charity support – Page 2 – The NEN

Edinburgh charitable organisations invited to apply for share of housebuilder’s Community Fund

As Scotland kicks off a landmark year of sport, charitable organisations across Edinburgh are invited to apply for a share of a £63,000 fund from Barratt and David Wilson Homes. The newly launched 2026 Community Fund will support groups which promote healthy and active lifestyles, with funding of £1,500 provided to each organisation.

Part of the UK’s leading housebuilder Barratt Redrow, Barratt and David Wilson Homes Scotland has launched its 2026 Community Fund, with a yearly focus on supporting healthy, active communities and delivering lasting, positive impact in the areas where they build new homes.

Through targeted financial support, the £63,000 fund will back organisations that aim to strengthen communities by improving wellbeing and creating opportunities for local residents. By funding these initiatives, the Community Fund seeks to make a tangible difference to the lives of local people.

Grants will be available exclusively to registered charities operating in the areas in which Barratt and David Wilson Homes build across the North, East and West of Scotland.

Supported projects can include sports, physical activity and youth programmes, inclusive fitness initiatives, youth sports and coaching projects, improvements to local playgrounds and recreational facilities, walking or cycling trails and health and wellbeing activities that encourage people of all ages to lead more active lives.

Andrew Morrison, Managing Director at Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said: “At Barratt and David Wilson Homes Scotland, we’re committed to building more than just homes – we want to create thriving, sustainable communities.

“With Scotland preparing to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the national team heading to the FIFA World Cup, this fund is about supporting organisations that inspire healthier, more active lifestyles and make sport and physical activity accessible to everyone.

“Our 2026 Community Fund will help support the fantastic work already taking place across the country, enabling local groups to deliver projects that make a real difference to people’s lives.”

The launch of the 2026 Community Fund builds on Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ long-standing commitment to social responsibility and community engagement and reflects the excitement around Scotland’s upcoming sporting calendar.

The housebuilders are creating a range of new communities across Edinburgh, including Cammo Meadows, West Craigs and West Craigs Quarter.

The Barratt and David Wilson Homes Scotland 2026 Community Fund is funded by the Barratt Redrow Foundation, the charitable arm of Barratt Redrow. Its mission is to help communities across the UK to thrive.

Applications for 2026 funding will close on 30 October 2026 with successful applicants selected throughout the year.

For more information about the Barratt and David Wilson Homes Scotland 2026 Community Fund including eligibility and how to apply, visit:

www.barrattredrowfoundation.org.uk/faqs

For more information about Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, visit

www.barratthomes.co.uk/ and https://www.dwh.co.uk/

*Terms and Conditions apply

The Traitors’ Harry Clark urges Faithfuls to take on SCIAF’s mission

He was the biggest Traitor, but now faithful Harry Clark is laying down a mission of his own – to help fight poverty.

Harry – the winner of series 2 of the hit BBC show The Traitors – is backing SCIAF’s ‘Big Lent Walk for Water’ which asks people to walk to Walk for Water in return for donations to its WEE BOX Appeal.

Harry said: “We filmed The Traitors up in Scotland, so I’m proud to support SCIAF’s Big Lent Walk for Water this Lent. Raise money for an incredible cause and explore this beautiful country on foot. Get involved today … and be a Faithful!”

SCIAF’s Lorraine Currie said: “In the places SCIAF works, like Ethiopia, women and young girls and boys walk for miles every day to collect water for their families. This Lent, you can stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world by walking with them during our Big Lent Walk for Water. 

“Commit to a distance, contact your friends and family for sponsorship, then commence your walking challenge! 

“Money raised will help keep hope flowing in the places SCIAF works, helping provide life essentials like food, shelter, healthcare and clean water.

“Instead of walking miles every single day, women, young girls and boys can have access to safe, clean water sources closer to home, affording them the time to invest in educational opportunities to build a better future.” 

If you want to be a SCIAF faithful, all you need to do is sign up at:

www.sciaf.org.uk/biglent walk

To find out more, you can call 0141 354 5555. If you’re taking part as a school or parish group, you can email getinvolved@sciaf.org.uk and if you’re walking it yourself you can contact Catriona at cmunro@sciaf.org.uk.  

Fresh Start needs starter pack items

STARTER PACK DONATIONS CALL OUT

With a new year now in full swing, we urgently need the following household items for our Starter Packs:

Towels

Crockery / Dinnerware

Pots & Pans

Duvets and Pillows

Small Electrical Goods

For a full list of accepted items, visit our website

Donations of goods can be dropped off at our warehouse at 22-24 Ferry Road Drive, Edinburgh, EH4 4BR, from Monday to Thursday 9am-4pm and Fridays 9am-1pm.

Alternatively, you can order essential household items from our Amazon Wishlist, which will then be delivered directly to our warehouse: https://tr.ee/S8BHy0

Thank you so much – we appreciate your help!

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo announces biggest-ever charity donation of £1.5 million

Landmark contribution marks the Tattoo’s largest ever investment in arts and cultural organisations

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced the largest charitable donation in its history, awarding a monumental £1.5 million to good causes following the success of its 2025 Show, The Heroes Who Made Us.

The record-breaking total will support 15 military and arts charities, significantly increasing funding across the Tattoo’s full charity portfolio and ensuring vital support reaches organisations working with communities and individuals most in need.

Between 2016 and 2019, the Tattoo donated £1 million annually to charitable causes, before contributions were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Setting an ambitious goal to return to and surpass this figure by 2025, the organisation has now exceeded expectations, marking a major milestone in its 75-year history.

The announcement follows an additional £157,000 donation to St Columba’s Hospice, generated through a 2025 initiative that saw 75p from every ticket sale donated to the Edinburgh hospice.

The charity milestone comes as the organisation looks ahead to its 2026 Show, A Call To Gather, with creative ambitions continuing to evolve under the Tattoo’s Creative Director, Alan Lane (above).

The Show is inspired by tradition rooted in Scottish identity, which saw the gathering of the clans become a gathering of nations, allies, friends, and kindred spirits, all with a shared purpose. The call has gone out to attend the must-see Tattoo performance in the summer of 2026.

Bill Morris LVO, Board Chairman of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “This extraordinary £1.5 million donation represents the very heart of what the Tattoo stands for which is using our global platform to make a meaningful difference.

“The success of the 2025 Show has allowed us not only to honour our past, but to invest in causes that will have a lasting impact on lives across the UK and beyond.

“We are immensely proud of what has been achieved and grateful to everyone who played a part in reaching this milestone.”

Jason Barrett, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “2025 was a monumental year for the Tattoo, and it’s incredibly special to see that success translated into tangible support for so many charitable causes.

“We are of course proud to continue our long-standing support for our military colleagues, but this year also marks our largest ever donation to the arts. At a time when arts organisations are under increasing pressure, this contribution recognises the powerful connection between the arts, performance and the military – a connection that the Tattoo embodies so successfully.

“This achievement belongs to our performers, our teams, and the audiences who joined us night after night and sets an exciting foundation as we enter 2026.”

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo returns for their 2026 Show, A Call to Gather, from 7 – 29 August and tickets can be purchased at:

edintattoo.co.uk/tickets

or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.

Charity Concert: Daughters of Donbas – Songs of Stolen Children

THURSDAY 29th JANUARY at 8pm

ST MARY’S EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL, PALMERSTON PLACE

On Thursday 29th January, St Mary’s Cathedral is hosting a very special concert: Daughters of Donbas — Songs of Stolen Children.

This is a fundraising concert for SaveUkraine, which helps rescue children kidnapped from the Donbas region of Ukraine.

With famous Ukrainian singer Marichka, accompanied by string quartet and bandura.

Tickets are £20/10, via our website.

http://www.cathedral.net/event…/daughters-of-donbas

Archerfield Walled Garden raises £80k for Reverse Rett charity

East Lothian business, Archerfield Walled Garden, raises over £80,000 for Reverse Rett, a charity dedicated to funding research to treat and cure the neurological condition, Rett Syndrome.

Since 2013, funds have been raised at the retail and leisure destination in various ways, including hosting the ‘Reverse Rett Run’. For the last decade, 50p from every burger sold from the main menu has been donated, raising £12k towards the total amount.

At Christmas, 750 turkey sandwiches were also sold with 50p from each one donated to the charity.

Visitors have been able to donate at the Wishing Tree, located on the Willow Walk, leading to the Fairy Trail, where they can choose a piece of twine, tie it to a branch on the tree and make a wish. Customers have also donated in collection boxes located at till points.

Catherine McKinney, mother of Eliza, who has Rett syndrome, and a trustee of Reverse Rett, said: “As a family, we have always been incredibly grateful to Elly and everyone at Archerfield Walled Garden for choosing to support Reverse Rett in so many ways.

“Eliza, our second child, was born seemingly healthy and developed typically as a baby. Around the age of two, she began to miss developmental milestones and then gradually lost skills she had already gained. She was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome just days after her third birthday — a birthday we had celebrated at Archerfield Walled Garden.

“We all love Eliza so much and are devastated by the impact this condition has had on her life. Ultimately, we want a better life for her — one where she has choices, can stand up for herself, laugh, argue and play, and tell us when she is in pain, as well as share her dreams and fears. Reverse Rett is the only UK charity funding medical research to help make this a reality.

“I began fundraising for Reverse Rett shortly after Eliza was diagnosed and joined the board in 2018. Every penny raised through the support of Archerfield Walled Garden is potentially life-changing, and we are so thankful for the support.”

Elly Douglas-Hamilton, Chief Executive of Archerfield Estates Limited, said: “Reverse Rett is a charity very close to our hearts, which is why we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has visited us and donated money and to those who have taken part in our fundraising events to help raise this fantastic amount over the years.”

Various other charities and local community groups have also received ongoing support from Archerfield Walled Garden over the years, including Dirleton Playgroup, who have received donations for raffles, a location for their Dirleton Run and use of the gardens. Dirleton Primary School has also received support with various donations, including a Christmas tree every year and hampers.

As part of its ongoing community support initiatives, local groups like Dirleton Village Association, have received hands-on help at their Market on the Green.

Archerfield Walled Garden has also hosted many charity events, including ‘Hops in the Garden’ for Leuchie House and the annual ‘Edinburgh Taxi Outing’ which culminates with a funfair on the Estate.

In addition, everything from compost and seeds to flowers, logs and willow are donated to local environmental charities and gardening projects, like Gullane Art Club and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People who received willow for their Lantern Festival.

Elly continued: “As a local visitor landmark in the area, it is important for us to be part of the community and provide help and support whenever we can.

“There are so many highlights over the years which we love being involved in, with the Edinburgh Taxi Outing definitely being one of them.”

Aldi provides over 13,000 meals to Edinburgh charities over festive period

Aldi helped deliver 13,823 meals to people in Edinburgh over the Christmas and New Year period by donating surplus food from its stores.

The UK’s fourth largest supermarket teamed up with local good causes across Edinburgh – including Porty Community Fridge, Food Rescue Group and Tummies Not Trash – to donate a range of fresh and chilled foods from its stores after closing early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Neighbourly, the community giving platform that partners with Aldi, found that charitable organisations faced increasing pressure over the winter period, with four in five charities saying demand for their services had risen over the past six months and demand for foodbanks and other food provision expected to increase by nearly 30% over the colder months.

Aldi has worked with Neighbourly since 2019 and provides surplus food from all of its UK stores to thousands of charities across the country.

Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: “This Christmas we were proud to support so many incredible charities across the UK who provide essential support to those in need.

“The services provided by food banks are more important than ever in the current climate, especially over the festive period and we’re committed to ensuring those that rely on them have access to a wide range of high-quality foods.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO at Neighbourly, added: “We’re so grateful to have had Aldi’s support for another year.

“Christmas is one of the busiest periods for our charities and the donations from Aldi mean we can help even more people across the country who need that bit of extra support over the festive period.”

Shoppers can donate food to local charities, food banks and community groups via the community donation points in Aldi stores nationwide.

Aldi also works with Company Shop Group, the UK’s leading redistributor of surplus food and household products, to redistribute surplus food from its Regional Distribution Centres. This year, it provided more than 2,500 free Christmas lunches to Company Shop’s award-winning social enterprise, Community Shop.

The UK’s fourth largest supermarket also made it easier for shoppers to give back through a warm clothing and post-Christmas clear-out appeal with The Salvation Army and InPost Lockers, allowing customers to donate coats, hats, scarves and gloves – as well as unwanted Christmas gifts in good condition – at InPost Locker donation points in Aldi stores across the UK.

Cruden donates £2,500 to St John Scotland

Five-star homebuilder Cruden has donated £2,500 to St John Scotland through its charitable arm, the Cruden Foundation, supporting the charity’s vital work in providing Public Access Defibrillators, CPR awareness, and patient transport services across the country.

The charity’s work helps ensure people throughout Scotland have access to life-saving equipment and support when it matters most.

Cruden’s donation will help the organisation continue expanding access to defibrillators and CPR within local communities, equipping more people with the skills and confidence needed to act in an emergency.

Fraser Lynes, CEO of Cruden, said: “This is a cause close to all of our hearts. Earlier this year, one of our assistant site managers was very thankfully saved by the use of an on-site defibrillator when suffering from cardiac arrest.

“It highlighted the importance of having lifesaving defibrillators and trained CPR providers on sites, making all the difference in an emergency.

“Supporting St John Scotland allows us to give back to the communities we build in and help ensure others have the same chance of receiving timely, life-saving support.”

Barri Millar, Chief Operating Officer of St John Scotland, said: “We are very grateful for Cruden’s generous donation. The services we provide to install and support community defibrillators across the country offer vital equipment that, in an emergency, can truly mean the difference between life and death.

“Cruden’s contribution will help us expand this essential work even further, ensuring more people have access to life-saving equipment and the confidence to use it. We are truly thankful for their support.”

The Cruden Foundation is a private charitable funder established in 1957 and is part of Cruden’s wider commitment to supporting the communities where it lives and works. To date, the Cruden Foundation has donated more than £8 million and supports over 150 charities each year, helping organisations make a meaningful difference to people’s lives throughout the country.

Rock legend Jesse Leach announced as Guest Judge at 8th Braw Beard & Moustache Championships

Scotland’s most distinctive celebration of beards, community and creativity returns to Drygate Brewery, Glasgow, on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st February 2026 for the Braw Beard Weekender – the only event of its kind in the UK.

Now in its eighth year, the beard competition is expected to welcome a full house once again, continuing a streak that has seen thousands of competitors and spectators attend since 2017 from across the UK, USA, Germany, Belgium and Norway.

On Friday 20th February, The Braw Cast Live podcast will be hosted by comedian Billy Kirkwood and Braw Beard founder John Jackson, with special guests including Jesse Leach, frontman of Grammy-nominated metal band Killswitch Engage.

Leach, who has been open about his own experiences with mental health, will discuss the importance of community, self-care and creativity.

He recently collaborated with Braw Beard on The Resilient beard oil, a limited-edition blend created by Jesse. He’ll be joined on stage by professional wrestler and actor Jack Jester, artist and author Tragic O’Hara and multi-award-winning barber Angela Dickson.

On Saturday 21st February, the Braw Beard & Moustache Championships return, featuring 13 categories ranging from Best Fake Beard to Over 12-inch Styled and Best Ginger Beard. The night will include live music from In Charge, exclusive products and the trademark camaraderie that defines the global beard community.

“It’s incredible to see how far this community has grown,” says John Jackson, founder of Braw Beard.

“What started as a small gathering to celebrate creativity and confidence has become an international family with people from around the world sharing respect, humour and a sense of belonging.”

Jesse Leach adds: “I’m honored to be part of the Braw Beard Weekender. To me the culture Braw Beard has created is not just about beards and facial hair, its about support, unity and solidarity!

“I am excited to make the journey and I am sure a good time will be had by all who attend! Grateful to be there for this event!”

The 2026 Weekender comes in the same year that Braw Beard will celebrate its 14th anniversary in October. Founded in 2012, the East Lothian company has grown into Scotland’s first and most recognised beard-care brand, known worldwide for its hand-crafted beard care products.

Proceeds from the event’s charity raffle will once again support Chris’s House Suicide Awareness Charity, a cause central to both Braw Beard and Leach’s advocacy for mental-health awareness.

With its mix of competition, conversation and compassion, the Braw Beard Weekender stands as a fixture in Scotland’s cultural calendar – part beard festival, part family reunion.

Tickets: Limited to 150 on Friday and 300 on Saturday.

Available now at www.thebrawbmc.com

Edinburgh shoppers offered 10p round-up to support dementia care

SMALL CHANGE, BIG DIFFERENCE: SCOTMID PARTNERS WITH PENNIES FOR DEMENTIA SUPPORT

Scotmid has introduced a quick and easy way for customers to support people living with dementia, through a new partnership with the charity Pennies, trusted leader in micro-donations. The digital micro-donation option is now available in all Scotmid and Semichem stores across Edinburgh.

Customers paying by card, contactless or digital wallet can now choose to add a 10p donation to their purchase, with donations supporting Scotmid’s annual charity partner, Alzheimer Scotland. These small contributions will help fund vital services for people and families affected by dementia, supporting care, advice and community initiatives across Scotland.

The initiative builds on Scotmid’s long-standing commitment to supporting local causes and offers a simple, sustainable way for shoppers to give back in a cashless world.

This year’s partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, announced in October, will be the first to benefit. The charity also aims to reach younger audiences with information on brain health through school and community engagement.

Karen Scott, Scotmid Chief Executive, said: “We know how much our members, colleagues and customers care about supporting local people.

“This partnership with Pennies gives everyone the chance to help in a way that feels easy and affordable. It’s community compassion in action, 10p at a time.”

Alison Hutchinson CBE, CEO of Pennies said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Scotmid to the Pennies family.

“As Scotland’s largest independent co-operative, Scotmid has deep roots in its communities – and this partnership will enable thousands of people to make a meaningful contribution every day.

“Together, we’re harnessing the power of digital giving to reach more people, in more places, for more causes. Just £10 in micro-donations could provide a whole class of 25 children with a brain-health handbook on how to look after their amazing brains. Thank you!”

Scotmid’s collaboration with Pennies reflects its ongoing commitment to finding innovative ways for customers and members to support the communities they live in. Pennies’ micro-donation solution will continue to be used across future charity partnerships, helping causes benefit from collective generosity.