• Milan Senior Welfare Organisation
• Pilmeny Development Project
• Volunteering Matters
• The Forget Me Notes Project
• Turn the Tables
• Dr Bell’s Family Centre
• Water of Leith Conservation Trust
• TidyScot
• A.R.Ts Afternoon
• The Living Memory Association
• U-evolve
• Who Cares? Scotland
• The Edinburgh Remakery
• YMCA Edinburgh
• Citadel Arts Group

• Afghan Community Edinburgh
• The Men of Leith & District Men’s Shed
• Dunedin Fencing Club
• Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council
• The Junction
• Edinburgh Community Food
• Teens+ (Capella Charity)
• Creative Arts Therapies Space
• Norinemindeyes Culture Connect Incorporated
• Broughton Primary School Parent Council
• Mustard Seed Edinburgh
• Leith Community Growers
• Kin Collective Family Wellbeing
• Tiny Changes
• Leith Primary Parent Council

Milan Senior Welfare Organisation
Leith Connections

Amount requested: £5000

Qualifies for boost vote

Milan previously was based in the heart of Leith, where we supported a large number of families from South Asian communities residing in the local Leith area.

Due to a number of factors, which include:

• Changes to older peoples mobility declining and are no longer able to attend Milan’s daycare provision alone.
• Recent cuts from Health and Social care has meant we are not able to provide daycare provision to as many people who require the service
• Lack of community transport from Leith to our premises in Gilmerton, as we are unable to take on more than 5 individuals on these buses.

We have identified and experienced a large influx of outreach/befriending requests as older people feel lonely and disconnected from their communities leaving them with a further decline to their already failing health as well as a gap in services. In order to ensure we provide an equal and fair service we would like to propose the following work through this funding:

• Employ a staff member for 5 hours per week to organise and deliver the below:
• 4 home visits per month to Leith residents over 1 year duration
• 6 group shopping trips for up to 4 Leith residents on each trip
• 4 therapeutic group activities for up to 4 individuals x 4 hour each session

* Income maximisation and housing matter support by referring to Milan’s inhouse information/advice staff member.

We will prioritise those most at risk of social exclusion and unable to go out alone and those with low self-esteem and poor mental and physical wellbeing for the shopping trips and group activity trips.

Befriending visits will be provided to all our Leith clientele who would benefit from a friendly uplifting visit as well as provide them a supported walk or go through their correspondence and translate the information to them and action anything that requires to be completed.

Milan is a well-established and reputable charity, with a large database of contacts and links with the wider South Asian Leith community and businesses and we will have no issue in people taking up this service as we know there is a demand.

The project will make a positive difference to South Asian communities in Leith and our outcomes will be:

• Connected within their communities
• More active
• Better engaged with others in Leith
• Increased opportunities of social development
• Increased social cohesion
• Better health and wellbeing
• Reduced health inequalities
• Supported activities providing equal opportunities for elderly, infirm and vulnerable
• Reduced loneliness and social exclusion

* Improved financial wellbeing

Outcomes will be measured through:

• Pre and post surveys
• Verbal feedback
• Quarterly focus groups
• Attendance and home visit logs

* Log of people supported or referred for information and advice/income maximisation or housing matters

For background information: https://www.milanswo.co.uk, https://www.facebook.com/milanseniorwelfareorganisation

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Pilmeny Development Project
Wellbeing in Leith: Supporting Older People Out of Isolation

Amount requested: £4170

Pilmeny Development Project (PDP) is seeking £4,170 to deliver the Wellbeing in Leith: Supporting Older People Out of Isolation project, supporting up to 250 vulnerable and socially isolated older people in Leith over 12 months.

Why this project is needed

Loneliness and social isolation are increasing among older people, especially since COVID.

Many live on low incomes, face mobility challenges, or lack confidence to leave their homes. This can lead to poor physical and mental health, reduced independence and long-term inequalities.

PDP’s recent consultation with 150 older residents showed many feel ‘stuck at home’, disconnected from community life and held back by health issues, language barriers, or racism. Leith experiences some of the highest poverty and health inequality levels in Edinburgh. CEC Older People’s Strategy highlights the urgent need for preventative, community-based action. No other local initiative currently provides this hands-on, proactive support. What we will do

PDP will run:

• Five 6-week activity programmes (25–30 older people each, plus 5 volunteers).
• Two 4-week intergenerational programmes, linking 10–15 older people and volunteers with local young people through schools and community groups.

Activities will include gentle exercise, New Age Kurling, relaxation, short walks and social time with refreshments. Intergenerational sessions will promote understanding, reduce stigma, and strengthen community ties.

How the funding will be used

Grant funds will cover venue hire, sessional staff, materials, refreshments, transport support for those with mobility issues and monitoring/evaluation.

Partnerships

We will collaborate with Leith Timebank, local schools, community groups and volunteers. Volunteers will support delivery, encourage participation and help sustain involvement beyond the programme.

Promoting participation

We will engage participants through:

• PDP’s trusted networks and referrals from health/community organisations.
• Outreach via newsletters, posters in GP surgeries, local shops and word-of-mouth.
• Practical support such as transport assistance and accessible information.

Outcomes and impact

By the end of the programme, we aim for:

1. 70% of participants reporting improved fitness or activity levels.
2. 65% experiencing better mood, confidence, or reduced anxiety.
3. At least 200 making new friendships/social connections.
4. 150 joining other local groups or events.
5. 60% feeling more independent in daily life.
6. Over 50% sustaining participation three months after programme completion.

Progress will be measured through baseline and follow-up surveys, attendance data, feedback and personal stories.

The difference this will make

This programme will improve wellbeing, provide safe, welcoming spaces for older people to reconnect and rebuild confidence. It will reduce isolation, foster intergenerational understanding and contribute to a stronger, fairer, more connected Leith.

For background information: https://www.pilmenydevelopmentproject.co.uk, https://x.com/PilmenyDevProj, https://www.facebook.com/groups/pilmenydevelopmentproject

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Volunteering Matters
Family Supported Edinburgh

Amount requested: £600

Family Supporters is a prevention and early intervention programme, that provides tailored support to families who experience hardship and have barriers around family life. The project works by recruiting, training, and supporting local volunteers to provide one-to-one mentoring to struggling families by offering practical, emotional, and social support, empowering them to face a range of life challenges. We have been running our Family Supporters programme in Edinburgh since 2020, and over the course of its lifetime, have supported 100 volunteers to provide one-to-one emotional and practical mentoring to over 200 families across the city.

Once matched to a family, our volunteer Mentors make weekly visits to families in their homes or local community settings for 6-9 months, building up a strong, trusting relationship with the parents, listening to their problems, and offering practical help.

We are fully funded to deliver this project across Edinburgh for the next year. However, we have found that many of our families in the Leith area struggle more over the school holidays, particularly the summer holidays. Many families do not have the capacity or finances to take their children to events, exhibits or even to local outdoor spaces.

We propose to support these families by providing gift cards, tickets and experiences for the children, for example, attending the local leisure centre, sports event, arts and craft club, as well as experiences such as Camera Obscura.

This will ensure that stress is removed from vulnerable parents, children and young people have a memorable holiday period and have something to share with their peers when they return. Our intention is to split the income between as many families in the Leith region as possible whilst still providing exciting experiences.

This is an additionality to our current Family Supporters project and as such does not have an existing budget or income. We were grateful to receive two grants for activities from the Community Grants Fun in 2024 and families were delighted with the additional opportunities we could provide. We would be thrilled to be able to offer this again.

If successful, we will purchase a range of tickets and gift cards to local activities that families would normally be excluded from due to cost of tickets and travel, this is especially relevant for larger families where costs quickly add up. Due to families having various health needs, use of public transport is impossible so travel via taxis/uber has also been accounted for to ensure accessibility.

As a result, families will have the opportunity to bond, feel more connected as a unit. Feel more connected to their community, and children will have stories to tell their friends about what they did over the school holidays. We will ask for feedback from families, as well as pictures and quotes to measure the success of this opportunity.

For background information: https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk, https://www.linkedin.com/company/volunteeringmatters

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The Forget Me Notes Project
Leith Community Choir

Amount requested: £1880

In a recent scoping exercise carried out by one of our trustees it was shown that Leith was an area where more services to those living with dementia would be of benefit. We aim to establish a music group or Choir. The group will be held fortnightly and will enable people to share their own stories using music that they have a personal attachment too. We will through the use of music provide sessions that encourage self expression and therefore increase the well being of those who attend.

We will spend the money on sessional staff and will use some for advertising. The Forget Me Notes have a family of services that include Choirs, Music Memory projects a volunteer project, Music Therapy project and an All singing and dancing project. This means that we can support those living with dementia throughout their experience of dementia. We have evidence to show that music has a positive effect on people both in the early stages of dementia through until the end of life.

We work with a number of partners that include The Festival Theatre, Open Door, North Edinburgh Arts, St Brides and The Ashbrook Centre Establishing a group in Leith will mean that people will not only have access to a group that will support them during a time that they can access groups within the community but can also access other parts of the service that will support them in their own home or in other residential establishments.

Because we are ‘open to all’ we are in a position to help create a community that is more understanding of each other and the needs we all face. This includes enabling those who don’t have dementia to understand what someone living with dementia has to offer the community of Leith.

We know Leith to be a vibrant, diverse part of Edinburgh and having a Forget Me Notes presence within Leith will support, provide energy and positivity to a group of people whose world is so often discriminated against and seen from a negative perspective. Through the use of Music we will challenge the negative stereo types that people see surrounding dementia and show to people that those living with dementia can offer and deliver, enabling them to become active citizens.

We will promote the project through our website, social media and leaflets. We will also use other local services already in Leith to ensure as many people are made aware of the project as possible. These will include GP surgeries, Link Workers, Community Centres and Libraries in the area.

For background information: https://www.forgetmenotes.org.uk, https://www.facebook.com/forgetmenotesproject, https://x.com/FMNProject

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Turn the Tables
Leith DJ Project

Amount requested: £5000

We want to bring more music, creativity and opportunity to young people in Leith where our studio is based on Great Junction Street.

We propose a year-long DJ project for teenagers and young adults. Many of the young people we work with live in care or temporary accommodation, or face challenges like poor mental health, poverty, social isolation or criminal exploitation. Boredom, too much screen time, and a lack of positive outlets often lead to antisocial behaviour and a chaotic future. This project will give participants something positive to belong to which they can learn from and give them hope and motivation for a positive future.

Over 12 months we will deliver 24 group DJ workshops in Music Base rehearsal studios, where our studio is based. The workshops will run in two blocks of 12 weeks each, split between two groups: 14–17 year olds and 18–25 year olds, with up to 10 participants in each. Each session will last two hours and be led by professional DJs who are also trained youth workers. Alongside this, participants will have free access to our community DJ studio for a full year so they can practise their skills outside workshops. The free access is not funded through this application but something we can offer due to donations and staffed by our volunteers.

The grant money will be spent mainly on tutor time and studio hire, with a small amount (£100) for physical marketing material and (£100) for new headphones. Our studio is already equipped, but our headphones get used a lot.

We will promote the sessions to Leith Academy, Edinburgh Social Work team, Action for Children, Street Soccer Scotland and Police Scotland’s VOW Project to refer young people who will benefit most. All of which we are currently working with or have worked with before. We will also promote through posters in community spaces such as Leith Community Centre to offer the sessions to the wider community.

And additional demand or late comers will be able to take advantage of our free to access studio time subject to availability.

The difference this project will make is simple but powerful, it will give local young people a safe, creative space that feels exciting and relevant to them. DJing is rooted in youth culture and is proven to engage people who might not take part in more traditional activities. By the end of the year, participants will not only have learned DJing skills but also built confidence, reduced isolation, and discovered positive pathways. While gaining a new community space they can access to express themselves through creativity.

Some will progress to our Talent Development Programme, with chances to perform at events in Edinburgh and beyond.

We will measure success by tracking attendance, monitoring free studio use, collecting feedback from participants and partners, and recording the number of young people who go on to perform publicly or continue their musical journey.

For background information: https://www.turnthetables.co.uk, https://www.instagram.com/turnthetables

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Dr Bell’s Family Centre
Wellbeing in Leith

Amount requested: £4505

At Dr Bell’s Family Centre, our vision is simple: every family in Leith deserves to feel supported, connected, and resilient. Many parents we work with face real pressures — poverty, poor housing, mental health challenges, and the rising cost of living. These stresses can leave families isolated and struggling to cope, with fewer opportunities to enjoy positive time together.

That’s why, in 2026, we are expanding our seasonal family programmes to create meaningful opportunities for connection, joy, and wellbeing throughout the year. Our Summer Sunshine Programme will run across the school summer holidays (4 weeks), with a special focus on our Wellbeing in Leith initiative. Designed to boost health, connection, and resilience when families often feel most stretched, it will feature:

Mindful Mondays – wellbeing workshops for parents and carers, with childcare provided, offering tools to manage stress, boost confidence, and improve mental health.

Nurture Tuesdays – family play and creative activities that strengthen bonds, build children’s confidence, and create joyful shared experiences.

Connection Wednesdays – community meals, group activities, and peer support opportunities to help families build networks and friendships.

Alongside summer support, we will bring families together through seasonal celebrations that reduce loneliness and financial pressure:

Halloween Hocus Pocus Programme – autumn-themed play sessions, crafts, and safe festivities, ensuring children enjoy magical memories without cost barriers.

Christmas Festivals – warm, inclusive events with family activities, festive meals, and small gifts to make Christmas special for every child.

All activities take place at Dr Bell’s Family Centre in the heart of Leith, with some sessions extending into local parks and community spaces. By focusing on wellbeing and connection, we help parents manage stress, strengthen family bonds, and ensure children enjoy safe, positive experiences.

Funding will directly provide crèche provision, food for families, and engaging activity resources. Every pound invested will open access to free, high-quality support and safe spaces where families can connect and thrive. It will also enable additional help to tackle the pressures families face — from practical financial support through food boxes and pantry items to opportunities and experiences they might otherwise miss.

Local data shows Leith continues to face high levels of deprivation, with many households experiencing poor health and wellbeing outcomes (SIMD 2020).

School holidays and festive periods can be especially isolating and financially challenging, but our programmes provide vital relief. We aim to:

• Improve mental health and reduce stress for parents.
• Build stronger bonds between parents and children.
• Reduce isolation and strengthen community connection.
• Ensure more children experience safe, positive school-holiday and seasonal activities.

For background information: https://drbells.co.uk, https://www.facebook.com/drbellsfamily, https://www.instagram.com/drbellsfamily, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMUzd41_FCvk4nbE7Aaa5Zg?view_as=subscriber

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Water of Leith Conservation Trust
Coallie Coalition Resources

Amount requested: £2572

Following the recent regeneration of Coalie Park, there is a strong need to protect and maintain the new and existing features—such as the skate park, mural, seating, railings, and raised beds—so they remain welcoming, safe, and vibrant. Without regular care, the park risks falling back into neglect. The Coalie Coalition will bring together community members, local youth, environmental and social groups to take shared responsibility for the space. This aligns with Edinburgh’s Local Development Plan and the Council’s Open Space Strategy, which highlight the value of community stewardship, biodiversity, and active outdoor spaces for wellbeing. By working together, we will enhance civic pride, promote sustainability, and create a more connected, resilient community centred around Coalie Park.

The Coalition will organise monthly volunteer sessions at Coalie Park throughout the year, open to all residents and community partners. Activities will include conservation and maintenance tasks such as clean-ups, vegetation management, planting, and upkeep of park features. We will also host seasonal community events and workshops to share environmental skills and celebrate local creativity. Sessions will be co-facilitated by partners and supported by trained volunteers, ensuring accessibility and safety for all participants.

Grant funding will cover essential equipment and materials (tools, gloves, bulbs, plants, safety wear, paint, cleaning supplies), volunteer refreshments, training/workshop costs, and promotional materials to engage wider participation. A small portion will support coordination and insurance costs to ensure sessions are well-organised and inclusive.

Confirmed and emerging partners include the Water of Leith Conservation Trust, Citadel.

Youth Centre, Rock Trust, Edinburgh Wheels, SOS Leith, and Friends of the Water of Leith Basin. Each brings unique strengths—environmental expertise, youth engagement, and community networks. The Coalition will operate as an open forum, meeting quarterly to coordinate activities and share learning, ensuring shared ownership and ongoing collaboration.

We will promote activities through local newsletters, social media, partner networks, and signage in the park. Collaboration with local youth and community organisations will help reach diverse audiences, including families, young people, and older residents. Events will be designed to be welcoming, informal, and inclusive.

The project will foster a cleaner, greener, and better-maintained Coalie Park; stronger community connections; increased volunteering and environmental awareness; and enhanced physical and mental wellbeing among participants. Success will be measured through attendance records, partner feedback, before-and-after photographs, and participant surveys assessing wellbeing and community pride. Over time, we aim to establish a self-sustaining volunteer group taking long-term stewardship of Coalie Park.

For background information: https://www.waterofleith.org.uk, https://www.facebook.com/wolct, https://x.com/WOLCT, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr0Ofp–OTWQiw1fpU-0a1g, https://www.instagram.com/waterofleithconservationtrust

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TidyScot
Clean Homes, Healthy Lives – Leith Well-Being Project

Amount requested: £5000

Many older, disabled, and low-income residents in Leith struggle to maintain clean, safe living spaces, often due to poor health, mobility issues, or financial hardship. This can lead to poor air quality, mould, anxiety, and reduced well-being. TidyScot CIC’s ‘Clean Homes, Healthy Lives’ project aims to tackle this by offering free or subsidised eco-friendly cleaning and home support services for those most in need.

Our goals

Improve health and mental well-being by ensuring clean, hygienic, and dignified home environments.

Reduce isolation and stress by supporting residents who feel overwhelmed or embarrassed about their living conditions. Promote sustainable cleaning through eco-friendly products and waste-reduction education. Provide local job and volunteer opportunities in community service.

What we’ll do

Offer 50–70 free or heavily discounted cleaning sessions for older, disabled, and low-income residents across Leith (EH6/EH7).

Deliver mini eco-cleaning workshops at local community centres, showing residents safe, low-cost, sustainable cleaning methods.

Recruit and train local volunteers / trainees to assist with cleaning support, gaining valuable work experience.

Partner with local housing associations, community hubs, and social work referrals to identify residents most in need.

Track progress through surveys, before/after photos (with consent), and participant feedback to measure improvements in cleanliness, confidence, and well-being.

How funds will be spent

£2,200: Cleaning supplies, eco-friendly products, PPE, and sanitisation materials.

£1,800: Sessional staff and training costs (local cleaners / trainees delivering sessions).

£600: Workshop delivery (materials, refreshments, venue hire).

£400: Project coordination, outreach materials, and printing.

Promotion

We’ll promote through local community networks, Leith Links, social media, GP practices, and housing partners, encouraging both participation and volunteer involvement.

Outcomes

• 70+ vulnerable residents supported.
• 3–5 local trainees gain paid work experience.
• Improved home hygiene, health, and confidence.
• Stronger local connections and awareness of eco-well-being practices.

This project offers a simple, visible, and human difference: a cleaner, healthier Leith for everyone, starting with those who need it most.

For background information: https://www.tidyscot.co.uk, https://www.instagram.com/tidyscot, https://www.linkedin.com/company/tidyscot, https://x.com/tidyscot

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A.R.Ts Afternoon
A Pulse of the Place Celebration – 20 Years Strong!

Amount requested: £5000

We’re bringing the Pulse back to where it all began — Leith!

A.R.Ts Afternoon, a local charity based in Leith since 1996, uses the arts to build confidence, wellbeing and community spirit. Our youth samba drumming band, Pulse of the Place, was born here 20 years ago. Since then, we’ve inspired hundreds of young people through free, inclusive music-making — performing everywhere from local galas to the Edinburgh Festival Carnival and even New York.

To celebrate our 20th anniversary of the band & 30th anniversary of the Organisation, we want to fill the streets of Leith with rhythm, energy and pride by aiming at creating a 100-strong youth community drumming band to perform in the Leith Pageant Parade.

Why it matters

Leith is creative, diverse and full of heart — but many families struggle to access affordable arts opportunities. Music and drumming bring huge benefits to wellbeing, confidence and community connection. This project will give local children and families a chance to take part in something joyful, active and completely free. It’s about belonging, teamwork and feeling proud of Leith.

What we’ll do

From April to June 2026, we’ll:

• Run free samba drumming taster workshops in Local Leith primary schools so children can try it.
• Create free mini School pulse bands, who will rehearse, then come together to form our massed band.
• Offer free community rehearsals open to all abilities (P5 upwards)
• Bring everyone together for one incredible performance at the Leith Pageant Parade, celebrating Pulse of the Place’s 20th birthday with 100 drummers performing side by side!

All instruments will be provided, and no experience is needed — just enthusiasm and a smile.

How the funding will help

Your votes will help fund tutors, rehearsal space, drum repairs, and transport. Every pound goes directly into keeping sessions free and accessible for Leith families.

Working together

We’re teaming up with Leith primary schools and Leith Festival. Together, we’ll make our celebrations of our milestones, a community celebration, enhancing the Leith Pageant parade.

The difference your vote makes

By voting for this project, you’ll help:

• Boost children’s confidence and wellbeing through music.
• Strengthen community pride and connection.
• Create a joyful, inclusive event that celebrates Leith’s creativity and diversity.

We’ll measure success by the number of young people involved, feedback from families and schools, and of course — the smiles and cheers at the Leith Pageant!

Let’s bring Pulse of the Place back to Leith again — 100 drums, one community, one incredible celebration of wellbeing and pride.

Vote to keep #Pulseoftheplace alive in Leith!

For background information: https://www.artsafternoon.org.uk, https://www.facebook.com/pulseoftheplace, https://www.instagram.com/pulseoftheplace, https://www.tiktok.com/@pulseoftheplace

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The Living Memory Association
The Wee Hub

Amount requested: £4240

There is loneliness and isolation in our community amongst all ages and a real need for safe, warm, free spaces where people can connect and feel supported, combating isolation and building a stronger, more inclusive community. We will employ sessional workers and new volunteers to enable us to open our Wee Hub in Ocean Terminal an extra 2 days per week. The extra opening hours would allow us to offer the following:

• open a vibrant, free, welcoming space for children and families in Ocean Terminal including those affected by poverty and social isolation open 7 days p/w.
• make The Wee Hub available to other groups to use at any time outwith these hours to run their own community activities.
• expand our programme of free activities including work with those from minority groups. These activities will include
• a weekly conversation group for adults whose first language is not English
• a fortnightly puppet show by Squidz, Queer Fun for Kids performance group
• 2 extra arts and crafts activities for children each week
• a new music project engaging older and younger people together
• work with Ukrainian and Sudanese refugees including hosting extra dance classes and crochet class
• involve 8 new volunteers of all ages and backgrounds in delivering the activities

The coordinator of the Ukrainian Community project told us ‘We are a small public organisation that conducts activities for immigrants from Ukraine. Thousands of Ukrainians found their warm shelter in Scotland. And it was at Wee Hub that the Ukrainians found shelter. In short: “Being a part of Wee hub means feeling needed and protected.” Thank you’ Nataliia Pidruchna, Program Director

We will develop work with a whole range of other organisations including One Parent Families Leith, Citadel Youth, Pilmeny Development Project, Feniks, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Andys Man Club, Latin American Community Association, Ukrainian Kids Club, Living Rent, Bethany Christian Trust, Squidz, Leith Multicultural Family Base, Hop-Trop, Kalakari, Enkula African project, Outlook Mental Health project, NKS (Networking Key Services) Edinburgh College.

Our work fits into the Edinburgh Local Development Plan aim to help create strong, sustainable and healthier communities, enabling all residents to enjoy a high quality of life.

The outcome we aim to achieve will be:

• People feel more connected feeling less isolation and loneliness

We will measure our success by tracking visitor numbers and monitoring attendance at classes, events, and workshops.

We will collect feedback from families, individuals, and community members through surveys, informal conversations, and suggestion boxes. We will use anecdotal stories and observations to capture the positive differences our work is making in people’s lives.

We aim to expand our activities and ensure that the Hub remains a vital resource for families and individuals affected by poverty and social isolation.

For background information: https://www.livingmemory.org.uk, https://www.facebook.com/livingmemoryassociation, https://x.com/ThelmaScotland, https://www.instagram.com/thelmascotland, https://www.tiktok.com/@livingmemoryassociation, https://www.youtube.com/c/livingmemoryassociation/videos

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U-evolve
Our Space: A Mental Health and Wellbeing Drop-In for Young People in Leith

Amount requested: £5000

We want to co-design and launch a mental health and wellbeing drop-in programme with young people in Leith. The drop-ins will support young people experiencing mental health challenges, offering safe, welcoming spaces to meet others, build friendships, try new things, and learn how to look after their mental health. Young volunteers will help design the programme, gaining confidence, soft skills, recognised awards, and a chance to reflect on their own help-seeking experiences in a supportive environment.

We’re seeing consistent increases in demand for support and in the complexity of challenges facing our young people. Of those we work with, 69% report emotional distress and 81% high stress. Nearly 50% of our referrals come from the NHS’s CAMHS team. Nationally, we’re in a youth mental health crisis and in Scotland, extreme challenges like racist bullying, homophobia and debilitating anxiety are on the rise. We’ve trained 80% of our team in ASIST Suicide Prevention, working towards 100%, as we see rising suicidal ideation.

Our Space offers immediate support when it is required. Instead of months of uncertainty, they could reach out on a Monday and attend a drop-in the next evening. We’ll have staff available for quick 1:1 sessions during the drop-in too, making sure everyone is safe and has the space to feel better.

The project supports the North East Locality Improvement Plan by providing targeted early support, improving access to health and social opportunities for those in poverty, and strengthening communities by creating safe, inclusive, welcoming spaces.

We’ll run an Our Space Young Voices cohort, meeting weekly for 8 weeks to shape the drop-ins. We’ll then pilot sessions based on their planning. Sessions will be held in our space at Norton Park, where young people will have access to art and craft supplies, games, and sensory equipment. There will be refreshments and a permanent signposting station for other community activities and support with food, school uniforms, benefits, etc.

Young people will help develop the project from the start to ensure its success. We’ll spread the word through like The Junction, The Ripple and Circle, via social media, leafleting, community events, and visits to Leith Academy to ensure the offer reaches the right people.

Evening sessions make the programme accessible after school, college, or work. Costs include staff time, supervision, premises (including extra room hire if needed), plus resources like art supplies, games, and promotional materials.

We aim to increase attendees’ confidence and self-esteem, reduce loneliness, improve social connection, and help them know where to turn for support.

Around 70% of participants are expected to report improvements, recognising many will have experienced trauma. Progress will be measured using Let’s Check In, our non-clinical, youth-friendly tool co-designed with young people and informed by staff, families, partners, and participants themselves.

For background information: https://u-evolve.org, https://www.instagram.com/uevolvescotland, https://www.facebook.com/UevolveScotland

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Who Cares? Scotland
The Buddy Network

Amount requested: £2520

Who Cares? Scotland is the national membership organisation for all Care Experienced people. For over 45 years, we’ve advocated for Care Experienced people across Scotland, working alongside them to make sure their voices are heard, with the ultimate aim that they grow up feeling Equal, Respected and Loved.

Care experience is a term used to describe those who have experience of the care system and includes foster care, residential care (group living in a children’s home) and kinship care (living with extended family members). Some remain at home under social work supervision, while others may be adopted or experience a range of these care settings. Wherever they live, all children need the same things to thrive – to feel safe and loved, by people who care about them.

We organise free events for our members all year round to create fun, friendship and connection. We are applying to Leith Chooses so we can set up ‘The Buddy Network’ – this would be a drop in for local care experienced people looking for connection, friendship, fun and more. This group would be member led and we want the group members to have autonomy and a say on their group with the WCS staff supporting. Our reasoning for this is often the young people we work with do not have a lot of autonomy over where they stay and who with, the reason those young people entered care was outside of their control and their sphere of influence. We want the group to establish and purely be a connection group – the resources we buy, and the activities we do, we would like the young people to decide. Through our Communities That Care project we are currently working within Leith Academy, Leith Walk Primary, Star of the Sea RC Primary School, Hermitage Park and Trinity primary School this drop-in will unite care experienced young people from different areas of Leith and help them forge their own community away from school.

The fortnightly drop-in will be youth led and members will decide what activities they want to take part in. Often the young people we work with do not have autonomy over their own lives, we want them to have a sense of ownership over the group. We envisage this group to be a safe space for young people to come and eat together, build friendships and have an opportunity to access wider supports on offer through Who cares? Scotland. Activities will be led by the group however could include cooking together, arts and crafts and group trips. Leith Chooses funding will enable us to open our centre fortnightly and offer a space to unite and explore experience in care together. Giving young people an increased sense of confidence, identity and belonging by expanding social networks and creating a dedicated group for care experienced people in Leith.

‘This is the only place that I like here in Edinburgh. If it wasn’t for here I’d be hiding away in my bed. I feel safe here.’

‘When it comes to Who Cares. This is somewhere you can just be yourself and there’s no judgement.’

For background information: https://www.whocaresscotland.org, https://www.instagram.com/whocaresscotland, https://x.com/whocaresscot, https://www.facebook.com/WhoCaresScotland

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The Edinburgh Remakery
Collective Creativity in Leith

Amount requested: £4150

At Edinburgh Remakery, we believe creativity is a powerful tool for connection and wellbeing. Our project, Creative Connections, will bring people together through free, friendly workshops that use art, reuse, and mindfulness to reduce isolation and strengthen community in Leith.

Our Event Hub on Leith Walk is a safe, welcoming space where participants can meet others, learn creative skills, and take time for themselves in a calm, supportive setting. Sessions focus on mindful making — using donated and second-hand materials to create something beautiful together. Many in Leith experience isolation, stress, and low confidence. Shared creativity offers gentle ways to reconnect, relax, and rediscover joy.

What We’ll Do

We’ll run a series of 2–3 hour workshops. Each participant will make one piece for themselves and one for a collaborative artwork displayed at the Event Hub — a colourful celebration of community and care. Activities may include mandala drawing, paper weaving, gratitude books, decoupage, mosaics, and bunting. All materials are donated, promoting sustainability, mindfulness, and wellbeing.

Continuing Creativity at Home

Each participant receives a small take-home kit to continue creating at home.

Who It’s For

Open to everyone in Leith, especially those who feel isolated, low in confidence, or want to meet new people.

Funding, Partnerships and Promotion

Funding covers materials, refreshments, and tutor/artist facilitation. We’ll partner with Pilmeny Development Group, MILAN, among others, and local housing associations. Promoting will be via community networks, newsletters, and noticeboards.

Sharing and Measuring Success

Success will be measured via feedback, conversations, and attendance. A rolling presentation of artworks and participant stories will be displayed externally for passers-by.

The Difference It Will Make

Participants will have built friendships and social connections, improved confidence and wellbeing, learned creative skills for home, and contributed to a collective artwork celebrating Leith. Together, we’ll create not just art — but connection, community, and a lasting sense of wellbeing and belonging.

For background information: https://www.edinburghremakery.org.uk, https://www.facebook.com/TheEdinburghRemakery, https://x.com/EdinRemakery, https://www.instagram.com/theedinburghremakery, https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-edinburgh-remakery, https://www.threads.com/@theedinburghremakery, https://www.tiktok.com/@edinburgh_remakery

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YMCA Edinburgh
Chatterbox

Amount requested: £4998

This project will provide a safe and nurturing space for intergenerational work between young girls aged 12+ and women in Leith. We currently provide a weekly girls health and wellbeing group in partnership with Pilmeny Development Project for girls aged 12+ and we run a weekly women’s support group for local women in the community. This project will be an extension of the effective work we currently deliver and will give an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between young people and the older generation. Engaging different age groups can help reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness, as well as help to break down age related stereotypes and promote mutual respect.

The aim of the project is to give a space for young girls and women to learn from each other, through positive activities that benefit individual wellbeing.

The project will mainly be based around cooking, baking and crafts. These are therapeutic activities that help reduce stress, anxiety and improve self-confidence.

The project will run on a monthly basis for 2·5 hours. These sessions will be held at YMCA Edinburgh or within the community. We will link in with local organisations and businesses to widen the knowledge and skills to support positive wellbeing and help strengthen community relationships.

The grant money will be used to cover the cost of resources for the activities, providing food for participants and staffing.

We currently work in partnership with Pilmeny Development Project to run the 12+ girls’ health and wellbeing group, as this project will be extension of that work they will be involved, however it will be delivered by YMCA Edinburgh staff.

We will source participation from our current girls and women’s groups, through local schools and partnership organisations. We look to support local young girls aged 12+ and women from Leith who will benefit from having a safe environment to learn and have fun through engaging activities that will have a positive impact on their mental, social and emotional wellbeing.

We hope the outcomes of this project will be increased confidence and positive wellbeing with participants, improved social relationships between generations and enhance skill development which will benefit young and older people. We will measure the impact through individualised surveys, the effectiveness of activities and against the eight indicators in GIRFEC.

For background information: https://ymcaedinburgh.com, https://www.instagram.com/ymcaedinburgh, https://www.facebook.com/YMCAEdinburgh

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Citadel Arts Group
Youth Drama Brings Joy!

Amount requested: £3500

As the only local group offering free youth drama, Citadel will offer 2 hour-long classes to young people aged 7–12 and 12–16. Each group will have 3 blocks of 10 weeks over the year, one group in Duncan Place Resource Centre, one in Leith Custom House. Also a 3-day holiday club for both groups. The young people we work with include 10 ethnic minority; 6 single parent families; 10 low-income families; 10 disabled; 3 LGBTq.

Our highly experienced local drama teacher helps the groups learn listening and speaking skills; how to work cooperatively. If they wish to progress into careers in theatre arts, she has established links with Edinburgh College and given some experience in the classes of filming, lighting, directing and mentoring the younger group. 2 senior pupils worked with the younger group, leading games and one was assistant director of their play. We will build on this in the new project.

The parents assure us the classes increase their children’s confidence and creativity and praise the teacher’s approach. She has developed strong links with the families. The groups will not only learn drama skills through play, movement and improvisation, but also develop short plays to take into older people’s centres and present at Leith Festival. This year, one group performed their show in Duncan Place and the other in Leith Dockers Club. This was a great achievement they wish to repeat and improve on.

Citadel has links with several care homes and sheltered housing units in Leith, including Port of Leith Housing, and Ferrylee Care Home where we performed a panto last year. They have invited us back and will be delighted to see the young people’s short plays. These activities will provide community cohesion and great pleasure to younger and older people.

The grant will be spent on fees for the tutor, the hire of Duncan Place and Leith Custom House where the classes take place; buying props and materials needed for the plays and classes; printing a poster to promote the Leith Festival play which will be performed in Leith Dockers Club where Citadel Arts has a base. The 3 centres are all partners in that they offer their premises either free or at non-commercial rates. The classes, and Leith Festival performances will be promoted through social media and eye-catching fliers in local libraries and other centres.

The outcomes will be increased well-being and confidence in performing and other theatre arts learned through the project such as lighting, directing, voice projection and working as a group. Each class will create and perform two short plays, giving pleasure to local audiences especially their families and the older people at the centres where shows are presented. We will evaluate the project to find out what the audiences have enjoyed most and what the young people have learned. Each term we gather feedback so we can produce a detailed report on our activities. This will be included in our end-of-project report to Leith Chooses.

For background information: https://www.citadelartsgroup.co.uk

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Afghan Community Edinburgh
Cricket Tournament 2026

Amount requested: £4750

Qualifies for boost vote

The Afghan Community in Edinburgh will organise a community cricket tournament running from June 2026 to August 2026 at local cricket grounds across Leith and North Edinburgh. The tournament will bring together young people from different ethnic backgrounds, with a focus on Afghan, South Asian, and other minority communities, alongside local Scottish youth teams.

Why this project is needed

Many young people from ethnic backgrounds in Edinburgh face barriers to accessing structured sports opportunities. Some feel disconnected from mainstream clubs or lack confidence to take part. This tournament will create a positive, welcoming environment where they can play sport, build friendships, and strengthen community connections. It will help keep young people active, engaged, and away from antisocial behaviour during the summer months.

What we will do

• Host an 8-team cricket tournament (ages 14–30) over 10 weekends.
• Provide training and mentoring sessions led by volunteer coaches.
• Run family-friendly match days with food, cultural stalls, and music to celebrate diversity.
• Engage schools and local clubs to scout and nurture cricketing talent.
• Encourage female participation through mixed coaching and open days.

How the grant will be spent

Funds will cover equipment (bats, balls, pads, uniforms), pitch hire, volunteer expenses, trophies, first aid, and promotional materials. All sessions will be free to attend.

Partnerships

We will collaborate with Edinburgh Leisure, Cricket Scotland, and local youth organisations to deliver inclusive sessions and share facilities. We will also work with other ethnic associations to ensure wide participation.

Outcomes

• Increased community cohesion and wellbeing.
• Positive summer activities that reduce youth isolation and antisocial behaviour.
• Discovery of new cricketing talent for potential Edinburgh league participation.
• Promotion of cricket as a unifying sport for diverse communities.

We will measure success through participant numbers, feedback surveys, and follow-up engagement with local clubs.

For background information: (no links supplied)

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The Men of Leith & District Men’s Shed
Broadening the benefits from Leith Men’s Shed

Amount requested: £4944

We are seeking funding to enable us to pursue activities under the umbrella theme of ‘Broadening the benefits from Leith Men’s Shed’. Our 65 members currently attend at varied times for varied practical activities and we wish to enhance the cohesion and wellbeing of the group by developing more opportunities for members to come together and for them to engage with the local community.

1. The project is needed to increase the engagement of shed members who have different interests with each other in new social and participative activities and to engage more with the local community by organising and hosting ‘open to all’ Tai Chi classes and Open Mike Nights in partnership with the Heart of Newhaven. These activities speak directly to the Leith Chooses theme of ‘Wellbeing in Leith’ through improving the wellbeing of shed members and participants from the community and also to the Heart of Newhaven’s theme of ‘bringing people together’.
2. Activities include but are not limited to:
   • Lunchshed – every other week for both existing and prospective shed members to meet socially in the shed for ‘lunch and a blether’. It is also targeted once a month to have a speaker on topics of interest such as hobbies, men’s health etc. There will also be a summer barbecue in the grounds of the Heart for members and friends and family, widening the social circle of members and an Xmas lunch for members in the Heart main building.
   • Awaydays – two trips per year for up to 16 shed members to visit a long distance venue of interest, such as the Falkirk Wheel or the Secret Bunker.
   • Tai Chi – 4 sessions of 6 weeks each at the Anchor building in the Heart of Newhaven for 12 people, shed members and members of the public.
   • Open Mike Night – one night per month in the Anchor building, open to all adults for all types of performance.
   • Lunchshed: sandwiches, soft drinks, tea coffee and biscuits, gas for BBQ
   • Awaydays: mini bus hire, venue entrance fees, food and refreshments
   • Tai Chi: room hire, instructor fees
   • Open Mike Night: room hire
3. The Heart of Newhaven. We will organise and host the Tai Chi and Open Mike nights which will be in their Anchor building. The Heart will promote the activities through their extensive community contacts and social media. We will also promote the activities through our website and facebook pages.
4. We expect to increase participation both between members within the shed and also with the Heart of Newhaven, the local community in Newhaven and the broader communities in Leith. We will measure success by numbers participating and satisfaction surveys.

For background information: https://leithmensshed.org, https://www.facebook.com/TheMenOfLeithMensShed

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Dunedin Fencing Club
Fencing for Ukrainians Project

Amount requested: £4972

Qualifies for boost vote

1. Over three years since Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees are still struggling. New refugees are still arriving and those that are here face multiple additional stressors in their lives. These include difficulty finding work, retraining as Ukrainian qualifications are often not valid in the UK and finding affordable accommodation.When we spoke to Ukrainian refugees they told us about their struggles to form new friendships in Edinburgh, contributing to poor wellbeing. The challenges they faced included finding accessible spaces, cultural differences in communication, and difficulty joining existing local friendship groups, all of which are additional barriers to forming new relationships here.Many Ukrainians are trying to build lives here and hope to stay long term and our project aims to be part of the picture of helping them establish themselves within the local community. For Ukrainians that plan to return to Ukraine, this project aims to build the foundation for a lasting international community of fencers between Ukraine and Scotland.
2. We already ran a taster session which received positive feedback. The next step will be to run a free 8-week introduction to fencing for the Ukrainian refugee community to allow participants to connect with other Ukrainians. Lastly we will establish a low cost ongoing class that brings in locals to fence and create cross community connections. Though fencing lends itself to a multilingual class, as the rules are simple to explain and translate in advance, we will have volunteer translators at our classes to remove any language barriers.To develop the long-term independence of this class, we will provide a leadership opportunity to a member of the group to train as coach. They will be supported by our community coaches who specialise in community engagement and joined our coaching team through similar projects for Women & Girls and LGBTQIA+ community. The end goal is to have a class run by Ukrainians for Ukrainians.
3. The funding will be used to pay for a hall, coaches to run the session, volunteer expenses, training for a Ukrainian coach and time for someone to connect with partner organisations and manage the project.
4. We will connect with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Ukrainian churches, the Ukrainian Society at the University of Edinburgh and other online and in person Ukrainian social networks to deliver the project.
5. We aim to connect with approximately 25 Ukrainians through the project with the goal of improving their, connection to the community, physical health and wellbeing. Session attendance will be monitored via registers, which will confirm unique attendees and total attendance through the course.Participants will complete an end of course survey to assess any changes in physical health, confidence, anxiety, community connection through the course.For background information: https://dunedinfencingclub.square.site, https://www.instagram.com/dunedinfencing

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Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council
Efficient and Healthy Cooking

Amount requested: £5000

Qualifies for boost vote

We are applying for this funding to deliver ‘Efficient & Healthy Cooking’ program to support migrant and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) residents in Leith.

The ‘Efficient and Healthy Cooking’ program brings together women from minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as migrants and refugees, to provide them with an educational and practical course that covers the following topics:

1. Efficiency and sustainability in meal preparation for families
2. Maintaining health and nutrition without compromise
3. Sourcing ingredients efficiently
4. Shopping for food with efficiency and sustainability in mind
5. Practicing efficient and sustainable recipes and cooking methods
6. Learning about food waste elimination and leftover management

The sessions will be held once a week, with each session lasting approximately four hours. We will schedule the sessions to accommodate participants’ school drop-off and pick-up times for their children. Each session will consist of one hour of theory, one hour of shopping and resourcing, and two hours of practical kitchen and dining time. A sessional worker will instruct and lead the group.

We plan to hire an educational kitchen for this purpose. This project will be managed by Open Arms project, which means the management and admin costs will be covered by us.

We intend to use the grant for facilitation, venue hire, groceries, and photocopying (certificates, handouts, etc).

For background information: https://www.elrec.org.uk, https://www.instagram.com/elrecuk, https://x.com/ELRECUK, https://www.facebook.com/ELRECUK

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The Junction
Beyond Our Doors

Amount requested: £1100

Beyond Our Doors will provide one-to-one mental health support for young people in Leith, offering flexible services beyond our youth space on Great Junction Street. This project will reach those most in need by delivering support in alternative venues, online, and through outdoor ‘walk and talk’ sessions during summer months.

Why This Service Is Needed

Young people across Scotland are facing a mental health crisis. In Leith, we are supporting high numbers of young people experiencing poor mental health, low mood, and suicidal thoughts.

Evidence shows that young people from the lowest income households are among the most likely to experience poor mental health. NHS mental health services have long waiting lists, leaving many without timely support.

Barriers such as anxiety, disability, and fear of violence or bullying often prevent young people from accessing traditional services. Beyond Our Doors removes these barriers by offering flexible, accessible options tailored to individual needs.

What We Will Do

• Develop promotional materials to raise awareness of The Junction’s flexible services.
• Distribute resources across Leith venues and partner networks to reach young people who need support the most.
• Deliver one-to-one mental health support in alternative venues, online, and outdoors through ‘walk n talks’.

Community & Youth Involvement

Our Junction Youth Advisors will act as a sounding board for project development, ensuring young people’s voices shape the service. All support will be based on individual needs, valuing their experiences and feedback.

Alignment with Local Plans

This project aligns with the North East Edinburgh Improvement Plan:

• Theme 1: Provide targeted support and early interventions for young people and families most in need.
• Theme 2: Enable access to health and wellbeing opportunities for vulnerable people and those in poverty.

How We Will Promote the Service

• Through street outreach and distribution of flyers in local spaces.
• Social media highlighting the service young people and families.
• Collaboration with local partners and venues across Leith.

Expected Impact & Targets

Overall, as a result of the promotional resources there will be increased awareness of flexible mental health support services in Leith and barriers to accessing support will be reduced.

The delivery of support services following promotion will result in:

• Young people will have Improved mental health and wellbeing
• Develop new skills and coping mechanisms
• Understand how to put harm reduction into place

Your support will help us reach young people who need us most. Together, we can ensure no young person in Leith faces mental health challenges alone.

For background information: https://the-junction.org, https://www.instagram.com/thejunctionyp, https://www.facebook.com/TheJunctionEdinburgh

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Edinburgh Community Food
Tasty Tales of Leith

Amount requested: £5000

Tasty Tales of Leith makes food a joyful bridge between generations by sharing stories, celebrating heritage and inspiring healthier, more connected communities. Led by Edinburgh Community Food (ECF) in partnership with the Pilmeny Development Project (PDP), the project brings together older residents, families and youth volunteers to share food, memories and traditions while promoting wellbeing.

Across 12 workshops, Mrs Mash, our food storyteller, will arrive in ECF’s tuk-tuk filled with fresh ingredients and a warm smile. Participants will explore the tastes and memories that shaped their lives, learning about healthy habits while building connection.

Each session will end with illustrated postcards capturing shared stories and reflections. The project will conclude with a joyful harvest celebration & local exhibition. After the collection will be digitised into a ‘Tasty Tales of Leith Scrapbook’, a living record of Leith’s voices, memories and food heritage.

Leith is vibrant and diverse, but not everyone feels they have a seat at the table. Many older residents eat alone, and nearly one in three children experience food poverty (Scottish Government). Older people also face major health inequalities; 97% lack vitamin D, 93% lack fibre and 40% lack enough protein (Scottish Health Survey). As a society we are becoming more isolated, and chances to connect across generations are fading.

Tasty Tales of Leith creates joyful spaces where people come together around food to build confidence, connection and wellbeing. It aligns with Ending Poverty in Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Partnership

Community Plan and Thrive Edinburgh, which champion dignity, inclusion and wellbeing as foundations of a fairer city.

Funds will cover staff time, youth volunteer coordination, food and sensory ingredients, creative materials, community spaces, tuk-tuk running costs and the final celebration costs.

ECF brings expertise in dignified food access and nutrition, while PDP offers deep experience in intergenerational community work. Activities will be facilitated by Mrs Mash and supported by a Senior Support Worker (PDP) and a Food and Health Development Officer (ECF).

We will promote through markets, networks, community hubs and social media. All sessions will be free, welcoming and accessible, with funds to support barriers such as travel or mobility.

Expected outcomes

• 400–600 residents take part across sessions and events
• 100% of participants gain knowledge of healthy eating and oral health
• 25 youth volunteers build confidence, teamwork and leadership skills
• 120 postcards and a digital scrapbook capture and share Leith’s stories
• Older residents feel more connected and valued
• Leith’s heritage, pride and intergenerational understanding are strengthened

We will gather feedback, attendance data, photos and postcards as creative evaluation tools. The final celebration and digital scrapbook will showcase impact and bring partners together to reflect.

For background information: https://www.edinburghcommunityfood.org.uk, https://www.instagram.com/edincomfood, https://www.facebook.com/EdinComFood

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Teens+ (Capella Charity)
Creative Connections – A Teens+ Art and Wellbeing Project in Leith

Amount requested: £5000

Qualifies for boost vote

Hello Leith!

We’re Teens+, a local learning service supporting young adults with learning disabilities and autism to reach their potential. We’re based right here on McDonald Road, and we’d love your support for our new inclusive art project, Creative Connections.

Why this project is needed

Art is a powerful way to express yourself, build confidence, and connect with others. Many of our students experience barriers to community participation, so this project will help them feel proud, visible, and included in the heart of Leith. It also supports the ‘Wellbeing in Leith’ goal by promoting creativity, friendship, and positive mental health for everyone involved.

What we would like to do

If we were lucky enough to get funding our students, we would run an art project in association with Artlink. We’ll host regular art workshops at our McDonald Road centre, run by our staff and guest artists. Once the pieces are finished, we’ll hold a community art exhibition and auction in partnership with our neighbours at McDonald Road Fire Station. Everyone will be invited to see the artwork and celebrate the creativity of our young people.

How we’ll spend the grant

The funding will cover an 8-session program through Artlink, materials, specialist art workshops, printing posters and leaflets to invite the community and costs for our auction evening. Any funds raised through the auction will be shared with the Fire Station.

Who we’ll work with

We’re delighted to collaborate with Artlink and Leith Fire Station.

How we’ll encourage participation

We’ll invite neighbours, families, and local groups to our final exhibition and some drop in events during the project. We will promote this through posters, social media, and local networks, encouraging everyone to drop in, meet our students, and see what wellbeing in Leith looks like through their eyes.

Outcomes and how we’ll measure success

• More community connections and understanding between Teens+ students and local residents.
• Increased confidence and wellbeing for our students through creative expression.
• Community engagement measured by attendance at events and participation in the auction.
• Positive feedback from participants, partners, and visitors.

By coming together through art, we’ll celebrate creativity, inclusion, and wellbeing right here in Leith.

For background information: https://teensplus.org.uk, https://www.facebook.com/teensplusscot, https://www.linkedin.com/company/teensplusscot, https://www.instagram.com/teensplusscot

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Creative Arts Therapies Space
Queerly Embodied: Movement for Connection and Well-being

Amount requested: £3510

A drop in – donation based – creative, queer, body-positive movement group bringing people in Leith together to move, breathe and reconnect, building confidence, connection and community wellbeing.

Leith is full of creative, caring people, yet many of us experience stress, disconnection or loneliness, especially when affordable and welcoming wellbeing spaces are limited. Queerly Embodied is supported by Creative Arts Therapies Space (CATS) and led by a qualified movement psychotherapist. The sessions will take place in a community venue in Leith, creating an open, welcoming environment beyond the CATS building.

This is a body-positive, creative wellbeing space for LGBTQ+ adults and allies, open to anyone who believes that connection, creativity and movement can strengthen mental health and community life. Each session will include gentle, grounding practices accessible to all bodies and abilities, led by a qualified movement psychotherapist and co-facilitator, both PVG checked.

The sessions aim to reduce stress, build confidence and improve body awareness, helping participants feel more comfortable in themselves and connected to others. When people have safe, inclusive spaces to come together, everyone benefits as loneliness lessens, understanding grows and community bonds deepen.

The group will be drop-in and donation based (£2 suggested) so that no one is excluded by cost.

Donations will feed a solidarity fund to help cover transport or childcare, keeping the project accessible. We are exploring local venues such as Tidal Yoga, Out of the Blue Drill Hall and Change Mental Health, all community spaces at the heart of Leith.

Pilot workshops with LGBT Health and Wellbeing and Queer Yoga Edinburgh showed strong community interest and clear benefits. Participants said:

‘I feel calmer, safer and more grounded in my body.’

‘It was great to move without judgement, it made me feel more like myself.’

We will track impact using simple weekly check-ins and participant reflections to measure changes in wellbeing, confidence and connection. Promotion will take place through local networks, flyers and social media, encouraging wide participation across Leith.

At a time when many face increased stress and reduced access to mental health support, Queerly Embodied offers a preventative, creative and community-led approach to wellbeing.

Developed in partnership with Creative Arts Therapies Space (CATS), a Leith-based therapist-led social enterprise, this project supports the Leith Locality Improvement Plan and the City of Edinburgh Council’s goal to make our city a welcoming, inclusive and healthy place to live and work.

Created by Queer Leithers for Queer Leithers, this project offers care, connection, and community, one movement at a time.

For background information: https://www.creativeartstherapiesspace.org, https://www.instagram.com/thecreativeartstherapiesspace, https://www.facebook.com/p/Creative-Arts-Therapies-Space-CIC-61564837386724

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Norinemindeyes Culture Connect Incorporated
Beats & Roots (cultural connections)

Amount requested: £4000

Qualifies for boost vote

Beats & Roots is a vibrant community wellbeing project by Norinemindeyes Culture Connect Incorporated Charity, designed to unite children, young people, and families in Leith through the power of music, movement, and cultural learning. The project promotes mental health, confidence, and community connection through creative, interactive workshops that celebrate African heritage and diversity within Edinburgh.

Over a period of five months, the project will deliver fortnightly African drumming and dance sessions, two natural haircare workshops for children and parents, and cultural cooking classes led by community facilitators and Cushite Beauty. Each activity will offer a welcoming, joyful environment where families can express themselves, build skills, and strengthen relationships.

The drumming and dance sessions will teach rhythm, teamwork, and mindfulness through traditional African percussion and movement. Participants will learn to use rhythm as a tool for emotional release, physical fitness, and community bonding. Alongside the sessions, the Afro and mixed-race haircare workshops will empower families to embrace identity and confidence, addressing challenges often faced by Black and mixed-race children regarding hair discrimination and self-esteem. Facilitated by professionals from Cushite Beauty, these workshops will provide practical skills in hair maintenance while promoting pride in cultural heritage.

Complementing these creative sessions, the cultural cooking classes will bring families together to learn affordable, healthy recipes from Scottish and ethnic minority cuisines. Cooking and sharing food will act as a bridge between cultures, encouraging understanding and unity while addressing wellbeing through nutrition and connection.

Beats & Roots will specifically reach families from African, Caribbean, and other minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as neurodivergent and disabled children, and families facing financial hardship. The activities are free and accessible, reducing barriers to participation for those affected by poverty or housing insecurity.

The project’s expected outcomes include improved emotional wellbeing, physical health, and selfconfidence, particularly among children aged 6–17.

Parents and carers will benefit from stress reduction, increased social connection, and positive engagement with other families. Collectively, the project will build a stronger sense of belonging and shared identity in Leith’s diverse community.

At its heart, Beats & Roots is about celebrating culture and creating wellbeing through joy. Each beat of the drum and every shared meal helps families reconnect with their roots, develop new skills, & strengthen community ties. The final stage of the project will be a Community Showcase Day, where participants perform and share what they’ve learned through music, dance, and storytelling – reinforcing confidence and collective pride.

For background information: https://norinemindeyescultureconnect.com, https://www.instagram.com/norinecultureconnect, https://www.facebook.com/norinecultureconnect

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Broughton Primary School Parent Council
Rain Ready Schools – Adapting Broughton Primary School to improve rain resilience in a changing climate

Amount requested: £4990

Our changing climate has a direct impact on all of us, but in particular our children. Our kids will grow up to experience hotter, dryer summers like the one have had this year, and periods of increasingly intense rainfall and flooding risk. Understanding climate change and how we can adapt is something that Broughton Primary School are actively teaching. This project is an extension of this STEM learning, anchoring it in real life practical application.

Rain Ready Schools is a project that seeks to implement a phased series of projects based in the grounds of Broughton Primary School that address the increasingly likely climate risks of drought and floods, raising awareness and improving resilience through the application of practical solutions.

The project plans to install Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) planters in the playground at Broughton Primary to help manage rainwater, reduce current and future local flooding risks, and create a greener, more resilient space for the wellbeing of our children and the school community. Unlike standard planters, SuDS planters are engineered to capture and slow down rainwater from surfaces like roofs, slowing the flow into drains and storing water during heavy rainfall, providing both environmental resilience and community benefit. This means each planter has a dual function:

Climate adaptation: helping reduce local flood risk and easing pressure on Leith’s drains during heavy rainfall; whilst providing a water source for the playground garden.

Biodiversity gain: supporting pollinator-friendly planting, adding greenery to a hard-surfaced playground.

Educational value: providing hands-on outdoor learning about climate change, water systems, and ecology for pupils.

The planters will be planted with pollinator-friendly flowers and shrubs chosen by the children through planned school engagement workshops. This creates opportunities for outdoor learning, linking with the curriculum on climate, nature, wellbeing and sustainability. Pupils will gain hands-on experience of how natural solutions can tackle environmental challenges, fostering awareness and pride in caring for their local environment.

We plan to install planters in the final term of 2025/2026 school year. During the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 school years a group of parents will work with the school’s teachers and children across a number of year groups to hold workshops to build an understanding of the water cycle and how this is being impacted by changes to our climate, with a focus on practical solutions for adaptation, improving biodiversity (including seed planting in the planters) and understanding what positive action can be taken.

We aim to install a minimum of two SuDS planters in accessible areas of the playground. Planters will be fitted with interactive features to support further engagement with them as part of the ongoing teaching curriculum, including taps to enable watering of the playground garden.

For background information: https://broughtonprimary.org, https://www.instagram.com/bpsparentcouncil

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Mustard Seed Edinburgh
Roots and Routes: Conversations on Easter Road

Amount requested: £5000

Qualifies for boost vote

Background

• Scotland has a long history of welcoming New Scots, enabling people escaping from conflict to build new, flourishing lives. The First Key Principle of the Government’s New Scot Integration Strategy is that ‘New Scots live in safe, welcoming, inclusive communities, where everyone’s dignity is respected and everyone is able to build diverse relationships and healthy intercultural bonds.’
• Global tensions, poverty and exclusion, and the housing crisis in Edinburgh threaten to undermine this welcoming ethos. We will create nurturing spaces for the sharing stories from New Scots and Easter Road neighbours. Reciprocal storytelling stimulates curiosity and empathy – this will contribute towards keeping our vibrant community welcoming, cohesive and creative.
• Leith has experienced significant demographic change in the last few years: long-established locals have new neighbours from diverse ethnic backgrounds, recent migrants, students, and young professionals. There are few opportunities and contexts in which people can meet one another and build trust.
• There is a well-documented loneliness epidemic in the UK (85% of all adults have experienced loneliness in the previous 12 months; 44% are chronically lonely), with young people (16-24) experiencing the most loneliness. We need more spaces for conversation and connection.

Activities

• Conversation One: Roots (May 2026) – Participants will share stories on the themes of home, belonging, common humanity.
• Conversation Two: Routes (July 2026)– Participants will share stories of journeys and/or change.
• Celebration (September 2026) – Learning about Queen Margaret of Scotland who embodies both roots and routes, and responding via sharing and art.

The conversations will take place at St. Margaret’s Church, Easter Road.

Budget

• Food: £1,000
• Salaries (10 hours per week for 6 months): £4,437
• Publicity: £200
• Storyteller fee: £100

Total: £5,837

Partners and Participation

The project will be shaped by the participation of those connected with the Mustard Seed English

Conversation Café. Partners will include community organisations, churches and other faith organisations, and the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Catering will be sourced from a New Scot-run business.

Promotion

• Invitations at the Conversation Café and other Mustard Seed activities
• Promotion at church services and a banner outside the building—strategically located at the heart of the community and often drawing neighbours and curious visitors
• Invitation to New Scot Communities
• Social media

Outcomes

• Three community conversations
• Involving New Scots and Easter Road neighbours in the shaping of the conversations and gatherings to provide a sense of ownership.
• Inviting people to be part of a longer-term project TBD

Measurements

• Participation in numbers, frequency and diversity
• Documentation of stories of roots and routes and making them available to a wider audience
• Emerging ideas for longer term initiatives.

For background information: https://www.mustardseededinburgh.org, https://www.instagram.com/mustardseededinburgh

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Leith Community Growers
Dùthchas – Growing an Orchard for the People

Amount requested: £4907

Hello, Leith!

Building on the vibrant community spirit you helped create at the Leith Links Orchard, we’re excited to bring a new chapter of Dùthchas to life, focused directly on your well-being. We’ve been busy transforming the orchard into a dedicated sanctuary for our community’s mental, physical, and social health.

We all know how easy it is to feel isolated or overwhelmed, and the Dùthchas Well-being Project is our collective answer, a place to de-stress, connect, and find joy in nature, right on your doorstep.

Starting in Spring 2026, the orchard will buzz with regular activities designed to nurture and restore. Join us for our core Well-being Gardening Sessions, where the simple, therapeutic act of growing food and flowers together becomes a powerful tool for connection. We will launch our Mindful Nature Connection Workshops Series, with seasonal sessions on foraging, creating herbal remedies, and sensory nature connection, all designed to reduce stress and quiet anxiety and to foster the social bonds that are so essential to our collective well-being.

With your support, the Leith Chooses grant will enable both the delivery of tailored wellbeing activities and learning opportunities, and vital physical improvements to the orchard as a wellbeing hub. A significant portion of the grant will fund regular activities, workshops and events for the community, allowing us to bring in experienced facilitators and cover material costs of these events. The rest of the grant will make it possible for us to respond to participant feedback and environmental challenges.

We will install an extended rainwater capture system and a larger water tank to respond to issues with drought periods and lack of access to water. Our soil bay will be improved for human and dog safety and aesthetic appeal. The funding will also provide new tools for our volunteers, and crucially, it will power our community events with a generator and support participants with warm drinks through an outdoor kettle.

We will spread the word across Leith through local networks, social media, and posters, ensuring everyone knows they are welcome. Our success will be measured in the smiles and stories shared, the new friendships formed, and the tangible improvement in our community’s spirit. By voting for Dùthchas, you are not just funding a community garden; you are investing in a greener, healthier, and more resilient Leith.

Let’s continue to grow well-being, together.

For background information: https://www.instagram.com/leithcommunitygrowers, https://linktr.ee/leithcommunitygrowers

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Kin Collective Family Wellbeing
Kin Begins: Community Wellbeing Pregnancy Support

Amount requested: £5000

Pregnancy can be an exciting time, but also lonely and overwhelming. Many families tell us they struggle with anxiety, isolation, low mood and a lack of support during this big life change.

Kin Begins is a new community wellbeing project that supports mental health and wellbeing in pregnancy, and continues into parenthood and life with a new baby. It offers a space to learn, connect, share, and build confidence through wellbeing activities, creative sessions and practical support – helping expectant mums to feel calmer and part of a caring community.

This project is centred around early intervention and prevention to reduce pre and postnatal mental health challenges and to support bonding, attachment and in turn infant mental health and wellbeing. This project complements existing NHS and third sector services by providing early relational support and improving wellbeing outcomes. We will work with our local NHS and third sector partners to ensure our project is open to parents in need, and reach mothers who may face barriers to attending.

Each group combines antenatal sessions during pregnancy which offers small group mental health and wellbeing support focused on preparing emotionally for parenthood. This is combined with follow-up postnatal sessions where mothers return with their babies to reconnect and share experiences. This will provide vital continuity and connection in early parenthood, reducing loneliness and improving perinatal mental health.

Sessions will take place in our Family Wellbeing Hub in Leith and are led by experienced perinatal wellbeing practitioners, with support from peer volunteers who have been through similar journeys. We would use funding to cover facilitation within our hub alongside creative materials and refreshments. We’ll also include a small ‘community care bundle’ for each participant, using local and reused items, to encourage sharing and care.

Kin Begins will build connection and confidence at a vital time of change, helping mothers feel less alone and more supported in our community. We’ll measure our impact through participant feedback, wellbeing check-ins and stories of how the connections continue beyond the sessions.

By funding this project, you’ll help new parents in Leith feel part of something bigger – cared for, connected and ready to thrive.

For background information: https://kincollective.org, https://www.instagram.com/kincollectivecic, https://www.facebook.com/kincollectivecic

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Tiny Changes
Leith Makes Worry Monsters

Amount requested: £2762

Everyone in Leith deserves great mental health, but getting support isn’t easy and lots of us are feeling lonely, anxious or low. We’ve got an idea to bring people of different ages together, in our local libraries and cafes, to feel more connected and improve mental wellbeing. We’d like to run free drop-in sessions at McDonald Road Library, Leith Library and cafes for Leithers to knit, crochet and craft ‘Worry Monsters’ for local children.

Help young minds feel better

Thanks to an idea from 9-year old tiny change maker CC, we co-designed with local children and Leith creative agency S+Co a new playground ‘mental wellbeing cabin’ for Leith Walk Primary School. One of our young project leaders will teach an imaginary ‘worry monsters’ storytelling and self regulation technique at the cabin: how to untangle worries and make friends with the monster. This gave us an idea to invite people across Leith to create *actual* worry monsters the children can take home from our cabin workshops to keep calming their nervous system and feel better.

Together, we’ll make tiny changes to Leith

We’d spend the money on craft workshops and a free exhibition so everyone in Leith can see all the monsters and the difference this made. We hope this project alleviates the effects of tough things like loss or financial stress and feelings of isolation, stress, anger or anxiety. We’d like every person who joins a craft workshop to feel seen, heard and better connected to their community in Leith. This project will help young minds feel better, with each child that takes home a worry monster comforted and supported by their local community.

For background information: https://tinychanges.com, https://www.instagram.com/tinychanges

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Leith Primary Parent Council
Play Together Leith – Building well-being on the Links

Amount requested: £5000

Leith Primary School sits at the vibrant heart of one of Edinburgh’s most diverse areas. Our families come from across the world, with many languages spoken in our school, reflecting the rich multicultural life of Leith. At Leith Primary, just over half of our pupils speak English as an additional language, bringing a wealth of culture, creativity, and global perspective to our community. This diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and shared outdoor spaces like Leith Links help us come together, connect, and celebrate what makes our community unique.

Why Leith Links matters

As Leith continues to grow, so does the need for safe, inclusive outdoor spaces that support the well-being of everyone who lives here. Outdoor play is proven to boost physical health, mental well-being, and social development. For many families living in flats or limited housing, Leith Links is a vital shared green space; a place where children make friends, parents connect, and neighbours from all backgrounds come together, strengthening the fabric of our community.

Our project

Play Together Leith – Building Well-being on the Links will create a new and distinct addition to the existing Trim Trail, originally funded by Leith Chooses in 2018. While the current equipment focuses on balance and coordination, this new phase introduces monkey bars and climbing challenges designed to build upper-body strength, teamwork, and imaginative play. Situated directly in front of Leith Primary School, the play area is a well-loved community space used by pupils and families throughout the day. For pupils, it provides a warm and welcoming start to the morning – a place to connect with friends and prepare for learning. During the school day, it supports outdoor play, physical development, and active learning. After school and at weekends, it becomes a space for children and families to unwind, socialise, and build friendships across age groups. This natural rhythm of daily use makes the play area an important part of local life. The new equipment will make it even more engaging for a wider range of ages and abilities, creating opportunities for confidence, cooperation, and a sense of belonging through active, imaginative play; all essential to well-being and inclusion.

Why this project matters

Families, teachers, and community partners consistently tell us how important outdoor play is for children’s happiness, confidence, and health. Staff at Leith Primary see firsthand how shared play helps pupils from diverse cultural and language backgrounds communicate, form friendships, and thrive. By expanding this shared space, we are investing in the physical, emotional, and social well-being of our whole community; children, families, and neighbours alike.

Delivery and partnerships

If funded, the Leith Primary Parent Council will work with the City of Edinburgh Council Parks Team, Central Leith After School Provision (CLASP), and Scotplay to finalise design and safety plans in Spring 2025, with installation completed by Summer 2025. Funding will cover the purchase and installation of the new play equipment and safety surfacing, while additional costs such as signage, promotion, and a community launch event will be met by the Parent Council.

Outcomes and measurement

Success will be measured through increased use of the play area, positive community feedback, and participation from children and families. The project will enhance physical fitness, emotional well-being, and community cohesion, aligning perfectly with this year’s theme: Well-being in Leith.

Play Together Leith – Building Well-being on the Links celebrates diversity, friendship, and shared well-being, nurturing body, mind, and community spirit at the heart of Leith.

For background information: https://leithprimary.org.uk/lppc-leith-primary-parent-council, https://www.facebook.com/leithprimarypc

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