Housebuilder proves spring cleaning isn’t just for the home
Volunteers from Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, part of the UK’s largest housebuilder Barratt Redrow, have dedicated their time to cleaning up in locations around Edinburgh.
The litter-pick formed part of the wider Barratt Redrow CleanUp, now in its third year, organised by the housebuilder’s charitable arm, The Barratt Redrow Foundation in partnership with CleanupUK.
A team of volunteers from Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland division set out to litter pick at West Craigs and Union Canal, which is popular with dog walkers, runners and families.
The team of 47 volunteers cleared nearly 100 bags of discarded waste, which included products that are known to be damaging to the environment and local wildlife and take a long time to break down, such as disposable vapes, wipes, batteries and cigarette butts.
The team sifted through greenery to remove waste, helping create a cleaner and safer environment for children, animals and tourists heading into the summer months.
Initiatives like this are important for amplifying the impact of litter-picking and community tidying efforts in the areas where the housebuilder operates and links closely to its ethos.
Barratt and David Wilson Homes are focused on building quality homes and creating vibrant new communities with open green spaces that enhance biodiversity and wellbeing, creating greener, healthier and more sustainable living environments for homeowners and wildlife alike.
Andrew Morrison, Managing Director for Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said: “In Scotland, we’re lucky to have such picturesque green spaces on our doorstep, so we all have a responsibility to ensure this landscape continues to thrive.
“As the UK’s largest housebuilder, we place great emphasis on leaving communities better than we found them, whether that’s by alleviating housing shortages, improving infrastructure or like in this instance, protecting the environment.
“Our employee volunteers did a great job clearing spots around Edinburgh which are enjoyed by residents across our West Craigs and West Craigs Quarter developments.”
CleanupUK, which helped with the organisation of the litter pick, is a nationwide charity that unites volunteers to form community-led litter picking initiatives in their local areas.
Edinburgh City Council provided the volunteers with the necessary equipment and will lead on disposing of the collected waste.
In total, over 60 clean-up events are taking place across the UK this spring, with hundreds of Barratt Redrow staff taking part.
A service providing emergency accommodation for people sleeping rough over winter will be able to continue throughout the year, thanks to a funding commitment by the City of Edinburgh Council.
The Welcome Centre, run by Bethany Christian Trust at the Council-owned ELS House on Gorgie Road, was due to cease operations at the end of April. The service will now be provided until March 2027, following a funding decision by Finance and Resources Committee on 28 April.
The Centre currently accommodates 64 households who have been rough sleeping in Edinburgh. Service users are offered three meals a day and support from Bethany paid staff, volunteers and Council officers to help access further accommodation.
Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Bethany Christian Trust provides an essential service for people facing rough sleeping in Edinburgh and over the last three decades has helped thousands of people to secure a warm and safe place to sleep, particularly over the colder winter months.
“We don’t want people to have to sleep rough at any time of the year though, so I’m really pleased that we’ll be able to keep the Welcome Centre open throughout 2026.
“Reducing homelessness, and where possible preventing it in the first place, is central to our Housing Emergency Action Plan, alongside ambitious plans to increase the city’s housing supply, making sure everyone has somewhere to live.”
Alasdair Bennett, Chief Executive, Bethany Christian Trust, said: “It is a desperate circumstance to face the prospect of sleeping rough, and worse still to experience the trauma and harms involved.
“The Welcome Centre is a service borne out of adversity to relieve suffering and meet long-term needs when people have nowhere else to stay. I am deeply grateful to the many volunteers, supporters, churches, and our charitable and statutory partners who together enable this life-saving work, sharing a commitment to offer not only shelter and sustenance, but hope, dignity and the opportunity for a new start.
“We are very grateful to the City of Edinburgh Council for making this significant next step possible, and for the shared commitment to provide both immediate support and pathways out of homelessness all year round. As someone said to me recently: ‘when is it ever warm enough to be homeless?’
“Finally, I want to thank our staff team. Their dedication to love and service is inspiring. In the last 30 weeks alone, 400 people have been accommodated, supported and helped to move forward, each knowing that they are valued and cared for.”
Bethany Christian Trust has operated winter care shelters in Edinburgh since 1996 and the service has since evolved to provide 24/7 accommodation and support for people who would be otherwise sleeping rough from October to May each year.
The Welcome Centre moved to ELS house on Gorgie Road in 2025.
The Council’s Housing Emergency Action Plan sets out the requirement for a year-round Welcome Centre to meet increasing demand in the city.
We’re busy finalising the set up at our new temporary library building at Davidson’s Mains Primary School, and we’re looking forward to opening and sharing the space with the community.
Unfortunately we’ve experienced some delays with finishing the building works and installing some of the furniture. This means we’ve had to postpone the planned opening of the library by a few weeks.
We’ll announce the opening date via our website in the coming weeks:
There have been almost 1,500 new affordable homes completed by the Council and its housing association partners in the last financial year– the most completions delivered in a single year since the Affordable Housing Supply Programme began.
In 2025/26 1473 houses were completed or purchased for use, beating the target of 1,368, while 994 homes were approved for construction. Work also started at 1,004 sites.
Almost £74m was spent on affordable housing in the last financial year, surpassing the previous high figure of £55m spent in a single financial year since the programme was introduced in 2007.
Spending will help address the city’s housing emergency by significantly increasing the supply of housing for those in need.
Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “These figures are extremely encouraging, and demonstrate the progress being made towards meeting the huge demand for housing in Edinburgh.
“An enormous amount of planning and collaboration goes into delivering homes on this scale, so I’d like to thank officers and partners for coming together to achieve this.
“Of course, the Capital is still under significant pressure, with many living with housing need. However, I’m confident that with smart investment and partnership working we’ll continue to make real inroads into tackling these issues.”
This includes 170 approvals, 140 site starts and 329 completions delivered through schemes that required little or no grant funding. Amongst these are the Scottish Government’s Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE), other forms of low-cost home ownership, mid-market rent and private sector led Build to Rent (BTR).
Site completions also encompass homes that were purchased using £28.685m of National Acquisition Programme funding for 2025/26. This allowed the purchase of 341 homes to alleviate temporary accommodation pressures.
International visitor numbers, satisfaction and community benefits reach new highs
Edinburgh’s Winter Festival – encompassing Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay – has delivered its strongest performance to date, generating a record £241 million economic impact for the city and confirming Edinburgh’s position as one of Europe’s leading winter destinations with a record of 93 countries represented across its audiences.
The latest results, drawn from the most recent post‑event impact report, show sustained growth across visitor numbers, spending, satisfaction, community engagement and international profile, demonstrating strong recovery and growth.
Record economic impact and exceptional return on public investment
The combined Winter Festival generated £241m+ for Edinburgh’s economy in 2025/26, up from £198m just two years ago, representing growth of more than 20% across the three‑year period. The return on public investment has also increased significantly, with the festivals now delivering £297 back to the city for every £1 invested by the City of Edinburgh Council.
This growth reflects longer visitor stays, higher average spend and exceptional accommodation demand. Hotel occupancy peaked at 95.8% on New Year’s Eve, one of the highest figures ever recorded for the city, while average visitor spend and length of stay rose sharply across both Christmas and Hogmanay.
Millions of visits and a huge Hogmanay audience
Edinburgh’s Christmas welcomed over 2.9 million visits across its city‑centre sites this winter, maintaining near‑record footfall following the 3 million peak recorded in 2023/24. The event continued to attract a broad mix of local, UK and international visitors, with the majority travelling from outside the city and engaging extensively with Edinburgh’s wider retail, hospitality and cultural offer, proving its essential role in sustaining the sector.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay returned at full scale, welcoming over 115,000 people across its four‑day programme, a 15% increase from 2023/24. Major events sold out, including the world-famous Street Party, Torchlight Procession and Night Afore Concert in the Gardens, with a further estimated 100,000 people experiencing the Midnight Moment across the city centre.
The Hogmanay festival presented over 560 artists and performers, 97% of whom were local and Scottish, supporting Scotland’s cultural community. It also welcomed a record number of international visitors, with 33% of visitors from outwith the UK (3% increase) and 26% from UK outwith Scotland.
Together, the figures underline the festivals’ critical role in driving winter tourism, ensuring Edinburgh remains a festival city and supporting year‑round economic resilience for the capital.
Exceptional visitor satisfaction, advocacy and pride
Visitor feedback from the most recent season also shows exceptionally high satisfaction and advocacy:
95% of Edinburgh’s Christmas visitors reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with their experience.
Over 80% said they would recommend the festival and attend again, rising to 100% among international visitors surveyed.
For Hogmanay, nearly 90% of attendees said the event made them feel proud to be part of Scotland’s celebrations, with three‑quarters likely to recommend it to others.
Across both projects, audiences consistently described the events as a defining part of Edinburgh’s winter identity, with nine in ten visitors saying their experience makes them more likely to return to the city during the winter season.
Growing community access and charitable impact
Alongside its economic success, the Winter Festivals continue to expand their community and social impact.
This year, more than 8,500 free tickets and ride passes were distributed to over 160 local charities and community groups, ensuring wide access for families and residents across the city. Over 27,500 people attended the free events at the Ross Bandstand across successive weekends. Local resident ticket offers once again sold out, showing the strong local engagement.
Charitable giving reached a new high, with almost £49,000 raised for partner charitiesAge Scotland, When You Wish Upon A Star, Simon Community Scotland and One City Trust across Christmas and Hogmanay. Long‑standing partnerships tackling homelessness, supporting children’s charities and local causes remain central to the festivals.
The programme also continued to prioritise local participation, with around three‑quarters of Christmas market traders Scottish‑based, many of them from Edinburgh, and extensive opportunities for local artists, performers and suppliers.
Global reach and international profile
Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals also achieved unprecedented global exposure this year. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay generated more than 2,000 pieces of national and international media coverage, with a potential global opportunity of over 8 billion media interactions across the world, with more than 80% of coverage positive in sentiment.
Major international broadcasters and outlets once again carried images of Edinburgh around the world, reinforcing the city’s reputation as the Home of Hogmanay and one of the world’s most recognisable New Year destinations. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Auld Lang Syne was CNN’s top global story through the night, with leading audiences in Australia, Germany, Canada, USA and UK.
Edinburgh’s Winter Festival has demonstrated clear and consistent momentum:
Economic impact has increased year‑on‑year.
Visitor numbers have rebounded strongly and now exceed pre‑pandemic levels.
Satisfaction, pride and advocacy measures have strengthened.
Community access and charitable contributions have expanded significantly.
This year’s results confirm the festivals not only as a major economic driver, but as a source of civic pride, cultural participation and social benefit for Edinburgh and its communities.
Photo by Jacinta Oaten
The Directors of Unique Assembly said:“These results underline just how important Edinburgh’s Winter Festival has become – not only to the city’s economy, but to its communities, cultural life and global reputation.
“Delivering £241 million in economic impact and some of the highest visitor satisfaction levels we’ve ever seen is something everyone involved can be incredibly proud of.
“It’s fantastic that people are staying longer, we are welcoming more people from around the world, we are giving local communities access to a range of free tickets and events, and we’ve seen a heartening uplift in charitable giving.
“This year shows that Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations and Hogmanay festival are not just world‑class events, but a festival that is rooted in the city, supports local artists and businesses, and creates experiences people actively want to return for year after year.”
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “It’s clear to see that both residents and visitors are continuing to embrace and enjoy the celebrations, which bring such a special atmosphere to Edinburgh each year.
“I’m proud that we’ve been able to deliver meaningful benefits for our communities through increased free tickets and ride passes, alongside record charitable donations that are helping support local causes across the city.
“Looking ahead to next year, we’re committed to building on this success and ensuring Edinburgh’s winter festival continues to deliver unforgettable experiences while creating lasting benefits for our residents, businesses and communities.”
A reminder that the first drop-in event for this consultation takes place tomorrow (Tuesday 5 May 12pm – 6pm) at Muirhouse Millennium Centre.
You’ll be able to find out more and share your views on proposals to improve roads, pavements and public spaces along West Granton Road, Pennywell Road Ferry Road for active travel.
Further drop-in events will take place on Saturday 16 May 11am – 5.30pm at North Edinburgh Community Festival and on Thursday 28 May 1pm-7pm at North Edinburgh Arts
Funding to restore one of the city’s most cherished landmarks – the historic Tollcross Clock – was approved yesterday, with works set to begin next month
Finance and Resources Committee Members approved £72,572 to carry out full restoration of the James Ritchie and Sons clock, which has stood at the heart of the Tollcross community since 1901 and has been in storage since 2022.
The clock was removed from the Tollcross crossroads four years ago following a routine inspection that identified significant structural deterioration at its base. While the planned junction works is now delayed, restoration work will still get underway, meaning the clock could return to the area from April 2027.
Officers will use the restoration period to engage local stakeholders and councillors on the most suitable location for the clock’s return. While the original position within the carriageway is no longer considered appropriate due to risk of further damage and ongoing maintenance costs, work is ongoing to find a setting that honours the clock’s place in the community. Any relocation may require listed building consent.
Funding for the restoration is expected to come from the council’s Common Good Fund. The clock’s permanent reinstatement, site selection and funding will be referred to the Culture and Communities Committee next month.
Cllr Mandy Watt, Finance and Resources Convener, said: “This clock has been part of Edinburgh’s story for more than 120 years, and the community has been clear that it belongs back where people can see and enjoy it. Today we’re making that happen. By approving the funding, we’re committed to get this iconic piece of civic heritage properly restored and back where it belongs.
“We’ll work closely with residents to find the right location, and I’m delighted that we’re finally able to give this project the momentum it deserves.”
The Tollcross Clock has been a fixture of the city since its installation at what was then a thriving tram interchange.
Originally a pendulum clock, it was converted to a spring-driven mechanism in 1926 and later to electrical operation in 1969.
It was temporarily removed in 1974 for junction works but was reinstated following strong public demand.
We’ll guide you through the basics and show you how to navigate Ancestry and British Newspaper Archive, two brilliant resources for family history and both free to use in all Edinburgh Libraries. The session ends with a short tour of the physical genealogical resources held in the Edinburgh and Scottish Collection.
Education, Children and Families Convenor, Cllr James Dalgleish reflects on the start of both SQA exams and the Summer term for schools:
This week saw a return to the school routine after the Easter break for learners, teachers and school staff across the city. With the weather promising the start of Spring I know that, mirroring the shift in seasons, for many young people this time of year marks a transition from school to what comes next.
The annual SQA National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams started this week, running until 1 June. For many learners, particularly those taking SQA Awards and Skills for Work vocational subjects, assessments have already taken place throughout the academic year.
I have been pleased to see the shift from academic achievement as the sole means to measure attainment in recent years. We are focused on improving outcomes for all learners and this includes acknowledging that each of our young people are unique individuals with their own talents, skills, ambitions and aspirations.
For many young people, a timetable of academic subjects followed by formal exams works well but others are better suited to dynamic, hands-on learning – some find that a mix of the two suits them best.
Our award winning and innovative pathways work aims to increase the number of learners in positive destinations after school. We offer unique and tailored routes for all young people – whether university, college, an apprenticeship or the world of work is what’s next.
We work with a range of partners including Edinburgh College and local roofing and construction businesses to deliver National 5 qualifications. Alongside this, we offer courses in business skills, creative and digital media, food and drink, financial services among others – and starting in August, barbering.
It is positive that through our innovative partnership approach, the attainment of school leavers in the national benchmarks have improved across most measures in recent years. The number of vocational National Progression Awards achieved by City of Edinburgh school leavers increased from 1433 in 2023 to 2365 in 2025 – and in 2026, this is expected to rise again.
We are committed to offering the highest quality education that meets the needs of all our learners, narrowing the gap between the most and least disadvantaged young people and breaking the cycle of intergenerational disadvantage.
There is no ‘right’ route for a young person but there is the right support, guidance and opportunity to find a future path that fits.
So, as we all enjoy the sunshine and look ahead to Spring, Summer and beyond – let’s celebrate the start of a new school term and the potential it brings.
Good luck to all young people sitting exams over the next few months. I wish each of you all the best as you look ahead to life beyond school.
This article first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News
NORTH EDINBURGH CONNECTIONS DROP-IN EVENT
