An event held last week (Tuesday 22 April) at the City Chambers brought together the Council and partners to take steps toward building, adapting, and finding accessible homes across the Capital.
Hosted by the City of Edinburgh Council, the Accessible Housing Summit convened representatives from the third sector, housing associations and the private sector.
Through a series of roundtable discussions, participants explored three key areas: delivering new accessible homes, improving access to existing housing, and ensuring the best use of homes already available.
In a tangible step forward, the Council recently began construction on a new residential development in Newington. Once complete, the site will provide 19 modern, fully wheelchair accessible homes available for social rent.
Attendees will now consider what actions can be taken forward to address improving access to information, advice on accessible housing and planning for new accessible homes in Edinburgh.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said: “As Edinburgh’s population grows and changes, so do the housing needs of our residents. We must therefore strive to ensure that everyone – irrespective of their health circumstances and accessibility requirements – has a home they can live in with dignity and comfort.
“Whilst this is a national issue, the City of Edinburgh Council faces unique challenges, including being landlord of a high number of older, flatted properties which can often be harder and costly to adapt.
“It is vital for us to understand the nature, context, and complexity of the barriers to providing fully accessible housing and to work closely and collaboratively with our partners and organisations leading this crucial work to deliver the accessible housing our citizens need now and in the future.”
Safeguarding Scottish Dance Traditions for the Future
MONDAY 28 APRIL, 18:30
On the eve of International Dance Day, the Pomegranates Festival (25-30 April) will discuss and demonstrate through dance, the importance of safeguarding Scottish traditional dance in an international context.
Leading the discussion will be Steve Byrne Director of TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), and an expert advisor to UNESCO on intangible cultural heritage. Joining Steve will be Rachel Hosker of the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh, Árpád Vörös, recipient of a knighthood for his lifetime contribution towards Hungarian folk dance and Sebastian Wanless, Chair Elect of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.
The discussion will start with demonstrations of traditional dance accompanied by live music including Scottish Country Dance, Highland and Polonaise, Leading the display and accompanied on the bagpipes by Stephen Clark will be Eilidh Gammons, twice Junior World Champion in Highland Dancing, followed by Lily and Lucy Clark – all students at Helensburgh’s Margaret Rose School of Dance, run by Margaret MacInnes, a recipient of the British Empire Medal for services to Highland dancing.
Edinburgh-based members of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society Andrea Ritchie, Eilidh Garden, Faye McNeil, Rachel Shankland, Andrew Nolan, Jürgen Munz will perform a fine selection of Scottish Country Dances.
These will be followed by a short display of Polonaise(performed by members of Parzenica, Scotland’s Polish Folk Dance Group – Anthony Carter, Fiona Lynch, Natalia Nowak and Renata Grillanda.
The Polonaise was inscribed in UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage and list of humanity to be safeguarded in December 2023. It is hoped Scotland’s traditional dances will be put forward for inscription when the UK Government opens its list to nominations for intangible cultural heritage later this year.
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) encompasses the rich tapestry of traditions, expressions, and practices that communities inherit from their ancestors and pass on to future generations. It resides in the realms of knowledge, skills, rituals, music, dance, language, and other forms of expression and is a dynamic and living heritage that constantly evolves, reflecting the collective wisdom, creativity, and identity of diverse communities worldwide.
Wendy Timmons and Iliyana Nedkova, Festival Co-curators said: “We are delighted that this year’s Pomegranates Festival is themed around traditional dance and intangible cultural heritage, especially at a time when Scots are soon to be invited to nominate their favourite traditions to be included on an official living heritage list.
“Later this year, submissions for the list will be encouraged from all sectors of society, including the traditional dance communities and people who have brought dance traditions from overseas to the UK.”
Sebastian Wanless, Chair Elect of The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) said: “We are thrilled to participate in theFourth Pomegranates Festivaland to showcase Scottish country dance on the eve of the UNESCO International Day of Dance.
“For over a century, we have championed the vibrant tradition of Scottish country dancing—an energetic blend of lively music, joyful movement, and deep-rooted culture. More than just steps and tunes, Scottish country dance is a unique social phenomenon that welcomes everyone, everywhere.
“Together with dancers from around the world, let’s celebrate movement, culture, and unity in the lead up to this special day.”
Speakers:
Steve Byrne was appointed as Director of TRACS in 2023. A noted performer, researcher, folklorist and community activist, Steve trained at the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University, before embarking on a distinguished creative career. Steve is a founding member of Scottish folk bandMalinky and has contributed to the digitisation of vital early recordings of Scottish music and storytelling.
Rachel Hosker is the University Archivist and Research Collections Manager. Rachel originally trained as an archivist, and now manages archivists, librarians and curators responsible for the University’s cultural heritage collections and welcomes IASH fellows to the Centre for Research Collections at the University. Rachel is Chair of the UK UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.
Árpád Vörös (Budapest) is a dancer and folk dance teacher. He was awarded a Knighthood of Hungarian Culture in 2020 for the care of Hungarian folk dance. From 1990, for ten years, he was a teacher at the Árpád Bókay Elementary School in Pestszentlőrinc, and founded the TÉBLÁB Dance Ensemble. Today, he is the president of the foundation that operates the school and a professional assistant and choreographer of several ensembles in Transylvania, Felvidék and Vojvodina, as well as an ethnographic researcher of the region.
Wendy Timmons (Chair) is a Senior Lecturer in Dance Science and Education at the University of Edinburgh, and co-producer of the Pomegranates Festival. She has many years of professional arts practice, and is well experienced in teaching and training dance artists, young dancers and dance teachers.
Alongside her teaching, research and programme development, Wendy has undertaken many knowledge exchange and applied Dance Science and Education research projects. She is currently Convenor for the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland and the Health & Wellbeing Trustee at Dance Base.
The Pomegranates Festival (25 – 30 Apr) is the annual platform for the diverse 250+ individual and organisational members of the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland to teach, learn and perform in new dance theatre and screen dance shows, as well as new productions and residencies.
This is the fourth edition of Scotland’s annual festival of international traditional dance, initiated, curated and produced by the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland. It is presented in partnership with TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Central Library, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
In 2025 the Pomegranates Festival is funded by Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding through TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland); the City of Edinburgh Council and University of Edinburgh through the Edinburgh Local Community Fund.
Bring our vibrant community to your space, spark conversations over great food, and connect your network with ECCAN’s work!
As a host, you’ll create a welcoming space for collaboration while receiving a hosting fee to support your efforts. Already provide community meals? We’ll also cover through an additional catering fee!
Key stakeholders, local councillors, community leaders and representatives from the arts sector gathered for a roundtable discussion on the future of the Brunton Hall in Musselburgh.
Many MSPs and MPs were present including, Martin Whitfield MSP, Colin Beattie MSP, Alison Johnston MSP, Jeremy Balfour MSP, Douglas Alexander MP, and Paul McLennan MSP, showing cross-governmental support for the project.
The meeting, held in response to ongoing challenges facing the historic venue, focused on potential redevelopment, public consultation, and securing funding for a sustainable future.
The discussion, led by key figures such as Sarah Boyack MSP, Councillor Andy Forrest, and representatives from The Brunton Trust and Creative Scotland, highlighted the urgent need to address the deteriorating condition of the Brunton. Following the end of COVID-19, the top floor of the theatre was deemed unsafe, leading to staff being relocated to other areas such as Haddington. Plans are now in place to mothball the building by June.
A major point of discussion was the importance of public consultation, ensuring the local community has a say in the theatre’s future. Stakeholders agreed that any plans must be community-led, with an open call for ideas to explore creative solutions.
As one representative noted: “There will be someone in the public that will have an idea that no one has thought of yet.”
A full public consultation will launch in the next 3-4 weeks to gather community input and assess potential uses for the space.
The estimated cost of demolishing the building currently stands at £3.6 million, a figure likely to increase. Identifying funding sources is the priority, including engagement with key groups.
Discussions included the potential for the Brunton to serve as a multi-use arts centre, supporting local artists and attracting larger productions. The idea of expanding event offerings, such as weddings and touring productions, was also raised as a potential revenue stream.
Calls were made for greater collaboration with the Edinburgh International Festival and other arts organisations to ensure Musselburgh remains a cultural hub.
“There’s no point having an International Festival City if there is nothing offered in Musselburgh,” said a participant.
With strong concerns over maintaining Brunton’s identity and cultural value, stakeholders emphasised that any redevelopment must preserve the theatre’s role as a community hub. Creative Scotland representatives acknowledged the challenges but expressed optimism about potential funding opportunities if a clear and viable plan is developed.
The roundtable concluded with a commitment to keeping the community informed and involved in the next steps. Further meetings will be scheduled as feasibility studies progress, ensuring a transparent and collaborative approach to shaping the future of the Brunton Hall.
Commenting, Foysol Choudhury MSP stated:“The Brunton has always been known for being a vibrant community hub.
“Finding venues can be tough, and it is very important, as the Edinburgh International Festival attracts thousands of visitors each year, that we prioritise areas like Musselburgh.”
We’re delighted to open Ticket Pre-Sale for Ordinary Members for Heroin screenings in April – make sure to secure your free tickets before 17 March
Join us for the first screening in over 40 years of Heroin, a ground-breaking three-part documentary filmed by Peter Carr in North Edinburgh in 1983. Originally broadcast on UK prime-time TV, these films provide an unflinching look at the realities of poverty, crime, and drug use, told by the community itself.
Each screening will be followed by a discussion with key voices, including Irvine Welsh, Dr. Roy Robertson, and Peter Carr himself.
Wed 23 April – Heroin 1 + Conversation with Irvine Welsh & Zoë Black
Thu 24 April – Heroin 2 + Conversation with Dr. Roy Robertson & Victoria Burn
Fri 25 April – Heroin 3 + Conversation with Peter Carr & Sarah Drummond
If you live in the local community (areas of Muirhouse, Pilton, Granton and Drylaw), consider becoming a NEA Ordinary Member before 17 March to access the pre-sale and secure your FREE place!
Membership fee is £3 for three years and offers a range of benefits
TODAY (Friday 28 February), more than 300 elected Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) aged 11-18 will represent the views of their peers and hold debates on a range of topics.
Young people from across the UK, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will return to the House of Commons Chamber today for the annual sitting of UK Youth Parliament.
The debated motions will include:
16- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote in all elections and referendums, accompanied with more political education throughout school.
That the National Minimum Wage for every worker under 22 be raised, to match the National Living Wage for those over 22.
All public transport should be free for young people.
All young people in the UK must have access to a standardised level of political literacy and democratic education to improve engagement in politics on a local, national and international level to develop critical thinking skills.
To establish period dignity, there should be free, accessible, good quality period products available in public spaces for everyone.
The debate areas are part of the UK Youth Parliament Manifesto for 2024-2026 ‘Shaping Our Future, Today Not Tomorrow’ which was created by the MYP’s at their Annual Conference in October 2024, drawing on the views and issues raised by young people from across the UK.
For the first time in the House of Commons, an MYP will use British Sign Language to deliver his speech. A BSL interpreter will communicate this via a microphone in the Commons Chamber.
Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said that he is “very proud that this sitting of the UK Youth Parliament will be the most inclusive and exciting yet.
“I cannot wait to hear the thoughts and views of young people from across the UK, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown Dependencies, on the issues that matter to them.”
Leigh Middleton, OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency: “Youth voice is a central tenet of youth work and the UK Youth Parliament provides young people with a valuable opportunity to debate the issues which they have identified as being important whilst gaining first-hand experience of the political process.
“The Annual Sitting really is the highlight of the UK Youth Parliament calendar when we get to see the young Members of Youth Parliament shine in the prestigious setting as they deliver their impassioned speeches and arguments for reform.”
The debates will be streamed live (with an approximately 20-minute delay) on parliamentlive.tv and YouTube.
In anticipation of International Mother Language Day and the upcoming Bhasha Glasgow Language Festival 2025, a roundtable discussion on “Language Loss in Today’s World” was hosted at the Scottish Parliament.
This panel discussion, chaired by Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian Region, Foysol Choudhury, was organised by the Bangladesh Association Glasgow and brought together leading experts to address the pressing global issue of language extinction.
As globalisation accelerates, linguistic diversity is under threat, with many languages facing the risk of extinction. This roundtable provided an essential platform to discuss the impact of language loss and explore strategies to safeguard endangered languages.
The discussion was driven by an esteemed panel of experts from academia, policy, and advocacy, including Dr. Antonella Sorace, Professor of Developmental Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh and founding director of Bilingualism Matters; Dr. Alison Phipps OBE, Professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies at the University of Glasgow and UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts; Fhiona Mackay, Director of Scotland’s National Centre for Languages; and Dr. Cristina Clopot, Policy Advice Officer of The Royal Society of Edinburgh.
This engaging discussion aimed to generate awareness and foster actionable solutions to mitigate or prevent language extinction. The theme of language loss demonstrates the global efforts of prevention.
This theme was present throughout the roundtable with Dr. Saif D Khan, trustee from the Bangladesh Association Glasgow, moderating an insightful discussion focused on key examples of how the language loss is being prevented globally, with a case study focus on Scots and Gaelic.
Abdullah Al Wasif with Unityflow AI provided an insightful presentation on next-generation speech recognition for underserved languages in enterprise.
This revealed that many languages are fading due to limited digital and technological support, such as Gaelic, which has been classified by UNESCO as “definitely endangered.”
Other languages that need attention include Scots, which lacks digital integration; Sylheti and Bengali, spoken in communities but under-represented; Polish and Romanian, spoken by large migrant groups but underserved in voice technology.
By implementing data tools, it is possible to preserve Scotland’s linguistic diversity and increase accessibility for public services for minority and migrant languages.
The insights from this session will contribute to broader conversations at the Bhasha Glasgow Language Festival 2025, which launches on February 18, 2025, coinciding with International Mother Language Day.
The President of Bangladesh Association Glasgow, Mr. Ehtesham Hasnain, invited the roundtable participants to attend the upcoming events from this year’s festival.
Commenting on the significance of the event, Choudhury stated, “Language is more than just communication; it embodies culture, identity, and heritage.This discussion is a timely call to action, ensuring that no language disappears without a fight.”
Yesterday COSLA and the Scottish Government convened a roundtable discussion to consider immediate challenges facing the delivery of social care services:
COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly, reflected on the meeting: “I was very grateful for the representation from across the care sector, including our partners in the third and independent sectors, involved in this critical discussion.
“We all have a shared responsibility to improve outcomes for people using health and social care services in Scotland, and I am acutely aware of how much more challenging this becomes when confronted with significant budget gaps for Local Government and Integrated Joint Boards.
“Of course, I know that it’s a similarly challenging financial context for our partner providers who deliver vital care and support for people.
“The reality is that the current financial challenges will have a very real impact on services and it’s for this reason I thought it was crucial to bring together key partners to highlight the impact this has been having – and will continue to have – on the system.
“The changes to employer National Insurance contributions, coupled with continued financial constraints and uncertainties, are a significant risk felt by Local Government which will impact upon the delivery, commissioning and procurement of services.
“There are no easy solutions to the challenges that were aired but I was encouraged by the frank and open contributions from attendees, and the consensus that it’s more important than ever that we work collaboratively to ensure continued delivery of social care for all those who need it.
“As COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, I want to reiterate that we are doing everything we can to address the challenges the sector collectively faces, and that COSLA remains absolutely committed to engaging with the Scottish and UK Governments on these matters.”
Invitation to Participate in Community Planning Transformation and Improvement Stakeholder Engagement Session
The Edinburgh Partnership agreed to look afresh at the role of Community Planning in Edinburgh to maximise the relationships between public sector agencies and the voluntary and community sectors to address poverty and inequality and the climate and nature emergency.
We need your views to help shape the future of community planning in Edinburgh.
These sessions aim to bring together key partners to discuss, plan, and drive forward positive changes for communities. Your insights and contributions are highly valued, and we would be pleased if you could join us.
Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to book your place as soon as possible to secure your spot at your preferred session.
To register, please email communityplanning@edinburgh.gov.uk with your name, contact details, and the date of the session you would like to attend:
Wednesday, 23rd October | 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM | St. Bride’s Community Centre
or
Thursday, 24th October | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre
or
Monday, 28th October | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Microsoft Teams
MS Teams Meeting on Tuesday 22 October 2024 from 6-7:30pm
In advance of Community Council elections in February 2025, we are reaching out to invite you to the above meeting to discuss how community councils and the Council can collaboratively work together to promote community councils.
Some of the areas we are keen explore are:
Positively communicating to the public who community councils are and the work they do.
Encouraging membership to community councils.
Promoting upcoming community councils elections in February 2025.
If you would like to attend, please use the MS Teams link below:
Host a Climate Bites Lunch with ECCAN
We’re delighted to open Ticket Pre-Sale for Ordinary Members for Heroin screenings in April – make sure to secure your free tickets before 17 March
Wed 23 April – Heroin 1 + Conversation with Irvine Welsh & Zoë Black
6.30pm – 8.30pm each night
Where: North Edinburgh Arts, MacMillan Hub, 12c MacMillan Square, EH4 4AB
Membership fee is £3 for three years and offers a range of benefits
Join now: 
