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!
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.
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.”
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:
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.
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.
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.”
Family-run restaurant group has donated £8,000 to local charities and initiatives over an eight month period
A charitable initiative launched by the family-run Vittoria Hospitality Group has donated over £8,000 in its first six months, supporting a range of Edinburgh-based charities and community organisations.
Established in November 2025 as part of the Vittoria Group’s 55th anniversary celebrations, the Giving Back programme supports grassroots organisations making a difference across the capital, helping people living with disabilities, those facing homelessness, and local young people.
Unlike traditional grant programmes, Giving Back focuses on funding specific items requested by organisations, ensuring donations have a direct and lasting impact.
In its first eight months, the initiative has provided vital, targeted support across the city, including specialist technology and sensory equipment provided to young people with complex or additional support needs at Teens+, Prospect Bank School, and Braidburn Special School.
The fund has also delivered essential supplies for women experiencing homelessness via Sparkle Sisters, supported youth development and literacy resources for the Pilmeny Development Trust and Craigmillar Literacy Trust, as well as sponsoring new sports kits for Redpath Albion FC and vital funding for Muirfield Riding Therapy.
In addition to the £8,000 donated by Vittoria Hospitality Group, one of its suppliers, JB Foods Scotland, contributed a further £1,000 in December.
Leandro Crolla, Director of Vittoria Hospitality Group, said:“When we launched Giving Back, we wanted to create something that would make a real difference to local organisations doing incredible work in our communities.
“Seeing the reaction from the charities, schools and groups we’ve supported has shown us how even relatively small donations can have a significant impact when they reach the right people.
“Edinburgh has supported our family and our business for more than 55 years. This programme is our way of saying thank you and helping strengthen the communities that have been part of our story for generations.”
Talking about the donation of a new football kit for the entire team, Bryan Maughan, coach at Redpath Albion FC, said: “The boys and parents loved them. We wore the matchday kits for the first time at Currie, and they certainly brought us luck as we secured a great 6–2 win in monsoon-like conditions.
“The boys haven’t forgotten the offer of a breakfast roll either, and we’re all looking forward to the visit.”
The initiative is led by the Vittoria Hospitality Group, one of Edinburgh’s longest-established family-run hospitality businesses, now in its fourth generation of family ownership.
Recipients of the donation are chosen through a monthly staff vote, giving employees across the group’s venues the opportunity to nominate and support causes close to their hearts. Schools, charities, youth groups and community organisations across Edinburgh are encouraged to apply for future rounds of support.
For more information or to nominate a local cause, contact:
People in Edinburgh are going All In for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, as local groups prepare to host National Lottery-funded arts, sport and community activities, inspired by the Games.
With just three weeks till the Games begin, four projects in Edinburgh have received over £26,000 (£26,919) of National Lottery Awards for All funding, including Big Hearts Community Trust, Edinburgh Giants Inclusive Sports Club, Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival and Fischy.
This will help bring people together, encourage participation and help local communities by creating inclusive, locally led activities and events that build excitement, pride and connection ahead of an unforgettable summer of sport.
The awards are part of an additional £2.2 million investment through National Lottery Awards for All Scotland, delivered jointly by The National Lottery Community Fund, sportscotland and Creative Scotland.
The announcement is part of the wider All In campaign, Glasgow 2026’s Scotland‑wide movement inviting communities, schools, sports clubs, cultural and voluntary organisations and businesses to celebrate the Games in their own altogether brilliant way.
Big Hearts Community Trust will use its funding to expand its Together Equality Achieves More (T.E.A.M) project, providing access to free activities for children and young people, aged between eight and 12 years old from multicultural communities across Southwest Edinburgh.
Amanda Farquhar, Head of Delivery at Big Hearts said: “The Big Hearts’ TEAM project is about building a community that celebrates our young people in all their diversity and helps them thrive emotionally and physically through sport.
“We are grateful to National Lottery players whose support has enabled our charity to bring the spirit of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games to south-west Edinburgh. We look forward to hosting more opportunities for young people to get active and build friendships outside of school.””
Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival will deliver a five-month community Carnival Arts programme and a street parade to coincide with the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Explaining how the funding will be used, Giles Agis, Carnival and Community Manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this National Lottery Awards for All Scotland funding.
“This support will help Edinburgh International Jazz and Blues Festival bring communities together through carnival arts, music, dance, and cultural celebration, marking the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in a way that is inclusive, creative, and rooted in Scotland’s diverse communities. We are very grateful to National Lottery players for making this possible.”
Other projects to receive funding, include Edinburgh Giants Inclusive Sports Club, will help train and certify 12 people in wheelchair rugby league coaching and first aid so they can then develop, run and evaluate a 9-month wheelchair rugby league programme for around 100 disabled children and young people living in Edinburgh.
Fishcy received support to deliver a free, celebratory Commonwealth Games 2026 online music and movement event to engage primary schools and Additional Support Needs schools across Scotland.
The funding is helping remove barriers to participation, enabling more people to take part in sport, arts and community activities while supporting health, wellbeing and social connection. Projects will also celebrate Scotland’s cultural diversity and ensure communities across the country can feel part of Glasgow 2026.
Announcing the first 40 grants totalling £317,456, on behalf of National Lottery Awards for All Scotland distributors, Neil Ritch,The National Lottery Community Fund Director for Scotland,said: “We’re delighted to support Big Hearts Community Trust, Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival and Edinburgh Giants Inclusive Sports Club and Fischy to bring the spirit of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games to their community through The National Lottery Awards for All Scotland.
“It’s really exciting to see so many communities go All in and get inspired to deliver sports, arts and cultural activity. Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re helping make sure the benefit of the Games is felt in communities right across Scotland.”
Chris Ansell, Glasgow 2026 Director of Live Programmes and Engagement, said “From Shetland to the Borders, we want every community in Scotland to feel part of Glasgow 2026.
“The response from communities across the country has been brilliant with the nation really embracing the spirit of the Games and channelling it into sport, arts and cultural activity. Thanks to support from the National Lottery, we are gathering communities together to celebrate the Games in their own way.
“These projects are proof that the impact of the Games reaches far beyond our incredible venues, sparking something real and lasting in communities. We couldn’t be more proud to see that happening right across Scotland.”
National Lottery Awards for All Scotland has awarded grants of up to £10,000 to help groups deliver activities that resonate with local communities. Funding remains available for projects taking place after the Games, helping extend the legacy of Glasgow 2026 long after the closing ceremony.
Community groups interested in applying can find out more about National Lottery Awards for All Scotland on The National Lottery Community Fund website.
A young footballer from Penicuik who once faced poverty and uncertainty is playing collegiate sport in the United States, thanks to Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity.
As Scotland’s football team enjoys the global spotlight during the World Cup, 18-year-old Peter Bradford from Penicuik is home for a summer break from his dream football scholarship at Fulton-Montgomery Community College in upstate New York.
Just a few years ago, the idea of a football scholarship would have been beyond Peter’s wildest dreams.
When Peter was 12-years old, single-mum Michelle, was struggling to cope after she was forced to give up her job as a psychiatric nurse due to a shoulder injury.
With no financial safety net, cupboards were empty and Michelle faced impossible choices about how to support her family.
“It took a lot for me to ask for help,” said Michelle. “I honestly didn’t know how I could support my family and keep Peter’s football going.”
Michelle turned to Children First’s support line for financial support, and not long after that she was put in touch with the local Children First team in Midlothian where her family received support from Charles.
Children First provides emotional, practical and financial support to children and families through its national support line and local services across the country.
With additional support to manage finances, the family began to regain stability at a critical moment.
Peter, who had trained four times a week from a young age, received support to continue playing the sport he loved. This included funding for training and new football boots.
Charles also took him on trips to matches and offered Peter consistent encouragement to build his confidence – support that made a lasting difference. Charles still keeps in touch with the family now.
Michelle said: “Peter wouldn’t be where he is today without Children First. At the point when I reached out to them, I just didn’t have the financial capacity to keep his football going.”
Peter went on to play for Penicuik, Bonnyrigg Rose and Spartans, where his talent continued to develop. He was offered one-to-one coaching with former professional footballer Gary O’Connor via Five-Star International Events.
Then in 2024 what Peter and Michelle thought was another training session, turned into a life-changing moment when Peter was offered a football scholarship in America.
“It was amazing. It didn’t feel real,” Peter said.
Determined to make the opportunity count, Peter spent a year preparing with a strict training and nutrition programme before moving to the United States at just 17.
For Michelle, saying goodbye was the hardest part. “The hardest thing I’ve ever done was leaving him at the airport, but he makes me proud every day.”
Since arriving in the US, Peter has flourished both on and off the pitch. Despite living with dyslexia and struggling in school, he has adapted with support from his college and is now studying general education.
He is working hard to support himself through a job at his college gym, has built strong relationships with family in Pennsylvania and is playing a key role in his team, the Raiders. The team recently achieved a historic win over the Herkimer Generals, their first victory against them in nearly 50 years.
Peter now has his sights set on securing a full scholarship to continue his football career beyond his time at his current college.
Now home with his mum for a few weeks over the summer, Peter is holding down a job while juggling his rigorous fitness regime and continuing his studies.
Reflecting on his journey, he said: “Leaving young has made me mature more. Nothing’s impossible if you’ve got a dream.”
Back in Scotland, Michelle watches every match via livestream, still amazed at how far her son has come. For his 18th birthday, she cashed in a savings bond she had taken out when he was a baby to support him as he continues his journey.
Looking back, both Peter and Michelle believe that it was the early support from Children First that changed everything.
“None of this would have been possible without Children First,” Michelle said. “They changed the direction of my son’s life when we needed it most.”
Charles Graham, Senior Peer Support Worker at the Midlothian Children First team said: “Peter’s story shows the life-changing impact that early support can make for children and families.
2If families are able to access help at the right time, it can prevent crisis, unlock potential and give children the chance to thrive. Every child should have the opportunity to follow their dreams, no matter the challenges they face.
“It has been a privilege to be a part of Peter’s journey and we wish him every success for the future. We are all so proud of him here at Children First.”
Children First’s support line is here for anyone worried about a child. Their expert team understand that bringing up children can be tough at times and can provide emotional, practical and financial help on 08000 28 22 33.
A law firm in Edinburgh has raised a brilliant £7,740 by participating in an annual charity Will-writing campaign – making it one of the top-donating firms across the UK this year and the third highest new firm in this year’s campaign.
Ralph Sayer Solicitors and Estate Agents dedicated their time and expertise to writing Wills as part of this year’s Will Aid campaign. Instead of charging their usual fees for basic Wills, they invited clients to make a donation to Will Aid – helping to fund vital charity work in the UK and across the world.
The funds raised will support Will Aid’s partner charities, which carry out work across a range of important causes, from providing humanitarian aid to protecting vulnerable children and those facing hardship here in the UK.
Kimberley Mackay, Partner, said: “We’re delighted to have helped so many people put their affairs in order while raising such a substantial amount for charity as part of Will Aid. It was a real team effort, and we’re incredibly proud to have made such an impact in our first year taking part.
“Well done to all the team and thank you to the people who took part. The money raised will make a real difference to people in need, both here at home and around the world.”
Since its launch in 1988, Will Aid has raised more than £26 million in donations, with millions more pledged in charitable legacies thanks to the generosity of participating solicitors.
Lauren Poole, Chair of Will Aid, praised the firm’s achievement, and said: “A huge congratulations to the team at Ralph Sayer for getting involved in Will Aid for the first time and making such a strong contribution.
“It’s fantastic to see firms embracing the campaign and using their expertise to support both their clients and our partner charities. We’re incredibly grateful for their enthusiasm and commitment.”
Peter de Vena Franks, Will Aid’s Campaign Director, added: “It’s always encouraging to see firms like Ralph Sayer take part in Will Aid for the first time and achieve so much.
“The campaign continues to grow thanks to the support of new participants, and their willingness to give their time and expertise plays a vital role in helping us reach more people and raise essential funds for our charity partners.
“We hope this is the start of a long and rewarding involvement with Will Aid.”
Will Aid runs every November, offering people the opportunity to have a professionally written Will in exchange for a donation. The suggested donation is £120 for a basic single Will and £200 for a pair of basic mirror Wills, with all proceeds supporting Will Aid’s partner charities: Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Crisis, NSPCC, SCIAF (Scotland), Shelter, and Trócaire (Northern Ireland).
Portobello Beach Race 2026 
Equal access to sporting enrichment activities at Towerbank Primary School
£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
