All 12 – 25 year olds living in Scotland can respond to our #SYPHaveYourSay survey today!
We will then use your responses to further consult on individual policies to be included in our manifesto later this year.
Have your say here: http://bit.ly/sypyourviews
More than fifty people representing community organisations from across North Edinburgh attended the ‘Garden Party’ held by R2 at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on Tuesday.
The networking and information event, which was also attended by politicians Ben MacPherson MSP and new MP Tracy Gilbert, was a great success and initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
R2 Coordinator Anita Aggarwal said: “We were more than 50 people and it sounded like there was lots of good chat.
“Thanks again to everyone who contributed, particularly the team at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Jed for the tunes and Scran for tasty food. You can see the lovely picture of us all here Facebook
“I also collected a lot of information about what you want from and can offer to R2. I’ve attached what I have heard so far.
“If you weren’t at the meeting yesterday (or have thought of something else) you can still feedback your thoughts on R2 by completing this short form:
https://forms.office.com/e/V9cabAA4ye
“And one more request for information: I’m trying to build a better sense of what organisations have to offer, so please, if you haven’t already, could you also complete this little table for your organisation – you’ll see some examples in the notes attached.
| Organisation | Strengths of my organisation that I could share | Stuff that my organisation has that I could lend |
| Eg R2 | Knowledge of organisations in north EdinburghFund raising experienceUnderstanding and experience of Community Development and Participatory Action Research | Post it notes |
“Please respond by end of Monday 26 August.
“I’ll use what you tell me to inform the workplan for R2 for the next few months.”
You can contact Anita at hello@r2northed.org.uk
DAVE P. writes: I had the pleasure of hosting a session where local projects were offered a five-minute opportunity to talk about their activities and share what they are up to with others.
North Edinburgh has a wealth of amazing organisations supporting our community and it was fantastic to learn what is being achieved across the area, despite the many challenges faced by North Edinburgh’s third sector groups.
Many thanks, then, to Adele (North Edinburgh Community Festival), Sarah (NEDAC), Jed (Tinderbox), John (Community Renewal), Lynn and Rebecca (North Edinburgh Childcare), Billy (Royston Wardieburn Community Centre), Anna (Granton Goes Greener), Holly (National Galleries Scotland), Tom (Pianodrome), Debbie (Muirhouse Housing Association) and city council engagement officer Elaine Lennon for your positive contributions!
You can contact Anita at hello@r2northed.org.uk
Do you have an idea that will make a difference to your local community? Apply now for a grant of up to £5,000 to make your idea a reality!
The Community Grants Fund was set up in 2007 to kickstart projects that benefit local communities. It is part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to empowering communities and fostering grassroots initiatives.
There are 13 local funds, each covering a different area of the city. If you are part of a community group with a project in mind, see if you can apply to your local Community Grant Fund .
The next application deadline is Monday 26 August, excluding Western as the deadline is Monday 12 August.
If you are in Leith, applications for the Leith fund should be submitted to £eith Chooses between 16 August and 10 October this year.
The Community Grants Fund has supported some fantastic projects in the past, such as The Friends of Victoria Park pumphouse mural, ‘Place to Pause’ at The Eric Liddell Centre and the Broomhouse Street Party – and yours could be next!
Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “Our communities are the lifeblood of our city and we’re committed to ensuring that they have the resources to bring their ideas to life.
“As this is the final round of funding for 2024, the amount available in each neighbourhood varies. Our City Centre, Liberton/Gilmerton, and Portobello/Craigmillar neighbourhoods have already allocated their available funding for 2024, applications will be open again in the spring of 2025.
“I always enjoy seeing the projects in our communities come to life, and I’m really excited to see the projects that apply for funding during this round of applications.”
Chair of Friends of Victoria Park Lucy Metcalfe said: “Thanks to community grant funding from the Council, the park has been greatly enhanced by the vibrant artwork that replaces the unsightly dirty and graffitied walls of the old pumphouse.
“The students from the local high school were able to spend a week working with a renowned artist, developing, painting and teamwork skills.
“The mural is a testament to the commitment of the school and its students to the park and the local community. The Friends are very proud of this achievement.”
For the best chance of securing a grant, apply by the relevant August deadline.
Applications will be reviewed in October and successful applicants will be advised.
We are looking for new members to join our amazing Youth Panel!
Applications are now open!
Who is the opportunity for? Young people aged 14-18, living in London. Please click and share this paid opportunity!
Apply through the easy online form: https://bit.ly/3XRfz1L
The tallest knitted Christmas tree in Scotland project has reached the halfway mark. The knitters are aiming for an ambitious height of between five and six metres for the tree, about the height of a giraffe, but are more than happy with progress so far.
The veritable army of knitters in Edinburgh and beyond has been busy knitting multi-toned green squares and colourful Christmas baubles and decorations for several months now, and are celebrating having reached the halfway stage. They now have 5,000 squares and need another 2,500 while the pile of decorations has reached the 1,000 mark, about half of what is needed.
The community project, based at the Heart of Newhaven Community (the old Victoria Primary School), has given people across Edinburgh a purpose for their knitting and is creating a real sense of community.
The squares are also coming from across the UK, sent by people who are happy to contribute to the imaginative project.
The tree is being supported by knitters in Edinburgh and the surrounding area as well as from as far afield as Liverpool, Southport, Luton, Norwich, Fife and Inverness.
Children at local primary schools have been learning to knit with the help of the Tree@ The Heart supporters and in return have been handing in their green squares. Local care homes have also been getting involved.
It is hoped the ambitious project will encourage donations which will go towards improved disabled access at the Heart while Homestart is the chosen local charity that will also benefit.
The Heart is now beginning to get ready for the official reveal on 30th November when the Tree will be the star of the show, but centred around the growing tree, there will also be a Christmas craft market and live music.
The team knows that there are many squares still out there but the Heart is open and ready to receive them all.
Apart from the current knit and natter sessions at the Heart (see the website Heart of Newhaven) there will now be new Friday afternoon sewing sessions to get the final branches ready.
They’ll be held on the following dates from 2 – 4pm: 5th July, 19th July and 2nd August.
The sewing sessions will concentrate on sewing the squares into leafy triangles ready to go on the Tree, while the trunk is being created by the craftsmen at the Men of Leith’s Men Shed, who are based at the Heart.
Everyone is invited to go along and join in at one of the knit and natter or sewing sessions. There’s always a warm welcome!
The Heart of Newhaven Community
‘Bringing People Together’
Local Edinburgh organisations receive transformational grants to expand community programmes in Lochend, Craigentinny and Restalrig.
The Ripple Project celebrated local community enterprise this weekend, distributing £10,000 of vital funding grants to support community initiatives.
Now in its third year, ‘LCR Stands Up’ is a participatory budgeting programme, which this year saw over 600 residents in the Lochend, Craigentinny and Restalrig area vote to back 6 local projects, who each received a grant of up to £2,000 each.
The grants are funded by several private donors, including Harbour Homes, who are the owners of The Ripple’s community hub in Restalrig.
This year’s chosen projects are ‘Lochend Boxing Club’, ‘Tai Chi and Tea @ Craigentinny Garden’, ‘Just Dance at Disneyland’, ‘Investing in Youth Drama’, ‘The Botanical Mural at Craigentinny Primary School’ and ‘Mindfulness for Wellbeing’.
‘LCR Stands Up’ is led by Tristan Green (above), Community Action Worker at The Ripple, who commented: ‘One of the key benefits of participatory budgeting is that our local residents have democratically chosen who receives this additional funding to enhance our community.
‘We’re proud that over the last 3 years we’ve been able to support initiatives with almost £50,000 of funding. This year’s grants will be used across a spectrum of initiatives, including those supporting greater mental health, the creation of a new mural at a local primary school, the upgrade of fitness equipment at the local boxing gym and helping 20 children go to Disneyland Paris to take part in a performing arts programme.
‘I’d like to thank all of our amazing donors and to SCDC for their continued support of The Ripple and the LCR Stands Up programme and to our local community in North East Edinburgh for their dedication in offering vital voluntary initiatives to support and enhance the lives of residents in such a challenging financial and social climate’.
For anyone looking to find out more about how to get involved in participatory budgeting or support future ‘LCR Stands Up’ campaigns, contact Tristan at Tristan.green@theripple.org.uk or visit www.rippleproject.co.uk.
This election could be the most unequal in 60 years, with people on low incomes being shut out of our democracy.
The #VoteYourValues campaign gives our members access to tools that can help people in their communities get vote-ready.
In a democracy, everyone’s voice matters equally.
So it’s completely unjust that so many people on lower incomes get shut out from using their vote. This General Election looks set to be the most unequal for more than six decades, due to a ballooning turnout gap at elections and the growing role of money in British politics, according to a recent report from IPPR.
We can help change this.
In the run-up to July 4, we will be working with Citizens UK’s Voter Registration Champions scheme to raise awareness about how people can register to vote.
Poverty Alliance members can download PDF posters to put up in their centres, and an infographic that they can share on their social media networks.
The Scottish Hindu Foundation held its inaugural ‘Dharmocracy Works’ event on May 25, 2024, at The Fred Paton Centre in Glasgow. The event aimed to engage and inspire Scottish Hindu youth to understand and actively participate in the political system.
The well-attended event featured representatives from all the major political parties, including:
Youth Engagement and Insights
The program kicked off with introductions and an interactive session where questions by young members of the community were posed to the panel of politicians. young aspirant Shreya Deshpande [12] asked if they had always wanted to go into politics or had other career aspirations. The panellists shared how most grew into politics after time in either the private sector or through the ranks of their respective parties.
The second question posed concerned professional skills gained in their time in politics, the politicians uniformly agreed on – listening skills and problem-solving abilities.
The third question that was selected for the Panel requested insights for the next five years on the Scottish economy, expected to be a central issue following the recently called general election on July 4th 2024.
Alison Thewlis shared her vision on how future industries will be connected to the environment whilst Paul Sweeny offered an integrated example referencing the Beatles record label also being an investor in Medical Technology leading to breakthroughs in CT Scans.
Mr Bostani said Scotland’s inability to borrow means we can’t put money back into the economy as we should. Naveed Asghar raised his concern on rising taxes in Scotland and supporting the best of existing industries, health care etc and ensuring that higher professional earners are not de-incentivised from staying in Scotland due to punitive taxes.
This must be controlled to make Scotland more lucrative for people to move. Pam Gosal talked about how AI as an industry can fuel growth.
All the panellists concurred that Scotland had a pivotal role to play and the next generation is capable of thriving and succeeding.
Keynote Address:
Dhrishti Bhardwaj [17], the first elected Hindu MSYP (Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament) from Dumbarton and the Vale, shared her inspiring journey into politics.
Driven by a desire to explore her Hindu and Scottish roots and a passion for public service, she gained experience with more than ten organisations and charities, from food banks to youth groups and work experience with MSP Jackie Baillie.
Importance of Hindu Representation
Dhrishti emphasised the crucial need for Hindu representation to ensure their voices and needs are considered in politics.
She highlighted the difference Scottish Hindus could make by being involved and the pride they would feel through participation. She also highlighted that professional career and politics are not mutually exclusive and can be balanced efficiently.
As the only Hindu MYSP, she proved it is possible despite the underrepresentation of Hindus in the political system. Hindu youth can make strides over the coming generations and represent the best of both Scotland and the Hindu Community.
Closing Remarks: “Dharmocracy” Concept and Voter Registration Drive
Dr. Yatish Rangappa, the Scottish Hindu Foundation’s Public Relations Officer, explained the unique ‘Dharmocracy’ concept, a compound word combining ‘Dharma’ (righteousness, truth and Justice) and ‘Democracy.’
Dr Richa Sinha, Chairperson of the Scottish Hindu Foundation, shared insights on future Dharmocracy Works engagements planned across various cities due to significant community interest.
She also highlighted their “Register to Vote” campaign to ensure Hindus, including those new to Scotland from Commonwealth countries and a large number of Indian students coming to Scotland, are registered for the upcoming July 4th elections.
The event concluded with a networking session over chai and samosas, allowing youth to interact informally with various party leaders. Some youth were even roped in for campaigning!
*Scottish Hindu Foundation is the official representative body of Hindus with All Scottish Mandirs part of it.
The SCONe project, run by optometrists, ophthalmologists, and researchers from the University of Edinburgh, and funded by Sight Scotland, is appealing for participants to take part in a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group focused on revolutionising the detection and management of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
AMD is the most common vision impairment in the older population and impacts an estimated 60,000 people in Scotland. SCONe research is seeking to find the early signs of AMD, so people can receive support earlier and adjust to living with AMD sooner.
SCONe is inviting anybody with lived experience of AMD, caregivers, friends or family of people with AMD, and regular visitors to optometry practices, to come along to take part in its PPI group.
Participants could help transform how AMD is detected and make a real difference for future generations.
SCONe, the Scottish Collaborative Optometry-Ophthalmology Network e-research, is a new collaborative venture aiming to build a Scotland-wide retinal image resource for innovation in eye research, healthcare, and education.
SCONe is taking two complementary approaches to try and speed up the detection of AMD at an early stage. Firstly, the team is meticulously analysing the SCONe dataset to extract crucial structural information about the retina.
This involves quantifying various parameters, including the total area of drusen, fatty deposits beneath the retina that can sometimes indicate an elevated risk of AMD.
Furthermore, the team is harnessing the power of modern machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a groundbreaking predictive model.
Unlike traditional methods that rely on manual measurements, this AI-driven approach uses raw retinal images to assess a patient’s risk of developing AMD. By automating the analysis process, this model promises to streamline screening procedures and facilitate early intervention.
Professor Baljean Dhillon, Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, explains: “The PPI group offers a unique opportunity for participants to contribute directly to the development of new strategies and technologies aimed at combating AMD.
“Our research represents a significant step forward in the fight against AMD. By combining cutting-edge technology with comprehensive data analysis, we aim to transform how we detect and manage this debilitating condition.”
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, adds: “”As advocates for the visually impaired, we understand the profound impact that AMD can have on individuals and their families.
“By investing in research focused on early detection, we aim to empower healthcare professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to intervene swiftly so hopefully less people have to suffer.”
SCONe’s Patient and Public Involvement group focused on AMD and the impacts of AMD is taking place on 03 May 2024 at Surgeons Hall in Edinburgh.
For more information or to register to join please contact arubio@ed.ac.uk or call 07876647083. Participants in the group will be compensated for their time.
SCONe is funded by Sight Scotland, RS MacDonald Trust and the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh.
For more information on SCONe please visit: https://www.ed.ac.uk/clinical-sciences/ophthalmology/scone
For more information on Sight Scotland please visit: sightscotland.org.uk
The theme of this years #SpringCleanScotland is Nature, Communities, Health & Wellbeing and Marine Litter. 
You can help us #KeepScotlandBeautiful by organising or joining a litter pick or by completeing a litter survey. 
Find out more here 
https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/springclean
