We have a delicious lunch planned for this Monday! Lasagne with roasted green beans on the side, beautiful beans from Edinburgh Agroecology Coop!
And for pudding, apple crumble made with our very own apples.
As always, breakfast is on from 9am – 10:30am, lunch served at 11:30am – 12:30pm.
Sit in or take away available, open to all. See you there!
We are delighted to announce that BLAST will be hosting British boxing legend Frank Bruno MBE on November 12th at North Edinburgh Arts.
With November being men’s mental health awareness month we wanted to make a powerful statement in addressing it and what better way.
Frank Bruno MBE is a former WBC world heavyweight champion who has faced many challenges in boxing and with mental health and we are delighted he is going to share some of these stories with us on the night.
The evening will consist with doors opening at 6 with some welcoming refreshments (non alcoholic), a photo with Frank and then listening to Franks journey. With the evening coming to an end around 8.15.
Tickets are on sale now for all BLAST members or affiliations.
On general sale from September 18th.
Please note, tickets are limited to only 100. This is a very small and intimate event.
Please contact the FB page with any enquiries or to secure your space.
A special thanks to our sponsors:
On World Suicide Prevention Day, 10th September, venues across Edinburgh’s iconic skyline joined landmarks across Scotland in lighting up green to raise awareness of suicide prevention and Samaritans’ charity.
Buildings and landmarks across Scotland united in shining a light on suicide prevention and the support available for people in crisis on Thursday. In Edinburgh, Museum on the Mound, Camera Obscura and the Balmoral Hotel were some of those landmarks shining green, Samaritans’ well-known colour.
Joining the venues were Lerwick Town Hall in Shetland; Discovery Point in Dundee; Stirling Castle, Glasgow Science Centre; the Kelpies; Marischal College and King’s College in Aberdeen.
Samaritans is the charity that prevents suicide through human connection, and this World Suicide Prevention Day, the charity’s message to people in Scotland is that you don’t have to be an expert to save someone’s life. Small, everyday interruptions and actions could help someone who is suicidal by distracting them from their thoughts.
It could be a face-to-face conversation, a phone call, a text or any other way of connecting with someone. It could be as simple as asking someone you’re worried about if they are OK, perhaps making a positive comment on something you notice about them (for example, their shoes or coat), or even giving them something to touch or hold, which can help to distract somebody and help them feel grounded.
For Paul, 45, an unexpected interruption from a taxi driver simply asking if he was OK was all it took to change the course of his life:
“That taxi driver probably doesn’t know the impact he had that day or how much it helped me,” said Paul. “It seems a bit dramatic to say I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that conversation, but that is the reality. It shows that anyone can save a life, just by showing that they care.”
After struggling to balance a high-pressure job and family life, Paul reached crisis point and decided to take his own life. But a passing taxi driver stopped and got out to check on him.
“I had started to feel like I was the root cause of every problem and if I removed myself, then that would fix everything. I felt tired, burnt out and broken. I decided I was going to take my own life.”
“I was crossing the road when the taxi stopped me. I suspect the driver initially thought it was some idiot not paying attention, but he must’ve recognised that something wasn’t right. He got out to check if I was OK and said something like, ‘You need to talk to someone.’”
“So, I called Samaritans. I don’t remember much about that call, but they helped me get through the night. They listened and allowed me to offload. It helped me go to bed and try again the next day.”
A life-saving interruption for Paul, and a reminder that an interruption can make an enormous difference when it matters.
A new survey commissioned by Samaritans revealed that almost three quarters (74%) of respondents in Scotland felt that society is increasingly being designed to avoid interaction, with just over two in five (43%) saying they interact with people less than they did five years ago.
But despite the direction of travel towards less interaction with others, people still place huge value on human connection.
More people in Scotland say they would prefer to turn to a stranger (50%) than AI (23%) if they needed help – showing that we can all have a role to play in looking out for one another.
It can be difficult to know what to say or do if you think someone may be experiencing a suicidal crisis. Samaritans has put together advice suggested by people with lived experience to help guide others through these moments:
Samaritans’ Executive Director for Scotland, Neil Mathers, said: “As Scotland glows green on World Suicide Prevention Day, we’re reminded of the power of connection. Each light represents hope, a moment of support, a conversation, and the reminder that Samaritans is here to listen.
“Suicide is preventable. The more openly we talk about suicide, the easier we can make it for people experiencing suicidal thoughts to speak honestly about how they are feeling.
“We’re urging people across Scotland not to be afraid to ask someone if they are feeling suicidal. It can be a difficult conversation, but you don’t need to be an expert or have all the answers. What matters is being there, listening without judgement and showing that you care.”
Every 90 minutes, someone in the UK and Ireland dies by suicide. But suicide isn’t inevitable. This World Suicide Prevention Day, Samaritans is encouraging everyone to be prepared to interrupt if they’re worried someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. Find advice on how to start a conversation, listen and support someone at www.samaritans.org/interrupt.
Samaritans provides a vital lifeline for people and communities across Scotland. Our helpline is available for anyone struggling to cope with suicidal thoughts, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Anyone can contact Samaritans FREE, any time, from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. Or you can visit www.samaritans.org.
Children, young people and their families will benefit from £7.6 million funding to strengthen and expand local neurodevelopmental support.
The Scottish Government funding, which will be distributed to local councils, will mean more flexible support is provided to children, young people and their families to get the help they need, when they need it, informed by local circumstances.
It is part of wider work by the Scottish Government, local authority body COSLA and partners to improve neurodevelopmental support for young people across health, education, local government and the third sector, as set out in the new Programme for Government.
This includes the work of the Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopment Taskforce, alongside other action to improve support and services.
Announcing the funding on a visit to Windygoul Primary School in East Lothian, Minister for Mental Wellbeing Maree Todd said: “Demand for neurodevelopmental support has increased significantly in recent years and I want families to access the help they need, when they need it.
“This £7.6 million investment will help local areas build on existing services and further invest in the support that works for their communities.
“There is no single action that will solve all the challenges people face in getting timely and consistent support. This investment is just one part of the wider work to improve neurodevelopmental support.
“Through our continued partnership with local government, health services and the third sector, we will ensure a more joined-up, sustainable system of support for neurodivergent children, young people and their families.”
COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People, Councillor Tony Buchanan said: “Along with our wider partners, Local Government has seen rising demand for support for children and young people’s neurodevelopmental needs both pre, post and regardless of diagnosis.
“We very much recognise the value of early, neuro-affirming support for children, young people and their families in preventing the negative impacts caused where children’s needs are not met and helping them achieve their full potential.
“A whole system response is essential to support children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs and their families . We look forward to continuing to work with our cross sector partners to deliver improved outcomes as this work progresses.”
Neurodevelopmental conditions include autism and ADHD.
Dear Editor,
Arthritis and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect 1.7 million people in Scotland – around one in three of us.
Yet despite the enormous impact these conditions have on people’s health, independence and ability to work, Scotland has no dedicated national strategy for MSK health. That needs to change.
Arthritis UK is calling on First Minister John Swinney to deliver Scotland’s first-ever MSK Action Plan, providing the national leadership needed to improve diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and support.
Behind the statistics are people living every day with pain, fatigue and disability – some waiting years for a diagnosis or treatment that could transform their lives.
Our “Don’t Turn Your Back on Arthritis” campaign gives those people, their families, and supporters the opportunity to make their voices heard.
We are urging people across Scotland to send a simple message to the First Minister: arthritis affects too many people to remain an afterthought.
It is time to face arthritis head-on and give MSK health the priority it deserves.
Yours faithfully
Lauren Bennie
Head of Scotland
Arthritis UK
Edward House, 199 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3EX
Local charity LifeCare is inviting parents, grandparents and carers to join a free, practical paediatric first aid session at its Stockbridge hub this Friday (11th September).
The session will cover basic first aid for infants, including how to deliver CPR and what to do in the event of choking. It is designed to give people who care for young children the confidence and practical knowledge to respond calmly in an emergency.
Taking place from 3pm to 5pm at CafeLife, LifeCare, 2 Cheyne Street, Stockbridge, EH4 1JB, the informal session is open to anyone who looks after children and would like to learn some essential first aid skills.
There is no need to book, and the session is completely free to attend. Tea and coffee will also be available, with donations welcome to support LifeCare’s work.
Set up in September 1941, the charity is celebrating its 85th anniversary of delivering transformative support within our local communities this month.
Sarah Duckmanton, Activities Coordinator at LifeCare said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for families and carers to access useful, practical information in a friendly and welcoming setting. Knowing what to do in an emergency can make a real difference, and this session is sure to be a great opportunity to learn some important skills.
“This event forms part of our free Talks at LifeCare programme, where we have covered everything from Edinburgh Street Style to the Water of Leith. Everyone is welcome. Thanks to everyone at the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland for helping make these free talks possible!”
CafeLife is fully accessible with lots of space for buggies, prams and wheelchairs. If you’re interested in getting involved or would like to learn more, please get in touch sarahduckmanton@lifecare-
Event details
What: Paediatric First Aid – including choking and CPR
When: Friday 11 September, 3pm–5pm
Where: CafeLife, The LifeCare Hub, 2 Cheyne Street, Stockbridge, EH4 1JB
Free but donations are always welcome
The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has launched Behind Every Business is a Person, a month-long campaign putting the mental health and wellbeing of the people behind Scotland’s self-catering businesses firmly in the spotlight.
Self-catering businesses do more than provide a place to stay. Behind the warm welcomes, memorable stays and contribution these businesses make to Scotland’s visitor economy and communities are people managing the everyday realities of running a small business – often alongside significant and sustained external pressures.
The latest ASSC Barometer survey provides a clear reason for starting this conversation: more than two-thirds of operators said running their business had negatively affected their mental health or wellbeing, against a backdrop of rising costs, cumulative regulation, concerns about profitability and continued uncertainty.
Running throughout September, the campaign brings together ASSC evidence and member experiences with practical advice and support from specialist groups Hospitality Health and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).
Hospitality Health has contributed guidance specifically relevant to self-catering operators – from setting a communications cut-off and switching off business notifications, to scheduling proper time away and talking to someone when pressure begins to build. The campaign will also signpost members and the wider sector to trusted mental health and wellbeing resources available through SAMH.
At the heart of the campaign are ASSC members themselves. Over the coming weeks, the Association will share some of the faces and voices behind Scotland’s self-catering businesses, alongside practical wellbeing advice, information about where to find support, and simple ways operators can look out for themselves and one another.
The campaign has two aims. First, the ASSC wants members and the wider self-catering community to know they are not simply statistics – that their wellbeing matters. The Association will continue to listen, build connections across its community, and work with trusted specialist organisations to help members access appropriate support.
Second, the campaign will support the ASSC’s ongoing advocacy by ensuring the human impact of the pressures facing the sector is recognised, with the Association continuing to gather evidence and use members’ experiences in its conversations with government and policymakers.
Fiona Campbell MBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said: “Our members are at the heart of everything we do, and our evidence is telling us very clearly that the cumulative pressures facing the self-catering sector are having an impact on the people behind these businesses.
“Behind every licence, booking, regulation and statistic is a person – someone running a business, supporting their family, welcoming visitors and contributing to their local community.
“We have a responsibility both to support those people and to make sure their experiences are heard. This campaign is about saying to our members: we see you, we are listening and we have your back.
“This is not something we intend to talk about for four weeks and then move on from. We want this campaign to be the beginning of a longer-term commitment to wellbeing within our sector.”
Gordon McIntyre MBE, Founder and Chairman of Hospitality Health, said: “Running a hospitality business can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be demanding. For self-catering operators in particular, the boundaries between work and home can easily disappear, making it difficult to properly switch off.
“As another busy summer season draws to a close, this is an important opportunity to remind people that looking after their own wellbeing matters too.
“Small changes, honest conversations and knowing where to turn for support can all make a difference.
“Hospitality Health is delighted to work alongside ASSC on Behind Every Business is a Person, helping to bring practical wellbeing advice and support to the people who work so hard to look after Scotland’s visitors.”
A solid majority of adults in Edinburgh risk leaving loved ones without clear instructions about their final wishes, new research has revealed.
A new poll commissioned by charity Will-writing campaign Will Aid has found 63% of adults in Edinburgh either do not have a Will or admit the one they have is out of date.
The research, released to mark the opening of appointments for the Will Aid 2026 campaign, found 57% of people in the city have never made a Will, while a further 6% admit their existing Will no longer reflects their current circumstances or wishes.
Nationally, the picture is similarly concerning, with 67% of UK adults either without a Will or with one that is out of date – 57% have never made one and 10% admit theirs is no longer up to date.
And despite the potential consequences for the people they leave behind, 44% of UK adults say they are unlikely to write a Will within the next year.
Will Aid is warning that misconceptions about who needs a Will could be leaving millions of families unnecessarily exposed.
Peter de Vena Franks, Campaign Director at Will Aid, said: “The fact that 63% of people in Edinburgh either don’t have a Will or have one which is no longer up to date should concern all of us.
“A Will is about far more than the value of the money or property you leave behind. It is about making your wishes clear, protecting the people you care about and making incredibly difficult decisions easier for those you love at what will already be a distressing time.
“You may have children whose future you want to protect, possessions with enormous sentimental value, pets you want cared for or very clear wishes about who should – and should not – benefit from your estate.
“Without a valid Will, you lose the opportunity to make many of those decisions yourself.”
The national research revealed that one of the biggest barriers to making a Will is the belief that people simply do not have enough to leave behind.
Of the 1,151 UK respondents surveyed who had not made a Will, the most common reason – cited by 29% – was the belief that they did not have anything worth leaving.
Cost and simply not finding the time were each cited by 19%, while 18% said they felt uncomfortable thinking about death and 14% were put off by the perceived complexity of the process.
Peter added: “Perhaps one of the most striking findings from our national research is that almost three in ten people without a Will believe they simply don’t have anything worth leaving.
“But Wills are not just for people with substantial wealth or property. They are about giving you a say in what happens after you die and making your wishes clear for the people you leave behind.
“We want people to recognise that making a Will is relevant to them, whatever their circumstances.”
The national research also revealed some of the life events that finally prompt people to act.
Among 857 respondents who had made a Will, 23% said they wanted the reassurance of knowing their children would be looked after if they died, while the same proportion said having children had prompted them to make one.
More than one in five (22%) said hearing stories about people who had died without a Will encouraged them to act, while 18% made theirs after buying a house.
Will Aid is also urging people in Edinburgh who already have a Will not to assume the job is finished.
With 6% of local respondents admitting their Will is out of date, the campaign is reminding people that a document written years ago may no longer reflect their family, relationships, assets or wishes, particularly following significant life changes.
Peter said: “Making a Will is not something you should do once and then forget about for the rest of your life.
“Families change. Relationships change. People marry, separate and divorce. Children and grandchildren are born. People buy homes, build businesses and acquire assets. Sadly, people we intended to include in our Wills can also die before us.
“If you know your Will no longer reflects what you want to happen, it is important not to keep putting off reviewing it.
“There may never feel like a perfect time to think about death, but making or updating a Will is ultimately about looking after the people you leave behind.”
The findings have been released as Will Aid 2026 opens for appointments, giving people in Edinburgh and across the UK the opportunity to have a basic Will professionally prepared by a participating solicitor while supporting good causes.
Every November, participating solicitors volunteer their time and waive their usual fee for writing a basic Will. Instead, clients are invited to make a voluntary donation to Will Aid, with the money raised supporting the campaign’s charity partners.
Since it was founded, the campaign has brought together the legal profession and some of the UK’s best-known charities, helping people put their affairs in order while raising millions of pounds for vital charitable work.
Donna Imrie, Partner at Rollos Law, said: “One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that Wills are only for people who are wealthy or own significant assets.
“That simply isn’t the case. A professionally drafted Will gives you control over what happens after your death and allows you to make your wishes clear rather than leaving important decisions to chance.
“It is particularly important for parents and for people whose family circumstances may not be straightforward.
“We would also encourage anyone in Edinburgh who already has a Will to think about when they last looked at it. If your life has changed significantly since it was written, your Will may need to change too.
“Will Aid is an opportunity to sit down with a professional solicitor, talk through your circumstances and make sure your wishes are properly recorded – while at the same time helping charities carrying out extraordinary work in the UK and around the world.”
Appointments for Will Aid 2026 are now open and can be made with a participating firm either in person, where available, or remotely.
To find a participating Will Aid solicitor and book an appointment, or for more information about Will Aid, visit willaid.org.uk
Edinburgh Leisure has released it’s latest Impact Report.
Edinburgh Leisure Chief Executive Jen Holland said: “I am delighted to share Edinburgh Leisure’s Impact Report for 2025–26, a story of progress, resilience and people working together to help Edinburgh be active and well.
“This year’s report marks an important turning point, with stronger financial foundations, growing participation and continued investment in places and programmes that help more people feel active, included and connected.
“From expanding health and wellbeing programmes such as Balanced Life, to widening access through community facilities, subsidised provision and inclusive opportunities for people facing barriers, our work continues to support a healthier, happier and more active Edinburgh for everyone.
“One of this year’s Victorian Pool Crawl participants, Eileen Ingram, summed up that purpose when she told us: “I think it’s important for everyone, regardless of wealth, health or age, to be able to have access to facilities to enable them to live an active life. Regular exercise is really important for improving all aspects of our life.”
“Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership.
“I hope you enjoy reading the report and celebrating what we continue to achieve together for Edinburgh and its people.”
Access Edinburgh Leisure’s Impact Report 2025-26 here.
FRIDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 3 – 5pm
This Friday. A really great and important talk, especially for parents and grandparents.
Completely free, 3-5pm. See you there!
