I’m writing this story looking out onto The Royal Mile in Edinburgh. It’s Fringe time and the Festival is in full flow - teams are handing out flyers, street performers are gathering audiences, the sound of music and laughter is everywhere.

I love this time and the vibrancy of it all.

As part of our work with Festivals over the summer, Space to Breathe are running Mental Health First Aid sessions for performers, team and volunteers working here over the summer.

if you’re reading this and want to join in you can book in a session by emailing fringe@spacetobreathe.eu or by coming along to our Drop in 2-5pm 13-15 August at Fringe Central (Yellow Room.)

Theres a simple story behind our work here at Edinburgh. The laughs, joy, entertainment and fun provided by the Edinburgh Fringe gives so much to us. You can see people being lifted by the joy and creativity of it all. But behind the festival is a lot of hard work, vulnerability and devotion. It feels right to give back to these artists and creatives giving so much to us.

This Wednesday is a day known at the Fringe as “Black Wednesday” - the middle day of the festival - when in the past people have come up against wellbeing challenges as they perform, work, share and give out. We’d like to do our little bit to help.