Homecoming Scotland marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of national poet Robert Burns. Each local authority will sponsor a calendar of events starting from the poet’s birthday on 25 January to St. Andrew’s Day on 30 November. The other themes of Homecoming Scotland are golf, whisky, great Scottish minds and innovators, and Scottish culture, heritage, and ancestry.

East Lothian Council has received funding from EventScotland for the John Muir Odyssey, a flagship project led by the John Muir Birthplace and the Scottish Seabird Centre running during 2009. Included in the Odyssey, are several exhibitions including Muir and Burns, Homecoming lectures, The Wildlife Festival, and ‘Muir by Land and Sea'.

The council has a budget of £75,000  - comprising £50,000 of Tyne Esk LEADER that is part financed by the Scottish Government and European Community funding and £25,000 of council funds - that will support 75% of the costs to East Lothian organisations and groups of businesses of developing their own projects.

Tourism spokesman, Councillor Paul McLennan, said: “We look forward to welcoming visitors from the Scottish Diaspora to next year’s Homecoming events. The funding available gives organisations in the county the opportunity to develop their own events and enjoy the economic benefits of the anticipated uplift in tourism.”

The Homecoming East Lothian Grant
Are you organising a new or existing event that could benefit from funding to boost the tourism economy? If so, you may be eligible towards the costs of establishing, developing and marketing your event in line with the Homecoming themes.  For further information, contact:

Julie Day
Tourism Events Officer
Economic Development Division
East Lothian Council
Carlyle House
Haddington EH41 3DX
Tel:  01620 827138
Fax:  01620 827482
e-mail:  jday@eastlothian.gov.uk