Karen Lewis, who lives in Edinburgh, is the project lead for the children’s side of Big Hearts Community Trust’s Neuro Stars programme. She is speaking ahead of the 10th Big Hearts Day, which takes place on Saturday 21 February, during Hearts v Falkirk at Tynecastle Park.

Big Hearts Day is an annual fixture in the club calendar, celebrating the charity’s work supporting families and vulnerable groups across the city, with pre-match activity, a special kit and fundraising to support community services.

Karen’s route into the role was not a conventional one. While working as a dinner lady at Stenhouse primary school, colleagues encouraged her to retrain in pupil support after noticing her natural way with children.

Karen, 50, said: “I never planned to work in schools. I became a dinner lady because it fitted around my kids, but I found I loved interacting with them every day, hearing their stories, and giving them little bits of advice and guidance. 

“The youngsters would open up to me. I think they were comfortable speaking to me, and I enjoyed talking to them. 

“That pushed me to go and study at Edinburgh College, gaining a qualification in Childcare and finding a new role as a Pupil Support Assistant, building a career working with young people.”

She joined Big Hearts last year after applying for the Neuro Stars role, a move she said she almost talked herself out of.

Karen added: “I had never been in a role like this before, leading a programme, and I remember thinking, am I really going to go for this, am I stepping too far outside my comfort zone.

“But I went for it, and honestly, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. It feels like everything I’ve done before led me here.”

Drawing on her experience working one-to-one with children with additional support needs, alongside her passion for supporting families, Karen quickly proved a natural fit for Big Hearts.

Neuro Stars is a weekly Big Hearts support group for young people aged 5 to 12 who have a neurodivergent diagnosis, or are in the process of diagnosis, alongside a parallel group for parents and carers. The programme runs from The Shed at Tynecastle Park during term time and is delivered in partnership with Lifelong Learning Parent Carer Support at the City of Edinburgh Council.

The group supports families facing the social, emotional and practical challenges that can come with neurodiversity, offering a welcoming and inclusive environment where young people and their carers can connect and feel supported.

Karen leads a team of five trained Big Hearts youth workers, working closely with families to ensure each session is safe, supportive and tailored to the needs of the group.

Sessions are child-led, allowing young people to move between activities such as creative play and indoor and outdoor sport at their own pace.

While young people take part in activities, parents and carers meet separately with experienced family support staff, giving them time to connect with others and access tailored advice and information relevant to their situation.

Karen explained: “A lot of our young people are masking all day at school. When they come here, they don’t have to do that. They can be themselves, choose what they want to do, and move at their own pace.

“It’s about confidence and feeling safe. Sometimes that’s the biggest thing we can offer.”

She added: “It can be incredibly isolating for families. Sometimes this is the first place parents have been where they are surrounded by people who really understand what their week has been like. That sense of not being on your own makes a huge difference.”

Big Hearts Day also plays a key role in raising funds to support the charity’s work with children, young people and families across Edinburgh, with donations on the day helping to sustain programmes like Neuro Stars throughout the year.

Karen said: “Donating to Big Hearts on Big Hearts Day can make a massive difference, no matter how much you can spare. £X will go towards X, helping us support the young people and families in our group.

“You can donate whether you’re there on matchday or at any point in the lead up online, and it all helps us keep these sessions running.”

As Big Hearts marks its 10th Big Hearts Day later this month, Karen said the charity’s work was rooted in care, kindness and community.

She said: “What Big Hearts does so well is make people feel welcome, whether they’re a young person, a parent, or someone walking through the door for the first time.

“I see the impact of that every week, and I’m really proud to be part of it.”

Big Hearts Day takes place on Saturday 21 February, during Hearts v Falkirk at Tynecastle Park. To support Big Hearts Day 2026 and help Big Hearts continue its work with children and young people across the community, visit: https://bighearts.enthuse.com/cf/big-hearts-day-2026

The Scottish Housing News Charity Spotlight feature highlights the vital work of charities across Scotland each Friday. To include your local charity, whether housing-related or not, send your story and images to us at newsdesk@scottishnews.com.