Practical. Personal. Local.
What we do across Musselburgh and East Lothian
Four programmes, all free, all designed around the people we serve.
Four programmes, all free, all designed around the people we serve.
At Lumen, the work is practical, personal, and rooted in what people in Musselburgh actually need.
A volunteer might sit with a 68-year-old man in sheltered housing and carefully read through a cardiology appointment letter that arrived two weeks ago and has been sitting on the table, unread and anxiety-inducing, ever since. In a community centre meeting room, a group of six adults might be listening to a plain-language guide about bowel cancer screening, asking questions freely in a setting where no question feels embarrassing or too basic.
A community pharmacist trained through our partnership programme might be handing a newly printed audio-guide QR card to a woman collecting her repeat prescription and noticing, for the first time, that she seems uncertain about the dosage instructions on the box.
These moments are the substance of our work. We do not offer clinical advice, and we do not replace the NHS — we make the NHS more reachable. We produce and distribute health guides in print and audio. We train volunteers in plain-language communication and active listening. We run open, welcoming sessions in familiar community spaces. We sit alongside individuals at the moments when a letter or a diagnosis feels overwhelming and help them find a foothold. And we work continuously with local health services to make the system itself a little more legible for the people who find it hardest to navigate.
Each programme has been developed in response to what local people told us they needed, and is continually updated as community needs and NHS guidance change.
Regular drop-in sessions where trained volunteers read health information aloud in accessible community venues across Musselburgh.
Held weekly at Musselburgh Library, Fisherrow Community Centre, and several sheltered housing sites, these sessions cover topics chosen in response to what participants say they need to understand — from managing long-term conditions to navigating cancer screening invitations. Volunteers use plain, conversational language, pause frequently for questions, and never rush. Sessions are informal, friendly, and open to anyone who would like to come along.
A growing library of free printed and audio guides that translate NHS and public health information into clear, accessible language.
Each guide is drafted in short sentences, tested with community members before publication, and checked against established plain-language standards. Topics include understanding a diabetes diagnosis, what to expect from a bowel screening kit, how to use a rescue inhaler correctly, and how to prepare for a hospital appointment. Audio versions, recorded by local volunteers, are available to download via QR code and distributed through GP waiting rooms, pharmacies, and community hubs across East Lothian.
Confidential, personalised support for individuals who need help understanding letters, appointment notices, or health decisions.
Referred through GP practices, social work, and self-referral, individuals meet with a Lumen navigator — a trained local volunteer — who reads documents with them, explains what they mean, and helps them prepare questions for their next appointment or conversation with a clinician. Sessions take place at a location chosen by the individual: their home, a local café, the library, or a community centre. There is no cost and no waiting list pressure — we work at the pace the person needs.
Working alongside NHS Lothian and local GP practices to embed plain-language principles into how health services communicate with patients.
Through this programme, we train reception and administrative staff in GP practices and community pharmacies to recognise when a patient may be struggling with written information, and to offer Lumen resources or a referral to our navigation service. We also co-produce patient-facing materials with NHS Lothian community health teams, ensuring that new communications around vaccination programmes, screening drives, and long-term condition management are accessible from the outset rather than retrofitted as an afterthought.
Everything Lumen does depends on local people choosing to be part of it. Whether you have time to volunteer, a contribution to make as a donor, or a professional relationship to offer as a partner, there is a meaningful way for you to be part of what we do.
Most of our volunteers give two to four hours a week and tell us it is some of the most meaningful time they spend. No healthcare background is required — just patience, warmth, and a willingness to learn.
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Every form of support — large or small — directly extends our reach and helps more people in Musselburgh understand and act on health information that matters to them.
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