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Snow-covered rooftops in Edinburgh with Arthur’s Seat in the background on a winter day.

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Edinburgh Braced for Colder Week as Snow Showers Forecast

Edinburgh is expected to see a colder spell over the coming days, with weather forecasts pointing to the possibility of snow showers later in the week.

Temperatures are set to dip across the city, particularly overnight, increasing the risk of icy conditions during early mornings and evenings.

While significant snowfall is not guaranteed, lighter snow and sleet are possible during colder periods, especially in more exposed areas.

Conditions can change quickly during winter cold snaps, with forecasts often shifting day to day.

What to Be Aware of Locally

While Edinburgh is well used to short winter cold spells, residents may want to keep an eye on a few familiar pressure points if temperatures fall:

  • Early-morning travel: Icy patches can form quickly on untreated pavements and quieter residential streets.
  • Higher ground: Areas around Pentland Hills, Blackford Hill, and Arthur’s Seat often see wintry conditions first.
  • Public transport: Cold snaps can occasionally lead to minor delays, particularly during the first services of the day.
  • Pedestrian routes: Steps, bridges, and shaded paths tend to become slippery before main roads.

City services typically prioritise major routes during colder weather, with conditions improving as temperatures rise later in the day.

Edinburgh usually sees these wintry spells pass quickly, but residents are advised to stay aware of changing conditions as the week progresses.

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Edinburgh Castle lit up during the Tour de France 2027 countdown launch

CommunityCultureEventsHealthNewsSportTourismTravel

Edinburgh Castle Lights Up as Tour de France 2027 Countdown Begins

Tour de France organisers officially launched the countdown to the 2027 Grand Départ on Thursday evening, with a yellow beam of light illuminating the sky above Edinburgh Castle.

The light display formed part of a coordinated “Tour de Skies” moment across the UK, with similar illuminations taking place in nine other host towns and cities in England and Wales.

The event marked the release of the full route for the 2027 race, which will begin in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh to Host the Opening Stage

The men’s Tour de France will start in Edinburgh on 2 July 2027, with riders heading south through Midlothian, the Scottish Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway before crossing into England and finishing in Carlisle, outside the city’s castle.

The opening stage will include a single categorised climb on the Côte de Melrose in the Eildon Hills, giving Scottish terrain a prominent role on the first day of racing.

After leaving Scotland, the race will continue through Keswick, Liverpool, Welshpool, and conclude the UK leg in Cardiff.

A Rare Double Grand Départ

In a first for the event outside France, both the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will begin in the UK in 2027.

The women’s race will start in Leeds on 30 July 2027, travelling through Manchester and Sheffield before finishing with a final stage in London on 1 August.

Further details on the London stage are expected to be confirmed at a later date.

What It Means for Edinburgh and Scotland

Race Director Christian Prudhomme described Edinburgh as one of his favourite European cities, highlighting its landscape and atmosphere as key reasons for selecting the capital as a starting point.

Scottish leaders have pointed to the event’s wider impact, including international exposure, economic benefits, and the opportunity to showcase towns and landscapes beyond Edinburgh itself. Communities such as Newtongrange, Galashiels, and Canonbie are set to feature along the route.

Volunteers and Social Impact

Organisers also confirmed that British Cycling will recruit more than 7,000 volunteers to help deliver the Grand Départ across the UK.

Alongside the race, a new social impact programme called Joy will be rolled out, focusing on tackling inactivity, improving mental wellbeing, supporting communities, and encouraging greater participation in cycling, particularly among young people and women.

More information on volunteering and community programmes is expected when the scheme launches later this year.

References

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Edinburgh homelessness

CommunityEducationHealthNews

Edinburgh Launches New Homelessness-Prevention Pilot

A major new initiative aimed at preventing people from becoming homeless has been approved for Edinburgh, after the City of Edinburgh Council and local partners secured funding from the Scottish Government.

The pilot — called the System Wide Approach to Prevention (SWAP) – “Ask and Act” — will run in Wester Hailes and focus on stepping in much earlier to help people at risk of losing their home. The idea is simple but powerful: ask about someone’s housing situation, act quickly, and offer coordinated support before they reach crisis point.

The scheme is directly linked to the newly passed Housing (Scotland) Act 2025, which places a legal duty on public bodies to spot early warning signs and take action to prevent homelessness.

Across Scotland, 15 projects are sharing £4 million from the Homelessness Prevention Pilot Fund, managed by Advice Direct Scotland. Edinburgh has secured just over £600,000 of this pot — a strong endorsement of the city’s proposal.

A new multi-agency team will now be created, bringing together staff from the Council, NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, Prospect Community Housing, Social Security Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service and Crisis.

These partners will embed the “Ask and Act” approach into everyday services across Wester Hailes, giving residents a single point of contact for fast, joined-up support.

The aim is to identify issues early — whether financial pressure, health concerns, or instability at home — and offer practical help that keeps people in their accommodation.

Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, welcomed the news, saying the funding will boost efforts to tackle Edinburgh’s ongoing housing emergency.

He noted that the city’s prevention services supported 2,622 households last year as part of its Local Housing Strategy.

Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said the Scottish Government is determined to end homelessness by preventing it: “This investment will help us test and scale up innovative approaches to help people stay in their homes.”

Further details on rollout, neighbourhood engagement, and support options are expected in the coming weeks.

📄 More info here: edinburgh.gov.uk
📍 City of Edinburgh Council, Waverley Court, 4 East Market St, Edinburgh EH8 8BG

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Arthurs Seat Walk in Edinburgh

HealthNews

Arthur’s Seat Named One of the UK’s Best Winter Walks

If you’re looking for a reason to lace up your boots this winter, Arthur’s Seat has just been named one of the UK’s best winter walking routes by VisitScotland.

The ancient volcano, which rises 251 metres above the city, topped the list for its panoramic views, easy accessibility, and dramatic seasonal colours.

The report praised Arthur’s Seat for offering “a sense of wilderness in the heart of a capital city,” with paths that suit everyone from casual strollers to serious hikers.

VisitScotland also highlighted nearby walking spots like Calton Hill and Holyrood Park as perfect companions to a chilly afternoon walk — ideally rounded off with a coffee from one of the nearby cafés in Abbeyhill or the Royal Mile.

Locals are reminded to dress warm and check weather conditions before heading up, as the winds can be bracing at the summit in December.

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Parkinson’s UK offers new activity grants in Edinburgh and East Lothian

CommunityCultureEducationHealthSport

Parkinson’s UK New Activity Grants in Edinburgh & East Lothian

Parkinson’s UK has launched a new physical activity grants programme for marginalised communities across the UK to help more people living with the condition to get active. 

The pilot grants programme will run from Monday 2 June to Sunday 10 August 2025. It will run in conjunction with the charity’s established physical activity grants programme, which has been delivering funding of up to £3,000 for exercise professionals and local Parkinson’s groups since 2021. 

In that time, more than £700,000 has been delivered and more than 200 physical activity projects have benefitted from the funding.   

The grants for marginalised communities aim to deliver more innovative exercise, wellbeing, and physical activity projects in targeted areas across the UK. They will also offer more opportunities for those in these communities to shape the future delivery and development of the Physical Activity Grants programme. 

Funding of up to £3,000 is available for any of the following social groups affected by Parkinson’s: 

  • Global majority (including all those who are previously categorised as ethnic minorities)
  • People with other disabilities, be it a physical, neurodiverse or hidden disability
  • People from a low socio-economic background
  • People from the LGBTQIA+ community 
  • People from Refugee, Asylum Seeker & Migrant communities
  • Women 

The following community groups and organisations that support the Parkinson’s community are also eligible to apply: 

  • Community-based not for profit organisations (including charities, CICs, and constituted community groups, excluding Parkinson’s UK Local groups/branches) 
  • Community Amateur Sports clubs (CASCs) 
  • Community benefit societies and Co-operatives 
  • Social Enterprises

Funding can be offered for exercise classes, consultation with the Parkinson’s community and towards engagement events. 

Applicants will need to complete a brief project description and discuss their ideas with local Parkinson’s UK staff and area managers. Once they have spoken with a local Parkinson’s UK representative, applicants will be invited to complete an application form.

Selected locations across the UK are now eligible to receive funding if they work with Parkinson’s communities from marginalised groups. 

A full list of these locations can be found by visiting the Parkinson’s UK grants for marginalised communities page. 

Roma Hashim, Physical Activity Grants Manager at Parkinson’s UK, said:  

“We’re really excited about launching the Physical Activity Grants for Marginalised Communities pilot programme this year. The Physical Activity Grants Programme was established to support the Parkinson’s community and the leisure industry to develop and deliver opportunities to be active at a local and regional level. 

“However, we’ve since recognised that there is an increasing number of people from marginalised communities getting a Parkinson’s diagnosis who have limited access to support groups or programmes. 

“Every grant aims to support people with Parkinson’s from marginalised communities to engage in physical activity, to improve their wellbeing. Their insights will also help us understand their needs and shape the future development of exercise and physical activity from Parkinson’s UK.”

For more information about the pilot grants programme for marginalised communities, contact physicalactivity@parkinsons.org.uk or visit www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/physical-activity-grants-marginalised-communities 

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Public Health Crisis Roundtable Team

CommunityHealth

Scotland is Facing a Public Health Crisis

Meet the Campaigners Hoping to Create a Safer Future

In recent years, there has been a massive increase in non-healthcare professionals offering medical treatments, often using counterfeit medicines and operating from unlicensed premises.

In addition, two new threats have emerged as a result of new English regulation creating a “border hopping” phenomenon. Firstly, non-healthcare providers from England are travelling to Scotland to take advantage of the void in regulation. And secondly, under 18s in England, where it is now illegal to have a procedure, are travelling to Scotland where it is still legal. The consequences of this public health crisis will be catastrophic if action is not taken immediately.

To that end, representatives from the Scottish Medical Aesthetics Safety Group (SMASG), British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM), and British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) met with a cross-party group of MSPs at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 13th June to outline their concerns and call for change. The meeting was a positive and proactive one, with those present expressing their agreement that urgent action is absolutely necessary.

Campaigners at the roundtable event

Here’s the list of campaigners pictured above from left to right.

  • Frances Turner Triall SMASG / BACN
  • Susie McMahon SMASG / BACN
  • Linda Strachan SMASG / BACN
  • Hamish Dobbie SMASG
  • Jacqui Cooney SMASG / BACN
  • Jackie Partridge SMASG / BACN
  • John Elder SMASG / BCAM

Jenni Minto (SNP) Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health agreed that action was urgently required and that a decade had been lost since the government created the Scottish Cosmetic Intervention Expert Group to advise on regulation. Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP) expressed his concern that the lack of regulation was allowing criminal gangs to exploit the situation by selling unregulated and unsafe products that endangered the public. Miles Briggs MSP (Con) voiced his worries that the lack of regulation would enable another blood borne disease scandal created by non-healthcare providers using unhygienic premises and sharing treatment consumables.

He stated, “The lack of regulation is deeply troubling and makes it easy for people to procure unsafe products from unlicensed sources and could be set to get worse in Scotland if it doesn’t follow the example of England, which is moving to correct some of these issues.”

Foysol Choudhury MSP (Lab) asked if there were accurate statistics showing the scale of the problem and was informed there were not, since non-healthcare professionals are not currently regulated and therefore this information was not held by Scottish or UK Governments.

Jenni Minto explained that codes to track NHS treatments for complications from such procedures did not exist – so statistics were unavailable, and the establishment of such codes was not a devolved matter. However, she agreed to engage with her UK counterparts after the general election to resolve the matter. Finally, Katy Clark MSP (Lab) expressed her concern that further consultations and delays would result in regrettable public harm and that interim measures were urgently needed now.

Campaigners left the round-table event feeling hopeful, as Jenni Minto agreed to convene a cross-party group in September, after the Parliamentary recess, to fast track an effective solution. Hamish Dobbie, organiser of the roundtable event said, “Scotland needs action now, even if that requires interim measures. I was delighted with Ms Minto’s suggestion for a cross-party group to get consensus and momentum behind new regulation. A quick win would be to bring Scottish Law into alignment with the rest of the UK and make it illegal to provide and target under 18s in aesthetic procedures.”

Campaigners are adamant that to avoid a major public health crisis, a comprehensive approach is required – including stricter regulations, improved public education, and enhanced enforcement of existing laws. Both the UK and the Scottish Governments have had over a decade to formulate a strategy to combat the crisis which was identified in the Keogh Report published in 2013. Time is running out before unnecessary and wholly preventable loss of life occurs.

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