Monday October 12th 2026
Prestonpans GP Surgery and East Coast Ear Care also attended, offering free cardiovascular and ear health checks.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
East Lothian residents are turning to local Information Hubs for help with everything from financial worries and housing to health, employment and family support.
The latest ‘One Stop Shop’ event at Prestonpans Community Centre on Thursday, October 8, brought together 30 organisations, giving residents the opportunity to speak directly with services and access practical advice in one place.
Support was available on a wide range of issues, including health and wellbeing, employment, benefits and finances, housing and rent, emergency food, children and families, volunteering and mental health.
Prestonpans GP Surgery and East Coast Ear Care also attended, offering free cardiovascular and ear health checks.
The Information Hubs have been running for more than a year, visiting different locations across East Lothian each month to bring local services and community organisations together under one roof.
Demand for the events is growing, with more than 500 engagements with organisations recorded across the last five events. More than 60 follow-up activities have also taken place to support people with additional or more complex needs.
Residents have highlighted the difference the events can make, particularly by allowing them to access several services without having to arrange separate appointments.
One woman said being able to speak to organisations about finance, education and employment in one place had made the process much easier and less stressful.
“Without the hub, this would have taken a lot out of me. I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to meet with organisations in person,” she said.
Another resident attended specifically to speak to East Lothian Foodbank and left with a referral for emergency food support.
“I can now go home and eat knowing that I’ve got a Foodbank referral coming tomorrow,” they said.
The hubs can also help residents discover support they had not initially considered.
One couple attended seeking health and vaccination information, but a conversation with an Information Hub assistant led to further support for the gentleman, who was apprehensive about returning to employment after spending several years as a stay-at-home dad.
He was connected with East Lothian Works and other employment support services, where he received advice and information to help him explore his options.
The support left him feeling more confident about his next steps, and he said: “I know what I’ll be doing this afternoon.”
Lorna Bellany, event coordinator and East Lothian Population Health Project Manager for NHS Lothian, said the hubs helped residents access support they might not otherwise have known was available.
“What makes the Information Hubs so valuable is that someone can come through the door with one question and leave having accessed support they may not even have known was available,” she said.
“The growing number of conversations and follow-ups shows the difference that bringing services together in local, accessible community settings can make.”
The next Information Hub is scheduled to take place at The Ridge in Dunbar on Saturday, October 31, from 11am to 1pm.
The final event of the year will be held at the John Gray Centre in Haddington on Saturday, December 5, from noon to 2pm.
Everyone is welcome, and no appointment is required.
Plans are also under way to hold Information Hubs on the first Wednesday of every month throughout 2027, with further details and venues to be confirmed.
For more information about upcoming events, visit Volunteer East Lothian’s Information Hubs webpage.
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