fundraiser – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Alan Cumming to host fundraising event for Pitlochry Festival Theatre with Off The Ball’s Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove

Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cumming is set to host a fundraising event for the Theatre on Sunday 28 September, when he spends an entertaining evening in conversation with sports pundits Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove, celebrating over 30 years of Scotland’s best loved (and self-proclaimed worst informed) football radio show, BBC Radio Scotland’s Off the Ball.

Whether you are a football fan or a Theatre lover (or both!) , join Alan as he delves into the history of this dynamic duo, and their unique style of football punditry which has brought joy each week to football fans across Scotland. The conversation will be followed by the chance for audience members to ask their own questions to Tam and Stuart.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cumming said: “I am a huge fan of Off the Ball even though I know and have very little interest in football.

“I guested on the show once (and can’t wait to again, hint hint), and my big brother – who is a football nut and was I think rather jealous of my proximity to Scotland’s fitba royalty – said ‘you just giggled the whole time’. And he was right. “Tam and Stuart are hilarious, irreverent, and even just the timbre of their voices and their vocabulary make me howl with laughter and I could listen to them all day.

“This fundraiser is a beautiful gesture by them to support me and my plans for my first season of work at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and a great chance for everyone who loves football and comedy to witness, in the flesh, these petty and ill-informed football titans!”

Tam Cowan added: “I first suggested doing this fundraiser for the theatre when Alan Cumming was appointed artistic director as he’s been a great friend of Off the Ball with numerous plugs for the programme on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Me and Stuart appreciate the support (it’s not every day a James Bond baddie praises your work!) and, to reciprocate, I thought the least we could do was put on a wee freebie at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, just a few miles from where Stuart was born and bred.

“We’re really looking forward to a no-holds-barred petty & ill-informed evening of stories, jokes and memories – and we might even spill a few Off the Ball secrets for the punters who donate a few quid extra by splashing out on a VIP meet’n’greet ticket…!”

Pitlochry festival Theatre new Studio official opening.

An Evening with Off the Ball’s Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove is scheduled as the first in a series of In Conversation fundraising events to be held at the Theatre over the next year.

These events will bring in much needed funds for the Theatre, a charity, which produces work here in Pitlochry at its on-site workshop and rehearsal rooms.

The funds from the evening will go to support the Theatre’s 2026 programme, which will be Alan Cumming’s first season of programming as Artistic Director, as well as the Theatre’s 75^th Anniversary Season.

Further In Conversation events will be announced in the coming months.

General tickets for the fundraising event cost £25. VIP Meet and Greet packages are also available, allowing audiences members the opportunity to enjoy nibbles and drinks whilst chatting with Tam, Stuart, and Alan.

An Evening with Off the Ball’s Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove will be on Sunday 28 September at 7pm at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Tickets are available from the box office on 01796 484626 or online at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com  

To find out more about supporting Pitlochry Festival Theatre visit:

pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com/support-us/

Plans to relocate award-winning garden to Victoria Park

A national award-winning sensory garden designed by Leith resident Luke Coleman is set to be installed in Edinburgh’s Victoria Park, after being relocated from Yorkshire.

Earlier this month the garden, named ‘Drakkar’s Drift’, was on display at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Flower Show, Wentworth Woodhouse. Here it won a Gold Medal, RHS Young Designer of the Year, People’s Choice and Best Construction awards.

The garden, inspired by the history of the Scottish isles and its connections with the Vikings, will be installed on the site of one of two disused bowling greens returned to the Council by Edinburgh Leisure in 2023. Feedback from extensive local consultation carried out last year showed that residents were keen to see a sensory garden introduced to the area, alongside other options.

The garden has been dismantled and transported back to Edinburgh thanks to £20k previously secured and a fundraising drive is now underway to raise the additional £30k needed to reconstruct and embed Drakkar’s Drift in Edinburgh as a public asset. This will include expanding the design of the garden to meet the needs of the site and introducing paths, seating, and other features.

Councillor Margaret Graham said: “Luke’s Gold Medal success is a celebration of local creativity meeting international horticultural excellence. Bringing Drakkar’s Drift to Edinburgh would enrich our parks and unite community, nature and culture.

“We’ve been listening to residents, many of whom told us they’d like to see sensory planting on the site of the park’s old bowling green. As well as bringing this beautiful garden to the site, this project would enhance and develop it for community use. I’d encourage anyone with an interest in the site to support the campaign if they can.”

Designer Luke Coleman creates eco-friendly garden designs that harmonise with nature, where communities and ecosystems can thrive. Since the design of the garden began, he has envisioned that it would return to Edinburgh for residents to enjoy.

Luke said: “It’s been a dream to bring Drakkar’s Drift to life at the RHS Show, and now, seeing it find a permanent home in Edinburgh is something truly special.

“This project is about more than design; it’s about community, connection, and creating a legacy. I’m incredibly grateful for the support so far, and I hope people will get behind the fundraiser to help us rebuild the garden for everyone to enjoy.”

Amongst the garden’s elements are four mature trees, 1,500 herbaceous perennials, 13.5 tonnes of mossy boulders and living sculptures that support biodiversity.

Drakkar’s Drift draws inspiration from the basalt columns of Fingal’s Cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa – an interest sparked by a 2023 trip that led Luke to deeper research into the island’s history.

The Norse word ‘Drakkar’ refers to Viking ships displaying a dragon head at their front and so reminds of the arrival of the Vikings in the northern Scottish isles over a thousand years ago.

Find out more about the project and donate online.

AUGB: Kind of Blue

An evening of good music and good company to raise funds for Ukraine.

As we approach 3.5 years of war against Ukraine we are holding an evening of good music to raise much-needed funds.

All for only £10. Please come along and bring your friends.

Register via the link below:

https://buytickets.at/associationofukrainiansingr…/1766067

We hope to see many of you there.

Edinburgh School Uniform Bank welcomes support from Heriots

Junior school Children at @george_heriots_school once again chose ESUB to benefit from their Non-Uniform Day fundraiser which went ahead on Friday 7th February.

They raised an incredible £656.50 which will go a long way to support our work around Edinburgh.

Thank you all so much for your continued support

#edinburghschooluniformbank

UKRAINE FOREVER!

TONIGHT: Concert at Usher Hall 7pm

Tonight Usher Hall is hosting UKRAINE FOREVER! A fundraising performance featuring various Ukrainian and Edinburgh-based artists. Tickets cost £12 and all proceeds go to supporting humanitarian relief in Ukraine

Purchase tickets here: https://usherhall.co.uk/whats-on/ukraine-forever…

Hibernian Community Foundation is unwavering in its support of New Scots from Ukraine, aiming to provide support and a place of comfort and safety.

Broughton Teachers vs Students charity football match

FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT THE RED CROSS

WEDNESDAY 19th FEBRUARY 3.30 – 4.30PM

From the school anti-racism group:

Our Teacher vs Student football fundraiser will be happening on Wednesday the 19th of February, on the astroturf pitch from 3:30-4:30. We are raising money for a Red Cross appeal which donates towards the humanitarian crises in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Ukraine.

You can either bring in a donation that will be collected in buckets on the pitches before the game, or donate on ParentPay, so please donate generously.

You will be able to find out the student and teacher teams on your house Teams page soon!

Hot chocolate will also be available during the match.

Please come along and have fun!

Comedy legends raise over £28,000 at Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit

Sixth annual Big Brain Tumour Benefit brings the total amount raised for The Brain Tumour Charity to over £138,000

Comedy stars Dara Ó Briain, Milton Jones, Rose Matafeo, Angela Barnes, Ian Smith, Carl Donnelly, Kanan Gill, Amy Gledhill, Takashi Wakasugi and James Roque came together last night (Tuesday 13^th August) in support of a special charity benefit at McEwan Hall.

The one-night-only show returned for its sixth year to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity – the world’s leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours globally.

It has been announced today {Wednesday 14^th Aug] that the 2024 Underbelly Big Brain Tumour Benefit has raised almost £15,000. (UPDATE -Thursday 15th: That total has risen to £28,000!) All the money raised will go to The Brain Tumour Charity – a cause which is very close to Underbelly’s heart. The annual show was inspired by seven-year-old Alfie Bartlam, son of Underbelly Director Ed and his wife Lucinda, who died of a brain tumour in 2019.

100% of the ticket income goes straight to The Brain Tumour Charity. This and an additional £1,541 in donations brought the total raised on the night to £14,428.

Ed Bartlam, Underbelly’s co-founder, said: “A huge thank you to the amazing performers from last night, to the incredible audience members, and to everyone who contributed through our JustGiving page. Your support means so much to us.

“Underbelly is so proud to have raised £14,428 from last night’s show, with all box office income going directly to The Brain Tumour Charity and our specific fund to support an incredibly exciting paediatric brain tumour research and treatment project. Our goal is to raise £1.5 million by 2025 for this project.

“We’re doing this through a range of fundraising events and this annual Fringe show is an important part of that.”

Hannah Bowler, Corporate Partnership Manager at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “We are so proud to partner with Underbelly for the 6^th Big Brain Tumour Benefit and are grateful for their continued support and loyalty.

“The event is a much-loved part of the fringe, and it is wonderful to see the support received from the comedians, audience members and the brilliant Underbelly team.

“Partnerships like these are so important in helping us raise vital funds for research and awareness of the devastating impact of a brain tumour. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 and they reduce life expectancy by 27 years, the highest of any cancer and this must change.

“The Brain Tumour Charity is committed to fighting brain tumours on all fronts with a goal of doubling survival rates and halving the harm that brain tumours have on the quality of life – and it is only through the support from so many people like Ed, Charlie and the brilliant Underbelly team that we can strive towards those goals.

“It’s fantastic that the Big Brain Tumour Benefit has returned this year and has been able to raise £14,428. Thank you all for your incredible support.”

Research into brain tumours is severely underfunded in the UK and yet represents the biggest cancer killer for under 40s.

Around 500 children and young people in the UK are diagnosed each year but diagnosis times of childhood brain tumours are longer in the UK than in many other countries.

To further support the Brain Tumour Charity, please visit its Better Safe Than Tumour campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of a brain tumour to improve early diagnosis times.

Anyone who would like to contribute to this important cause, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/underbellysbigbraintumourbenefit2024

Underbelly’s Big Brain Tumour Benefit is a one-night-only show. For more information on the wider programme for the remainder of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, please visit the website here.

Crumbs! Comedy troupe Biscuit Barrel kick off food bank fundraiser

Comedy troupe Biscuit Barrel kicked off their Edinburgh food bank fundraiser with a twist this week when members donned biscuit costumes and packed emergency food parcels at the Edinburgh Food Project warehouse.

Their Edinburgh Fringe show ‘Not Another 69-Sketch Show’ runs from 31 July – 26 August at the Gilded Balloon, and will help to support seven local food banks.

Audiences can contribute to the Edinburgh Food Project thanks to post-performance bucket collections and make a real difference to those struggling to afford the essentials.

Gregor Townsend launches Barnardo’s fundraiser

We are more used to seeing him sitting high up in the coach’s box at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on matchday, but Scotland Rugby Head Coach Gregor Townsend yesterday swapped one lofty position for another as he ascended the iconic Forth Bridge to help launch a much-loved Barnardo’s fundraiser.

The charity’s ‘Your View’ event – now in its sixth year – affords members of the public one of the most sought after and unique experiences in Scotland; namely the chance to ascend 361 feet up the historic bridge and enjoy an uninterrupted 360-degree panoramic view of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline.

This once-in-a-lifetime experience has brought joy to thousands and raised vital funds for the work of Barnardo’s Scotland.

Gregor Townsend said: “I have long admired the work that Barnardo’s Scotland undertakes to support thousands of children, young people and their families across the country, so it is a pleasure to be a part of the launch of this year’s Your View event.

“Standing on top of the world-famous Forth Bridge has been a superb experience – the views are amazing – and I would encourage people to take this rare opportunity to climb the bridge. As well as enjoying this bucket-list moment, you will also be contributing to the work of Barnardo’s as it continues to do so much to help young people all over Scotland.”

Your View 2024, which is run in conjunction with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, will take place from Friday, 20^th to Sunday, 22^nd September, with tickets going on sale at 10am on Thursday (20^th June).

To date, more than 5,200 visitors have experienced the event and there have been no fewer than ten marriage proposals on the vertiginous viewing platform.

Best of all, though, the event has raised more than £325,000 to fund the work of Barnardo’s Scotland. To find out more, or to book tickets for the event, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/events/your-view-forth-bridge.

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Your View is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for those lucky enough to secure a ticket. Not only is it a never-to-be-forgotten experience for those atop the iconic bridge, it is also a crucial fundraiser for Barnardo’s Scotland as we continue to support children, young people and their families throughout the country.

“We cannot thank Gregor Townsend enough for his support for the event and the wider work of our charity. I must admit that it was one of the more surreal moments of my career to be alongside the Scotland Rugby Head Coach more than 350 feet above the Firth of Forth!”

Martin Crewe added: “As I am often reminded, tickets for Your View sell out very quickly indeed, so I would urge all of those keen to attend to sign up as quickly as possible. And, who knows, we might even get to enjoy another Your View wedding proposal this year!

“Your View would not be possible without the generosity of Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, and I wish to thank both organisations and our wonderful volunteers for making this special weekend happen.”

Colin Hardie, Construction Superintendent for Balfour Beatty, said: “At Balfour Beatty, we are committed to giving back to the communities we serve. The Your View event is one example of how we do just that, raising valuable funds to support disadvantaged children and families in Scotland.

“It has been an honour to work alongside Barnardo’s Scotland once again, to offer members of the public this memorable experience on one of the most iconic, unique and admired structures in the world – the Forth Bridge.”

Also featuring over the weekend will be the famous ‘Briggers’. The Briggers are a Forth Bridge research and presentation group of volunteers based in South Queensferry. Named after the bridge workers, the group was formed to identify the names of the 73 men and boys who died constructing the Forth Bridge, they provide details on the history of the bridge and the people involved in its construction.

In the past year, Barnardo’s has provided essential support to more than 11,500 children, young people, parents and carers in Scotland through more than 150 specialised community-based services and partnerships across the country.

The charity works to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.

To donate, volunteer or fundraise, please visit www.barnardos.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money.

FetLor Swimathon

20th APRIL 5 – 8pm at WESTWOODS HEALTH CLUB

One of our amazing parents Traci Gaven has organised a Swimathon to raise funds for Fetlor to support our exciting summer programme we have planned.

The Swimathon is for young people who attend FetLor and their parents – we will be swimming as many lengths as we can in 2 hours to see how far we can cover.

Young people can swim without their parents.

As this is a Fundraiser, young people taking part will have a Sponsor Sheet which they can collect from FetLor and the parents, we would appreciate you sharing the just giving page created by Traci.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/tracy-gaven-1711086353602…

The Swimathon will take place at West woods on Saturday 20th April 5 – 8pm.

If you would be interested in being involved please complete the sign up form: https://forms.gle/auXm2Bo97EP2f4bT6

#FETLOR100