🧭 Fife Selected for Walk-In GP Pilot

Good morning, Fifers!

Here’s what else is coming your way today:

• Fife Selected for Walk-In GP Pilot

• More Pushback Against £20m Plan for Kirkcaldy

• 66 Events to See This Weekend

Let’s jump in, there’s plenty to talk about!

— Duncan

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🏊 Fife Leisure is offering fully funded National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) places for people aged 16+, with an assessment centre on March 14th at Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre and training running from March 23rd to 27th. The 36-hour course, normally costing £280, is open for applications until March 7th.

• 🔌 Fife College has expanded its Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging training after securing Shell UK support, delivering 25 City & Guilds-accredited places to electricians with an additional 16 co-funded places now confirmed. Learn more about the course and apply here.

• 🏛️ North Queensferry Community Trust has won its appeal over the Albert Hotel, with Dunfermline Sheriff Court ruling that the Scottish Government’s earlier refusal of the community buy-out was “unfair”.

• 🚒 Cowdenbeath SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing has raised serious concerns over Scottish Fire & Rescue Service proposals to cut one of Lochgelly’s fire engines, citing outdated data and planned housing growth, and has pledged to continue lobbying to retain both appliances and the rope rescue unit, with a final decision now delayed until after the Scottish elections in May.

• 🌿 The Green Skills Academy has launched at Levenmouth River Park, combining park maintenance with training and employability support for local people. Led by Fife Council and delivered by Rural Skills Scotland, the programme will train 84 participants in accredited skills such as CSCS, first aid and health and safety.

• 🗳️ Melanie Ward MP and David Torrance MSP have raised concerns that Fife Council’s plans for Kirkcaldy’s £20m UK government Growth Mission Funding do not reflect local priorities. The proposals have faced significant pushback, with a local petition calling for a rethink now reaching 605 signatures.

• 🍰 Fife College’s Food and Drink Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary on March 14th at the Kirkcaldy Campus, as part of Fife Food and Drink Week. The free event will feature 25+ local producers, live demos from MasterChef winner Jamie Scott and Lewis Mendies, whisky and wine tastings, street food, and more.

• 📚 The Educational Institute of Scotland has warned that Fife Council’s proposed school budget “will still leave considerable anguish for parents and staff,” noting that planned increases fall short of addressing pressures from additional support needs, teacher workload, and school safety.

• ⚓ Babcock has marked major back-to-back milestones in its Type 31 Inspiration-class programme at Rosyth, with HMS Active rolling out of the assembly hall and HMS Bulldog’s steel cut officially beginning construction, highlighting Fife’s role in sustaining the UK’s sovereign naval shipbuilding capability.

• 💰 Fife Council's budget was passed yesterday, confirming a 5% council tax rise for 2026/27 and an additional £5m of funding for Dunfermline city centre.

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🩺 Fife Selected for Walk-In GP Pilot

Good news arrived this week for anyone who has ever spent a frantic morning trying to get through to their GP surgery, with NHS Fife having been selected for Phase 2 of the Scottish Government's National Primary Care Walk-in Service. The pilot will offer same-day, face-to-face assessment and treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening concerns, with no appointment needed. A "central, highly accessible" location is being lined up, though the exact site, launch date and opening hours are still to be confirmed in the coming months.

GP practices here have been facing rising demand alongside growing numbers of registered patients, and that pressure has real consequences locally. The new service is designed to take some of the strain off both GP surgeries and A&E departments, by giving people a proper primary care alternative for conditions that don't warrant an emergency department but can't wait a fortnight either.

It's a similar model to the pilot that launched at Wester Hailes in Edinburgh earlier this month, open seven days a week from noon to 8pm with no appointment needed. Fife will be one of 16 planned sites across Scotland, with the central Fife location part of a second stage of the roll-out that hopes to deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments across Scotland.

We've already seen NHS Fife lead the way nationally with AI-assisted MRI scanning cutting waiting times, and it's great to see the Kingdom once again involved in innovative new ways to access care.

@THEFIFEINSIDER

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WHAT’S ON IN FIFE?

Please remember to double-check details with venues before travelling, as events can occasionally be cancelled or rescheduled at short notice, and some will require prebooked tickets.

Friday, 27th February

Creative Craft Club For Adults - Come and enjoy a regular Friday morning of creativity.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Letham Village Hall | 🎟️ £15

Gaelic Conversation Group - Join this informal group of Gaelic learners for a relaxed morning working together on Gaelic Conversation.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 10:15am | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

Little Niblicks - Bring along your baby or toddler to enjoy the sights and sounds of the museum.
📁 Children | 🕢 11am | 📍 R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Teasses Candlelight Snowdrops 2026 - Step into a winter wonderland at Teasses Estate's annual Snowdrop walk.
📁 Tour | 🕢 4pm | 📍 Teasses Estate | 🎟️ £8.98

Paint & Sip: Flowers - Warm up your creativity with a glass of wine at the R&A World Golf Museum.
📁 Art | 🕢 5:30pm | 📍 R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20

Soul Station - Resident DJ Martin Duffy keeps us entertained, so bring your dancing shoes.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £9.38

Fleeting Rumours - Fleetwood Mac Tribute.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 St Andrews Town Hall | 🎟️ £16

A Giant on the Bridge - Powerful fusion of songwriting, Scottish hip-hop and immersive storytelling.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £14+

Celebrity Concert by the Maxwell String Quartet - One of Scotland’s most distinctive and successful ensembles.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20

Tom Stade - Direct from the Edinburgh festival, and his last smash-hit nationwide tour.
📁 Comedy | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Markinch Town Hall | 🎟️ £25

Stuart Michael: The Psychic Medium - Unforgettable night of spiritual connection, emotional healing, and messages from beyond.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £30

Outside The Original - Unforgettable night of progressive rock classics.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £27.50

When Billy Met Alasdair - Imagining what might have happened when Connolly attended the 1981 launch of Gray’s masterpiece Lanark.
📁 Stage | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £15+

Saturday, 28th February

The Wonder Years - In-person experience where you will be immersed in nature and creativity, providing rich, everlasting memories.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 10am | 📍 Silverburn Park | 🎟️ £6.13

Mastering Wet Felting - Enjoy a morning of creativity, enjoying the process of wet felting as we create your own vases and orbs.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Letham Village Hall | 🎟️ £58

Pick up a Fruit Tree in Methil  - Pick up a tree to take away and plant at home in your garden.
📁 Garden | 🕢 10am | 📍 Methil Community Garden | 🎟️ Free

Pick up a Fruit Tree in Auchtermuchty  - Pick up a tree to take away and plant at home in your garden.
📁 Garden | 🕢 10am | 📍 Auchtermuchty Community Centre | 🎟️ Free

Scottish Festival of Real Bread - Celebrating the best in bread-making and exploring how we can help make Real Bread accessible to all.
📁 Food | 🕢 10am | 📍 Bowhouse, St Monans | 🎟️ Free

Legends of the Leven: A Free Guided Heritage Walk - Free guided walk exploring Levenmouth’s history, wildlife and hidden gems.
📁 Tour | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Cameron Bridge Station | 🎟️ Free

Foraging Walk - Explore which plants and trees are edible, learn about natural remedies and gather ingredients for your own natural potion.
📁 Food | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Limekilns Primary School Community Garden | 🎟️ £13.70

SpongeBob: The Search for Squarepants - SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs.
📁 Movie | 🕢 11am | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5

Little Stars 26: Cheryl Crawford Dance Studios - Boys and Girls from the lower school at Cheryl Crawford Dance Studios will take to the stage to entertain you.
📁 Stage | 🕢 12pm & 6pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £18

Spring into Wellness - Yoga, breathwork, meditation, chanting, dancing, cold water exprience and LOTS of self-love and empowerment.
📁 Sport | 🕢 12:30pm | 📍 Harbour House, Kinghorn | 🎟️ £20

Seaweed Sketching Workshop - Afternoon of sketching and drawing, taking inspiration from our algal collection.
📁 Art | 🕢 12:30pm | 📍 St Andrews Botanic Garden | 🎟️ £45

Snowdrops Festival - Stroll around our two-acre garden awash with a carpet of white snowdrops which have naturalised over the last 40 years.
📁 Garden | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Kirklands House and Garden | 🎟️ £6

The Living Lore: An Afternoon of Gaelic Songs - Come and immerse yourself in the language and songs that form a vital part of Scotland’s history.
📁 Music | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

Marty Supreme - Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.
📁 Movie | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £6.50+

Teasses Candlelight Snowdrops 2026 - Step into a winter wonderland at Teasses Estate's annual Snowdrop walk.
📁 Tour | 🕢 4pm | 📍 Teasses Estate | 🎟️ £8.98

2026 Season Opener - Featuring National Hot Rods, 1400 Stock Cars, ProStocks, Stock Rods, and CC Rods.
📁 Sport | 🕢 5:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Raceway | 🎟️ £16

GAYlidh - Queer twist on a classic ceilidh with live music, joyful dancing, and inclusive vibes for everyone to celebrate together!
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Younger Hall, St Andrews | 🎟️ £22.38

Grand Plan At The Café - Edinburgh House Legend Gareth Sommerville bringing the party to Kirkcaldy.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Cafe Continental, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £8

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple - As Spike is inducted into Jimmy Crystal’s gang on the mainland, Dr. Kelson makes a discovery that could alter the world.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £6.50+

Herculean Revival Ceilidh Band - Fundraising Ceilidh For Falkland Community Hall With Herculean Revival Ceilidh Band.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Falkland Community Hall | 🎟️ £10.46

Forspoken, Poetry & Open-Mic - Poetry night curated and co-hosted by local poets Gabriela Milkova & Mike Yuill.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Aikman's Bar Bistri, St Andrews | 🎟️ Donation

Medea - A terrible, bloody revenge that will send a howl of rage echoing through the ages.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £13+

The Rocket Man - No one else recreates the flamboyant megastar with as much vigour and brilliance.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £31

Ready Steady 60's Show - Step back in time with this high-energy 60s tribute band, delivering the authentic sound of the Mod era.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £16+

Velour Amour - 5-piece premier band covering songs from the 60s through to now.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £7.21

Led Into Zeppelin - Paul Bradshaw has continually been quoted as the best sound-alike/look-alike to Robert Plant.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £27.50

Forgan's St Andrews Ceilidh - Head to Forgan’s and experience one of our unforgettable ceilidhs.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 10:30pm | 📍 Forgan's St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Sunday, 1st March

Border Access Knockhill Rally Stages - It is round one of the Scottish Tarmac Rally Championship, with the winning crew being awarded the Jimmy McRae Trophy.
📁 Sport | 🕢 7:15am | 📍 Knockhill | 🎟️ £16

Lamb Bottle Feeding - Meet and bottle feed our baby lambs.
📁 Family | 🕢 10am, 1pm & 4pm | 📍 Hillview Animal Park | 🎟️ £25.08

Studio8 Makers & Merchants Spring Fayre - Over 40+ specially selected stalls indoors over 2 floors.
📁 Markets | 🕢 10am | 📍 Studio8, Glenrothes | 🎟️ Free

Growing Together Activity Sessions - Free accessible, nature events for families with children & young people with disabilities & additional support needs.
📁 Family | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Botanic Garden | 🎟️ Free

Sunday Storycraft - Session of themed crafts and stories.
📁 Family | 🕢 12pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Spring Wreath Making - Get hands-on and creative! Craft a beautiful spring wreath using all-natural, eco-friendly materials.
📁 Art | 🕢 1:30pm | 📍 The Steeple Studios, Newburgh | 🎟️ £17.40

Snowdrop Festival: Cambo Heritage Tour - Tour highlighting the significant heritage, the story of snowdrops and a walk through the winter garden.
📁 Tour | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Cambo Country House and Estate | 🎟️ £15

Snowdrops Festival - Stroll around our two-acre garden awash with a carpet of white snowdrops which have naturalised over the last 40 years.
📁 Garden | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Kirklands House and Garden | 🎟️ £6

Stories for the Stirrings of Spring - Join storyteller Eileen Budd for stories about seaweed and the Stirrings of Spring.
📁 Talk | 🕢 2pm | 📍 St Andrews Botanic Garden | 🎟️ £6.13

Cellardyke Harbour to Anstruther Walking Tour - Walk the town’s rich past, historic stories of the press gang and Nelson’s navy, fisherfolk’s lives, storms, shipwrecks and the gold rush.
📁 Tour | 🕢 2:30pm | 📍 Cellardyke Harbour | 🎟️ £11.55

Health Benefits of Fermentation - Hands-on fermentation class, learn about the benefits of fermentation for people and the planet.
📁 Food | 🕢 4pm | 📍 That Place In The Bay, Dalgety Bay | 🎟️ £25

Peaks - Musical partnership between violinist George Smith and cellist Duncan Strachan, one half of the internationally renowned Maxwell Quartet.
📁 Music | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Cambo Country House and Estate | 🎟️ £20.21

Open Mic Night - Whether it’s your first time on stage or you’ve got a few gigs under your belt, this is a relaxed, supportive space to share your music.
📁 Music | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

Moghimian Arts Presents: The Legacy - Our show is named Legacy to honour our much loved Granma.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £20

Festival Preview Event - A preview event of the 2 plays the group are entering into the SCDA Fife District 2026 1-act festival.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Hunter Hall, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

Total Rex - Sensational show capturing the rock sound of Marc Bolan and T Rex.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £30.80

Monday, 2nd March

Lamb Bottle Feeding - Meet and bottle feed our baby lambs.
📁 Family | 🕢 10am, 1pm & 4pm | 📍 Hillview Animal Park | 🎟️ £25.08

Fife Conservative and Unionist Policy Forum - An opportunity to discuss current Conservative policies, chaired by Alexander Stewart MBE, MSP. Please email [email protected] for further details.
📁 Talk | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Central Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free (register interest via email)

Ben Fogle: Wild - Stories and tales of hope, possibility, and positivity from his extraordinary encounters.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £30

🎉 Multi-Day Events & Exhibitions

Paul McGinty: Beneath The Surface - This body of work represents elements of Paul McGinty's ongoing research into the history of the Coal Mining Industry in Fife.
📅 Thu, 8th January - Fri, 27th February | 🕢 10am-4pm (Thu & Fri) | 📍 Adam Smith Heritage Centre | 🎟️ Free

Gaelic Word Museum Trail - Discover Gaelic words and phrases associated with objects on display in the Museum. For the wee ones, collect all 12 stamps at the trail stops using our activity sheet and get a special sticker.
📅 Sat, 21st February Sun, 1st March | 🕢 10am-4:30pm (Mon-Sat) & 11am-4:30pm (Sun) | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Museum Admission

Unveiling the Madonna - Discover the story behind the Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, the oldest painting in our art collection.
📅 Sat, 8th November - Sat, 7th March | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Museum | 🎟️ Free

Scottish Snowdrop Festival 2026 - Visitors can enjoy our winter garden and specialist snowdrop collection, and the swathes of naturalised snowdrops in our woodland walk to the sea.
📅 Sun, 25th January - Sun, 15th March | 🕢 10am | 📍 Cambo Country House and Estate | 🎟️ Varies

Muir Walker Pride: 175 Years of Practice - Supported by historical drawings & instruments, this exhibition will chart the changing nature of architectural practice and its reflection of society over the years.
📅 Wed, 18th February - Sun, 15th March | 🕢 10:30am - 4pm (Wed - Mon) | 📍 St Andrews Bowling Club | 🎟️ £7.50

Lambing Experience - Meet our shepherd, see newborn lambs, and discover life on a working farm.
📅 Sat, 14th February - Tue, 31st March | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Ring Farm, Cupar | 🎟️ £13+

Bunker Shots: Stories of Golf and Conflict - Surprising connections between golf and conflict, including the impact on golfers and their equipment.
📅 Fri, 18th April - Tue, 31st March | 🕢 9:15am | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £17.50

Kirkcaldy Boot & Mart - Indoor and outdoor market held every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.
📅 Sat, 10th January - Wed, 16th December | 🕢 9am (Wed, Sat, & Sun) | 📍 6 Michelson Drive, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

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Cheers,

Duncan