Across:
8 Give some financial assistance (DIG OUT) to detective (DI-) with arthritis (gout = -G OUT) (DIG OUT),
9 and 14 across: Toughs it out (WEATHERS THE STORM) at the end of 15 across (end of ‘under the weather’ = WEATHER-) by taking direction (South = -S) from most of them (most of ‘them’ = THE) from Rush (STORM) (WEATHERS THE STORM),
10 Rally (MEET) those on the periphery around (= reverse indicator) Texas Hold ’Em (those on the periphery ‘TExas hold EM’ = teem = MEET)
11 Employs high-flyers to communicate the news (PIGEON POST) to 1 down (‘pigeon’ = PIGEON) and 2 down (‘post’ = POST) (PIGEON POST),
12 All the voices together (UNISON) tainted leaving United Nations (‘tainted’ leaving ‘United Nations’ = uninos = UNISON)
14 See 9 across
15 Well, it’s not (UNDER THE WEATHER) sick? (UNDER THE WEATHER),
18 Half the trout’s (half the ‘TROuts’ = -TRO-) with duck (-O-) in local batter (beat) – say (= homophone indicator) (‘beat’ = ‘beet’ = BEE-T) (BEETROOT), is that served in salad? (BEETROOT),
20 Cover old ground (REHASH) around (= reverse indicator) those looking after safety (Health & Safety Authority = HSA = -ASH) for that woman (her = REH-) (REHASH),
22 Could be Oxford or Cambridge (Oxford blue / Cambridge blue = BLUE-) for writer (-PENCIL)? (BLUE -PENCIL) Correct! (BLUE-PENCIL),
24 Worried losing rod (‘worried’ losing ‘rod’ = wrie = WEIR) by the barrier on the stream (WEIR),
25 Takes a lot of interest (USURIOUS) in small (-S-), old city (-UR-) acknowledging the debt (IOU-) in America (US = U-S) (USURIOUS),
26 Make plain (EVINCE) in touring (= anagram indicator) Venice (Venice = EVINCE).
Down:
1 Opine (opine) appallingly (= anagram indicator) (opine = PI-EON) about Government (-G-) (PIGEON) in The Messenger (PIGEON),
2 Delivered by a man of letters (POST) to those in 14 down similarly (‘tweet’ = POST),
3 Hurry up (STEP ON IT) and put your foot down (STEP ON IT),
4 Get the picture locally (TWIG) of one of those who might have left The Branch (TWIG),
5 Resent leaving general store (‘resent’ leaving ‘general store’ = galore = GALORE) in large numbers (GALORE),
6 What you might use putting a hem on a pair for jeans (WHIPSTITCH) for 24 down (‘whip’ = WHIP-) to go with 21 down (‘stitch’ = -STITCH) (WHIPSTITCH),
7 Maintain (PRESERVE) park (P-) for one of those on bench (extra player/sub on bench = -RESERVE) (PRESERVE),
13 Dessert (SWEET-) with essence (-HEART) (SWEETHEART) of honey (SWEETHEART),
14 Square (T-) pot (weed) isn’t finished (d) (‘weed’ without ‘d’ = -WEE-) on time (-T) (TWEET) – the messenger is responsible for it (TWEET),
16 It’s not necessary (NEEDLESS) to prepare the pizza dough (knead) – overheard (= homophone indicator) (‘knead’ = ‘need’ = NEED-) from Takeaway (take away = -LESS) (NEEDLESS),
17 Took a course (ENROLLED) in English (E-) reviewing (= reverse indicator) study (den = -N- ED) around Winning Streak (-ROLL-) (ENROLLED),
19 State (OREGON) of tuba from Baton Rouge (‘tuba’ from ‘Baton Rouge’ = onroge = OREGON),
21 Small (S-) bird (-TIT-) on church (-CH)? (STITCH) Darn! (STITCH),
23 Raised (= reverse indicator) some cheetahs accompanying (raised some ‘cheetaHS ACcompanying’ = hsac = CASH) the bucks in America (CASH),
24 Birch (WHIP) or ash tree removed from weather ship (‘ash tree’ removed from ‘weather ship’ = whip = WHIP).