Dalkeith Digest: Friday 11 April 2025
Bringing the community together
I hope you are all enjoying the dry and warm weather, perfectly timed for the Easter holidays. Hopefully the weekly Digests continue to signpost local activities to enjoy in the sun, or at the very least provide a five minute diversion from your busy day.
Highlights this week include a focus on local learning opportunities, a charity rock night and huge fixtures for Dalkeith Thistle FC and Dalkeith Ladies RFC.
Enjoy, and do let me know if there’s anything you would like included in future issues.
Local news and developments
Historic Rosslyn photographs: Forty historic photographs of Rosslyn Chapel, Rosslyn Castle and Roslin village are the subject of a new online exhibition. The photographs, dated from around 1880 to the 1940s, are part of the Bryce Collection and are available to view on Rosslyn Chapel’s website.
Midlothian Community Action: Midlothian Voluntary Action and Volunteer Midlothian have officially merged to become Midlothian Community Action, offering a single point of access for support and advice for the third sector and volunteers. The merger was commemorated this week by the Lord Lieutenant.
Childcare service closure: Lasswade High School Childcare Service is to close in September 2025, Midlothian Council has confirmed following a public consultation. The Council will work with affected families to find places at alternative childcare.
Parents raise safety concerns: Parents have written to the Education Secretary over concerns regarding the safety of children at Mauricewood Primary in Penicuik, Midlothian View reports.
Road safety: Community Policing in Midlothian has reminded local motorists of road safety in relation to passing horse riders. The advice is to slow down and give horses/riders plenty of room when passing.
Council leader to stand: Midlothian Council Leader Kelly Parry has been nominated as a potential SNP candidate for Midlothian North in the 2026 Holyrood election, Midlothian View reports. Ms Parry will face a local selection process with current incumbent Colin Beattie and anyone else who puts themselves forward.
Tenants’ newsletter: The latest edition of the Midlothian Tenants’ Newsletter has been published, including news, contact numbers and upcoming Estate walkabouts.
20mph speed limits: The proposed introduction of 20 mph limits on Midlothian roads will be considered by the Council’s Cabinet on 20 May, Midlothian View reports. A report will be presented to set out the results of a public consultation before rollout of the scheme is approved.
Learning opportunities: Last week’s theme of the week appeared to be schools; this time it’s local learning opportunities:
Newbattle Abbey College has congratulated its Woodland and Wildlife Conservation students on earning their Forest and Outdoor Learning SCQF Level 5 Award.
An 8 week Spanish Conversation class is being offered by Communities Lifelong Learning and Employability (CLLE) at Midlothian Council. The course runs from 30 April at the Lasswade Centre and is at aimed those with an existing basic knowledge of the language.
An 8 week course offering an introduction to health, nursing midwifery and wellbeing will run on Thursdays from 1 May (12.30pm - 2.30pm) at One Dalkeith. The course, open to Midlothian residents, is led by Edinburgh Napier University in partnership with CLLE.
A Beginners Gaelic 8 week course is starting on Monday evenings (4.30pm - 6pm) at Dalkeith Arts Centre. The course, also organised by CLLE, is targeted at learners who have little or no prior experience of the language.
The Council has highlighted a free course (running every Thursday from 24 April to 19 June) to help Midlothian parents improve their skills in word processing, using spreadsheets, and presentation software.
The Council’s Sport and Leisure Wellbeing Team is working with VOCAL to offer free hour long gym induction sessions for unpaid carers, from 22 April (2pm).
Event and activity diary
🎸 Live music: Head to Easthouses Miners Club on Saturday (12 April) at 7pm for a night of live music in memory of late Vice President Guy McKie. Entry is £10 and all money raised by the rock night will go to Maggie's Cancer Charity.
🚜 Farmers market: Glencorse Folks and Farmers Market takes place tomorrow (12 April, 10am - 3pm), with local produce, crafts and food on offer. Markets run monthly on the 2nd Saturday.
🐣 Easterfest: Two weekends of Easter activities are kicking off at Dalkeith Country Park as part of its Easterfest event.
⚡ Energy advice: Locals for whom English is not their first language are invited to a free talk on energy efficiency and reducing energy bills. The talk will be led by energy charity Changeworks at Woodburn Community Hut on 15 April (9.30am - 12.30pm).
🐣 Easter egg hunt: Nazareth House Bonnyrigg is hosting an easter egg hunt on 16 April (10am). A £2 donation per child is requested.
🎬 Free film screenings: Families are invited to free films at the Family Art and Film club at Penicuik Town Hall. The Princess and the Frog will screen on 25 April and Paddington in Peru on 23 May, both at 1pm. Numbers are limited so reserve quickly.
🎲 Board games: Pathhead Board Gamers are holding their April meetup on 25 April at the Pathhead Sports and Social Club from 6.30pm.
📖 Council tax/benefits help: Midlothian Council’s Revenues team are holding a number of advice drop in sessions at a variety of locations between 24 and 29 April.
🚶♂️🚶♀️Trekker walk: The Council’s Sport and Leisure Wellbeing team is leading its April Trekker Walk on 30 April, covering an 8.5 mile route from Little Vantage car park to West Linton. A bus will leave from West Linton at 10am.
🏉 Minis Festival: Dalkeith RFC’s annual Mini’s Festival will take place on Sunday 11 May. Volunteers and home baking/raffle donations are needed for the event, which each year welcomes around 400 P1 - P7 children to Kings Park for rugby and fun.
🎶 Concert: The Dalkeith Singers are to hold a concert at St Nicholas Buccleuch Church on 31 May (7pm). Tickets are £15, with under 12s going free.
⏰ Previously listed events happening this week:
The Dalkeith Singers Coffee Morning - 12 April (10am - 12pm)
Midlothian Disabled People’s Assembly - 16 April (11.30am - 1.30pm)
Sport
🏉 Dalkeith Ladies RFC head to Murrayfield on Sunday (13 April) for the final of the Women’s National Bowl, kicking off at 12pm. Dalkeith were narrowly defeated in the final last year so here’s hoping they go one better this weekend.
⚽ Dalkeith Thistle were victorious 1-0 away to Tweedmouth last weekend, with Elliot Grieve scoring the winner. It’s a busy week ahead in the league, with a crucial fixture at home to Vale of Leithen tomorrow (12 April, 2.30pm) to be followed by West Calder on Tuesday, also at King’s Park (7.30pm).
See Dalkeith Thistle Community Football Club for fixtures at all their age groups and sponsorship opportunities.
⚽ Bonnyrigg Rose are at home to promotion chasing East Fife tomorrow (12 April, 3pm) having lost 5-0 away to Peterhead last week.
🏓 Over 50s Table Tennis will be at Newbattle Campus on Fridays (4.30pm - 6pm), beginning today (Ageing Well Midlothian).
🏆 The opening of the green at Bonnyrigg Bowling Club takes place tomorrow (12 April) at 2pm, marking the beginning of the 2025 bowling season.