The Welcoming Edinburgh

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The Welcoming Edinburgh We support refugees, asylum seekers and migrants (New Scots) in Edinburgh. Our services are free. You can start immediately.

Offering a community for making friends, learning English, building skills for employment and living sustainably. We offer English classes, friendship groups, sustainable living groups and workshops, and employment and skills support. We also offer opportunities to discover Scottish culture and meet people in the local community. Over 1000 people from 60 nationalities join our classes and activities each year.

Want to keep up with what’s happening at The Welcoming? 🧡Our Autumn Newsletter is coming this October, and it’s packed w...
12/10/2026

Want to keep up with what’s happening at The Welcoming? 🧡

Our Autumn Newsletter is coming this October, and it’s packed with stories, updates and impact from across our community.

In this edition, we’ll be sharing things like:
✨ stories of change from our English learning and Home Energy services
✨ 10 years of our Friendship Programme
✨ updates on advocacy and community engagement
✨ our Women’s Health & Wellbeing Day
✨ summer Fringe outings and partnerships
✨ fundraising, volunteering and ways to get involved
✨ what’s coming up next at The Welcoming

If you’d like all of that delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our mailing list now.
📩 https://thewelcoming.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e5e21d56cb85e3677a765ec60&id=69e7d2ba22

Next week there will be an ESOL Service Break from 12th - 15th (inclusive) - this means there will be no English classes...
09/10/2026

Next week there will be an ESOL Service Break from 12th - 15th (inclusive) - this means there will be no English classes. Classes will re-start on Monday 19th October.

Monday
ESOL Service Break - No classes this week

Tuesday
ESOL Service Break - No classes this week

Wednesday
ESOL Service Break - No classes this week
🗣️Advice Surgery - (10:00 am - 12:30 pm) - Drop-in at The Welcoming Association
🌿Family-friendly nature activities (Water of Leith Conservation Trust) - TIME TBC

Thursday
ESOL Service Break - No classes this week
🍎Community Fridge (10 am – 12 pm) - The Welcoming Association - Registration needed - contact [email protected] to join the waiting list.


Friday
🥕Botanics Gardening Group - Weekly (10:30 am - 12:30 pm) - Botanic Gardens - (Registration only - for more information, contact Gosia on [email protected] or 07452 845937)
☕Conversation Café - (2:30 pm – 4:30 pm) - Gorgie Memorial Hall, 338 Gorgie Rd, Edinburgh EH11 2RQ - (Drop-In - just come along!)

Saturday
🌄Scotland for Newcomers (2 pm onwards) - Contact [email protected] for more information


General
📍The Welcoming is located at 20/1 Westfield Avenue, Edinburgh EH11 2TT
✉️For more details about our activities, please email [email protected] or join our private Facebook group

We’re hiring! 🧡The Welcoming is looking for a part-time Finance Manager to join our team in Edinburgh.This is a key role...
08/10/2026

We’re hiring! 🧡

The Welcoming is looking for a part-time Finance Manager to join our team in Edinburgh.

This is a key role within our Senior Leadership Team, responsible for managing our day-to-day finance function and helping make sure our financial systems, reporting and decision-making are strong, accurate and sustainable.

The Finance Manager will work closely with our CEO, Treasurer, budget holders and external advisers, bringing financial expertise into both operational and strategic planning.

📍 Hybrid, Edinburgh
🕒 21 hours per week
💷 £34,235 – £38,259 pro rata
📅 Closing date: Monday 26 October

Find out more and apply here:
https://www.thewelcoming.org/get-involved-the-welcoming-edinburgh/vacancies/

Update from the garden 🌿🍂Our Botanics Gardening Group is heading into autumn, and the community plot is looking pretty l...
07/10/2026

Update from the garden 🌿🍂

Our Botanics Gardening Group is heading into autumn, and the community plot is looking pretty lovely in the sunshine.

Every Friday, members meet at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to learn the fundamentals of gardening, grow vegetables and herbs, and get hands-on with the changing seasons. With harvest time getting closer, there’s plenty to do, from tending the plot and learning about seasonal growing to preparing food together with what’s been grown.

And, as always, it’s about much more than gardening.

It’s cooking together, swapping stories, making pals, getting outdoors and enjoying a bit of autumn sunshine in one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful spaces. Even the scarecrow is doing its bit 🌾😄

A huge thank you to our partners at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Elinor for her guidance, and to our brilliant volunteers Barbara and Nikou for helping make the group such a warm and welcoming space each week 🧡

We’re celebrating Black History Month with SCOREscotland this October, with a special Film Screening and Community Meal ...
05/10/2026

We’re celebrating Black History Month with SCOREscotland this October, with a special Film Screening and Community Meal bringing people together around community, culture, connection and the contributions of Black people in Scotland. 🧡

October is Black History Month in the UK, and this year’s theme, “Honouring Our Communities,” feels especially close to the work we do every day.

The theme asks us to recognise the people whose everyday contributions help shape, support and sustain Black communities across the country.

Here in Edinburgh, that means celebrating the people, organisations, volunteers and community leaders who create spaces of belonging, challenge racism, support others and help make our city stronger.

We’re really looking forward to marking the month alongside SCOREscotland and our wider community.

Event details:

📅 Thursday 29 October
🕡 6:00pm–8:30pm
📍 WHALE Arts Agency, Wester Hailes
🎟️ Free event

Find out more and book your place here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scorescotland-the-welcoming-celebrate-black-history-month-2026-tickets-2002136780005?aff=oddtdtcreator

What a brilliant evening at The Welcoming Association’s AGM 2026 🧡Our AGM is always a chance to reflect on the year behi...
02/10/2026

What a brilliant evening at The Welcoming Association’s AGM 2026 🧡

Our AGM is always a chance to reflect on the year behind us, but also to celebrate the people who make The Welcoming what it is and look ahead to what comes next.

The evening brought together members, volunteers, staff, trustees, partners and supporters, with impact stalls, Community Voices, reflections from our Chair and CEO, formal AGM business, and plenty of time to talk, connect and share ideas.

This year, we also shared some of the impact from April 2025 to March 2026:
✨ 5,271 registered members
✨ 2,061 new service user registrations
✨ 1,322 ESOL learners
✨ 546 English classes
✨ 227 Friendship Group sessions
✨ 321 people accessing employability training and business advice
✨ 3,745 volunteering hours
✨ 7,200kg of food supplied

Behind every one of those numbers is a person, a conversation, a class, a friendship, a question answered or a step forward.

A huge thank you to our Board of Trustees, our staff team, and all the volunteers who helped run the evening and welcomed people at our impact stalls. Thank you too to our Community Voices for sharing their experiences and helping bring the impact of our work to life.

And, of course, thank you to everyone who joined us.

As we look ahead to 2027, we’re excited to keep building on this work, strengthening our services, partnerships and advocacy, and creating more opportunities for New Scots to feel connected, supported and able to take part fully in life in Edinburgh.

Check out what's happening next week at The Welcoming! 👀Monday💬English Complete Beginners (2 pm - 4 pm) - The Welcoming ...
02/10/2026

Check out what's happening next week at The Welcoming! 👀

Monday
💬English Complete Beginners (2 pm - 4 pm) - The Welcoming (Drop-in)

Tuesday
💬English Beginner (10 am – 12 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG

💬🌐English Upper Intermediate (12 pm – 1:30 pm) - Online

💬 English Intermediate class (2 pm – 4 pm) - The Welcoming Association

💬 English Beginners (6 pm – 8 pm) - The University of Edinburgh, Paterson's Land, Room G42, EH8 8AQ

Wednesday
🗣️Advice Surgery - (10:00 am - 12:30 pm) - Drop-in at The Welcoming Association

💬English Intermediate (10 am – 12 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG

💬🌐English Beginners/Elementary (11 am – 12.30 pm) - Online

💬English Beginner (2 pm – 4 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG

💬English Intermediate (6 pm – 8 pm) - The University of Edinburgh, Paterson's Land, Room G42, EH8 8AQ

Thursday
🍎Community Fridge (10 am – 12 pm) - The Welcoming Association - Registration needed - contact [email protected] to join the waiting list.

💬🌐English Intermediate (11 am – 12.30 pm) - Online

💬Complete Beginners English class (2 pm – 4 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG

💬 English Beginners (6 pm – 8 pm) - The University of Edinburgh, Paterson's Land, Room G42, EH8 8AQ

Friday
🥕Botanics Gardening Group - Weekly (10:15 am 12:30 pm) - Botanic Gardens - (Registration only - for more information, contact Gosia on [email protected] or 07452 845937)

☕Conversation Café - (2:30 pm – 4:30 pm) - Gorgie Memorial Hall, 338 Gorgie Rd, Edinburgh EH11 2RQ - (Drop-In - just come along!)

Saturday
🌄Scotland for Newcomers (2 pm onwards) - Contact [email protected] for more information

General

📍The Welcoming is located at 20/1 Westfield Avenue, Edinburgh EH11 2TT

✉️For more details about our activities, please email [email protected] or join our private Facebook group

A big thank you to Waverley Care and all the organisations who joined us for our recent Women’s Health and Wellbeing Ses...
30/09/2026

A big thank you to Waverley Care and all the organisations who joined us for our recent Women’s Health and Wellbeing Session 🧡

We wanted to create a welcoming, women-only space where women could talk openly about their health, ask questions, access practical information and take their time speaking with different organisations.

In total, 11 organisations took part, covering topics including breast cancer, cervical screening, endometriosis, sexual health, mental health, domestic abuse, support for carers, FGM, immunisation and family support. Participants could also access testing for blood-borne viruses and intimate-contact infections.

We welcomed 27 women on the day, and there was plenty of time not just for health checks and advice, but also for tea, conversation and getting to know more about The Welcoming.

Feedback from both participants and stallholders was really positive:

💬“Super interesting and helpful to understand more, especially about endometriosis”

💬“It was a productive meeting, had a lot of information from the group. It was very educative as well”

A huge thank you as well to the 12 volunteers who supported the event and helped make the space feel so calm, friendly and welcoming!

We’re nearing the end of our current 8-week Bridges to Success course at Inch House Community Centre and this week has b...
28/09/2026

We’re nearing the end of our current 8-week Bridges to Success course at Inch House Community Centre and this week has been all about hearing from the parents who’ve taken part 🧡

Over the course, the group has been building practical skills around job searching, applications, cover letters, interviews, workplace culture and employment rights in Scotland. Just as importantly, it’s been about building confidence and feeling more prepared for what comes next.

And their feedback says it best:

💬 “I learn from you how to interview and how to have confidence.”

💬 “I benefit from the information I get in this course.”

💬 “The approach in the lecture is excellent.”

💬 “I like Bridges - my teachers very friendly and kind.”

One participant simply wrote: “big big thanks” 🥰

For parents, finding the time and space to focus on their own goals can be difficult. We’re so proud of this group for the commitment they’ve brought each week, the questions they’ve asked and the confidence they’ve built along the way.

A huge thank you to Sandra and Laura for guiding and supporting everyone throughout the course, and to our partners and funders Joined Up for Business, Capital City Partnership Partnership, The City of Edinburgh Council and The Scottish Government for helping make Bridges to Success possible. Another huge thanks to our fabulous venue Inch House Community Centre 💛

We have officially launched our next Bridges to Success course in Central Edinburgh this October!

Sign up on our website: https://www.thewelcoming.org/services/employment-support-edinburgh

Check out what's happening at The Welcoming next week, including a walk with Ramblers Scotland 👀Monday💬English Complete ...
25/09/2026

Check out what's happening at The Welcoming next week, including a walk with Ramblers Scotland 👀

Monday
💬English Complete Beginners (2 pm - 4 pm) - The Welcoming (Drop-in)

Tuesday
💬English Beginner (10 am – 12 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG
💬🌐English Upper Intermediate (12 pm – 1:30 pm) - Online
💬 English Intermediate class (2 pm – 4 pm) - The Welcoming Association
💬 English Beginners (6 pm – 8 pm) - The University of Edinburgh, Paterson's Land, Room G42, EH8 8AQ

Wednesday
🚶🏽🚶🏽‍♀️Welcoming Walk with Ramblers (TBC) - Contact Gosia - [email protected] for more information
🗣️Advice Surgery - (10:00 am - 12:30 pm) - Drop-in at The Welcoming Association
💬English Intermediate (10 am – 12 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG
💬🌐English Beginners/Elementary (11 am – 12.30 pm) - Online
💬English Beginner (2 pm – 4 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG
💬English Intermediate (6 pm – 8 pm) - The University of Edinburgh, Paterson's Land, Room G42, EH8 8AQ

Thursday
🍎Community Fridge (10 am – 12 pm) - The Welcoming Association - Registration needed - contact [email protected] to join the waiting list.
💬🌐English Intermediate (11 am – 12.30 pm) - Online
💬Complete Beginners English class (2 pm – 4 pm) - St Martins, 232 Dalry Road, EH11 2JG
🖼️National Galleries of Scotland - Faces of Scotland (Modern Portrait) (2:30 pm - 4:30 pm) - Contact Gosia - [email protected] for more information
💬 English Beginners (6 pm – 8 pm) - The University of Edinburgh, Paterson's Land, Room G42, EH8 8AQ


Friday
🥕Botanics Gardening Group - Weekly (10:15 am 12:30 pm) - Botanic Gardens - (Registration only - for more information, contact Gosia on [email protected] or 07452 845937)
☕Conversation Café - (2:30 pm – 4:30 pm) - Gorgie Memorial Hall, 338 Gorgie Rd, Edinburgh EH11 2RQ - (Drop-In - just come along!)

Saturday
🌄Scotland for Newcomers (2 pm onwards) - Contact [email protected] for more information


General
📍The Welcoming is located at 20/1 Westfield Avenue, Edinburgh EH11 2TT
✉️For more details about our activities, please email [email protected] or join our private Facebook group

Address

20/1 Westfield Avenue

EH112TT

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

0131 346 8577

Website

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