Big rides start small: Rock Up & Ride launches in South Edinburgh

Building on the success of our established Rock Up & Ride programme, Scottish Cycling is expanding into Edinburgh through a new partnership with the South East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) and We Play Together SCIO at the Crags Community Centre.

The Rock Up & Ride project in Edinburgh will help to introduce young people to cycling, not only as a sport and recreational activity, but the programme will also help develop the confidence and practical skills needed to cycle independently.

The ambition is to encourage participants to see cycling as an option for everyday journeys, helping make active travel a more accessible choice within their local community.

The ambition of the programme goes beyond simply providing opportunities to ride. The young people involved in the programme will be supported to build confidence and develop their skills, with opportunities to progress into local cycling clubs or explore volunteering and coaching. The project will also help local staff and volunteers gain experience and qualifications, strengthening the Crags Community Centre’s ability to support cycling in the longer term.

SEStran has been a crucial partner in supporting the project, recognising the role cycling can play in creating healthier, more connected communities. With their support, the project will promote the benefits of active travel, helping young people build the confidence to use a bike both for enjoyment and everyday journeys.

Additional support has been provided through from the Scottish Cycling Tour de France Grand Départ Social Impact Programme. The programme aims to use the profile of the Grand Départ to create lasting opportunities for local communities, with Rock Up & Ride Edinburgh being one example showcasing the impact that the legacy of a major sporting event can have on the local community.

With Project Coordinator Erin Finnigan already in post, Rock Up & Ride in Edinburgh is building on the strong relationships We Play Together SCIO has established with young people in the local area around the Crags Community Centre. Erin will coordinate the programme, bringing opportunities directly to the community and ensuring that activities reflect the interests and needs of local young people.

The programme will introduce participants to different cycling disciplines, including BMX, mountain biking and track cycling, with a particular focus on BMX, utilising the “Skelf” pump track adjacent to the Crags Community Centre.

The programme will be supported by a group of experienced coaches alongside a fleet of bikes and equipment to help remove the cost and barriers that can sometimes prevent young people from getting involved.

Speaking about the impact of the programme Nick Rennie, Chief Executive of Scottish Cycling, said: “We’re delighted to be furthering the reach of our flagship participation programme, Rock Up & Ride, as it expands into Edinburgh ahead of the Tour de France Grand Départ next summer.

“We’re already feeling the buzz that the Tour de France is creating, so this is a wonderful opportunity to use that to get more people on bikes and build their confidence and competence, so that they regularly use cycling as a form of active travel, or a past time.

“The expansion of the programme into the capital wouldn’t be possible without some fantastic partnership working, so I extend a big thank you to SEStran, We Play Together and the Scottish Government for helping bring it to life, and I can’t wait to see it flourish over the coming months and years.”

Sally Pattle, Chair of the SEStran Partnership Board, commented: “We’re delighted to support Scottish Cycling’s Rock Up and Ride initiative in Edinburgh through our People and Place programme.

“The sessions with We Place Together at the Crags Community Centre are giving local young people and their families the chance to build their cycling skills and confidence in a fun and inclusive environment, helping make cycling a more accessible option for leisure and everyday journeys.”

The Rock Up & Ride programme at the Crags Community Centre presents an exciting opportunity to turn the excitement of the Tour de France Grand Départ arriving in Edinburgh next year into a lasting, positive impact for the local community.

By bringing cycling opportunities directly to young people and giving them the support and confidence to get involved, the ambition is to inspire a new generation to discover the joy of cycling and the role it can play in their everyday lives.

Inquiry to examine scale of group-based child sexual abuse announced

GROOMING GANGS IN SCOTLAND INVESTIGATION

An independent public inquiry will examine the scale, extent and prevalence of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation in Scotland over the past three decades, Education Secretary Màiri McAllan has told Parliament.

The statutory inquiry, which will formally begin on 11 November, will provide recommendations to strengthen the protection of children. The Chair, Professor Alexis Jay, will report on specific aspects of the findings as they emerge.

Under the terms of reference, published yesterday, the inquiry will:

investigate Scotland’s response to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), covering the period from 1 January 1996 to 11 November 2026
scrutinise any failures by responsible organisations, including any deliberate concealment, alongside actions to address such failures
explore the characteristics of perpetrators so risk factors can be better understood and stronger protections developed
identify what changes are needed to strengthen practice, policy and, where required, legislation to protect children
avoid unnecessary duplication of matters already examined elsewhere, including by the independent Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

The Education Secretary also confirmed that a pilot of the Truth Project will launch this month ahead of a national rollout next year, offering survivors the opportunity to share their experiences and contribute directly to the inquiry.

Ms McAllan said: “Sexual abuse and exploitation are among the most serious harms that can be inflicted on a child. Our responsibility is to ensure that children are protected, perpetrators are pursued and survivors are listened to, supported and believed.

“This inquiry will undertake a thorough examination of Scotland’s response to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. Its purpose is not only to understand what has happened, but to ensure it cannot happen again. To ensure accountability is strengthened, and that we do everything possible to better protect children and young people in the future.

“However, we are not waiting for the inquiry to conclude before acting – due to the pressing nature of the issue work is already underway to strengthen Scotland’s collective response to child sexual abuse and exploitation, including by accepting the recommendations from our National Review and providing additional funding for Police Scotland’s Operation Decerno.

“I want survivors to know that your voice will be heard. This inquiry will investigate what you went through, without fear or favour, and action will be taken as a result. And to those who would seek to perpetrate harm to our children in Scotland, I say directly that there will be nowhere to hide from justice.”

Professor Alexis Jay said: “I welcome today’s announcement of the Inquiry’s terms of reference. This marks the beginning of our work, and I am clear that the focus of the Inquiry will be on making practical recommendations that improve policy, practice and, where necessary, legislation to better protect children in Scotland.”

Jay Inquiry into group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation: Terms of Reference

Newhaven Winter Carnival

PARADE and CELEBRATION – 28th NOVEMBER

Glowing lights, circus magic & illuminated lanterns will brightening up the colder months this November, as we prepare for the first Newhaven Winter Carnival.

Kids aged 5-11yrs are warmly invited to join our Carnival circus troupe who will learn ground-based skills like juggling, hula hoops and poi, make their own glow circus props to keep, and perform in the Winter Carnival on Saturday 28th November.

Meanwhile, all ages are invited to help us design and build glowing willow lantern sculptures, which will be part of the parade and then adorn the Heart of Newhaven lobby over winter.

Drop in to one of our Winter Carnival club sessions to find out more, or book your place for circus!

We will be meeting every Thursday 4 – 6pm

Registration (and all participation) is free, thanks to our funders the National Lottery, Harbour Homes, and Transport Scotland through Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s ArtRoots fund.

Go-ahead for additional school in-service days agreed

Helping teachers prepare for major curriculum changes

Local councils will be able to request up to two extra in-service days this academic year, so that teachers can prepare for the most significant curriculum changes in more than a decade.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) – which brings together the Scottish Government, local authority body COSLA, and teaching unions – has agreed up to two additional in-service days, which will form part of multi-year support for implementation of the updated curriculum.

Additionally, a short-term working group involving councils, unions and the Scottish Government will assess what additional support schools and teachers require to implement the refreshed curriculum, with a routemap to be published early next year.

Draft curriculum materials have now been made available to teachers by Education Scotland, which will be tested and refined through engagement with the profession. These have been co-designed by Education Scotland with input from over 1,500 primary and secondary teachers, early learning practitioners, and a range of other experts including from the Gaelic Medium Education sector.

The materials are being deliberately shared by Education Scotland in draft, as part of a process of engagement and testing with a sample of teachers ahead of wider engagement around more advanced drafts in early 2027. More than 3,800 teachers, practitioners, council education leads, and experts have so far registered an interest in reviewing the drafts and providing independent feedback to inform future drafts.

Education Scotland and Qualifications Scotland are working closely to develop qualifications for learners on the basis of the updated curriculum and aligned with it for the senior phase, for learners aged 16-18.

Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “This is a significant milestone in delivering the most substantial curriculum reform in a decade.

“The draft materials build on the strengths of Curriculum for Excellence and respond to the OECD’s call for greater clarity, stronger progression and a clearer focus on knowledge. By aligning curriculum, qualifications and assessment reform, we can deliver changes that work in the classroom and improve outcomes for young people.

“Teachers must have appropriate time and support to prepare properly – investing in dedicated time now will ensure high-quality learning and teaching for young people once the updated curriculum is implemented in August 2028.

“I have encouraged local councils to align additional days with existing school holidays to minimise disruption and look forward to taking forward a new curriculum designed to deliver excellence in our education system.”

Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS) General Secretary Greg Dempster said: “AHDS is very pleased that we now have an agreement in place for two additional in-service days during the remainder of this school session, and that is work underway to ensure that further development days are swiftly agreed for subsequent years.

“This time investment is absolutely essential to enable school leaders and their teams to undertake the planning and preparation necessary for implementation of changes to our curriculum to be successful.”

School Leaders Scotland (SLS) General Secretary David Barnett said: “We are pleased that an agreement on additional in-service days has now been reached.

“This will allow schools to plan with confidence on giving staff time to engage with the draft curriculum materials and begin the process of what will be major curriculum reform.”

Councils will decide the exact dates for the additional in-service days, which are intended to be aligned to the existing holidays, based on local holiday timetables. Dispensation for the in-service days will be granted under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

Committee questions timescales for reducing teachers class contact time

The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic should provide more information on whether plans to reduce teachers’ class contact time are deliverable within the planned timescales, according to a Holyrood Committee.

In March 2026, the Scottish Government, local government and teaching unions agreed that teachers’ time with pupils would be reduced by 90 minutes a week. The tripartite agreement said this policy would be in place from August 2027 in primary and special schools, and August 2029 in secondary schools.

However, evidence presented to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Gaelic Committee indicated that it is unclear whether the policy can be implemented in time.

The Committee’s report points to “considerable challenges related to workforce planning in implementing the reduction in class contact time within the planned timescales”, due to geographical and subject specific teacher shortages.

The report also calls for greater clarity about the objectives of the policy. The Committee is unclear how the policy can both reduce teacher workload and give teachers time for additional preparation and learning. In addition, the Committee would like to understand what assessment has been made of how the policy benefits children and young people.

Additionally, there are questions about how the costs associated with reducing class contact time will be funded. Evidence shared with the Committee outlined that spending for the Education and Skills portfolio is not forecast to meaningfully increase, implying that the cost of this policy will need to be met by existing budgets.

Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Education and Gaelic Committee, said: “We have questions about the proposals to reduce teachers’ class contact time within the timescales agreed by the Scottish Government, teaching unions and local government.

“The evidence we heard highlighted the significant unresolved challenges that rural and remote communities face with recruiting teachers, alongside challenges related to recruiting teachers in several secondary specialisms.

“At the current time, it is difficult to understand how these can be resolved in time for the policy to be delivered effectively and on schedule. We would like to hear the Cabinet Secretary’s views on how achievable the policy is within the planned timescales.”

The Committee also scrutinised the Scottish Government’s progress towards delivering the reforms to the children’s care system known as The Promise.

In its report it explains that the lack of clarity around the implementation, delivery and accountability of the reforms makes it difficult to measure progress and asked the Scottish Government to respond to the evidence that said that there is a need for sustained investment to deliver on the aims of the policy.

Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Education and Gaelic Committee, said: “During our inquiry, we encountered a lack of clarity around the implementation, delivery and accountability on the Promise which makes it difficult to measure progress with any certainty.

“We would like to hear the Scottish Government’s response to calls for sustained investment, including progress in relation to social work recruitment and retention and availability of care accommodation, to make the progress that is needed to ensure The Promise fulfils its commitment to care-experienced children, young people, and adults.”

Read the Committee’s report

Letter: Accessible letters from Santa

Dear Editor,

Things may only just be cooling down after what has certainly been a long hot summer, but at the North Pole, things are hotting up with the elves and Father Christmas already gearing up for another jam-packed festive season.

Once more, the residents of the North Pole are teaming up with their friends at RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People) to make sure that every child experiences the magic that Christmas time brings by helping Santa reply to their letters in a format that’s accessible to them.

In the lead up to Christmas Day, children with a vision impairment can receive their very own Letter from Santa from RNIB in braille, large print, audio or email format, completely free of charge.

Last year, more than 1,600 children across the UK were brought the joy of Christmas magic by receiving a letter from Santa in an accessible format thanks to RNIB and Father Christmas’s elves.

If you know a child with a vision impairment who would love to receive an accessible Letter from Santa, please visit www.rnib.org.uk/santa.

The last date to request a physical letter in braille, large print or audio is Monday 30 November.

For a Letter from Santa in email format, you have until Tuesday 15 December to submit your request.

Remember to include the child’s name, age, address, the format they’d like their letter in, and whether they’d like to receive their letter in English or Welsh, and then leave it to Santa’s elves to sort out the magic.

From everyone at RNIB and at the North Pole, we wish you a magical Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Lara Marshall

Library Engagement Manager at RNIB (the Royal National Institute of Blind People)

LifeCare: Free Storytelling Sessions

We are hosting FREE story telling sessions for little ones

Sat 21st Nov at 10.45-11.45 Winter Coorie In storytelling (details below)

Sat 28th Nov 12.00-13.15 St.Andrews Story Ripple (details below)

No booking required, just come along! Guardians must accompany children.

LifeCare, 2 Cheyne St, EH4 1JB

Winter Coorie-In Story Session:

Come along and coorie-in to enjoy tales of the winter season with storyteller Fergus McNicol… when the wind blows outside and the frost bites, these stories will warm your heart and and bring a smile to your lips. We will create a wintery story-scene to display for the folks at Life Care to enjoy! Cosy Family storytelling at LifeCare courtesy of the Scottish Storytelling Festival ‘Story Ripple’ initiative.

St Andrew’s Story Ripple:

Storyteller Fergus McNicol shares some of his favourite fun-filled Scottish themed stories, songs and rhymes for all the family… and you’ll have the chance to tell a tale or sing a song yourself!

#freeevent

Families feel neglected by housing providers in Edinburgh

Edinburgh councillors and Scottish Ministers must action to improve families’ experiences of social housing and temporary accommodation and private sector accommodation in the capital.

New research has uncovered how inadequate housing in the city is badly affecting families’ health, wellbeing, and overall quality of life.

This small study was carried out by parents living in social housing themselves, with support from The Poverty Alliance, and Muirhouse community organisation Low Income Families Together (LIFT).

The research was commissioned by the Scottish Health Equity Research Unit (SHERU) at the University of Strathclyde and funded by the Health Foundation.

Families in the research say that mould and damp are a common issue, with the solutions offered often feeling temporary, rather than getting to the root of the problem.

The research also highlights issues with repairs and maintenance processes with social housing providers not meeting standards under the ‘Right to Repair’ scheme, where tenants have the right to have small urgent repairs carried out within a given timescale.

Families shared experiences of jumping through hoops to get support with housing issues and parents described feeling ‘left in the dark’ when it comes to hearing back from housing officers.

The report says access to person-centred, timely and compassionate support from social housing providers is vital.

Pauline Nicol-Bowie MBE, Founder and CEO of LIFT, said: “LIFT has been supporting families in North Edinburgh for nine years, and it is heartbreaking that we are still hearing the same stories about housing, homelessness and families living in unsuitable accommodation. In fact, from what we see every day, the situation has become worse.

“Parents shared their experiences, not because it is easy to talk about their struggles, but because they desperately want things to change for their children and for other families.

“These parents have done their part. They have shared their stories, highlighted the problems and helped identify what needs to change. Now they deserve to see those voices turned into action.”

Fiona McHardy, Research Fellow, Scottish Health Equity Research Unit, said: “This community-led research highlights the troubling gap between Scotland’s national ambitions for improving housing and families’ everyday experience.

“Our research shows that the housing emergency is making it increasingly difficult for services to translate policy ambitions into support on the ground.

“In a challenging fiscal climate and wider public sector reform context, closing this implementation gap will require sustained national investment in prevention, stronger alignment between national and local priorities, and coordinated action across services.”

Poverty Alliance Research Manager Dr Laura Robertson said: “Homelessness statistics published last month show that Edinburgh continues to face housing pressures with 3,820 children living in temporary accommodation in the city.

“This research unveils the real, lived experiences of the housing emergency in Edinburgh. Housing is the foundation for health and wellbeing, but the effects of inadequate housing supply and conditions are affecting families’ physical and mental health.

“Families involved in the research want to see compassionate, consistent housing support, improved repairs and maintenance processes, and good quality, habitable housing and green spaces, where their children can play freely and safely.

“Housing is a key driver of child poverty in Scotland and adequate funding of social homes by the Scottish Government is vital to ensure we end the injustice of child poverty in Scotland.”

More-than-A-Number-Oct-2026-Final-Report Download

PYCP: Bonfire Week programme

Have a look at our programme for Bonfire Week: Tuesday 3rd – Sunday 8th of November!

Double check the times as a few of our Older Groups are longer this week!

As always – we hope everyone has a nice time, but please keep yourself and your friends safe

Concern for the future is Scottish teenagers’ most common worry, Childline reveals

CHILDLINE SERVICE MARKS 40 YEARS

New NSPCC polling shows a third (33%) of young people in Scotland worry about ‘what the future will bring’.
And almost one in three teenagers (31%) said mental health was a top concern, while around one in five cited the state of the world (21%).
As Childline marks its 40th anniversary on October 30th, the service is reminding children and young people its counsellors are ready to support them with any worries.

One in three teenagers in Scotland (33%) say they are worried about what the future will bring, making it the most common concern among young people in the country today according to new NSPCC polling released to mark Childline’s 40th anniversary.

The survey of 262 teenagers in Scotland, conducted by Savanta, also found that around one in five young people (21%) are troubled by the state of the world and around one in three (31%) said mental health was a top concern. Only 15% cited social media and being online as a major worry.

In a parallel poll, 256 adults in Scotland – who were teenagers when Childline launched in 1986 – said social media and being online (76%), body image and appearance (50%) and mental health issues (49%) were the main reasons why it was harder being a teenager now than when they were growing up.

The new polling comes as Childline marks 40 years of supporting children and young people across the UK and just weeks after Childline Founder and President, Dame Esther Rantzen, sadly died.

On Thursday 30^th October 1986, Childline opened its telephone lines and received 50,000 attempted calls from young people seeking help and support.

Since the launch of Childline, the service has delivered over 6 million counselling sessions to children on a range of topics, including abuse, online harms and bullying.

During its early years, physical and sexual abuse were the most common reasons young people contacted Childline for help. Today, and for the past decade, mental health has consistently been the number one concern.

The way children access support has also changed significantly over the last forty years. In Childline’s first decade, more than half of contacts came via telephone boxes, with the remainder made through landline phones.

Today, almost three quarters of Childline contacts take place online, with trained counsellors providing support through one-to-one chats alongside the service’s telephone helpline.

Rebecca Wilcox, Deputy President of Childline, said: “I’m not sure even my ever-prescient mother could have predicted just what a huge impact Childline would make on young people’s lives when she launched the service in 1986.

“Since then, millions of children have benefitted from this unique service, and from having somewhere safe to go. Childline is confidential, open 24 hours a day, and there for young people whenever they needed help and felt they had nowhere else to turn.

“40 years on, Mum leaves behind an incredible legacy, and it is now up to all of us who support Childline to carry on this vital work and continue to listen to children and provide a space for them that they can trust. We must always ensure we are here for children and young people now, next year and long into the future.

“I am so proud and thankful to be part of Childline and its ongoing journey. Thank you to all those Childline volunteers, staff and supporters who work tirelessly to ensure that no child ever feels alone. Thank you from both mum and me. “

To celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Childline, actor, producer and NSPCC’s Ambassador for Childline, Natalie Dormer, has released a podcast celebrating the service.

Natalie Dormer, Actor, Producer and NSPCC’s Ambassador for Childline, said: “These last months after interviewing a cohort of the incredible Childline Volunteer Counsellors across the country for my documentary podcast CHILD ON THE LINE, and talking to Childline staff and brave past contacts, I am in deep gratitude more than ever for the helpline and the courage that children and young people find to reach out.

“It is striking to explore what is so very different from previous decades for the contacts, yet what fundamentally remains constant: Our responsibility to listen to our children.”

Chris Sherwood, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “Young people are growing up in a world that often feels fast paced and constantly changing. Our findings reveal how many are grappling with concerns about the future, the world around them and their mental health, which reinforces why Childline remains as important as ever.

“Forty years after Childline was founded by the remarkable Dame Esther Rantzen, our counsellors around the UK continue to provide a safe, confidential space where children and young people can talk openly about anything that is troubling them. Whatever their concern, Childline will be there to listen and help them find a way forward.”

Childline is reminding young people that it is there for them 24/7 via the phone on 0800 1111 and online through the 1-2-1 chat service on the Childline website.

Celebrate Halloween at Historic Scotland sites across Edinburgh!

A range of frighteningly fun activities are happening across the city this Halloween

Halloween shenanigans will descend on Historic Scotland sites across Edinburgh this October with a range of spooktacular and family friendly events taking place across the country’s spookiest city.

Edinburgh Castle will become Edin-boo! Castle on Saturday 31 October with historic characters haunting the nooks and crannies of the castle. Look out for Mary Queen of Scots and James IV waiting to tell their grisly stories and secrets to any visitor brave enough to face them.

Step into a truly enchanting Halloween experience at Craigmillar Castle as it becomes Craig-thriller Castle on Saturday 31 October, giving Edinburgh residents and visitors the chance to meet the Master of Owls, who will introduce a captivating collection of owls set against the castle’s wonderfully eerie backdrop.

Along the way, encounter Ravina, ready to share chilling tales that will spark your imagination. Discover the story behind the legendary jack o’ lantern, and join in with Halloween riddles and songs that are sure to delight all ages. Keep your eyes open… there might even be a touch of magic in the air!

Kit Reid, Head of Experience at Historic Environment Scotland (HES), said: “Edinburgh is a city steeped in history and haunting tales, so what better way to spend Halloween than by getting stuck in at one of our iconic historic sites, which provide the perfect setting for a frightfully fun day out for all the family.

“Why not dive into the darker stories behind some of Edinburgh’s beloved historical places by meeting historical characters who will be stepping out of the shadows this weekend to share secrets of the past with anyone brave enough to meet them.

“We’re very excited to welcome visitors of all ages this Halloween to our sites where they can enjoy a ghoulishly good time!”

Halloween Shenanigans at Edin-boo! Castle is taking place from 11am to 3pm on Saturday 31 October at Edinburgh Castle.

Halloween Shenanigans at Craig-thriller Castle is taking place from 11:30am to 3pm on Saturday 31 October at Craigmillar Castle.

For further information and to plan your visit, head to

historicenvironment.scot/halloween.

Entry to daytime events is free for Historic Scotland members.

The Historic Scotland Explorer Pass also allows visitors to explore 5,000 years of history over 14 days. Entry to Edinburgh Castle and Craigmillar Castle, as well as other sites across Scotland, is free for Explorer Pass holders.

Advance booking is required.