Free on Thursday mornings and passionate about Craft and volunteering to help people with a physical disability in Edinburgh?
Choose from our range of weekly activity groups, in person and online. Opportunities to learn new skills and meet others.
Befriending with Ecas
Find out more about Volunteering Opportunities with our Befriending Service
Ecas grants
Ecas grants fund supports physically disabled people in Edinburgh and Lothian
From art to music to yoga
There’s something for everyone with our weekly activity groups
And find new friends with Ecas
Our Befriending Service is a great way to meet like-minded people living nearby
Join our Befriending Team
A great way to volunteer, develop your skills and support your local community
Are you looking for disability support in Edinburgh and Lothian?
Ecas supports physically disabled adults through our established services.
Our friendly and welcoming groups and activities provide an opportunity to learn new skills and meet like-minded people. Our befriending service reduces loneliness and isolation, and our disability grants help support physically disabled people.
Join A Group
Ecas is a registered charity and has been supporting adults with physical disabilities for over 100 years, promoting equality, choice and participation.
We’re here to help you too!
News & Impact
Vacancy: Lifeguard for Swimming/Hydrotherapy
Ecas is looking for a Lifeguard for our Wednesday evening Hydrotherapy Sessions. Can you help?
Connect – an Ecas Exhibition
JOIN US for Connect – a celebration of Ecas and all that we do, featuring artworks, creative writing, music and more
Erin’s Ecas Fundraiser
In early April, Erin, one of our fabulous Group Leaders, and her friend Grace walked the West Highland Way for Ecas. Amazing!
Meet Mya our Administrator
Mya joined Ecas as our Administrator in December. We are delighted to welcome Mya and asked her to share a little about herself.
The Botanics, the Burrell and more, thanks Aegon!
Our partnership with Aegon is making a big difference!
Ecas Annual Report 2024/25
Enjoy Ecas highlights of 2024-25, including our Activities, Befriending Service and Grants.
Befriending trips, funded by Aegon
Enjoy the latest on a range of trips for our befriending matches, funded by our friends at Aegon
Ken and Ecas
An Ecas grant to cover a powerpack and transport costs helped Ken reclaim his freedom. Ken’s daughters share his Ecas story.
Ecas at The Edinburgh Book Festival
In August 2025, the Book Festival invited the Ecas Reading and Creative Writing Group to perform their own work.
Ecas visit to the Royal Botanic Garden
In July 2025, 40 of us from Ecas visited the Royal Botanic Garden. Here are the highlights
Logan and Ecas
Logan’s Ecas Grant covered the cost of an iPad. His PAMIS programme is now within reach at all times
Recent Videos
What our clients say
My befriender brings the outside world in.
Margaret
We feel confident now and realise we can do things we couldn’t do before, but we can do them now!
Barbara
The practising of relaxations and meditations helps to provide a sense of peace when there may be many things in our lives that are out of our control.
Verity
We look forward to the class and the support we get from one another.
Hilda
The swimming group has really helped me with my confidence in the water and has also helped me to get out and be more sociable.
Esther
Having the opportunity to get in the water and stretch my legs has helped me be more comfortable not only when in the pool but in my day to day life. The swimming group has definitely had a positive impact on me.
Colin
The body is more supple and the mind is less busy.
Barbara
Tai chi helps relax me – the tension just melts away. It has helped me regain movement in my left arm.
Danny
After only five weeks, I am surprised. Tai chi is easy to do. The benefits are less tension. It works and fully meets my needs.
Irene
This group is a fantastic way to come together and talk about things: books, our lives, what’s important to us.
David
My carer suggested I join the reading and writing group. Being part of the group has taught me how to write essays and poems. It’s great fun hearing group members read out their written pieces. Outside Ecas, we meet socially and go out for coffees or to the cinema. I am glad to have become a member… I love it.
William
I’ve always thought literary people were above me. But when we read and talk about them, you discover that they are really quite like us.
Eileen
The group is a lot of fun and full of talent. I enjoy playing different instruments, rediscovering songs from a long time ago and also new ones.
Christine
Brilliant.
Kevin
We have a very supportive tutor. She gives us a lot of scope to do painting, art and also pottery. Being part of the craft group is so rewarding.
Ruth
The Friday group is a very important part of the week. I meet friends, have fun and can be creative.
Lesley
The class has given me the ability to use my hands to an extent that I was previously unable to do.
Jack
I hadn’t done any art since primary school and I’m now the proud owner of several nice pictures. A super group.
Christine
Ecas has given me confidence, and the belief that I can achieve what I set out to do.
Bill
The art group has given me the opportunity to fulfil a dream.
Christine
Eilidh loves her trike. Being out and about together with the rest of the family on theirs has made a huge difference and is fantastic exercise for her.
The Anderson family
Thank you Ecas for supporting us to go on a holiday. The cottage has been great – wheelchair accessible with amazing views around.
The Dukan family
I met up again with my Befriender today and had an interesting and enjoyable walk in warm sunshine. I so appreciate his time and kindness. Thank you for making it all possible.
Ruth
It was always a great afternoon chatting with Stuart. I find our friendship to be very rewarding. It was a pleasure to be in the company of his character and good humour. We both shared similar interests and managed to get out to watch his favourite football team play.
Michael
Thanks to the Ecas grant we were able to source and pay for VR (virtual reality) equipment for my son Keir to use daily at home. After first using the headset at the Sick Kids Friends Foundation it was amazing to see how it helped him to get exercise. By exercising while seated, the severe pain that his condition creates is greatly eased. It has been a fantastic resource and helped him so much. We are so thankful and every single day we are seeing the results.
The Wallace family
I very much enjoy the company and all the Tai Chi movements – all very helpful. Socialising is very important when many are isolated.
Marion
The Ecas group motivates me to get out the house and meet new friends, and I enjoy making art.
Bruce
I’ve been coming for a long time and I really do enjoy it. It’s my two hours of the week.
Anne
Ecas is my best day of the week with lovely friends and lovely activities. There’s always something to learn.
Angela
I enjoy collage and jewellery making and being with my friends.
Lesley
I like it because of the people I meet.
Gosha
Good writing exercises, good laughs, and good company.
David
I like writing my stories, it helps me read as well. I get to practice my reading. On Fridays I like to draw my stories, it makes them come to life.
Leeann
Since returning to swimming, I have felt that my physical and mental health has improved with the added bonus of a nice warm pool and a relaxing atmosphere also with an understanding Instructor that is receptive to my physical needs in the pool.
Ian
I’m happy engaging in the Tai Chi movements. Love moving my arms and hands.
Ricco
The Tai Chi movements and awareness of breathing helps to lift my mood, keeps me calm and improves coordination. I am enjoying meeting new people and learning movements I can practice at home.
Rachel
Prior to the Chair Yoga group I was virtually housebound as I suffer from COPD and use oxygen 24 hours a day. The class has made such a difference to my life. I can honestly say that both my mental and physical health has greatly improved over the last 12 months. The group leaders and the class members are all very friendly.
I now feel much more positive about venturing out on my own with my oxygen, and my COPD consultant has informed me that my lung function has increased 100%. She attributes this to the yoga class. Thank you!
Margaret
Music’s fantastic. Akin is a great music teacher. It’s very enjoyable.
Chris
‘I just LOVE it.’
Graham
The last couple of years I have been feeling pretty isolated, so meeting up and spending time with a new friend has been really good.
Rheanan
There’s a comfort in knowing that Ecas supports both the client and the volunteer and are there when you need them, with a personal touch.
Aoibheaan
I find Yoga a very happy and useful tool mentally and physically. We motivate each other to the best of our abilities. The movement is enough that I can feel my body working, nut not so much it triggers PEM (post-extertional malaise).
Helena
Yoga a very happy and useful tool mentally and physically. We motivate each other to the best of our abilities.
Ian
The generosity and support of Ecas helped transform life not just for our dad, Ken, but for our whole family. Through your amazing support, we received two life-enhancing provisions for our dad, Ken: a power pack for his wheelchair and a transport contract with HCL. These may sound like small things – but for Ken, they’ve meant the world.
Ken’s Family
This grant has been amazing for our family. It means we have a dedicated iPad for iPad for Logan’s special programme which means we can have his medical and personal information at hand all the time.
Logan’s Family
Eilidh loves her trike. Being out and about together with the rest of the family on theirs has made a huge difference and is fantastic exercise for her.
Eilidh’s Family
I love it, it makes me feel happy. I’m glad I tried something different.