Grassmarket Community Cinema: Suffragette (15). ‘For election week we’ve gone for a blatant voting and politics theme to celebrate the Scottish elections…. You might come for the feminism, stay for the class consciousness and arrive at the conclusion that they’re not so distinct after all’. 7pm, Monday 2nd May, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome, free admission: donations very welcome! The Grassmarket Community Project is a charity providing mentoring, training and education to participants, many of whom are amongst the most vulnerable of Edinburgh’s citizens, in a nurturing environment. 
It operates a community cafe, woodwork and tartan social enterprises, and a range of social integration and educational activities for members, aimed at enhancing life skills and developing confidence. To read about The Edinburgh Reporter’s afternoon at the Project, click here.
Around The World in 80 Minutes: Martin Aelred, plus guests Chris Rooney (mezzo), Ian Oates (bass) and Jane Finlay (acoustic guitar), presents songs and music from around the world. 7pm, Wednesday 4th May, St John’s Church, Portobello. Admission is free; retiring collection of which 50% will go to Sister Margaret Mary’s Pastoral Centre in Rwanda.
Reaching New Heights: a fundraising event in aid of St Columba’s Hospice. Kieron MacKenzie is well-respected in the outdoor industry and a very experienced mountaineer with a successful Everest expedition included in his portfolio, as well as many other overseas expeditions. He will give a talk on his successful ascent of the North Ridge of the world’s highest mountain, taking you on his journey from Scotland to Tibet and a few points in between. In addition to the talk there will be a raffle with a range of great prizes for the outdoor enthusiast. Kieron is donating his time for free to help 
Team Smidge raise funds for St Columba’s, as part of their Celtic Challenge, a 200 mile cycle from Edinburgh to Iona in May. Come along and help raise funds for what is a fantastic cause. For over 18s only. Cash bar. 7pm (doors open 6.30pm, event will begin by 7.15pm), Wednesday 4th May, Speakeasy, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets £10 from Brown Paper Tickets here or on the door, subject to availability. If you are unable to attend but would like to support Team Smidge, you can do so via Justgiving here; every donation will get three entries into the raffle!
Crisis Open Mic Night: karaoke, songs, stories, poems, spoken word or any sharings are encouraged, but you can also just come to enjoy the night. Food and drink will be available and it will be a relaxed social event. 6-8pm, Friday 6th May, Serenity Café, 8 Jackson’s Entrance, The Tun, 111 Holyrood Road. Free. For more information or to reserve a slot please contact deborah.shaw@crisis.org.uk or call 0131 209 7723 (or just come along on the night). Serenity Cafe is Scotland’s first Recovery Café, run by people in recovery for people in recovery, and public customers who want good value, good quality food in a relaxed space. 
All events are drink and drugs-free. Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people, dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.
Christian Aid Coffee Morning: a fundraiser for Christian Aid Week (15 – 21 May this year). Homebaking, bric-a-brac and books for sale, plus children’s activities. 10am-12 noon, Saturday 7th May, Polwarth Parish Church, Polwarth Terrace. Tickets cost £2.50 for tea/coffee and homemade scone and jam. All welcome!
Grassmarket Matinée of the Month: Star Wars – The Force Awakens (PG). Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. When a defector named Finn crash-lands on a desert planet, he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a top-secret map. 
Together, the young duo joins forces with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last of the Jedi Knights. 2pm, Saturday 7th May, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. Free (donations to the charity to support future screenings and events very welcome) but please book via eventbrite here. Please note that no food or drink can be brought into this screening from outside; the Grassmarket Project’s Community Café will be open – please support it!
Sol Together Now: a get together, fundraiser and cancer awareness gig for young Sol, who is 4 years old and has recently been diagnosed with a type of brain cancer called medulloblastoma. Sol’s recovery from the operation could take up to a year and he has to stay in hospital. 
The volume of care Sol needs means his mother Ruth is unable to work. Funds raised will help with costs of travelling to and from the hospital and nourishing Sol with healthy food and a special diet to help speed his recovery and help everything heal. 
Any money left over from the donations could go towards a family outing when Sol has recovered and medical care if needed. Acts confirmed are Miracle Glass Company + Lewis Gibson and The Midas Touch + The Jackals + Cera Impala and The New Prohibition + Black Cat Bone + Daniel McGeever + Bobby Nicolson + Jon and Andy (The Holy Ghosts). For over 18s only. 2pm, Sunday 8th May, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets £10 + booking fee from Ripping Records here. Donations may also be made on the night or via Justgiving here.
Scotland’s Gardens: Ravenswing. This city garden of about half an acre was completely redesigned 6 years ago after renovation of the house. From a Victorian plan – rectangular paths and small hedges – it is now a wide sweep of lawn and flower beds. The garden is very colourful in late spring and has many different primulae and rhododendrons, also Himalayan poppies and Chilean bushes.
Refreshments available. 2-5pm, Sunday 7th May, 30 South Oswald Road, EH9 2HG. Admission £4 of which 40% goes to Medical Aid for Palestinians and the net remaining to SG Beneficiaries.
Scotland’s Gardens: Roscullen. A fabulous spring garden with numerous varieties of tulips. 
There are also beautiful rhododendrons and azaleas. 2-5pm, Sunday 7th May, 1 Bonaly Road, EH13 0EA. Admission £4 of which 20% goes to Brooke Hospital for Animals, 20% to Friends of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the net remaining to SG Beneficiaries.
