Leith Chooses is an annual programme where members of the Leith community vote on community projects to receive funding from the City of Edinburgh Council Community Grants Fund. Also known as £eith chooses, the project has been running since 2010, with the aim of directing funding towards community projects via local input. The theme for 2025/26 is “Wellbeing in Leith,” which focuses on encouraging projects that prioritise mental and physical health.
So, how does the programme actually work? Each year, there is a specific budget allocated to the programme; this year, the budget is roughly £45,000, with up to £5,000 available per project. Each enterprise can request a varying amount of funding as long as it does not exceed this amount. The applications for funding opened in August, and in-person voting began on 24 January at the Leith Community Centre, while online voting opened on 27 January. Voting results are revealed later in February. The voting rules are as follows: all voters must be aged 8 or over, voters must either live, work, study, or volunteer in Leith, and voters may vote for multiple projects.
This year, there are 29 projects to choose from, ranging from accessibility improvements, social and community enterprises, and environmental development. Each enterprise must align with the “Wellbeing in Leith” theme.
Last year, in the 2024-25 election, 11 organisations were successful in receiving funding. The theme was ‘Leith Uniting,’ which focused on bringing the community together. Some of the successful enterprises include Leith Community Growers, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, and Hibernian Community Foundation.
Are students engaged with the programme? One student living on Leith Walk tells The Student: “I will be voting in LeithChooses. I think it’s a great system and a democratic way of distributing funding. I’ve lived in Leith for three years now, and participate in the vote every year–it allows me to have a say in local budgeting and it’s a good way to spread community awareness of projects and charities active in the neighbourhood. I don’t believe that it should be solely residents that can vote–people working or studying in Leith are also able to benefit from projects in the community, so it makes sense for them to have a say as well.”
The programme is advertised in eligible areas via posters and temporary signs on the majority of major streets such as Leith Walk. Additionally, the in-person voting event on 24 January was held at the Leith Community Centre, as a way to bring the community together. In-person voters can also vote for a second time online, as a way to encourage as many attendees as possible.
Leith Chooses has been running successfully for 16 years now, providing local charities and groups with necessary funding that benefits the community in various ways. The programme allows for funding to be split amongst various groups based on what voters deem to be a current priority. This democratic model ensures that residents, volunteers, and students of Leith are consulted about matters that directly affect their community.
Image by Ulia Makoveeva for The Student.