We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our 2025 Light Up a Life appeal. Thanks to the generous support of our community, the appeal raised over £110,000.
This incredible sum is already making a difference to people across Edinburgh and East Lothian, and will help us to expand our work to reach even more people in 2026. Thank you for your support!
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced the largest charitable donation in its history, awarding a monumental £1.5 million to good causes following the success of its 2025 Show, The Heroes Who Made Us.
The record-breaking total will support 15 military and arts charities, significantly increasing funding across the Tattoo’s full charity portfolio and ensuring vital support reaches organisations working with communities and individuals most in need.
Between 2016 and 2019, the Tattoo donated £1 million annually to charitable causes, before contributions were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Setting an ambitious goal to return to and surpass this figure by 2025, the organisation has now exceeded expectations, marking a major milestone in its 75-year history.
The announcement follows an additional £157,000 donation to St Columba’s Hospice, generated through a 2025 initiative that saw 75p from every ticket sale donated to the Edinburgh hospice.
The charity milestone comes as the organisation looks ahead to its 2026 Show, A Call To Gather, with creative ambitions continuing to evolve under the Tattoo’s Creative Director, Alan Lane (above).
The Show is inspired by tradition rooted in Scottish identity, which saw the gathering of the clans become a gathering of nations, allies, friends, and kindred spirits, all with a shared purpose. The call has gone out to attend the must-see Tattoo performance in the summer of 2026.
Bill Morris LVO, Board Chairman of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “This extraordinary £1.5 million donation represents the very heart of what the Tattoo stands for which is using our global platform to make a meaningful difference.
“The success of the 2025 Show has allowed us not only to honour our past, but to invest in causes that will have a lasting impact on lives across the UK and beyond.
“We are immensely proud of what has been achieved and grateful to everyone who played a part in reaching this milestone.”
Jason Barrett, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “2025 was a monumental year for the Tattoo, and it’s incredibly special to see that success translated into tangible support for so many charitable causes.
“We are of course proud to continue our long-standing support for our military colleagues, but this year also marks our largest ever donation to the arts. At a time when arts organisations are under increasing pressure, this contribution recognises the powerful connection between the arts, performance and the military – a connection that the Tattoo embodies so successfully.
“This achievement belongs to our performers, our teams, and the audiences who joined us night after night and sets an exciting foundation as we enter 2026.”
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo returns for their 2026 Show, A Call to Gather, from 7 – 29 August and tickets can be purchased at:
or on the phone on 0131 225 1188.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced that its special 75th Anniversary fundraising initiative has raised a remarkable £157,161.75 for St Columba’s Hospice Care, following the conclusion of this year’s Show.
The donation, generated from 75p from every ticket sold in 2025, aimed to resonate with the message of this year’s performance, The Heroes Who Made Us, celebrating and supporting those that go above and beyond in our society.
This donation will enable St Columba’s Hospice Care to continue providing compassionate, free-of-charge palliative and end-of-life care to individuals and families across the region.
During the 75th Anniversary Show, each performance included a special moment honouring different individuals, highlighted as Spotlight Heroes, whose dedication and service enrich communities and the lives of those they encounter. Among those celebrated was Liz Gallagher, a valued fundraising volunteer at St Columba’s Hospice Care.
Liz has been part of the hospice’s fundraising team for six years, giving countless hours to bucket collections, events, and creative fundraising ideas. In her day job supporting people with additional needs, Liz involves her clients in St Columba’s Hospice Care fundraising activities, helping them feel part of the hospice community.
The donation from The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will be put towards St Columba’s Hospice Care’s continued specialist care provision for people across Edinburgh and the Lothians ensuring that individuals and families can access the support they rely on at such an important time.
This donation goes above and beyond the Tattoo’s usual charitable giving which sees surplus profits distributed annually to military and arts charities in the UK. St Columba’s Hospice Care was chosen by the community with over 50,000 votes cast to select from a selection of non-military charities that provide vital services in the local community.
Jackie Stone, CEO at St Columba’s Hospice Care, said: “Incredible donations like this don’t come along very often, and at a time when hospices across Scotland are facing significant funding challenges, we are especially grateful.
“Support from our community has never been more vital and we are deeply thankful to everyone who voted for us and helped generate this remarkable sum, simply by going along to enjoy the Show.
“It was also wonderful to see our volunteer, Liz, recognised as one of the heroes of the Tattoo’s 75th Anniversary. Her energy, creativity and dedication truly reflect the spirit of our entire hospice community.
“We would like to thank the Tattoo once again for this generous donation. It comes at an important time, helping us continue to provide specialist, compassionate care for people across Edinburgh and the Lothians and ensuring that individuals and families can access the support they rely on, when they need it most.”
Jason Barrett, Chief Executive, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “Our 75th Anniversary was a tribute to the people who have built and sustained the Tattoo over the years, and it was a privilege to extend that celebration to community heroes like Liz and the team at St Columba’s Hospice Care.
“This donation was made possible entirely thanks to our wonderful audience, whose support enables us to contribute to partner charities and champion the military, traditional arts, and—this year—an extraordinary cause.
“We are proud to stand behind such an exceptional organisation and the dedicated volunteers who give their time so selflessly.”
We are excited to launch our 2025 ‘Light up a Life’ winter appeal. This year, we invite the Hospice community to dedicate a light to a loved one who has died, and join us to watch one of our Trees of Remembrance light up in their memory.
Supporters can expect our Autumn/Winter newsletter in the post over the next week, which shares the heartfelt story of Cammy and his mum, Gillian, who died in the Hospice earlier this year.
To find out more and dedicate a light in memory of your loved one, visit:
https://stcolumbashospice.org.uk/sup…/light-up-a-life-2025
Light up a Life is proudly sponsored by the Farmer family.
Due to a combination of staff/volunteer holidays and illness, the Iona Café will be closed from Monday 7th July to Sunday 20th July.
We’re very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and truly appreciate your understanding.
We look forward to welcoming you back when we reopen on Monday 21st July!
