Homebuilder continues its commitment to supporting local groups with a share of £10,000 in funding
Miller Homes, Scotland’s leading homebuilder, is inviting local groups and causes near its developments West Craigs Manor, Edgelaw View, and West Craigs Mews in Edinburgh to apply for the first round of its Community Fund in 2026, offering those in need a share of £10,000.
The homebuilder is calling on groups that are looking to make lasting impact on their local community. Applications are now open and close on Wednesday 29 April 2026.
Since its launch in 2022, the Community Fund has made a significant difference to local communities across Scotland, awarding £105,000 to organisations supporting people and projects in areas close to Miller Homes developments. Across the UK, the initiative has distributed more than £400,000 to good causes, helping a wide range of projects from music groups and sports teams to foodbanks and community spaces.
In 2025, the Community Fund supported 18 organisations across Scotland across two funding rounds, distributing £20,000 to community groups and charities.
David McGrath, Executive Managing Director for Miller Homes Scotland and North said: “At Miller Homes, we’re passionate about giving back to the communities where we build.
“Through the Community Fund, we’ve been able to support many groups across Scotland, whether that’s by helping them launch new initiatives or by ensuring they can continue their valuable work in the local community.
“We look forward to seeing the creative and impactful ways local organisations plan to use this grant.”
Applicants will be asked to illustrate how they would use the grant to benefit the community, with support ranging from a minimum of £250 to a maximum of £2,000.
For the next 7 weeks we are trialling a warm safe space for our Chat & Chill Cafe. Our first one is this Thursday 12 February midday to 2pm.
Whether you have children attending PYCP or not, EVERYONE in our community is welcome to join us.
Pop in, chill out and enjoy a warm space filled with good vibes and good company.
We will be serving up free homemade soup, tasty sandwiches and some extra treats to brighten your day.
Each session comes with giveaway goodies and a lively round of prize bingo (no cost to you).
We will also have our Pop up shop of affordable clothing if you want to browse and pick up some bargains (cash and card payments taken for this). Any money raised goes staight back in to the running of the clubs and groups.
If you think you can make it for our first Chat & Chill then it would be great if you can give us a quick message or send an email to info@pycp.co.uk
Thanks
PY Team
PS> If you can’t make this week, then plenty of other dates in the flyer!
Dundee Rep Theatre today launches its 2026 season, a celebration of community, world premieres, new voices, classics, and fresh work that invites audiences to connect with the life of the building and far beyond.
To introduce the season, we asked our community participants to make a special film at locations across Dundee, reflecting and solidifying the theatre’s place within the city and inviting audiences to join them in the year ahead.
The season takes flight with the much-anticipated brand-new musical production of The High Life, co-produced by Dundee Rep Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland in association with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres.
After a thirty-year delay in the departure lounge, the full original cast of Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson,Siobhan Redmond and Patrick Ryecart reunites for a landmark world premiere directed by Dundee Rep Theatre Artistic Director Andrew Panton. Co-written by Johnny McKnight, Alan Cumming, and Forbes Mason, the production opens in Dundee from 27 March to 4 April before touring Scotland and returns to the Rep 6 to 9 May.
April sees the return of our Rep Stripped Festival, Dundee Rep Theatre’s platform for fresh work, new voices and bold ideas – this time under the creative direction of Fraser Scott.
Built on the success of previous editions, which have included early stagings of No Love Songs and A History of Paper, the festival continues to celebrate creativity, innovation and the future of performance, offering audiences the chance to be the first to discover new work. Call-outs for submissions open in January 2026.
Willy Russell’s award-winning modern classic Educating Rita follows, in a funny, tender and life-affirming new production directed by award-winning director Debbie Hannan. This story of self-discovery, second chances and the power of learning brings together Rita, a spirited hairdresser hungry for change, and Frank, a disillusioned academic who has lost faith in his work and in himself.
First performed in 1980 and later adapted into the acclaimed film starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine, the piece has won multiple BAFTAs and received three Academy Award nominations. This fresh revival promises a heartfelt return to one of Britain’s most loved plays from 23 May to 13 June.
An exciting and original collaboration hits the stage next summer. Dundee Rep Theatre and Solar Bear, in collaboration with Aberdeen Performing Arts and the Traverse Theatre, present The Singer, written by Cora Bissett with Jamie Rea. With songs multi-award-winning KT Tunstall, featuring Deaf artist Jamie Rea and directed by Cora Bissett, The Singer is a thrilling new gig-theatre drama about Joe, a deaf artist who “sings” with his hands, and Andy, a washed-up musician hungry for a comeback. As their unlikely partnership ignites something extraordinary, ambition, betrayal and belonging collide in this powerful story of music, identity and the fight to be heard.
The Singer previews at Dundee Rep Theatre in late July, premieres at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and plays the Citizens Theatre Studio in Glasgow and the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen before returning to Dundee in September.
Tony Roper’s much-loved Scottish classic The Steamie then returns for a nationwide tour in a new production from Rerr Terr Productions in association with Neil Laidlaw Productions and Dundee Rep Theatre.
From 27 August to 12 September, audiences are invited into a 1950s Glasgow washhouse on Hogmanay where hot water, lively chat, laughter and secrets accompany the final wash of the year.
One of the most anticipated productions of 2026, A History of Paper, by Oliver Emanuel and Gareth Williams (creators of The 306 Trilogy, National Theatre of Scotland),returns in a major new production starring Alan Cumming and Shirley Henderson.
This musical about unbounding joy, impossible grief and the small pieces of paper that shape a life first captivated audiences at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe, where it won a Fringe First, the Music Theatre Review Best Musical Award and the CATS Award for Best Director for Dundee Rep Artistic Director Andrew Panton.
This new co-production with Pitlochry Festival Theatre brings back a work that moved audiences and critics alike. The production runs from 8 August to 12 September at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and from 16 to 19 September at Dundee Rep Theatre.
Following the success of The Glass Menagerie, Dundee Rep Theatre will once again collaborate with The Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, and Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, with full details of the Autumn 2026 production to be announced early next year.
The season comes to a glittering finale with a magical new production of Dundee Rep Theatre’s 2018 Christmas hit The Snow Queen, created by Noisemaker, the partnership of award-winning writing duo Claire McKenzie and Scott Gilmour (Oor Wullie, Ceilidh, Scots)and directed by Emily Oulton. This snow-stopping musical celebrating friendship, courage, and festive spirit is set to delight audiences of all ages from November 28 to December 30.
Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre remain committed to making theatre and dance accessible to as many people as possible and are expanding our pricing to offer greater choice, flexibility and affordability in 2026.
New initiatives include £15 tickets for every Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre production and £5 preview tickets for under 30s, designed to welcome and inspire the next generation of theatre-goers, and focusing on the future of the arts here in Dundee and Scotland.
Alongside this, a new free ticket initiative will allocate tickets across the season to individuals and communities with limited access to the arts, ensuring they can experience live performance, feel at home in the building, allowing us to open our doors to even more people.
Scottish Dance Theatre celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, and the full programme will be announced on 20 January.
Complementing Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre’s own work, the venue will present a vibrant programme of visiting companies throughout Spring 2026.
These include ABBA Forever on 7 February, Macbeth from 19 to 21 February, BalletLORENT’s Snow White on 27 and 28 February and the musical satire SCOTS by Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie, directed by Jemima Levick,from 7 to 11 April. The Rep also welcomes What I am Here For on, an immersive multilingual collaboration from Vanishing Point and Teater Katapult, followed by family fun with There is a Monster in Your Show and many more.
This season also marks the arrival of Kath M Mainland CBE as Executive Director, bringing more than two decades of international cultural leadership to Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre.
Mainland joins the organisation after senior roles at Adelaide Festival, RISING Melbourne, Melbourne International Arts Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. Originally from Orkney, she returns to Scotland to help lead the organisation’s next chapter, marking an exciting moment for the organisation.
This new season is announced at a time when Dundee faces proposed cuts to arts funding, and Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre continue to demonstrate how essential its work is to the cultural, social and economic life of the city.
The Rep provides opportunities for Dundonians of all ages to experience connection, learning and belonging as well as contributing significantly to the well-being of communities across Dundee and playing a key role in Dundee’s tourism and global cultural identity.
As consultation begins, the organisation encourages residents to share their views and to champion the vital role that the Rep and other cultural organisations play in the life and future of their city.
Artistic Director Andrew Pantonsaid: “We are proud to be a creative home for our community and a national stage for new voices, major productions and collaborations.
“Our 2026 season celebrates Dundee, Scotland and beyond and celebrates the people who shape our work. The Rep plays a central role in the cultural life of this city while contributing greatly to the wider Scottish and international cultural landscape, and this programme is a testament to that reach and responsibility.
“As Dundee enters consultation on proposed arts cuts, we are reminded of the importance of protecting the creativity, opportunity and connection that cultural organisations provide.
“I hope audiences across Dundee and Scotland will continue to stand with us, take part in the consultation and help ensure a vibrant future for the arts.”
NORTH Edinburgh community activists are taking their message to town this afternoon with two events taking place at art galleries in the city centre.
The events have been built around artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen’s RESISTANCE photo exhibition, which runs at the Modern 2 gallery on Belford Road until 4th January.
First up, community stalwarts Anna Hutchison and Willie Black will reflect on campaigns past and present in a panel discussion in the National Gallery at 12.45.
With so many years of campaigning experience Anna and Willie have a host of stories to share and, having known the pair for the best part of thirty years, I’ll be there to try to keep the event running to time!
The free event is sold out, but you can still register to watch online.
Later in the afternoon, two North Edinburgh groups have been working together on an ambitious project that encapsulates North Edinburgh’s spirit of resistance.
The result of the collaboration is the Solidarity Wins: Creative Resistance in North Edinburgh exhibition, which opens at The Portrait Gallery on Queen Street from 2pm today (details below).
It promises to be very good and it’s free – don’t miss it!
PICTURE: Craig McLean, Outside Drylaw Police station, community campaign GRASP protesting against Police harassment and violence, 2001
The Resistance exhibition chronicles 100 years of protest across Britain from 1903–2003. Using the exhibition as a starting point, activists Willie Black and Anna Hutchison alongside chair Dave Pickering, editor of the North Edinburgh News and Information Worker at Granton Information Centre, discuss North Edinburgh community activism, campaigns and actions, and their relationship and solidarity with local, national and international protests and change.
All tickets for the live event have been snapped up, but you can watch the discussion online in a streamed version of the live event.
Ticketholders will be sent a joining link before the event to either watch live or view the recording later.
SOLIDARITY WINS: CREATIVE RESISTANCE in NORTH EDINBURGH
Solidarity Wins: Creative Resistance in North Edinburgh Exhibition Launch
2pm – 4pm
National Galleries of Scotland, The Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, EH2 1J
Celebration with food, song and creative activities in the Contemporary Space of the Portrait Gallery. Art works, archive films and research material gathered by Art for Grown Ups and Royston Wardieburn Arts & Culture Group.
Join us for an afternoon of creativity, community and conversation celebrating North Edinburgh’s spirit of resistance.
As part of the Resistance exhibition, the National Galleries of Scotland’s Community Development programme has been working with North Edinburgh groups to create responsive work inspired by the area’s long history of community resistance.
Workshops have included song writing, poetry, photo-montage and exploring photographer Craig MacLean’s back catalogue of North Edinburgh activism, all of which will result in an riso-graph exhibition at the Portrait gallery in November.
As well as this North Edinburgh Arts worked with Local Cinema to programme films as part of their ‘Local Resistance’ programme.
Each screening event included a creative element, one of which included the Resistance choir performing their collaboratively penned song ‘Solidarity Wins: A Song for Greater Pilton‘, along with some well known songs on power of solidarity and friendship.
Thanks to song writing facilitator and choir leader Penny Stone and Tinderbox Jed Milroy and artists Sam Rutherford, Jj Fadaka and Megan Rudden, and all those involved so far!
The programme is a partnership with North Edinburgh Arts Art 4 Grown Ups and Royston Wardieburn Community Centre’s Arts and Culture Group.
IMAGE (above): Collaborative piece by Art 4 Grown Ups members, framed by Muirhouse anti-racism campaign image, 1991.
If anyone is free 2 – 4pm today, it’s the launch of ‘Solidarity Wins: Creative Resistance in North Edinburgh‘ exhibition at the Portrait Gallery, which has been a collaboration between North Edinburgh Arts’ Art 4 Grown Ups project and Royston Wardieburn Community Centre’s Arts and Culture Group (writes HOLLY YEOMAN).
Together they have reflected and responded to North Edinburgh activism and campaigns over the years. There is a community lunch catered by Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts and we will be singing our anthem ‘Solidarity Wins: A Song for Greater Pilton‘ at around 3pm-ish(!)
The exhibition will run till April, and we welcome community groups who might want to visit. If interested please email hyeoman@nationalgalleries.org
Edinburgh Blue Balls, known for its cold-water dips and open conversations, launches its first Edinburgh Blue Balls Annual.
The coffee table–style publication is a bold and raw collection of portraits and personal stories told by men, for all to read.
The Annual is free of charge and distributed across independent cafés, bookshops and workplaces. A launch event will take place on 14 November at The Pitt, Granton, where everyone is welcome to see the portraits and meet the men behind the stories featured in the Annual.
Founded in 2021 by photographer Marc Millar, what began as a handful of strangers meeting for cold-water dips at Portobello Beach, has grown into a supportive community. Around 40 men now gather every Sunday and mid-week for dips, to connect, and talk openly about mental health.
Edinburgh Blue Balls exists to keep the conversation around men’s wellbeing alive. No membership, no expectations, just men showing up, sharing, and finding strength in connection.
The launch of the Annual marks the start of a growing body of creative work highlighting the lived experiences of men, from resilience and recovery to laughter and loss.
Featuring stories from men across Scotland and portraits by photographers Marc Millar and Graham Williams, the publication captures the unfiltered reality of men’s mental health.
The Annual also includes contributions from comedian Greg Hemphill and footballer Zander Murray, exploring masculinity, vulnerability, and visibility in sport and society.
Marc Millar, founder of Edinburgh Blue Balls, said:“We spend too much time scrolling past things that deserve to stop us in our tracks.
“I wanted people to sit with these stories, to hold them, feel them, and connect. It’s not about likes or followers; it’s about being human, together.
“Everyday pressures continue to impact men’s mental health and wellbeing, something I’ve seen first-hand, and the stigma and shame that still exists.
“The stories in the Annual are honest, sometimes heavy, but full of hope. They show that even in the darkest moments, when men connect, talk, and support each other, things start to change.”
The Annual was supported by The National Lottery Community Fund and will be launched on the 14 November at The Pitt Market, Granton.
IRON LADIES is a new documentary about the inspirational women who were the backbone of the 84/85 Miners’ Strike, as told by them.
From Scotland down to Kent, women from the coalfields shed light on their experiences of the year long struggle trying to save their communities. The film features Carol Ross from Cowdenbeath and Linda Erskine from Lochgelly, and they will both be appearing at the Edinburgh screening for a Q&A.
Shut Out The Light Filmsis thrilled to announce that their upcoming documentary Iron Ladies will be released in UK and Irish cinemas from 10th October.
The inspiring story of working-class women who, during the 1984–85 Miners’ Strike, found themselves at the forefront of a battle against the British state.
From Scotland down to Kent, women from the coalfields shed light on their experiences of the year long struggle, and how they became the backbone of the Strike. With many still active today, their actions reshaped the landscape of political activism for working-class women.
Directed by Daniel Draper(Nature of the Beast), Iron Ladies is a celebration of the iron willed women who maintained the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike as they fought for the future of their communities.
Iron Ladies shines a spotlight on the previously overlooked narratives of women, who still fight for their communities today. Heather Wood, Lorraine Stansbie, Rose Hunter, Kate Alvey, Betty Cook, and Aggie Currie are amongst the 20 unsung working-class heroes to share their stories.
Speaking on the film being released in UK and Irish cinemas producer Christie Allanson said “Working-class narratives by working-class filmmakers are a rarity.
“The communal viewing of this film on the big screen is important to spark those conversations about the political landscape past and present.
“The funding, the approach to filmmaking and the contributors all have one thing in common – passion. As the producer, I feel inspired and empowered by these women, and I hope audiences will feel that way too.”
Iron Ladies will be in UK and Irish Cinemas from 10th October
Edinburgh screening with Q & A is on Friday 21st November at 6.15pm
Co-op Corner Café will open at Coffee Saints, 2a Little King St, Edinburgh EH1 3AR on Thursday 16th October 09.30 – 17.00
New YouGov research for the Co-op reveals:
76% of people in Scotland say that their local high street has declined over the last few years
4 in 5 believe their community “would lose part of its identity” without local shops
Co-op is bringing its special blend of co-operation and community to Edinburgh on Thursday 16th October with the pop up of the Co-op Corner Café.
Hosted at Coffee Saints on Little King Street, the event invites members and the wider public to discover how co-operation can help revitalise local high streets and strengthen community spirit.
Part of Co-op’s On Your Corner, In Your Corner campaign, the event will be packed with fun and engaging activities, designed to spark conversations about the benefits of co-operatives and the role of local businesses in creating thriving neighbourhoods and helping the people that live there thrive too.
Open to both members and non-members, there will be the opportunity to understand more about the wide-ranging social, economic and ownership benefits of membership and how it shapes the future of the Co-op.
Guests can enjoy free Fairtrade tea and coffee, sample and feedback on new food innovations and even enter to win tickets to a hamper.
The event will also spotlight local and community-owned businesses including Scotmid Co-op, West Granton Housing Co-op and West Calder and Harburn Community Development Trust, showing how businesses built on shared values can deliver positive change.
Co-op’s own team members will be in attendance, including Jess Clarke, Democratic Services & Engagement Manager. Jess said: “I’m really looking forward to meeting our members and the wider community in Edinburgh.
“Being at the heart of local life is a real privilege and we want to show how co-operation can help address some of the challenges facing high streets today. It’s sure to be a fun and thought-provoking day – and a great chance for members to tell us how we can do even more to support Edinburgh’s communities.”
On Your Corner, In Your Corner is part of Co-op’s Social Value Strategy – a commitment led by 6.9 million active member-owners to stand firm on climate, opportunity and community.
Since 2016, the Co-op Local Community Fund has shared over £480,000 with 216 community projects across the City of Edinburgh, supporting people to connect, access opportunities and thrive together.
Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer-owned co-operatives, with its history dating back 180 years. Its members own the business and play an intrinsic part in the governance of the organisation.
Co-op is on track to its ambition of growing to eight million members by 2030.
Further information about the benefits of Co-op Membership is available at coop.co.uk/membership
For more information about the pop-up cafés and to find local events, visit coopmemberevents.uk
With Friday 10 October marking World Mental Health Day, community group, Lothians Speak Their Name, have shared the ‘powerful’ effect that art has had since the passing of their loved ones.
A recent survey by the National Galleries of Scotland found that 84% of total visitors to the galleries felt their visit had a positive impact on their wellbeing.
Co-director of Lothians Speak Their Name, Sue Henderson, says she has seen and experienced first-hand the positive impact art can have on mental health.
The group, which was originally set up to create a quilt in memory of people who have died by suicide in Edinburgh and the Lothians, have been regularly visiting exhibitions and displays at the National Galleries of Scotland ever since.
Having visited for almost a year, Sue shares how it has been an incredibly valuable experience for helping the group to navigate their loss.
Sue said: “We have loved coming to the galleries so much, for some it has been powerfully beneficial.
“The tours, led by Duncan Robertson at the National Galleries of Scotland, are brilliant, for that short time it allows people to just disconnect from all the pain of their grief. It gives a moment of distraction.
“There are people in our group who never came to the gallery before, they didn’t think it was for them, but to see the impact it has on them is just incredible. Whether listening to the amazing stories of the art or just getting lost for a moment, it really can have healing powers.
“Seeing the effect it has on members of the group is so striking. One woman who lost her son to suicide, got completely lost in the art and it gave her a moment of relief from the day to day pain.
“I had never seen it be so demonstrable before, the power of art and how it can offer a distraction from the worst imaginable grief. People in the group have shared how the art can take them out of themselves and what a beautiful distraction it is.”
Art plays a significant role in enhancing mental health by providing therapeutic benefits, fostering emotional expression, and promoting overall well-being. It has been proven that art can evoke feelings of joy, nostalgia or even sadness, which can be therapeutic for individuals dealing with mental health challenges.
Over the past 20 years research on the impact of the arts on health has been growing and in 2019 the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report called ‘What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being?’.
The report looked at over 3000 studies from around the world which concluded that the arts play a major role in preventing and managing health. It identified the contribution that the arts may have in promoting good health and health equity, preventing illness, and treating acute and chronic conditions across the life-course.
This has launched further studies by WHO and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in 2023 on the health benefits of the arts. As well as the Lancet Global Series Photo Essay which findings re-iterate the crucial importance of creativity within the sphere of health, and the evidence-based health benefits catalysed by imagination.
Research by the John Hopkins University School of Medicine even found that spending just 30 minutes in an art gallery once a month could extend your life expectancy by 10 years.
Siobhan McConnachie, Head of Learning and Engagement at National Galleries of Scotlandsaid: ‘We are fortunate that we get to see the positive effect that art can have on people every single day in the gallery.
“But we know, and research shows, that art can do more than just put a smile on our faces, it can have real lasting impact on overall mental and physical health.
“We regularly welcome groups supporting people living with dementia, addiction recovery groups, health and wellbeing groups, mental health communities and so much more.
“It is important that art is considered holistically as a tool that can be used for early intervention and social prescribing in health, education and social care sectors.
“The power of art is truly incredible, and we are so delighted to have groups like Lothians Speak Their Name feel that in our galleries.’
Sue shared how the group have benefited from using art as a tool to connect with other people who are going through similar experiences. Brought together to make the memorial quilt, 49 people have made squares in memory of their loved ones, which hold the stories of their loves and lives.
As well as creating this beautiful memorial, it has brought people together as a community, where they’ve found support and friendship.
Sue added: “Our group was born out of the idea of making a quilt which remembers those we loved. Each square would represent someone in a positive way who was loved and lost, whether it included the things they loved or a fond memory of them.
“Some people in the group had never done anything like this but everyone felt how therapeutic it was to focus on something positive about their loved ones lives.
“There is something about being involved in a group activity together, whether creating the quilt or visiting the galleries. In the group everyone has experience of loss but that wasn’t the always the focus when we got together, the focus was also on creativity.
“There was never any pressure to talk about our losses. But what we found was that when everyone was distracted making their squares or looking at the art, conversations happened a lot more easily because the art was offering something else to focus on at the time.
“Often memories come with nothing but pain, but using art and creativity allowed everyone to remember the things they loved about the person, or to remember the good times.
“There are of course people who would come along, and they would never talk about their loss and that was okay too, because they still got to be in a room of people who understood what they were going through and that was support enough. They could come along and just immerse themselves in the task of creating the square.
“It was after we started making the squares that we reached out the galleries, and they offered us tours of exhibitions and displays. This just opened a whole new level of what we were doing. Some members of the group got really immersed in the visits and seeing the art offered inspiration.
“People have re-discovered their creative side and found a way to express themselves.
“Whether seeing or doing art I do believe it has a healing power. The fact we get to see the positive effect it can have on people is what I love most about this, it is an absolute privilege. So, I do really believe that art can be empowering for people dealing with mental health.”
The completed quilt has been touring around various locations in hope is that the individuals and lives it remembers will inspire viewers to start conversations about mental health and suicide and to reach out if they themselves are struggling.
It is currently one of 11 quilts on display at an exhibition in the Houses of Parliament in London.
If interested in getting involved in creating a square, please contact:
As well as running regular tours for groups such as Lothians Speak Their Name, National Galleries of Scotland also warmly invites community groups, care homes and charities to book free visits to the galleries at a time that suits them.
Activities include guided tours of the collection and exhibitions, online art discussions, dementia-friendly sessions with specific themes, and bespoke tours tailored to the needs of each group