Partnership
Celebrating Carers Week 2026 by building carer friendly communities
East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership (ELHSCP), is proud to celebrate Carers Week 2026 (8 to 14 June). This annual campaign is an opportunity to recognise the incredible contribution made by unpaid carers across the county.
This year’s theme, "Building Carer Friendly Communities," focuses on how local environments - from our own workplaces, GP practices, to schools and cafes, can make a lasting difference to the lives of those supporting others.
Caring in East Lothian
In East Lothian alone, there are 13,147 unpaid carers. Statistics suggest that three in five of us will take on a caring role at some point in our lives.
Despite these high numbers, many people do not identify as a 'carer'. They see themselves simply as partners, parents, or friends doing what is necessary for a loved one. However, acknowledging this role is the first step toward accessing essential support that makes life more manageable.
What is a Carer Friendly Community?
A carer friendly community is made up of people and organisations that:
- raise awareness of unpaid caring
- identify carers who may not recognise their role and connect them to support
- understand the daily realities and challenges of caring
- take practical action to empower carers to live fulfilling lives alongside their responsibilities
Whether it is a workplace offering flexible arrangements or a community group providing a welcoming space, every action counts toward making East Lothian a more supportive place to live and work.
A message from Fiona Wilson, Chief Officer of ELHSCP
"Carers play a vital role in supporting communities, yet many do not realise that the support they provide qualifies them for help. By building carer friendly communities, we want to ensure that carers in East Lothian are recognised, heard and supported. Even the smallest change in these spaces can significantly improve a carer’s daily life."
How to access carer support
You do not need to call yourself a 'carer' to be eligible for support. If you provide extra help to a friend or family member, there are local services designed to help your role become more sustainable.
Information Hub - Tranent 24 June
An East Lothian Information Hub event will be taking place at the Fraser Centre, Tranent on Wednesday 24 June midday to 2pm.
East Lothian Information Hubs are ‘one-stop-shop’ events, where members of the public can engage with multiple organisations face-to-face, gaining information, advice, support and guidance regarding everyday living concerns and enquiries.
The organisations attending cover a wide range of topics and subject areas including benefits and finance advice, children and family support, accessing emergency food, employment support, housing and rent teams, health services, sports and leisure activities, social groups, mental health advice, transport, climate and climate information, as well as support for carers and people with learning and/or physical disabilities.
Developing an Equally Safe Strategy for East Lothian
CAUTION: This article contains information regarding gender-based violence.
We know that forms of violence and domestic abuse exists in our community, and can affect everyone, from any background and the attitude we take is there is no 'them and us'.
This article contains information relating to harm and abuse, which we recognise can be emotive for some people.
Please take care of yourself: Public Protection Training self-care pack
If you, or someone you know, may be at risk of harm, information, support and advice is available at: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/protection-from-harm
Developing an Equally Safe Strategy for East Lothian
Focus on gender inequality
Local and national evidence consistently shows that most domestic abuse, sexual violence and coercive control involves a male perpetrators and a female victim.
Gender inequality, attitudes, behaviours and violence towards women and children takes place within our neighbourhoods, workplaces and communities. East Lothian is not immune.
To make a real difference, we need to change systems, attitudes and power dynamics that currently allow harm to continue. By aligning with the Scottish Equally Safe Strategy we aim to strengthen local accountability and ensure preventing and responding to violence is embedded across our services
This strategy is not ignorant to the fact that males can, and are, victims of abuse. It also recognises that people who identify as non-binary and trans experience targeted violence and abuse.
Our goal is make East Lothian a place where everyone feels equally safe.
Key components of the strategy
The draft strategy has been developed and informed by specialist organisations and the lived experience of women and young people in East Lothian. Their experiences highlight not only prevalence of violence against women and children but the challenges of accessing safe, timely, and appropriate support and the gaps that remain between policy ambition and everyday reality.
Preventing and eradicating violence against women and children is not confined to one service area; it intersects with housing, health, education, justice, poverty, community safety and organisational culture.
As such, the Equally Safe Strategy for East Lothian has been designed to operate as a cross‑cutting framework, supporting greater alignment across the Community Planning Partnership.
Why does this matter?
- violence against women and girls (VAWG) is both a cause and consequence of gender inequality
- it remains highly prevalent locally, driving homelessness, child protection involvement and poor health outcomes
- harm is increasingly shaped by online abuse, misogyny and coercive control
- women and girls facing poverty, disability, racism, rural isolation, insecure immigration status or exploitation experience greater barriers to safety
- prevention, early intervention and accountability must be prioritised alongside crisis‑led responses
Strategic aims
- Prevent violence before it occurs
- Strengthen early identification and response
- Improve safety and long‑term outcomes
- Hold perpetrators to account
- Challenge harmful attitudes and promote equality
- Provide visible, accountable leadership
What will be different?
- harmful gender norms will be challenged earlier and more consistently
- staff across services respond confidently and safely to disclosures
- women and young people experience joined‑up, trusted pathways
- there will be fewer repeated and escalated incidents
- prevention will be prioritised alongside protection and justice
Share your feedback
- have we got the strategy right?
- are there issues that should be highlighted more clearly?
- is there something missing, that could make an impact?
- what do you need to feel empowered to support delivery of the strategy?
How to feedback:
Please submit any feedback by Tuesday 30 June.
Comments and questions
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Equally Safe Strategy Development Group
Project lead: Caroline Rodgers crodgers@eastlothian.gov.uk
Questions and queries: equallysafe@eastlothian.gov.uk
Preston Tower project wins national architecture award
Preston Tower in Prestonpans has been announced by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) as one of 10 outstanding buildings which are winners in the 2026 RIAS Awards – the annual awards programme recognising the very best in Scottish architecture.
A heritage project involving significant repair work took place at Preston Tower in an excellent demonstration of what can be achieved working in partnership with local residents including the community council, Groves-Raines Architects Studios, Friends of Preston Tower Group, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, which owns the building.
The judges described the project as one that ‘exemplifies careful stewardship of heritage, combining delicacy, rigour and social relevance to produce a building and landscape that is enduring, inspiring and beloved by its community’.
Provost John McMillan said: “Huge congratulations to all involved in this project, which has been recognised several times in the last couple of years since its completion. This was a really carefully planned project, for the benefit of the local community, giving access to this historic building, parts of which date back to the 15th Century. The new lighting, interpretation boards and staircase have really enhanced the visitor experience and of course the work has helped to preserve the building for the enjoyment of future generations.”
The repair project to the tower, doocot and gardens was funded from a variety of sources including the Scottish Government through its Town Centre Fund and Place Based Investment Programme, as well as the UK Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund and by the National Trust for Scotland.
Sarah MacKinnon, Head of Building Conservation at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “The Preston Tower project focused on community engagement and thoughtful interventions to continue to provide access for future generations. It was an exemplar, addressing the needs of this ancient monument, but with the ongoing support of the Friends of Preston Tower, it will also provide a new generation with a chance to see what makes it so special.”
For more information on the awards, visit the RIAS website.