A transformational mental health hub will open in Edinburgh next year, bringing free, accessible mental health support to anyone in the capital and its surrounding areas.

The Nook, a groundbreaking initiative from SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), will launch on Lothian Road in early spring 2027.

The Nook in Edinburgh will be a flagship service for SAMH, which operates more than 70 services across the country, and is the charity’s response to the national mental health crisis, which sees tens of thousands of people wait too long for the help they need.

Designed to be a welcoming, friendly and accessible space, The Nook operates on a walk-in basis, removing the need to book appointments or receive a referral from a GP.

It will offer non-clinical, stigma-free mental health support for adults, young people and their families, so that anyone can ask once and get help fast with their mental health.

Scotland’s national mental health charity has a unique relationship with the capital, which was home to SAMH’s first ever service, a horticultural project that opened in 1983.

This legacy is continued by longstanding SAMH services including Redhall Walled Garden, based on Lanark Road, and the Hive Activity Centre at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

The choice of location for The Nook, at 142 Lothian Road, will make mental health and wellbeing support available in the heart of the city, and easily accessible to people across Edinburgh and beyond.

David Arbuthnott, 60 from South Queensferry, who attended SAMH’s The Changing Room at Tynecastle Park after experiencing the loss of his sister, said: “Deciding you need help and asking for it can be the most difficult things for people suffering from mental health challenges. Barriers can make people feel like they aren’t worthy of help and that they don’t deserve it, pushing them further away.

“Accessing help easily in Edinburgh, without having to jump through hoops and overcome barriers, will help so many people.”

Shona Littlejohn, Chair of SAMH, said: “The Nook will bring innovative, accessible mental health support to anyone in and around Edinburgh. As I know from experience, mental health challenges can happen to us all and have a devastating impact on individuals, families, communities and workplaces.

“Scotland’s mental health system is in crisis, with too many people failed by long waiting lists and the need for referrals. Change has been too slow, and lives are being lost and blighted. The Nook brings hope, compassion and practical support designed and delivered by Scotland’s leading mental health charity.”

The Nook is the largest mental health charity initiative in Scotland’s history and is funded by SAMH’s first major appeal, which seeks to raise £10 million to revolutionise mental health support across the country. The Scottish Government has also committed to supporting some of The Nook’s operating costs and SAMH is working closely with government officials to clarify the level of support.

June Pennykid, Managing Director at insurance broker Keegan & Pennykid, and a longstanding supporter of SAMH, said: “The Nook is by far the most ambitious undertaking by SAMH in its 103-year history. It is also arguably the most essential one.

“Poor mental health is increasing at a higher rate than any other health condition, including among children and young people. That in itself is reason enough for delivering The Nook throughout Scotland, to ensure that everyone can access the mental health support they need, when they need it.

“As The Nook comes to Edinburgh, I’d urge my fellow business owners to get on board and support the appeal. After all, you never know when you or someone you love might need it.”

This will be the third Nook in Scotland’s first national network of walk-in mental health hubs, with the first Nook opening in Glasgow last year and the second in Aberdeen in June. Last week, it was announced that 10,000 people have already visited the two existing Nooks, demonstrating clear demand and trust in the walk-in model.

Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH, said: “The Nook is the largest charitable mental health initiative in Scotland’s history and we’re thrilled to be able to bring it to Edinburgh. With more than 10,000 people having already visited Nooks in Glasgow and Aberdeen, we already know that The Nook is needed, and that it’s giving people the help they need, fast.

“We hope The Nook will quickly become the go-to place for immediate mental health support in Edinburgh, while working closely with local partners in the mental health system and beyond.”

More information is available on The Nook website.

Five Cities. One Commonwealth. The Future Starts Here.

What happens when you bring emerging leaders from across the Commonwealth together to explore one of the defining questions of our time: how will emerging technology shape the cities of the future? This is not another leadership programme. It is an immersive journey across five cities, bringing emerging leaders face-to-face with the people, places, technologies and ideas shaping our future and giving them the opportunity to shape what comes next.

In 2027, CSCUK will span five UK cities: Oxford, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and London bringing together emerging leaders from across the Commonwealth for an immersive journey of discovery, challenge and collaboration.

This is not a tech conference or a series of events confined to a conference room. It is a journey into the places, ideas and technologies shaping tomorrow.

Across five cities, delegates will experience how emerging technology is changing the way we live, work, move, connect and build communities. They will explore local and cross-Commonwealth projects, meet the people creating change and see innovation in action from community level and cultural life to corporate leadership, policy and government.

They will hear from international thought leaders across technology, business, government, academia, culture and civil society, bringing together perspectives that rarely sit around the same table.

But delegates won’t just listen.  They will question. They will challenge. They will contribute.

Five cities. Five perspectives. One future.

Each city will offer a different lens on the future. Each experience will reveal new possibilities.

Each conversation will challenge delegates to look beyond their own assumptions and consider what ‘shaping the future’ now means for people, communities, organisations and cities.

A Six-Decade Legacy

Founded by Prince Philip in 1956, the Commonwealth Study Conference was built around a powerful idea: bring emerging leaders together, expose them to different perspectives and experiences, and give them the opportunity to explore complex challenges through open dialogue and real-world engagement.

More than 8,000 leaders have taken part since.

Now CSCUK 2027 brings that tradition into the future.

The Big Idea

The journey will fuel The Big Idea.

The Big Idea is not a challenge delegates arrive with. It emerges from the journey.

Working in study groups of ten, delegates will identify real-world challenges inspired by what they have seen, heard and experienced throughout the Study Conference.

They will draw on the projects they encounter, the people they meet, the places they visit and the perspectives they gain across five cities.

Then they will bring those insights together.

Working across cultures, sectors and disciplines, each study group will develop an ambitious, evidence- informed and practical solution to a challenge with relevance to the future of cities and the wider Commonwealth.

The aim is not simply to generate ideas.

It is to create ideas that can become action.

The journey culminates in London, where each group will present its Big Idea before HRH The Princess

Royal and distinguished leaders from across the Commonwealth.

Come curious. Challenge convention. Make connections. Create impact.

CSCUK 2027 is more than a leadership programme.

It is five cities, one extraordinary journey and an opportunity to help shape what comes next for the Commonwealth.

Find out more: https://www.cscuk2027.com

The Edinburgh Visitor Levy comes fully into effect on Friday 24 July, in just under two weeks’ time. The City of Edinburgh Council has prepared the following information, which we’re keen to share amongst our members, particularly those operating in the sector.

Meet the City of Edinburgh Council on-the-ground teams

A new Visitor Levy team has been visiting accommodation providers across the city over the last few weeks, answering questions, helping to explain what businesses need to do and encouraging sign-ups to the submission platform at visitorlevy.scot. This website is where you will submit your levy returns and make your payments. If you haven’t already heard from, or had a visit from a City of Edinburgh Council colleague, you will be hearing from them via email very soon.

Promotional materials to help with your guests

The Council has been preparing a range of promotional materials for you to communicate the introduction of the Visitor Levy to Edinburgh to guests. We know visitors may have questions about the levy, how it works and how the funds will be invested. That’s why we’ve prepared the following materials to help:

  • Check in desk ‘VL at-a-glance’ info display
    • Physical countertop sign (A5) and associated digital graphic for screens, to display at check-in points to give guests quick access to key Visitor Levy information on the Council’s website.
  • Front-of-house staff briefing pack
    • Briefing pack for front-of-house staff, summarising key information on the Visitor Levy scheme, including a Q&A covering the most commonly asked questions by visitors.
  • Window sticker
    • Displays for accommodation providers to promote the Visitor Levy scheme to guests, directing them to key Visitor Levy information on the Council’s website.
  • Exemptions refund process
    • Information sheets for accommodation providers to hand out to those visitors who may be exempt from paying a Visitor Levy, explaining how to apply for a refund of the levy and what information they need to supply when applying.

These materials will be available to download in an info pack from the Council’s website in the coming days, and information will be shared on how to get physical copies shortly thereafter.

Media activity

As the first city in the UK to introduce a visitor levy of this scale, there will be a lot of interest in the launch of the scheme. City of Edinburgh Council will be hosting a photocall for media on Thursday 23rd July with the Council Leader and some industry partners to explain how the levy works, and showcase some of the scheme’s investment programmes. You should start to see some of the media coverage appear on this throughout the week commencing 20th July.

You can also read some recent announcements on some of the Visitor Levy’s investment programmes:

Find more information and get in touch 

You can find the latest information on the Council’s website at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/visitorlevy, and you can always email for further information or questions at visitorlevy@edinburgh.gov.uk

Cooper Parry (CP), the UK’s next-gen professional services group, continues its PE-backed growth acceleration with the acquisition of Scotland-based market disrupter Hutcheon Mearns.

This marks CP’s sixth deal since partnering with New York-based private equity firm Lee Equity Partners earlier this year. The deal pushes CP’s pro forma turnover beyond £250m, as the firm strides towards £600m by 2028 and £1bn by 2030.

Founded in Aberdeen in 2015, the 70+ strong Hutcheon Mearns team helps companies build exceptional finance teams, solve complex finance problems and deliver focused growth strategies. With a mission to disrupt the existing business accountancy market with a totally differentiated model focussed on putting people at the heart of every solution, the firm shares CP’s rebellious, challenger ethos.

With offices across Scotland and London, the firm’s services are transformative for augmenting a finance team, providing corporate finance and M&A advice, or using technology to improve processes with Business and Artificial Intelligence.  Key sectors include Energy, Manufacturing, Food & Drink, Technology, Professional Services and Real Estate.

Craig Hutcheon, Co-founder and Managing Director, said:

“When we formed Hutcheon Mearns in 2015, we embarked on a mission to disrupt. We’ve been bold in our own journey to make our clients’ problems the catalyst of our evolution. Right from our initial chat with Ade and his team it was clear that there was an instant connection in culture, spirit and values. We’re both people first, fearless and ‘go all in’ businesses. And we’re excited to move into the next stage of our journey together, aligned to challenge the norms of the traditional accounting sector.”

Adam Maitland, Managing Director, said:

“When I joined Craig in 2017 we had a shared, absolute, focus on building something different.  Taking world-class expertise across accounting and finance services, bringing it together in a new way, and being all about our client needs (no more silos!).  It has been an incredible journey so far and we have built a phenomenal team; but we’re only scratching the surface.  We couldn’t be more excited to join a like minded business, bring an enhanced suite of services to the market and be a key part of the Scottish growth story for CP.”

Neil Norman, Head of Scotland, Cooper Parry, added:  

“These are seriously exciting times. With this latest strategic acquisition, our team in Scotland is now tipping 100 strong, we’ve just launched a powerful brand awareness campaign and our Tartan Rebelution event in November is generating a massive buzz. Hutcheon Mearns’ reputation is really strong here and I can’t wait to see the impact our people service lines will make across the UK and Ireland.”

Ade Cheatham, CEO, Cooper Parry, concluded:

“There’s such pace and energy for us in Scotland right now. Our vision is all about new capabilities, new tech and new markets. What Craig and Adam have built creates an awesome people-first footprint for us to roll out UK-wide. Together, we’re not just building a firm, we’re building a movement.”