SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY FESTIVAL – REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!!!
As many of you know, we run this event on passion, community spirit, and a shoestring but this year the funding challenges have been extreme. So much so that, for the first time, we’re facing the very real possibility that the festival might not be able to go ahead.
To give us the best chance of keeping it alive, we’ve introduced a tiered cost for stalls, ranging from a heavily discounted £80 up to £250 depending on the size of your organisation.
This structure lets smaller groups stay involved while asking those with more resources to chip in a little extra to support the wider community.
If you’re taking a trading or community stall, we’re encouraging everyone who can to select the £150 payment. That contribution genuinely makes a difference to whether the festival can run. But if £80 is what’s manageable for you, please know that it’s still hugely appreciated, your presence matters just as much.
We’re doing everything we can to protect this festival and the space it creates for local makers, groups, and neighbours.
Your support, in whatever form you can offer it, means the world.
Thank you for sticking with us and for being part of what makes this festival special.
Community Councils, have you signed up for our next free webinar yet?
On 25th February at 6pm we welcome Scottish Government Local Governance Review team who will be providing an update on Democracy Matters policy development.
There will be an opportunity to ask questions on the process and next steps.
Community Councils can register for this free event using the link below:
We should decide what happens in West Pilton/West Granton come along to learn more.
This event is being put on by myself (Jessica Fenn) and Chris Cullen – we live here, we aren’t an outside organisation, and we want other locals to join us
FM: Scots should make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests
Independence would give the people of Scotland new opportunities to improve their standards of living, according to a new paper published by First Minister John Swinney.
‘A Fresh Start with Independence’ examines how an independent Scotland would be able to improve the economy and the NHS, and tackle issues such as household finances, pensions, social security, migration, energy and defence.
The paper states that the Scottish Government has worked hard to improve the lives of people living in Scotland using devolved powers but it would only be able to fully capitalise on the nation’s potential with independence.
The First Minister said: “I firmly believe that the people who live in Scotland are best placed to make decisions about Scotland. That is the fundamental democratic and practical argument underpinning the case that we make.
“Too many people in Scotland today do not have a decent standard of living and are finding it difficult to make ends meet. That is because standards of living in the UK have improved little in over 10 years, due to a failing economic system and Westminster decisions such as austerity and the disastrous decision to leave the European Union. Scotland did not support austerity and it did not support Brexit. The reality is Westminster is not working for Scotland.
“The Scottish Government works tirelessly to use the powers of devolution to deliver the very best for Scotland. Much good has been achieved through the expansion of early learning and childcare, the introduction of free university tuition, the expansion of the rail network, the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol, the creation of the Scottish Child Payment and many other measures.
“But Scotland needs to be able to improve the opportunities available to our people, our communities and our businesses. Scotland needs to build a stronger, more inclusive economy that works for all. Those possibilities would only be available to Scotland with the fresh start of independence.
“We have shown that when we have the power to decide for ourselves, we find solutions and make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests. I believe Scotland can and will become a successful independent country, with a more dynamic economy and a fairer society.”
The Scottish Conservatives don’t agree, oddly enough:
Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South, has called on the City of Edinburgh Council in a formal open letter today to take urgent steps to secure the future of Edinburgh South Community Football Club (ESCFC), one of Scotland’s biggest and most successful community clubs.
ESCFC, has over 1,000 players across 75 teams and more than 200 volunteers, collectively contributing over 40,000 hours of unpaid time, is facing severe challenges due to a shortage of pitches and lack of long-term security over its facilities. Every week, 5–10 children are being turned away, while six full teams, around 120 young people, risk having nowhere to train from September.
Despite more than seven years of talks with the Council, the club still does not have the land security or access to facilities it needs. Edinburgh Leisure has not responded since March regarding long-term Astro pitch availability, and without action the club has missed out on major investment opportunities, such as the £8.6m Scottish FA Pitching In fund.
The club’s impact stretches far beyond football, with initiatives including:
Free after school club and holiday camps (averaging 600 free places weekly across the year)
Free mental health counselling and physiotherapy
Racism and disability awareness training
Free use of club facilities for local schools
Fee waivers and discounts for families in need
Completely free Soccer School every Saturday for up to 120 children aged 5-8
ESCFC is a Platinum-level accredited club, the highest recognition awarded by the SFA, and has been nominated for National Community Club of the Year.
Ian Murray MP said: ““Edinburgh South CFC is a shining example of everything that is good about grassroots football. The scale of the club’s impact from free school holiday places to counselling, mentoring, and a boot exchange programme is extraordinary.
“But that success is now under threat. It is simply unsustainable for children to be turned away week after week because of a lack of facilities and security, and miss out on repeated funding rounds.
“This has gone on far too long. The Council must now step up, work with the club, and deliver the long-term security and pitches it desperately needs.”
Joe Sneddon, Chair of Edinburgh South CFC, said: “Our ethos has always been simple: if you want to play, you play.Thanks to our incredible volunteers we’ve been able to make that a reality for decades, but the lack of facilities and long-term backing is now putting that at risk. We don’t want to turn children away, yet that’s exactly what is happening.
“The Council cannot allow a club of this standing, delivering this scale of community benefit, to be held back by lack of facilities and short-term agreements. The time for warm words is over, we need action to allow us to continue delivering for our communities.”
Ian Murray has written formally to the Council setting out a series of practical steps, including a new Astroturf pitch at Inch Park, guaranteed access to the new Liberton High School Astro, and long-term leases at key facilities across South Edinburgh.
Elevate your professional practice with our Cultural Competence Training, designed for those working with migrants. Enhance communication, build trust, and deliver more personalised, person-centred care.
What you’ll learn:
Effective cross-cultural communication
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Cultural awareness and safeguarding
Understanding migrant integration
Details:
21.10.2025 at ELREC, 14 Forth St., EH1 3LH
Duration: Full-Day (6 hours)
Pricing: £105 per person
Registration: email mrostami@elrec.org.uk
Don’t miss this chance to deepen your knowledge and make a real difference!
Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, working alongside our partners in the Thrive Collective, is deeply disappointed by the recent decision of the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB) to end the Thrive contract for Physical Activities and Greenspaces from the end of November.
Through Thrive, we and our partners have worked in close collaboration with communities, health services, and local organisations to provide inclusive opportunities that improve physical and mental wellbeing.
We are proud of the collective impact that this work has had for people across Edinburgh, particularly those experiencing health inequalities.
This follows the earlier decision to withdraw grant funding for our Healthy Lifestyles work in South Edinburgh. Together, these cuts represent a significant reduction in support for programmes that enable communities across the city to access the health and wellbeing benefits of nature, physical activity, and local greenspaces.
The decision will have a real impact on the 1250 participants who rely on these programmes to support their physical health, mental wellbeing, and sense of social connection. Many of the people we work with face health inequalities and barriers to accessing mainstream services, and these activities have provided an essential lifeline.
Charlie Cumming, ELGT Chief Executive, confirmed the loss of this funding will directly affect our capacity to deliver dedicated programmes that improve health through engagement with local greenspaces.
It will also reduce the resources that are community-based, accessible, and effective alternatives to clinical treatment—helping people recover and build resilience outside of primary care settings.
Despite this setback, ELGT remain committed to championing greenspaces and active lives as vital to Edinburgh’s health and wellbeing.
We will continue to explore new ways of sustaining this essential work and will seek to secure funding that ensures these opportunities remain accessible to the communities who need them most.
We would like to sincerely thank all participants, volunteers, and partner organisations who have engaged with us.
Your commitment and enthusiasm highlight just how much this work matters and the difference it makes across the city.
THURSDAY 4th SEPTEMBER from 4 – 7pm or respond ONLINE
We are progressing designs for improvements to the area surrounding the Drylaw Shopping Centre.
The proposals aim to address existing issues within the shopping centre, such as; sustainability, accessibility, car parking, vehicular movement, aesthetic appeal, sight lines and safety.
The Drylaw Shopping Centre forms part of the wider Drylaw and Telford Masterplan one of the 13 proposed improvement projects that aim to reimagine local streets and public spaces, making them healthier, more accessible, and nature-positive – while also tackling surface water and flooding challenges in the area.
To help refine the concept designs, we will be conducting a drop-in community and business engagement session at the Shopping Centre on the below date.
Please feel free to visit to give your views on the designs:
Location: Next to Farmfoods at Drylaw Shopping Centre, 661 Ferry Road Date: Thursday 4th September 2025 Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Consultation Hub Online Survey:
In addition to the in person engagement, a survey for the project is now live on The City of Edinburgh Council’s Consultation Hub and will run until 8th October 2025.
Please find a link to the survey here and to find out more:
come along to learn more.
Location: Next to Farmfoods at Drylaw Shopping Centre, 661 Ferry Road
Date: Thursday 4th September 2025
Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM