Friday 29 May, 2-3 pm at Granton Castle Walled Garden
Join Vii from MycoBee Mushrooms CIC for a fun and hands-on introduction to the fascinating world of fungi. This family-friendly session is designed for children and parents to explore nature together through engaging, outdoor activities.
At MycoKids, you’ll discover the hidden world of fungi and learn why they are so important for our ecosystems; all in a playful and accessible way.
Keir Starmer has set out how the government is delivering real progress now while rebuilding Britain’s foundations for the future. But does anyone believe him?
PM says “our plan is working” as government delivers results on costs, migration control and growth
Net migration down sharply to its lowest since 2021, inflation down faster than expected to 2.8%, and UK the fastest-growing economy in the G7 in the first quarter of the year
“Great British Summer Savings” to help families afford more time together this summer
The Prime Minister has set out how the government is delivering real progress now while rebuilding Britain’s foundations for the future.
Recent figures show the plan is working:
Net migration has fallen by almost three quarters to its lowest level since 2021.
Inflation has dropped faster than expected to 2.8%.
The UK is the fastest growing economy in the G7, with growth beating expectations at 0.6% in the first quarter.
Together, this progress is strengthening the UK’s resilience in an uncertain world – easing immediate pressures on families while putting the economy on a more stable footing for the long term.
That progress is being felt more widely across the country, as the government rebuilds the public services working people rely on:
Homicide is at its lowest levels since the 1970s, knife crime is down by 10%, and we have taken more than 63,000 knives off our streets.
NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level for three and a half years, with the largest single month performance improvement in 17 years.
There are 4,000 additional teachers across secondary schools, special schools and further education.
With families still feeling the squeeze – and global instability continuing to drive uncertainty – the government is going further to help households with the cost of living, so people can enjoy the everyday moments that make life better.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We now have the fastest growing economy in the G7, net migration has fallen, and NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level in three and a half years.
“Our plan is working. And as summer begins, we are going further to bring down the cost of living and make life easier for families, so they have more room to enjoy it.
“This government will keep pushing forward to deliver the change the country voted for.”
Building on that progress, the Prime Minister and Chancellor have acted to ease pressure on families, announcing further cost of living support including VAT cuts on hospitality, free bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 in England throughout August, and targeted tariff reductions to bring down the price of everyday essentials. Together, these measures will help families go further while supporting high streets and local businesses.
That action is being underpinned by growing economic strength. GDP has increased every quarter since 2024, forecasts have been exceeded in the first quarter of this year, and the IMF has upgraded the UK’s growth outlook – all clear signs that economic stability is returning and resilience is being rebuilt.
The government is also driving that resilience by backing businesses to invest and expand, including a landmark trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council – the first such deal by a G7 country – and new legislation to give small firms stronger protection from late payments and the certainty they need to grow.
This comes alongside action to make work pay and back working people – with the National Living Wage increased, 30 hours of funded childcare delivering savings of up to £8,000 per child each year, and stronger rights for 11 million renters through the Renters’ Rights Act.
At the same time, the government is restoring control and strengthening security – closing more than half of asylum hotels and taking further action to tackle the criminality that undermines communities.
Alongside this, the government is rewiring the state to support delivery, with a delivery team in every department, led by a senior civil servant, and performance incentives strengthened so that senior leaders are rewarded for driving results.
This week, the government confirmed senior civil servants’ pay rises will be directly linked to performance to reward the doers, not the talkers. As a package, this is the biggest change to senior civil pay in decades.
This is a government taking a different path – not returning to a status quo that failed working people, but building a stronger, fairer Britain.
From lowering costs and backing families to restoring control and driving growth, the government is delivering the security and stability people expect – and laying the foundations for long-term change.
SECURITY? Peter Mandelson scandal
STABILITY? Internal civil war forcing unneccesary by-election
Families of children with disabilities and additional support needs are being encouraged to apply for the Council’s Holiday Hub provision, with the window now open for applications until 3 June 2026.
The Council has offered Holiday Hubs to eligible school age children and young people for over two decades – offering vital school holiday provision for those who cannot access any other form of mainstream activities during the holidays due to the nature or complexity of their disability or support needs.
Running Monday – Thursday from 9am to 3pm during the October, February, Easter and Summer holidays across ten weeks in total throughout the academic year, each holiday hub is run by an activity provider who is contracted by the Council to deliver the provision.
This year, adaptations and updates to Holiday Hub eligibility criteria have been made to reflect extensive collaboration that has taken place with families through the Holiday Hubs parent/carer steering group.
This is to ensure provision is allocated as fairly and transparently as possible to children and young people who need it the most.
Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener said: “We have offered vital school holiday support to Edinburgh families for over 20 years, and I know from speaking to parents/carers just how much they need, value and rely on this provision during school holidays.
“Offering this support goes hand in hand with our ambition to make sure that every child and young person in Edinburgh has the opportunity to thrive and realise their full potential. Holiday Hubs offer a space where children and young people with a disability or an additional support need can have fun, take part in activities and make friends in a setting that meets their needs.
“I want to thank those families who are part of our Holiday Hubs parent and carer steering group. The input they have shared ensures that our investment in this important service meets the needs of those it is designed to help.”
We are pleased to announce our community walk for all the family on Friday afternoons, 2.30-3.45pm, monthly, starting on 22nd May (fourth Friday of the month).
We will walk, play, do an art activity related to local history, and learn about nature too.
Starting and ending at the Granton Hub / Madelvic House.
All welcome. Please wear sensible shoes and warm clothes / sun hat plus suncream if appropriate, and bring water and snacks for yourselves.
Tamsin Grainger is Paths for All trained, and has a DBS certificate. All children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult or an older sibling.
We’re so excited for Bookbug Week 2026 which starts on Monday!
Celebrate Bookbug’s Big Quest at Drumbrae Library all next week and have an adventure with your little one.
We have our usual 3 Bookbug sessions to enjoy, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10.30am.
Whilst you’re in the library why not take part in Bookbug’s scavenger hunt, colour in a mini Bookbug and look at Bookbug’s Big Quest wall to see what adventures Bookbug has been on during the week!
We also have a fun, interactive Story Walk around Clermiston Park! Collect your map at the front desk, enjoy the walk, find the pages of the story, then return to the library to collect your certificate!
Alarming new figures reveal that last year Childline delivered over 2,400 counselling sessions to children and young people across the UK about online child sexual abuse and exploitation – an annual increase of 36%.
Overall, the service delivered over 4,300 counselling sessions to children and young people across the UK with concerns about online harms.
NSPCC urges the Government to go further than a ban and take three key actions when their online safety consultation concludes to force tech companies to keep children safe.
The charity has also launched a new campaign Shift Ctrlwhich highlights how online harm disrupts the everyday lives of young people.
Children’s charity the NSPCC are raising the alarm as Childline counselling sessions across the UK about online child sexual abuse and exploitation jumped by more than a third in the last year.
New data from the NSPCC-run service reveals that between April 2025 and March 2026 Childline delivered 2,444 counselling sessions across the UK about online child sexual abuse and exploitation, marking a 36% annual increase.
These figures feed into and reflect a wider problem, with 4,321 counselling sessions taking place about all online harms, including online child sexual abuse, cyberbullying and concerns about young people’s digital behaviour – a 30% increase compared on the year before.
The NSPCC is highlighting these findings as further evidence of how tech companies are failing to protect children across their sites, arguing that without swift action the risks young people face online will get even worse.
Speaking to the service, children described encountering inappropriate and harmful content, falling for online scams, being bullied online and facing privacy concerns on big tech platforms.
They also shared reflections on their social media behaviour and sought advice on managing their screen time and online habits.
Of the 2,444 contacts about online child sexual abuse, young people spoke about being scared that images of them would be shared, about being financially extorted, and the impact this form of abuse could have on their futures. Many asked for support on how to speak to an adult about this.
One 14-year-old girl who contacted Childline said: “I met a guy online and he managed to get photos of me in my underwear. I didn’t send them to him, so I don’t know how he got them.
“He threatened to put my photos on adult websites if I don’t send him more photos. I’m so scared. I’ve reported him online and I’m wondering if I should go to the police too.”
At the same, the children’s charity has launched its Shift Ctrl campaign which highlights how online harm disrupts the everyday lives of young people. It calls on the public to join the charity in demanding urgent action from Government and tech companies to create a safer online world for children.
A video[SM1] promoting the campaign will appear on various on‑demand TV services, in cinemas (including before The Mandalorian and Grogu), across online video and social media platforms and on billboards across the UK.
As the Government consults on children’s access to social media, the charity is setting out three key actions that they must take to hold tech companies to account and keep children safe:
Make sure teens get genuinely age‑appropriate experiences – platforms must be safe before children can use them.
Stop platforms using addictive design tricks that leave young people feeling out of control.
Use the full force of the law to block illegal and harmful content e.g. nude images at the source across online services, including on devices and AI.
Chris Sherwood, CEO at the NSPCC, said:“For far too long, tech companies have prioritised profit over the wellbeing of children, playing fast and loose with their safety. Enough is enough.
“Behind each of these Childline counselling sessions is a child in distress, using an online world with features that are designed to put them at risk.
“It is crucial that the Government uses their consultation on children’s access to the online world as a springboard to finally hold platforms to account for this harm and to force them to make these spaces safe for young users. This includes ensuring tech companies take action in blocking nude images of children from being taken and shared in real time.
“I urge everyone who cares about creating a safer online world for children to take part in the public consultation before it closes. Together, we can put an end to this harm and give children the safety they need and deserve and parents demand.”
Kerry Smith, Chief Executive of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said: “Everywhere we look online, children are being sexually exploited. Girls are facing increasingly normalised sexual violence, while boys are being singled out by criminals who capitalise on feelings of shame and fear to extort money from them.
“Our analysts are discovering record amounts of child sexual abuse imagery online. Stopping this downward spiral and working to create an internet where everyone can flourish needs to be the priority. Safety by design needs to be a guiding principle – and new products and platforms must be built to make sure there is nowhere where criminals can target and exploit children.
“This must apply to all parts of the internet, even those which are end to end encrypted. Currently, it is just too easy for criminals to target and exploit children and young people. Everybody must play their part in making sure children can learn, play, and socialise online in safety.”
You can submit your response to the Government’s consultation here.
AND THE SUN IS SHINING ON WEST PILTON PARK ONCE AGAIN!!
North Edinburgh Community Festival is back TODAY – Saturday 16 May, taking over West Pilton Park for a full day of music, food, activities, sports, arts and crafts and proper community spirit.
Expect live performances, family fun, local groups showcasing what they do best, and plenty of free things to get stuck into. It’s a celebration made by the community, for the community, and everyone’s invited to come along, get involved and make the park buzz.
The festival parade will set off from North Edinburgh Arts at 1030am and wind its way to West Pilton Park arriving for 12noon. It’ll be led in vibrant style by local groups, organisations, schools and performers – a wonderful colourful collaboration with Edinburgh Carnival.
Expect colour, music and a proper burst of energy as the community walks, dances and drums its way into the heart of the festival.
Sign up, and join in the fun at one of the two FREE family-friendly Scottish Ceilidh workshops which are part of the afternoon activities taking place at this year’s Festival of Europe Scotland’s European Communities Day.
Particularly aimed at families with children aged 3-9 years, new Scots and Old Scots can discover and enjoy for the first or 100th time the dances and tap along to the music.
Lead by Caroline from Ceilidhkids each workshop is aimed at families with children aged 3 – 9 years. It’s family dancing, not children’s dancing so children should be accompanied by an adult willing to join in. One adult can dance with two children.
The dance steps are simplified and non-scary. As it is a shoes off dance floor there is a chance for everyone to show off their favourite socks!
But there will be first come spaces saved for those who turn up on the day! Please note: a ticket is required for every person attending (both adults and children), so be sure to book a place for each member of your group.
We hope you can join us!
This Ceilidh Workshop is part of European Communities Day, 16 May, Out of the Blue Drill Hall. It is made possible thanks to #NationalLottery players
Monday 20th – Friday 24th July
10am – 4pm
£200 | Subsidised places available