UNDERGOING something of a relaunch is the Edinburgh Women For Independence group, which has used the occasion of the revamp of their website to promote the group’s ideals and send a positive message to the Yes movement and beyond about their aims for 2021.

It gave a brief history of the group to The National: “A few Edinburgh women got together in 2013 and then roundtable-like – OK, a kitchen table in Glasgow – helped create Women For Independence. After that, EdinWFI never went away after the independence referendum of September 2014.

“From then til now, we’ve held food bank collections, period poverty fundraising, practical help and campaigning.

“We’ve worked to help set up a school clothing bank, organised a specialised clothes appeal for women and children abroad, and supported both the Women’s Zone Edinburgh and Low Income Families Together (Lift) in Muirhouse.

“All the while we’ve focused on the goal of independence with regular monthly meetings, uninterrupted til Covid.”

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Last year was a rollercoaster for EdinWFI. They said: “Our members are well aware of just how tough 2020 has been for women across Scotland, not least due to our lived experiences and those of our families and communities.

“This year is going to be marked as both the Covid and Brexit Transition Year, bringing heartache all round, and the unwelcome additional layering to the ideological austerity imposed by Westminster over the last 10 years.

“But it’s also brought out the resilience, the support and solidarity, the acknowledgement of the dedication of frontline workers, volunteers and the never faltering independence fight.”

The year ahead has a positive look, however: “To help, we’re kicking off 2021 with our revitalised, reorganised, revamped, renamed website and let’s face it, it had to be a .scot, didn’t it?

“If the heartbreak of the referendum result in 2014 didn’t stop us, nothing will, and now it’s 2021 and what a momentous year it’s going to be.

“In preparation then for Brexit, post transition, Holyrood elections, and the indy fight, we’ll get back to meetings sometime, campaigning, ‘ootnaboots’, letter-boxing and all that will help secure independence for sure this time.

“Please do have a look at www.edinburghwfi.scot.

“The eagle-eyed among you will notice there are two addresses which will take you directly to our website, www.edinburghwfi.scot and www.edinburghwfi.com.”

A good start to 2021 for them. If your group has exciting plans in the months ahead, please let us know by emailing community@thenational.scot, for the attention of Yes DIY.