Legal targets to halt biodiversity loss and restore nature
The Scottish Parliament has passed the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill delivering for both nature and people with ambition at its heart and showing respect for nature, for the land and the people who steward and care for it.
For the first time statutory targets will be in place to enhance nature and protect biodiversity in Scotland.
Biodiversity is essential for sustaining the ecosystems that provide food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services.
When set, the targets will ensure Scotland is on a bold and ambitious journey to be ‘nature positive’ by 2030 and has actively and substantially restored nature by 2045 in a way that works for communities the length and breadth of Scotland.
The Bill forms a key part of Scotland’s response to the twin crises of climate change and nature loss, and will give Ministers new powers to develop legislation relating to wildfire management, sustainable forestry management and our internationally important protected sites.
It will also update the legal framework for National Parks – particularly in light of their leadership role in tackling key environmental and societal challenges, including the nature and climate crises.
There will be a requirements for swift nest boxes to be placed in all new buildings, supporting urban biodiversity. Swifts are a species under significant pressure as cavity-nesting birds that historically relied on gaps and holes in older buildings for nesting sites.
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said: “This Bill creates the strongest statutory framework Scotland has ever had for nature recovery and is the result of constructive work across the Parliament – sending a clear message that the Scottish Parliament stands firm in our commitment to protect and restore our precious natural environment.
“Biodiversity is in crisis, both globally and at home, but Parliament’s vote to pass the Bill shows we are determined to chart a different course. This Bill commits us to becoming nature positive by 2030 and restoring our natural environment by 2045. It is vital that future generations do not inherit the consequences of inaction and, instead, inherit a legacy of commitment and hope.
“By putting nature targets into law, we are ensuring that the government can be held to account for delivering real, measurable change. Scotland’s natural environment underpins our economy, our wellbeing and our quality of life. Protecting it is not optional – it is essential.”
Unsustainable deer populations are one of the biggest barriers to nature restoration and habitat recovery, causing overgrazing and preventing woodland regeneration. Provisions in the Bill will make it easier to control deer where they are impacting environmental work. This will help support the restoration of peatlands, regenerate forests, and protect habitats.
Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie said: “This Bill provides better tools to manage our deer populations in a way that benefits both the environment and rural communities and creates business opportunities.
“If we want healthy communities, sustainable food production and vibrant rural industries in the future, we need thriving ecosystems today.
“We all know now more than ever we must act to protect and restore nature – this Bill will ensure that happens.
“I want to see venison at the heart of our approach to deer management, and the provisions in this Bill will help us maximise the opportunities this can bring for rural Scotland. We will continue working closely with farmers, crofters and land managers to deliver real results on the ground.”
£5 billion to help tackle the climate and nature emergency
Record funding of over £5 billion will support climate action and further develop Scotland’s renewable energy sector, creating green jobs and bringing benefits to communities, Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin has said.
The major investment, unveiled in the draft Scottish budget for 2026-27, will help tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss by funding policies and actions aimed at cutting green-house gas emissions further, enabling communities to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change and protecting and restoring nature.
Gillian Martin reiterated the government’s financial commitment ahead of addressing the Scottish Renewables Offshore Wind Conference where she is expected to confirm further new investment in the sector.
The £5 billion allocation for climate action in the draft Scottish Budget includes a total of £2.9 billion of capital funding– representing 41% of the Scottish Government’s total capital budget proposed for next year – and supports actions to:
further develop Scotland’s renewable energy sector to ensure a fair and inclusive transition that creates more jobs and opportunities
deliver more energy-efficient affordable homes to tackle fuel poverty and reduce energy bills
invest in public and active travel projects, making it safer and easier for people to choose more sustainable ways of travelling for shorter journeys
Ms Martin said: “This draft Budget for the next year demonstrates the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to achieving net zero by 2045 and tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
“Done correctly, the transition to net zero can help to tackle poverty, restore nature, and improve health and well-being all while offering significant economic opportunities.
“Our record investment of more than £5 billion will help reduce household energy costs, support green jobs, restore nature and build healthy and resilient communities through the efforts set out in our draft Climate Change Plan.
“Offshore wind will be a major part of delivering on our climate ambitions and represents a huge economic opportunity for all of Scotland, delivering jobs and attracting major investment across the country.”
The draft 2026-27 budget also proposes:
more than £335 million for heat in buildings programmes, supporting households and businesses to transition to low carbon heating systems
£316 million in sustainable travel, low carbon and climate positive activities to support the switch to sustainable modes of transport and promote walking, wheeling and cycling for shorter journeys
£26 million for nature restoration as well as £37.4 million for woodland creation and £28 million in peatland restoration, to help sequester carbon and protect habitats
£22 million for domestic climate change – including £6 million to continue the national network of Community Climate Action Hubs which enable communities to develop local responses to climate change from flood mitigation, repair shops and local energy generation to food growing and tree planting
£12 million to support vulnerable communities in the Global South who have done the least to cause the climate crisis but are feeling its effects most acutely – especially women and young people
Draft budget confirmed continued funding for next three years to tackle retail crime
A police-led taskforce will continue its work to tackle shoplifting and violence against staff after securing funding in the draft budget for 2026-27.
The Retail Crime Taskforce was launched in April last year following £3 million investment from the Scottish Government to combat a rise in retail crime.
In the first year of operation, the Taskforce’s targeted approach to prevent, pursue, protect and prepare in areas identified as most at risk has resulted in 3,671 shoplifting charges and detections.
A further 508 charges under the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Act 2021 for offences against retail workers have been made along with a total of 807 arrests.
The funding announcement of a continued £3 million each year for the next three years, in the Scottish Government’s recent draft budget for 2026-27, comes in addition to an overall Police Scotland budget increase to over £1.7 billion – a rise of £81.5 million, or 5%, compared to the 2025-26 Autumn Budget Revision.
A dedicated unit to tackle retail crime has been established by @PoliceScotland – backed by £3 million from @scotgov.
The investment in the Retail Crime Taskforce is on top of record funding of £1.62 billion for policing in 2025-26.
Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Shop workers deserve to feel safe, and retailers deserve to trade without fear of shoplifting. In less than a year, Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce has provided a visible and measurable impact on retail crime, working directly with retailers to prevent offending, pursue criminals, and protect shop workers.
“That is why the Scottish Government is providing a further £3 million in each of the next three years to continue this vital work – both preventing crime and ensuring offenders are held to account.
“This is in addition of a record £1.7 billion policing budget, enabling Police Scotland to deliver on frontline priorities and progress its transformation agenda.”
Mark Millar, Director of Stores for Boots in Scotland, said: “Tackling retail crime is a collaborative effort, so we are fully committed to working with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to ensure that our retail stores and high streets remain vibrant, welcoming, and safe environments for our store teams and customers.
“As an active member of the Retail Crime Taskforce since its inception, we welcome this funding which will strengthen our ability to share intelligence between Police and disrupt public offenders.”
Assistant Chief Constable, Police Scotland, Tim Mairs said: “Since April 2025, the Retail Crime Taskforce has assisted local policing divisions across the country in tackling retail offences and bringing those responsible to justice.
“During this time over 3,600 crimes have been detected and more than 800 arrests made as a direct result of Taskforce-supported enforcement activity. In addition, our commitment to crime prevention has seen us liaise with numerous outlets throughout Scotland to offer specialist advice aimed at improving security and enhancing the safety of retail workers.
“The additional three-year funding we have received from Scottish Government is recognition of the significant progress made in the last nine months, but we know more must be done to tackle retail crime and we will not become complacent in our efforts to reduce crimes such as shoplifting and the assault and harassment of retail workers.”
ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES FUND
The Scottih Government has confirmed that Investing in Communities funding will be continued for a further year.
The announcement comes as a huge relief to community projects facing massive cuts to their funding, with services being slashed and some organisations facing closure.
Scottish Greens raised concerns over the uncertainty faced by many of Edinburgh’s third sector projects at a council meeting last month.
A looming catastrophe has been averted with the announcement of one year’s transition funding while a replacement to the Investing in Communities Fund is developed.
Edinburgh Northern and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert took up the case of local community organisations and yesterday received welcome confirmation that fears have been allayed – at least for now.
She said: “Following budget cuts, I raised concerns with the Scottish Government about the future of the Investing in Communities Fund. Ministers have now confirmed a one-year transition extension for existing projects ending in March.
“This will help in the short term, but it falls short of the long-term certainty our community organisations need. I’ll keep pushing for sustained funding and stability for the services people rely on.”
Local MSP Ben Macpherson has also been on the case. He said: “This morning I visited Dr Bell’s Family Centre to discuss a situation that was of real concern.
“Using my decade of experience – including how to get things done for local organisations – I’d written to The Scottish Government about it on Monday and followed this up today, working actively as their/your local constituency MSP … I was therefore very pleased that shortly after the matter had been resolved.
“I know it’s been a worrying time for the centre and am relieved that immediate worries have been lifted. My team and I will keep working with the centre to explore more funding streams, and support the impactful work they do in our communities.”
Screenshot
Edinburgh projects who received Investing in Communities funding (2023- 26) are:
About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has set out that Scottish Government funding will be deployed to boost skills and employment opportunities for workers facing redundancy at ExxonMobil’s ethylene plant at Mossmorran.
Options being considered include apprenticeships, a college-led training programme and investing in new employment opportunities at the plant.
A taskforce led by Fife Council meets for the first time today in response to the planned closure. The Scottish Government will use the meeting to further understand the needs of the workforce and local community to inform its decisions regarding the deployment of the £9 million investment.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This is a worrying time for the workforce at Mossmorran and they rightly expect urgent action. I met worker representatives earlier this month to assure them that we are doing all we can to support them and the wider community.
“We have allocated £9 million over three years in our draft Budget to help staff and communities affected by the plant’s closure. Today’s meeting is an opportunity to engage with the UK Government, Fife Council, unions and local partners to agree how we best support individuals impacted by ExxonMobil’s decision.
“In the meantime, our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment initiative is providing skills and employability support for workers.”
Eighteen projects have been awarded a share of around £77,000 from this year’s Scottish Connections Fund to help strengthen Scotland’s international diaspora.
Launched by the Scottish Government in 2023, the Scottish Connections Fund supports new initiatives led by Scotland’s overseas community that build international networks and promote the country’s reputation and interests around the world.
Congratulations to the successful awardees of the #ScottishConnections Fund 2025-26 👏
We are delighted to provide funding to 18 projects led by Scotland's diaspora communities around the world.
The fund received 79 applications from across six continents bidding to secure grants of up to £5,000.
Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs Angus Robertson said: “I am delighted to see the Scottish Connections Fund growing year on year. It’s a testament to the dedication that the members of Scotland’s international community have to celebrating their links to Scotland.
“Scotland’s diaspora around the world is vibrant and diverse – and the variety of this year’s projects shows that in action. I share my congratulations for all of this year’s successful fund recipients.”
One of the successful applicants was ‘Whanganui X Dundee: Textile Legacies’, based in New Zealand, which will receive £4,795.
Emma Bugden, Focal Point at UNESCO City of Design Whanganui said: “We are delighted to receive the funding from Scottish Connections, Textile Legacies is a residency programme that connects indigenous and ancestral textile practices between Whanganui, New Zealand, and Dundee, Scotland, to foster meaningful cultural and creative exchange.
“The project initiates a new connection between two UNESCO Cities of Design, supporting the development of contemporary textile design specialists.”
Annie Marrs, Lead Officer at UNESCO City of Design Dundee, added: “The project recognises the deep-rooted history of textile production in both cities, and the significance of textiles in expressing and sustaining ancestral and familial connections within both Māori and Scottish cultures.
It also acknowledges the vital role that the reclamation of traditional textile practices plays in cultural revitalisation in both Aotearoa New Zealand and Scotland. We are looking forward to developing the programme thanks to this additional funding.”
The Scottish Connections Fund was established in 2023 to help Scottish diaspora organisations and communities and their individual members further the aims of the Scottish Connections Framework.
The Scottish Connections Framework outlines the work of Scottish Government and partners to engage with Scotland’s diaspora around the world – whether they are connected through heritage, education, business or any other affinity. The Framework can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-connections-framework/
The fund supports initiatives including (but not limited to) community projects, seminars and conferences, hackathons and workshops, and academic research. Projects that set the scene for longer-term initiatives are also eligible.
Grants will be paid in arrears on completion of the projects.
The Scottish Connections Fund has supported 33 successful projects across three previous funding rounds.
Projects 2025 to 2026
The third round of the Scottish Connections Fund was launched in July 2025 to help Scottish diaspora organisations and their members set up projects to promote Scotland’s reputation and interests.
Applications closed on 9 September 2025. All projects align to the aims and objectives of the Scottish Connections Framework.
International organisations and their members were able to apply for a maximum of £5,000. Applications were assessed using a competitive scoring process.
The available budget for 2025 to 2026 was £75,000. A total of 79 applications were received, with a very high quality demonstrated. We are able to fund the following 18 projects, with a total value of up to £77,737.51.
Ref No: SCF25-26-01 Grantee: Business Improvement District (Not for Profit) BID4Oban Grant: £4,500 Title: Round the World Clipper Yacht Race – bringing Oban and Argyll to the global diaspora
Oban has successfully secured host post status for the prestigious 2025-26 Round the World International Yacht Race.
We want to leverage this event by working closely with Clipper Events, Visit Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council, SAMS, Diageo and BID4Oban. We are partnering with Washington DC, the American Scottish Foundation, the British Embassy in US and the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations to promote the Highland heritage and Gaelic links in Oban to the US diaspora and to develop digital content and events which can be used to attract more trade links, visitors, and students.
Ref No: SCF25-2 -12 Grantee: The Charleston Pipe Band Grant: £1,244.51 Title: The Teaching Tent: An Open Invitation for Making Scottish Connections
The Charleston Pipe Band’s “Teaching Tent” initiative will encourage meaningful connections between potential students and knowledgeable piping and drumming tutors for on-the-spot teaching moments. Interactions such as these will remove the above-mentioned impediments to making inquiries about how to learn to play the pipes and drums. Through “The Teaching Tent” initiative, the Charleston Pipe Band plans to be more strategic about “growing” our Scottish pipe band, while supporting the scope of Scottish traditions connections through musical participation. Inside “The Teaching Tent,” curious passersby will have the opportunity to meet with an experienced piper and/or drummer for casual drop-in group instruction. These hands-on sessions throughout the event day will provide the opportunity for the public-at-large to experience playing the practice chanter and/or snare drum pad.
The project will encompass public appearances to capitalize on the outreach initiative of “The Teaching Tent” at the following events from October 2025 to March 2026.
October 11 2025: 30th Anniversary Showcase of Celtic Connections: Hosted by The Charleston Pipe Band with invited guest Celtic musical groups based in Charleston.
November 1 2025: Charleston, South Carolina Scottish Games
February 22 2026: Northeast Jacksonville Florida Scottish Games and Festival
March 14 2026: North Charleston, South Carolina St. Patrick’s Day Block Party
March 15 2026: Hilton Head, South Carolina St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 17 2026: Charleston, South Carolina St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Ref No: SCF25-26-17 Grantee: Ceilidh Stockholm Grant: £4,000 Title: Ceilidh Stockholm goes to Gothenburg
Our project is to organise and deliver a traditional Scottish ceilidh in Gothenburg, Sweden, in March 2026. This event will celebrate Scottish culture, foster community spirit among the Scottish diaspora, and introduce Scottish music and dance to a wider Swedish audience. Ceilidhs are renowned for being welcoming, lively, and family-friendly occasions that encourage participation from all, regardless of age or experience. We have identified Gothenburg as having one of the largest Scottish communities in Sweden, yet opportunities for cultural connection remain limited. Numerous Scots and locals have approached us about hosting a ceilidh in Gothenburg, but until now, costs have made this impossible. Our aim is to establish the ceilidh as an annual event, laying the foundation for ongoing community building and cultural exchange.
Ref No: SCF25-26-21 Grantee: Erli Sarilita, BDS, MSc, PhD Director Non Degree Education, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia Grant: £5,000 Title: Scottish Higher Education and Cultural Festival in Indonesia
The Scottish Higher Education and Cultural Festival in Indonesia will highlight Scotland’s academic excellence, cultural heritage, and creative industries in partnership with Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad). The week-long programme at the Unpad Knowledge Theatre will showcase Scottish films, present profiles of leading Scottish universities, and feature a cultural photo booth with traditional costumes alongside authentic Scottish cookies. The festival will be officially opened by the Rector of Unpad. By fostering meaningful people-to-people connections, the event will strengthen Scotland’s visibility in Southeast Asia and build sustainable education and cultural partnerships.
Ref No: SCF25-26-22 Grantee: Social Enterprise Academy Grant: £5,000 Title: Connecting Scotland and Canada – Community-led Tourism Leaders Sharing and Learning Together.
Social enterprises in the community-led tourism sector support the sustainable development of remote rural communities across northern Canada and the Highlands & Islands of Scotland. These communities have a shared Gaelic and Celtic heritage. Community-led social enterprises lead the tourism sector in these areas with peripheral communities and are already stepping up and doing things for themselves. This project will bring together practitioners in this space across Northern Scotland and Scotland’s diaspora in Northern Canada (particularly Nova Scotia), in a collaborative, online learning programme across four evenings to identify best practice and develop networks for future collaboration.
Ref No: SCF25-26-26 Grantee: The Victorian Scottish Heritage Cultural Foundation (VSHCF) Grant: £1,320 Title: The Big Melbourne Kilt Run
When you visit Melbourne it is a must that you either walk, jog or run Melbourne’s iconic ‘Tan Track’ around the beautiful Botanic Gardens beside Melbourne’s Yarra River. The Tan, Melbourne |The Long Run Australia
Suitable for participants of all abilities, The Tan has become one of the most popular running/walking tracks in the world. The Tan will be the high profile, publicly visible location of the inaugural Big Melbourne Kilt Run and is open to individuals, families, workplace, club & school teams. The event’s aim is to promote our Scottish connections, reach out to the Australian Scottish diaspora, connect with young 2nd and 3rd generation Australian/Scots and be inclusive of our wider multicultural community in a fun, outdoor activity which promotes health, wellbeing, mental health and community inclusion.
Entrants are encouraged to wear kilts or an item of tartan clothing and will be greeted by pipers. Highland Dancers in traditional dress who will act as arrival course marshals. Prizes will be linked to Scottish connected companies or themes
Ref No: SCF25-26-31 Grantee: Greater Moncton Scottish Association Grant: £4,953 Title: Tartan & Tides: A Saint Andrew’s Day Celebration
Tartan & Tides: A Saint Andrew’s Day Celebration launches the lead-up to the Greater Moncton Scottish Association’s 20th anniversary Highland Games & Scottish Festival. This variety concert & community gathering will invite acclaimed artists such as Gaelic singer Cathy-Anne MacPhee, World Highland Dancing Champion Marielle Lesperance, award-winning New Brunswick fiddler Samantha Robichaud, & talented local youth, showcasing Scotland’s living traditions while fostering diaspora pride in Atlantic Canada. Outreach to school music & drama programs will engage young performers, while a full recording will be shared with seniors’ residences, extending access to those unable to attend in person & ensuring lasting cultural impact across generations.
Ref No: SCF25-26-35 Grantee: Chris Moser, CEO, Redwine Productions LLC Grant: £5,000 Title: THE SCOTS-IRISH – A MUSICAL HISTORY
Our two-hour documentary film for U.S, U.K. and Ireland television will combine narrative and music performance to explore the important role of the Scot-Irish in the history of American democracy. There will be significant attention to Irish and Scottish history to provide context. This grant will support field production in Scotland and development of a section of our website previewing the film’s content related to Scotland. Topics will include Scottish migration to Ulster, influence of the Scottish Enlightenment and Scottish Presbyterianism on the American Revolution, and Scottish/American traditional music connections.
Ref No: SCF25-26-36 Grantee: The Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York Grant: £5,000 Title: Finding Scotland in the Declaration of Independence
This project will highlight the influence of the Scottish Enlightenment on the founding of the United States, with a particular focus on Scotland’s role in shaping the Declaration of Independence, addressing a potential gap in public awareness. The project will deliver a lecture supported by an educational booklet, held in partnership with the Fraunces Tavern Museum. The lecture will be recorded and shared with the public on our website. The event seeks to deepen appreciation of Scotland’s intellectual impact on the formation of our country, foster transatlantic collaboration, and provide lasting educational resources for use in future events or commemorations.
Ref No: SCF25-26-40 Grantee: Scottish Society of Ottawa Grant: £4,950 Title: The Scots of Bytown Part of Bytown’s Bicentennial celebrations (1826–2026) by Scottish Society of Ottawa with Scottish Connections
The Scots of Bytown is a new historical play by acclaimed playwright and performer Pierre Brault, known for his award-winning historical works such as Blood on the Moon and Dief the Chief. This original piece celebrates the vital role of Scottish immigrants in the founding of Bytown (later Ottawa) and the building of the Rideau Canal in 1826. Through humour, history, and lively Scottish voices, Brault’s script conjures up engineers, masons, navvies, doctors, entrepreneurs, and families whose resilience and spirit shaped the future Canadian capital. The play honours the Scots’ enduring legacy with wit, humanity, and a strong sense of cultural pride.
Ref No: SCF25-26-41 Grantee: MacPB Inc dba MacMillan United Pipe Bands Grant: £4,900 Title: Recruiting and Training the MacMillan Youth Pipe Band
MacMillan United Pipe Bands is starting a youth pipe band to effect change in 3 key areas:
1. Enriching the Scottish Arts in the United States: we will build the first youth program based in Virginia with plans for expansion into Maryland and Washington, DC.
2. Create Competitive Success: we will train and bring students to competitions across the US, Canada, and Scotland
3. Train the next generation of music leaders and performers in Highland Piping & Drumming: this band will be managed and led by its members, giving youth opportunities to develop leadership skills alongside world-class instruction for their musical success.
Ref No: SCF25-26-42 Grantee: The Chicago Scots, Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care Grant: £3,725 Title: Advancing Dementia Care: A Collaborative Symposium on Best Practices & Future Possibilities from Scotland & U.S.
Chicago Scots will convene leading experts from Scotland and the U.S. to discuss and exchange knowledge on research advances and best practices addressing the global rise of dementia which is estimated to triple by 2050. This symposium will help shape the recommendations and solutions Chicago Scots will model to create a “Centre of Excellence in Memory Care” at the senior community it has owned and operated for more than 100 years – Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care. The symposium will be multidisciplinary bringing together neurologists, neuroscientists, social workers, epidemiologists, geneticists, neuropathologists, and leaders in dementia care.
Ref No: SCF25-26-48 Grantee: Scots in London Events Ltd Grant: £3,800 Title: Kidlit Scotland Roadshow and St Andrew’s Day Reading Record
In this new initiative, we will bring award-winning children’s authors from Scotland (KILTS – Kidlit Scotland), to facilitate events for London schools, both in-person and virtually for a wider reach. We will launch a lasting partnership with London schools to participate in the annual St Andrew’s Day Reading record (current record over 13k pupils and over 150 schools reading something Scottish simultaneously). The aim is to champion Scottish books beyond Scotland’s borders. We will also offer public family events over the weekend.
Textile Legacies is a residency programme that connects indigenous and ancestral textile practices between Whanganui, New Zealand, and Dundee, Scotland, to foster meaningful cultural and creative exchange. The project initiates a new connection between two UNESCO Cities of Design, supporting the development of contemporary textile design specialists.
The project recognises the deep-rooted history of textile production in both cities, and the significance of textiles in expressing and sustaining ancestral and familial connections within both Māori and Scottish cultures. It also acknowledges the vital role that the reclamation of traditional textile practices plays in cultural revitalisation in both Aotearoa New Zealand and Scotland.
Ref No: SCF25-26-52 Grantee: Digital Skills Education Grant: £4,600 Title: “Code Your Own Tartan – Live Lesson for young people”
Can you use code to craft a digital tartan?
This workshop is a mashup of Scotland’s heritage and traditional tartan design with creative computer coding and generative digital art.
In this interactive online event, thousands of teenagers will learn about how tartan is designed and woven, then use computer code to create their own unique tartan patterns.
Participants will reflect on what these new tartans mean in today’s digital world – how do we identify as belonging to a group or “clan”?
This live massive collaborative lesson mixes digital skills, textile design, and storytelling, all centred around Scotland’s cultural history.
Ref No: SCF25-26-62 Grantee: The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA Grant: £5,000 Title: THE BURNS PROJECT / US Tour
THE BURNS PROJECT is a new piece of theatre by Scottish performer and educator James Clements, commissioned by the National Trust for Scotland and based on the Trust’s recently digitized archive of Robert Burns manuscripts. The work conjures a complex, irreverent, and honest portrait of Scotland’s national hero and a global cultural icon. THE BURNS PROJECT premiered at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2025 and, following a tour to Trust properties across Scotland, will come to the US in March 2026 for performances and post-show talk backs in New York City, Washington, DC, and Chicago.
Ref No: SCF25-26-64 Grantee: The DataKirk Grant: £4,950 Title: African-Scottish Educational Diaspora Digital Storytelling
This project will create a series of high-quality digital stories, including videos and podcasts, to showcase the contributions of the Scottish educational diaspora from Africa. By highlighting the academic and professional achievements of this community, the project aims to strengthen connections between Scotland and Africa, enhance Scotland’s global reputation, and inspire future generations. The content will be hosted on a dedicated section of The DataKirk’s website and promoted via social media, providing a lasting resource that celebrates the diaspora’s role in promoting Scottish interests
Ref No: SCF25-26-75 Grantee: The Washington Tattoo Grant: £5,000 Title: Drams, Drums & Diplomacy: Scotland in America 250
Drams, Drums & Diplomacy: Scotland in America 250 is a three-event cultural diplomacy and business engagement series in Washington, DC, led by The Washington Tattoo. Running from December 2025 to March 2026, the programme will showcase Scotland’s music, whisky, food, textiles, and innovation in the build-up to America’s 250th anniversary. With Scottish music as the constant heartbeat, the series will highlight Scotland’s heritage, strengthen diaspora and political connections, and create pathways for trade, cultural exchange, and investment, ensuring Scotland’s story is visible at this once-in-a-generation commemoration.
Parents and carers in Scotland have until midnight on 28 February 2026 to apply for over £300 of support for children when they are old enough to start primary school.
School Age Payment is worth £319.80 for each child to help with the cost of preparing for school.
The payment helps carers and families facing additional costs at a key stage in a child’s development. The money can be spent on anything a child needs for school, including clothes, school trips and stationery.
Part of the Best Start Grant package, which is unique to Scotland, School Age Payment is available for children born between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021. Parents and carers can receive the payment for multiple children born during this time and there is no requirement to take up a place at school.
Since the launch of Best Start Grant in 2018, Social Security Scotland has delivered School Age Payment to more than 114,000 parents and carers.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “Families and carers should not miss out on support they are entitled to – especially at such an important milestone in a child’s life.
School Age Payment helps ease the financial pressures of starting school while playing an important role in our mission to tackle child poverty. I strongly encourage parents and carers to check if they are eligible and apply before the February deadline to make sure their child gets the best start possible.”
A person may be able to get Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods if they or their partner meet all these conditions:
live in Scotland
are pregnant or have a child who’s the right age for a payment
are the main person looking after the child
get certain benefits or payments
The person or their partner must get one of these qualifying benefits to be eligible for Best Start Grant and Foods:
Universal Credit
Housing Benefit
Income Support
Pension Credit
income-based Jobseekers Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
People under 20 years old who do not get one of these payments, may still be able to get Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods.
Social Security Scotland automatically pays School Age Payment to eligible people who get Scottish Child Payment. If people do not receive Scottish Child Payment or have opted out of automatic payments, they are encouraged to apply before the deadline on 28 February 2026.
Some families who are not eligible for Scottish Child Payment might still be eligible for the School Age Payment. This includes parents and carers who receive housing benefit; are under 18 and do not receive any other benefits; or are 18 or 19 and dependent on someone else who receives benefits for them.
School Age Payment has not replaced School Clothing Grant. School Age Payment does not affect payments of School Clothing Grant in any way. Eligible parents and carers can apply for both payments.
Social Security Scotland usually only makes each of the payments once for the same child. If responsibility for the child changes, they may make extra payments to the person who’s now responsible for the child. For example, if a child moves to live with a different kinship carer or adoptive parent within the same application window.
Lady Smith, Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI), has today, Wednesday 28 January, published her findings relating to the provision of residential care for children at Fettes College in Edinburgh.
She concludes that, over at least four decades, from the 1950s, pupils were regularly subjected to appalling abuse at Fettes.
The school repeatedly failed to act upon complaints. Multiple opportunities to prevent dreadful suffering were missed or ignored.
The findings are part of SCAI’s overall boarding schools case study and echo the kinds of abuse that occurred at Loretto School, Morrison’s Academy, Gordonstoun, Queen Victoria School, Merchiston Castle School, Keil School, and boarding schools run by male religious orders, namely the Benedictines, the Christian Brothers, and the Marist Brothers.
Fettes College was established in 1870 using funds from the estate of Sir William Fettes and was intended to follow the model of other boarding schools in Scotland and England.
The school was, until 1972, a boys-only boarding school. The first female day pupils started in 1972, and Fettes became fully co-educational in 1983. It was and is a school for fee-paying pupils and recipients of bursaries and scholarships.
Accounts of life at Fettes until the end of the 1980s were remarkably consistent. Living conditions were basic, and day-to-day responsibility for keeping order fell on senior pupils, while staff were remote, with limited, if any, oversight.
In this environment abuse was able to flourish for decades.
Lady Smith said: ‘Children were wholly failed by the school. They could have been readily protected, and it is shameful that did not happen.
‘Had complaints been listened to and acted upon at the outset, many children would have been saved from abuse. The suffering they still endure, over 50 years later in the 2020s, could all have been prevented.
‘Children were sexually abused, they were physically abused, and they were emotionally abused. Members of staff sexually abused children from the 1950s until the 1980s.
‘The perpetrators included a headmaster, Anthony Chenevix-Trench, and some teachers including Iain Wares.
‘Wares was 27 when he moved to Edinburgh from his home in Cape Town, South Africa in 1967. He had been working as a teacher at St George’s Grammar School in Cape Town but had resigned from his post on account of incidents of what he referred to as “playing around with small boys”.
‘In the course of his career the norm became that he was “asked to leave” teaching jobs “quietly on account of similar incidents”.
‘He arrived in Edinburgh having been referred to Professor Henry Walton, consultant psychiatrist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, by a South African consultant with a view to “curing” him of what is described in his medical records as “homosexuality (liking for young boys)” and a “personality disorder – dependent type”.
‘Wares was employed as a teacher in Edinburgh between 1968 and 1979, first at The Edinburgh Academy and then at Fettes. He was not “cured”. Rather, he was and remained a prolific abuser of children.
‘He preyed on them. He had a predilection for touching young boys sexually that he could not control. At times, he could not control his temper either, resulting in children being subjected by him to brutal assaults.’
Lady Smith’s findings also highlight the repeated failure of Professor Walton to take appropriate action.
Lady Smith added: ‘Many children were harmed by Wares, and many are still suffering the effects of his abuse, which was appalling both in its nature and in its extent. Children suffered dreadfully.
‘They were failed by Henry Walton who knew that Wares was abusing children and that his dangerous predilections were never “cured”.
‘Walton wholly failed to prioritise the protection of children and failed to lead his team appropriately.
‘He insisted that Wares should continue to teach children despite his ongoing paedophilia, despite him not being “cured” of his problems, and despite both his wife and his GP making it clear that they thought Walton was being utterly irresponsible in doing so.
‘Although Fettes resolved to dismiss Wares in 1975, it kept him on in its employment as a teacher until 1979.’
Former headmaster Anthony Chenevix-Trench’s protection of abusers has also been highlighted in the findings.
Lady Smith said: ‘Chenevix-Trench was appointed as head of Fettes having previously been head of Eton College. Fettes hoped that appointing a man who had been head of Eton would enhance its reputation.
‘He was in fact a man who was unfit to be appointed to lead a school on account of his having lost the trust of senior masters at Eton, having a problem with drink, and having a propensity to beat boys excessively.
‘He was appointed despite these matters having been expressly disclosed to Fettes by Eton. Chenevix-Trench was also attracted to young blond teenagers at Eton, a predilection of which the provost of Eton College was aware.
‘He protected two, and possibly more, members of staff who had, to his knowledge, abused children at Fettes.’
Children were physically abused at Fettes both by teachers and by other children. There was also a culture of silence; children feared retribution and being ostracised if they complained.
Emotional abuse of children by other children was also common, and following the introduction of co-education female pupils were the targets of serious and regular misogyny which persisted into the twenty-first century. They were treated as second-class citizens in a way that was tolerated by the school.
Racism was also prevalent at Fettes well into the twenty-first century. Mocking by staff and pupils of anyone who was not British was normalised into the 1990s. Black or Asian pupils experienced violence or threats of violence from other pupils.
There were nonetheless children throughout the period covered in evidence who were not abused and had positive experiences at the school, which they value. Some of those who were abused also had positive experiences.
Recent leaders have reflected carefully since their first response to SCAI in 2017 at which time they did not accept that there were any systemic failures.
They now acknowledge there were shortcomings at Fettes in decades long past, as well as more recently.
Lady Smith said: ‘Applicants and other witnesses continue to come forward to the Inquiry with relevant evidence about boarding schools and this will be considered as part of a continuing process.
‘I would encourage anyone who has relevant information on any aspect of our work to get in touch with our witness support team.’
FETTES COLLEGE RESPONDED THIS AFTERNOON:
Open Letter to the Fettes Community
28th January 2026
I write to you today on receipt of the newly published report into Fettes by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry chaired by Lady Smith. We were one of eight boarding schools covered by this Inquiry.
The report makes for very difficult reading. We do not shrink from the criticism levelled at the school and accept the Inquiry’s findings that there were significant shortcomings.
Many young people were failed by those in positions of authority at Fettes, who could and should have acted differently. Their actions fell well below the standards expected and would be utterly unthinkable at the Fettes of today.
To our former pupils who suffered abuse at Fettes, we are truly sorry and make a full and unreserved apology to you. We also extend our deepest gratitude to those of you who bravely came forward. We understand that nothing can undo the past, but we sincerely hope that having your voices heard through the Inquiry can be a step towards healing for everyone who suffered.
The accounts of those who have given evidence to the Inquiry describing their time at school and the abuse they endured are now part of the school’s history. We have listened, we have reflected and we have learned.
The culture at our school today is unrecognisable from the past, and we are encouraged that Lady Smith’s report notes the positive findings of our 2025 Inspections by Education Scotland and the Care Inspectorate.
However, we will never be complacent.
On behalf of the Board of Governors and the Leadership Team, I affirm our unwavering commitment to the care and protection of the children in our school.
Highest number of enrolments from most deprived areas
The proportion of full-time degree entrants coming from Scotland’s most deprived areas has increased to the highest level on record.
Newly published Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) figures for 2024-25 show 17.4% of entrants came from the 20% most deprived areas – up from 16.7% the previous year. This is the highest proportion recorded, and shows progress towards the Commission on Widening Access’s target that one in five students entering university will come from the 20% most deprived areas by 2030.
The report also shows a 3.1% decrease in total university enrolments on the previous year, including a 2.7% reduction in Scottish domiciled students and a 22% reduction in students from the European Union.
Minister for Higher and Further Education Ben Macpherson said: “These figures show remarkable progress in widening access to university, and towards ensuring that, if they want to, everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential and study for a degree at a Scottish university, regardless of their background.
“The Scottish Government has a mission to eradicate poverty, and enabling people to take advantage of education and training opportunities – regardless of their personal circumstances – is a key part of that work, whether that’s enabling people to go to university, or college, or undertake an apprenticeship.
“More widely, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the country’s universities, the Scottish Government is working pro-actively, including creating a new Framework for Sustainability and Success of Scotland’s Universities – an important collaborative partnership with the sector and key stakeholders to explore solutions.
“Of course, we are also conscious of the issues around declining international student numbers, brought about through nonsensical UK Government immigration policies. To try to mitigate this, we have proposed a Scottish Graduate Visa as an idea that the UK Government could implement, to encourage more international students to study in Scotland by enabling them to stay in Scotland after graduation.”
Free online resource for Scotland’s health and social care workforce
A new online learning hub providing free palliative care education resources for Scotland’s health and social care workforce launches today.
The Palliative Care Learning Hub brings together recommended learning materials from NHS Education for Scotland, Scottish Social Services Council, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Health Boards and third sector organisations in one accessible place.
The hub supports staff and students wherever they work or study – offering advice on providing compassionate end-of-life care – that reflects the refreshed 2025 Palliative Care Education Framework launched in November. It offers free, flexible ways to support learning and development for individuals, teams, and organisations.
Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto said: “Everyone deserves compassionate, high-quality care at the end of their life. This new learning hub will help ensure our health and social care workforce has the knowledge and skills to provide that care.
“By bringing together palliative care learning resources in one accessible place, we are making it easier for staff across Scotland to access the education and support they need. This is an important step forward in delivering on our commitment to improve palliative care for people of all ages.”
The hub is a key action from Scotland’s palliative care strategy and delivery plan, supporting the outcome that health and social care staff caring for people of all ages with life-shortening conditions, have access to recommended education and learning resources.
