascar. Like many in his community, Sitraka’s household faces hunger.

The introduction of daily school meals has transformed Sitraka’s life, as the meal he receives at school is sometimes the only meal he has all day. “The food at school is delicious,” he says, “but at home, we never have anything that tastes this good.”

This reliable access to food has significantly improved both Sitraka’s attendance and academic performance. Education is vital for Sitraka’s future; it paves the way for a stable job when he grows up, provides a ladder out of poverty for him and his family, and the prospect of a brighter future.

Schools can start making a difference today simply by requesting a free foreign currency pack on the Mary’s Meals website and galvanising parents and pupils to get involved.

Regional Development Officer at Mary’s Meals, Gerrard McMahon, says: “We’d love for your school to set up its own foreign currency collection! We’ll provide everything you need, including envelopes, a collection box and clear instructions. We accept coins and notes from any country, as well as old UK currency no longer in circulation.

“If you have old coins and notes sitting in drawers and wallets, don’t let them go to waste. Too often, hunger holds a child back from the future they deserve, keeping them out of school and communities stuck in a cycle of poverty… year after year. With the promise of a daily school meal, we can overcome this barrier and allow a child to unleash their full potential.”

For more information, visit www.marysmeals.org.uk/foreign-currency

It costs just £19.15 to feed a child for a year with Mary’s Meals. But a donation of any value can set a child up for life, with their success being the true legacy of your gift. It’s one school meal today – a teacher, community leader, or business owner tomorrow.

Sign up for Portobello Beach Race

SUNDAY 30th AUGUST at 10am

Portobello Beach Race 2026

Join Portobello Running Club on Sunday 30 August at 10:00am for four miles of racing along Portobello Beach at low tide.

Every finisher will receive a bespoke wooden Portobello Beach Race keyring as a lasting memento of the day.

All proceeds will support two fantastic good causes:

Equal access to sporting enrichment activities at Towerbank Primary School
Fresh Start, helping people who have experienced homelessness establish themselves in their new homes

There is plenty more to look forward to:

£50 Up & Running vouchers for both our male and female winners
More fantastic winners’ prizes
A huge variety of spot prizes, giving runners throughout the field the chance to win
A raffle featuring more than £400 worth of prizes
A delicious community bake sale

The race is friendly, inclusive and welcoming to runners of all abilities. Come along to race, support brilliant local causes and enjoy a fantastic morning on the beach!

Entry is £10:

https://www.entrycentral.com/Portobello-Beach-Race

Please share the event and help us make this year’s Portobello Beach Race our best yet!

Ice cream maker launches charity grant to mark milestone anniversary

Mackie’s family/business story.
Angus, Karin, Kirstin and Mac

CHARITIES and community groups across the country are being invited to apply for a share of a £40,000 fund, set up to mark 40 years of Mackie’s making ice cream on the family farm in Aberdeenshire.

The Mackie’s of Scotland Charity Grant will award three organisations with a £10,000 grant through an application process, while a further ten will be awarded £1,000 donations through a staff-led selection process.

Charities and community groups supporting young people, strengthening communities, promoting wellbeing, protecting the environment or delivering vital services to those who need them most are being encouraged to apply.

Mac Mackie, Chairman at Mackie’s of Scotland, said: “Forty years ago, we started making ice cream on the farm and the support of our local community has been central to the business’ growing success ever since.

“Mackie’s has always supported local causes and the community, but as we celebrate this milestone, we wanted to find a way to link it to our giving something back and our continued commitment to charities and communities across the country.”

Applications for one of three £10,000 grants can be submitted via the Mackie’s website by charities, with groups invited to share details of the work they do, the people they support and how the funding would help them make an even greater impact.

The ten £1,000 donations will be selected separately, with Mackie’s staff nominating charities and organisations close to their hearts.

Mac added: “Whether it’s a small local group or a charity supporting families right across the country, we know £10,000 or £1,000 can make a real difference. We can’t wait to see the applications come in and find out more about the incredible work taking place across the UK.”

The Mackie’s Charity Grant is the latest in a series of community-focused efforts by the ice cream maker, including its ongoing support for NHS Grampian and The Archie Foundation.

With the first ice cream tubs made on the family farm in 1986, Mackie’s has grown into one of the UK’s fastest-growing premium ice cream brands and Scotland’s best-selling (KantarWorldPanel, volume), while staying rooted in its Aberdeenshire community, where it still makes all of its ice cream and chocolate.

Charities have until 21st August to submit their applications for the £10,000 grants.

To find out more and to apply, please visit the Mackie’s of Scotland Charity Grant webpage.

Local Tesco Express raises more than £2,100 for local CPR charity

St John Scotland has received more than £2,100 from Tesco Haymarket Express
The total is the highest raised in Edinburgh from a single business collection box
Funds will help St John Scotland volunteers continue delivering life-saving support across Edinburgh

A local Tesco Express store in Edinburgh has raised more than £2,100 for a local charity that helps save lives through CPR training, Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) and volunteer-led community support.

Tesco Haymarket Express has raised £2,186.42 for St John Scotland through an in-store collection box, with customers and colleagues contributing to the total since the fundraiser was launched in April 2020.

The store is located just 15 minutes from St John Scotland’s headquarters on St John Street, making the fundraiser a real show of local support for the charity.

Formed in 1947, St John Scotland is made up of dedicated volunteers who help build safer, stronger and more resilient communities across Scotland. Its work includes providing CPR training, improving the availability of PADs, transporting patients to hospital, and supplying kits for Community First Responders.

The money raised by Tesco Haymarket Express will go towards the charity’s ongoing work in Edinburgh, helping volunteers continue their efforts to improve cardiac arrest survival rates and make communities across the city safer.

Alan Roy, Store Manager at Tesco Haymarket Express, said: “I was shocked to learn that every week in Scotland, around 70 people suffer a cardiac arrest, so the work St John Scotland volunteers are doing to improve survival rates is invaluable.

“We’re proud to support such an important local charity and grateful to every customer and colleague who has contributed to the collection box over the years.”

John Craig, St John Scotland’s Edinburgh Chair, recently visited the Tesco Haymarket Express team to thank them for their fundraising efforts and share how the money raised is helping the charity’s volunteers continue their work.

John said: “The team at Tesco Haymarket Express has been fantastic in supporting our mission to save lives in Scotland through CPR.

“We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support and for the generosity shown by customers and colleagues in store. This donation will help us continue delivering vital support in communities across Edinburgh.”

Alan added: “It was great to welcome John to the store and hear more about how the funds raised are helping St John Scotland volunteers continue their important work.

“We were also delighted to learn that our collection box has raised the highest amount in Edinburgh from a single business. It is a real testament to the generosity of our customers and colleagues.”

Claire de Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “We are proud to support such a worthwhile cause in St John Scotland.

“Tesco is committed to supporting local communities and charities across Scotland, and fundraising initiatives like this help create a lasting positive impact for residents.”

More information about St John Scotland, including how to become a volunteer, is available at https://www.stjohnscotland.org.uk/.

Rowanne raises over £400 for CHAS in Aldi Supermarket Sweep

Aldi Scotland’s Supermarket Sweep has returned to Edinburgh, where one lucky local shopper has raised £437.40 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) while also taking home the same value in Aldi favourites.  

Inspired by the iconic game show, the popular challenge arrived in Dalkeith on 27 June, where competition winner Rowanne Moir was selected to take part in a five-minute trolley dash in support of CHAS.  

In addition to taking home a trolley full of goodies, Aldi Scotland matched the total value of Rowanne’s haul, donating all proceeds to CHAS to help support over 500 babies, children and young people across Scotland with life-shortening conditions and their families.

In 2026 every penny raised through the initiative will go directly to CHAS, with £10,000 pledged in support.

Aldi Supermarket Sweep winner, Rowanne Moir, said: “The Aldi Supermarket Sweep was not only a great and fun experience, it was also amazing to be involved in raising money for such a wonderful charity.

“All the staff were amazing and made the experience fun with such fantastic support and encouragement. Thank you to the Aldi team for creating such a memorable experience.”   

Rachel Hamilton, Staff Nurse at CHAS said: “Every week in Scotland, three children die from an incurable condition. CHAS supports families through this devastating reality, providing expert care at home, in our two hospices and through CHAS/NHS teams in children’s hospitals across Scotland.

“In the Edinburgh and Lothians area, CHAS supports 131 families with a range of care tailored to their needs, including palliative care, respite, family support, and bereavement and spiritual care, helping families make the most of every precious moment together.”

Tom Brearey, Regional Managing Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Our Supermarket Sweep continues to be a highlight in the Aldi calendar, and we’re proud to partner with CHAS once again to support the incredible work they do. Congratulations to Rowanne for raising an incredible £437 for CHAS while enjoying a well-earned trolley full of Aldi favourites.

“CHAS is a charity very close to our hearts which does invaluable work for families in Scotland. Through initiatives like Supermarket Sweep, we are pleased to help raise both funds and awareness so they can continue delivering care and support where it is needed most.”

This April, CHAS launched its ‘More Than A Hospice’ appeal, seeking to raise £20 million to transform children’s palliative care across Scotland and ensure no family faces their child’s illness or end of life without the right care and support.

The appeal aims to fund the crucial rebuilding and refreshing of CHAS’s hospices, as well as the expansion of care in homes, communities and hospitals, giving families real choice over where and how they are supported when they need it most.

For more information about CHAS and how to support its work, visit:

https://www.chas.org.uk/  

To find your nearest Aldi, visit:

https://stores.aldi.co.uk/store-finder

Edinburgh charities receive boost from Miller Homes Community Fund

Two Edinburgh charities supporting vulnerable children and families have received a funding boost from the Miller Homes Community Fund.

Hearts & Minds and Home Link Family Support have been awarded £2,000 each through the initiative, which supports charities and community organisations located close to Miller Homes developments.

Hearts & Minds will use the funding to support its Clowndoctors programme at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh. The programme brings moments of play, laughter and connection to children facing serious illness, helping to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing during hospital stays.

Meanwhile, Home Link Family Support will use its funding to help sustain specialist Stay & Play sessions for families of young children with additional support needs or neurodivergence. The sessions provide practical support, reduce isolation and help families build vital peer networks.

Miller Homes Clown Doctors 1 SA : Miller Homes Clown Doctors All images © Stewart Attwood Photography 2026. All other rights are reserved. Use in any other context is expressly prohibited without prior permission.

Neil Gaffney, Regional Sales Director for Miller Homes Scotland East, said: “Both of these organisations are making a profound difference to families across Edinburgh, often during some of the most challenging times in their lives.

“Whether it’s bringing joy to children in hospital or providing vital support for families navigating additional support needs, the impact of their work is truly inspiring. We’re delighted to be able to support both charities through our Miller Community Fund.”

Sean Donnelly, from Hearts & Minds, said: “A smile can be incredibly powerful, especially for a child facing a hospital stay. This funding will help our Clowndoctors continue creating moments of laughter, connection and comfort when children and their families need them most.

“We’re hugely grateful to Miller Homes for helping us bring a little more joy into hospital wards across Edinburgh.”

Paula Swanston, from Home Link Family Support, said: “Many of the families we support are facing long waits for assessments and often feel isolated while trying to find the right help for their children.

“This funding will help us continue providing a welcoming space where parents can access practical support, share experiences and feel less alone. We’re incredibly thankful to Miller Homes for recognising the importance of this work.”

Miller Homes’ Community Fund is a bi-annual initiative that supports charities, community groups and local organisations located near its developments across the UK.

For more information regarding the community fund, visit www.millerhomes.co.uk.

Edinburgh restaurant group raises over £20k for charity partner CHAS

A family-run Edinburgh restaurant group has raised over £20,000 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS).

Howies, which operates venues across the capital including Howies Victoria Street, Howies Waterloo Place and Scotts Kitchen on Victoria Terrace, raised the impressive sum in just three months during a 12-week corporate partnership with the charity from March 1 to May 31.

Customers were invited to add £1 or more to their bill, with the donations helping CHAS provide vital care and support to children with life-shortening conditions and their families across Scotland.

Founded by David Howie Scott in 1990 and recently celebrating 36 years in business, Howies received overwhelming support from customers, raising £20,040 for the charity.

Suzanne O’Connor, Operations Manager, Howies Restaurants said: “As an independent, family-run business, it was important to us that this was a team decision. We shared information about several Scottish charities and asked everyone in our team to vote. CHAS was the clear choice across the group.

“We were incredibly proud to support CHAS. We know about the incredible work they do and the vital support they provide to families during their toughest times, and we very much hope that the funds we have raised will be of some help as they continue to deliver their incredibly valuable work.”

CHAS Senior Community Fundraiser, Sarah Dannfald said: “We were delighted to have been selected as the charity partner for Howies and are absolutely blown away by the amount raised in such a short space of time!

“The commitment of Howies staff to drive the initiative and actively talk to customers about CHAS has really shone through as well as the incredible generosity shown by so many of their customers adding the donation to their bills.

“This incredible support from Howies comes at such a crucial time for CHAS as we look to transform children’s hospice care in Scotland, through our £20million More Than a Hospice Appeal.

“Thank you so much to everyone who has made this incredible gift possible.”