Edinburgh Local Community Grants

There are only SIX DAYS LEFT to apply for a University of Edinburgh Community Grant of up to £5,000.

Community Grants support charities and other groups to make a difference to people across the region, and increase engagement between the University and local communities.

Apply here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/local/community-grants

Who can apply?

Applications are welcome for projects which could benefit people living in the City of Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife, and should show how they could grow relationships between local communities and the University.

If you’re thinking of applying and don’t currently have a relationship with the University, the University’s Community Team is happy to try and put you in touch with members of the University who might be interested in your work. We have some specific drop-in sessions, or just email us to arrange a discussion.

The deadline to submit your application is 5pm onFriday 8 April 2022.

How much funding can I get?

Applications for up to £5,000 are welcome. However, if you require £500 or less, you may also be interested in the University’s Micro-grant scheme.

Since the University launched its Community Grants scheme in 2017, it has awarded almost £500,000 to more than 100 fantastic local organisations.

Apply here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/local/community-grants

Learning for Life: Students celebrate success at Johnnie Walker Princes Street graduation ceremony

Nine students have celebrated their graduation at the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Learning for Life Academy in a special ceremony hosted within the new visitor experience to toast their success.

The students have completed the six-week bartending and hospitality course which offers young people entry level training in bartending and hospitality, including work experience in local pubs, bars and restaurants.

All participants of this cohort have been offered the opportunity to interview for a role at Gleneagles Townhouse in Edinburgh, which is due to open in spring 2022 in a major move which will see the iconic brand expand beyond the Perthshire hills for the first time in its almost 100-year history.

Congratulating the students on their graduation, Gleneagles’ Director of People & Culture, Emma Simpson, said: “Hospitality is an industry like no other.  Dynamic, exciting and rewarding in equal measure, there are very few career paths that present the same breadth of roles and opportunities for continuous professional development and progression.

“It’s wonderful to see so many young people kickstarting their hospitality careers through this programme which is helping to nurture the next generation of talent here in Edinburgh.  We’re thrilled for the graduates and look forward to following and supporting them as they progress in their careers.”

Diageo Learning for Life is an award-winning bartender training programme, through which the company invests £1m-per-year in offering opportunities to young unemployed people in the UK to get into hospitality careers.

Since launch in Scotland in 2014, over 4,000 people have graduated from the programme with 88% going on to sustained employment and a further 6% going on to further education.

Ewan Ritchie, from Midlothian, is celebrating his graduation from the course which has recently completed in Edinburgh, only the second course to be held in the new Learning for Life Academy at Johnnie Walker Princes Street.

The new Johnnie Walker Princes Street visitor experience has a dedicated bar for the Learning for Life programme, giving students access to world class training. The academy provides ample space for presentations, tutorials and lessons as well as a large, open bar area where people can learn and hone the skills they learn.

Ewan, said: “The last six weeks have been absolutely fantastic and I am so grateful to have been able to work with such a wonderful team to kickstart my career in hospitality.

“My favourite part of the course was learning practical skills and gaining product knowledge from inspirational trainers and Ambassadors within the Industry]. I really look forward to starting my full time front of house role within the new Gleneagles Townhouse.”

Gillian Dalziel, Learning for Life Programme Manager in the UK said:  “Congratulations to all the students that have graduated today. It has been great to see all their hard work come to fruition.

“At Diageo we aim to promote sustainable growth through inclusive programmes and Learning for Life plays an important role in giving young people the opportunity to kickstart a career in such a vibrant industry.”

The Learning for Life course in Edinburgh was delivered by Diageo partner The Springboard Charity, who works closely with Diageo to ensure the highest quality training and experience is delivered to Learning for Life students.

Chris Gamm, CEO of Springboard, said: “This has been another hugely successful course, delivered to a group of engaged and enthusiastic individuals in Scotland.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the graduates and are delighted that they have all been offered interviews at Gleneagles Townhouse. The Learning for Life Academy at Johnnie Walker Princes Street is already proving itself as a vital training centre, making a positive impact on improving the hospitality talent pipeline in Edinburgh.”

To find out more about Diageo Learning for Life and how to apply, please visit: 

https://www.diageo.com/en/society-2030/champion-inclusion-and-diversity/inclusive-communities/skills-empowerment/

Princess Royal opens new Sea Cadets Boat Station at Port Edgar Marina

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal has officially inaugurated the new Sea Cadets Port Edgar Boat Station in Edinburgh’s picturesque Port Edgar Marina on Friday (1 April 2022).

As Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps, the event provided the opportunity for The Princess Royal to meet with cadets and watch them as they paraded and got out on the water, enjoying boating, sailing, rowing and paddlesports activities.

“We are delighted to have welcomed HRH The Princess Royal to the opening of Port Edgar Boat Station and we see it as the first of many occasions our Admiral will be able to engage with cadets and support the valuable work taking place within the charity to launch young people for life, whatever their background,” said the CEO of Sea Cadets, Martin Coles CBE.

“Sea Cadets works with 14,000 young people across 400 units to broaden their horizons and create possibilities, helping young people to develop into resilient, confident young people.”

“In the current climate of global conflict and economic strife, not to mention the impact of the pandemic, our young people are facing more challenges than ever before, so investing in their future has never been more crucial.

“Our new residential boat station will provide ample opportunities for even more young people to enjoy boating and water sports, earn qualifications and take part in courses such as first aid, navigation and meteorology held on site.”

More than 80 cadets, including royal marines cadets and junior cadets from across Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England participated in the opening event.

Twelve cadets were able to represent the ‘Cadet Voice’ and discussed with their Admiral the issues most important to them.

Guests attending included Brigadier John Thomson QVRM TD PhD DL (Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh), Captain Neil Downing (Captain Sea Cadets) and Admiral Sir Philip Jones GCB DL (President of the Marine Society and Sea Cadets), as well as representatives of the Royal Navy, youth, education and maritime sectors.

The Princess Royal has been an active supporter of the youth charity for many years, commissioning both the former and current Sea Cadets flagship, the TS Royalist.

The new Sea Cadets boat station in Port Edgar Marina is well located to serve young people across the region with good transport links and offers superb facilities both on and off the water.

£25 million funding for drugs services

A total of 77 initiatives working with people affected by drug use are to receive awards totalling more than £25 million over the next five years.

Grants of more than £6 million in total have been allocated to 16 organisations providing residential rehabilitation and pre and post rehabilitation support to enable them to further enhance their services.

The charity Teen Challenge UK, which supports young people with drug and alcohol addictions is among the recipients. An award of almost £800,000 will be used to improve and increase capacity at their Sunnybrae and Benaiah rehabilitation centres in Aberdeenshire by increasing staffing and carrying out refurbishment work.

A further 38 awards totalling more than £10 million have been made to organisations who support people through recovery including WRASAC (Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre) Dundee & Angus Ltd.

The money will be spent on establishing a women’s hub in Dundee to support women with substance dependency and additional complex needs.

In addition, 23 projects working with children and families have received funding of almost £9.5 million.

Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “I am pleased that so many organisations doing valuable work around the country are to benefit from this latest round of funding from our Improvement Fund and Children and Families Fund.

“The grants awarded will enable services to increase and improve the support available for people suffering from addiction and of course, their families.

“Getting more people into the treatment which works for them is central to our National Mission and we continue to embed the new Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards which reinforce a rights-based approach for people who use drugs and the treatment they should expect regardless of their circumstances.

“We aim to increase the number of publicly funded residential rehabilitation placements by more than 300 per cent over the lifetime of this Parliament and I recently announced a treatment target to increase the number of people with problematic opiate drug use accessing community treatments.

 “I am determined that the £250 million we are investing in tackling this public health emergency will make a difference and we will continue to prioritise our efforts to turn this crisis around.”

Teen Challenge North East Scotland Area Manager Gordon Cruden said: “We are extremely grateful to have been awarded this funding for our work at Teen Challenge North East Scotland.

“We are passionate about seeing people set free from addiction and this funding will help us support more men and women to freedom.

“The grant has been specifically awarded to improve, expand and increase the capacity of our two residential centres – our men’s centre, Sunnybrae, and women’s centre, Benaiah – through increased staffing, improvements to equipment and minor refurbishments.

“A main aim of ours is to see each resident progress on with positive personal life goals in the areas of home, career, financial stability and social network and this funding will help us to support people to achieve just that.”

Information on the national mission

Corra Foundation

Teen Challenge UK

Corstorphine Community Centre looking for new home

Corstorphine Community Centre have issued a statement about the end of lease at 191 St John’s Road – they are currently looking for alternative premises for the shop and activities.

Please get in touch if you have any ideas – email admin@ccchub.online

Which? reveals UK’s Favourite Walks

A magical walk in Yorkshire taking in Malham Cove and Gordale Scar has been rated the best in the UK, as Which? reveals the nation’s favourite 51 routes.

The Lake District proved the most popular region for high quality walks, claiming six spots in the table. The Peak District, Cornwall and Northumberland each boast three of the best walks, while Dorset, Snowdonia, London, Surrey and the North York Moors have two each.

Malham Cove and Gordale Scar achieved a superb 89 per cent walk score in the Which? survey of more than 1,800 people. Visitors were impressed by the cove’s amphitheatre-shaped cliffs which lead up to a limestone pavement, where a scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was filmed.

Its second striking geological feature, Gordale Scar, is a narrow ravine enclosed by sheer walls 100 metres high. The 7.5-mile walk scored the full five stars for scenery and places of interest. It was rated four out of five for difficulty – where one is easy and five is suitable for experienced walkers only – meaning it is a route for more regular ramblers.

The joint second best walks were both in Cornwall and scored 88 per cent. The tiny Botallack Mine Walk scored five stars for peace and quiet, and scenery; at one-mile long it is the joint shortest walk among the top 51 alongside Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire.

The more challenging seven-mile Lizard Peninsula Circuit around the most southerly tip of mainland Britain gained five stars for places of interest, scenery and wildlife, with rare red-billed chough birds as well as basking sharks and seals calling it their home. In the Which? survey results, only two other routes – Solva to St Davids and Blakeney Point – equalled this mark for wildlife.

Rhossili Headland retained its record as the best walk in Wales with an overall score of 86 per cent. The undemanding 3.5-mile trail in the Gower received top marks for scenery and five other four-star scores in the Which? survey, making it an excellent all-rounder. Walkers pass a former Iron Age fort and can see the remains of a shipwreck poking out of the sparkling sea at low tide.

Anstruther to Crail on the Fife Coastal Path was rated Scotland’s best route with an 83 per cent walk score.

The easily navigable four-mile route knits together a string of fishing villages whose stone houses have provided a subject for numerous painters. At 13 miles, Scotland’s second best route, Loch Katrine in the Trossachs National Park, was the longest walk featured, which can all easily be completed in a day. Walkers can keep an eye out for silver birch, oak and rowan woodland as they pass through waterfalls on this gentle lakeside stroll.

The only walks rated five out of five by Which? for difficulty – Helvellyn, Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowden’s Llanberis Path – involve climbs of at least 950m.

For the very best of the most challenging routes, head to Helvellyn in the Lake District, which finished fourth overall in the survey with a score of 87 per cent.

This 9.5-mile hike with stunning views from the Striding Edge Ridge scored five stars for scenery, but with limited visitor facilities, hikers need to make sure they come prepared.

 Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “The UK has an amazing variety of walks and with its magical connection, the most popular route in our survey was a worthy winner. 

“From breathtaking rolling hills and lake loops to historic hikes, clifftop paths and the shingle beaches below, there is a route for every taste and ability.” 

Creative expert reveals five fun crafts to do this Easter with your Kids  

With Easter approaching, craft experts from Crafty.net reveal five fun crafts that families can do at home on a budget this Easter.  

You don’t have to be an expert in crafting to create something fun with your kids this Easter, but sometimes it can be overwhelming figuring out where to start when creating something from scratch. To help find inspiration, think about the season and what colours or animals you associate with it; this can be a great way to put you in the right frame of mind.   

If the ideas don’t flow easily, you can find that extra boost of inspiration in many different places. Whether you’re searching the internet on sites like Pinterest or YouTube, the ideas for Easter DIYs will begin to flow.

Start by seeing which supplies you have to hand already, or see what you may be able to re-purpose. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on crafts to produce something incredible; here are a few ideas to get you started:    

  • Easter crafts with lolly sticks  

This craft is a fun way to entice your kids to recycle after their sweet treats; if you don’t have any lolly sticks in your home, you can find some at your local craft store. Be as creative as you desire, whether that’s creating bunny or chick faces, bunny bookmarks or lolly stick baskets.

Some fun extras alongside your lolly sticks and PVA glue could include some paints of your choice, pipe cleaners and pom-poms; using embellishments is where the creativity flows.   

  • Easter crafts with construction paper  

Construction paper is a fun way to create your Easter crafts on a budget. A fun keepsake such as ‘paper handprint bunnies’ involves taking a piece of paper and tracing your kids’ hands, cutting around the outline and folding the pinky finger and thumb to the centre. Next cut to the base of the middle finger giving the shape of bunny ears and paws. From here, you can have fun with what extras you add to embellish your bunnies with pens or goggle-eyes.   

Alternatively, create some Easter decorations by tracing an outline of bunnies on pieces of construction paper with different prints and placing a white pom-pom as the bunny tail. You could put these on a piece of yarn you have lying around to create some colourful bunting.   

  • Easter crafts with paper plates  

For chick paper plate craft, start by painting a paper plate yellow and add some goggle-eyes for fun, along with a piece of orange paper that can be used for the beak and chicks’ legs. This craft can be easily created for bunnies or other spring animals you have in mind.   

As an alternative craft, you can make an Easter Wreath by cutting out the middle section of your paper plate to achieve your wreath shape. Now it’s time to add your creative flair; adding ribbon wrapped around the wreath adds fun texture and colour, or egg-shaped coloured paper is a great way to personalise your easter wreaths. Whether it’s decorative or a fun craft for your kids, there are many options with paper plates, so have fun.   

  • Easter crafts with egg cartons  

Using egg cartons is another excellent way to encourage recycling for your little ones. Using the egg cups, you can paint them to add some colour, and use pens to decorate the cups as a face. Why not make this craft extra fun by adding some easter treats inside the cup, such as chocolate mini eggs.   

You can create flowers by cutting your egg carton into a quad, adding colour paint of your choice to the container, and yellow to the middle of the carton or add a fluffy pom-pom for the pollen along with a green popsicle stick for the stem of the flower. These can be displayed in many ways, either a spare jar or a floral foam brick – then you have a lovely bouquet of recycled flowers.   

  • Easter crafts plastic eggs   

This craft offers a great option to get creative, finding colourful plastic eggs at your local craft shop and pipe cleaners; you can make bunny ears; alternatively, on an orange egg, you could add green pipe cleaners to make a carrot for this Easter season.

Another great craft you can do at home is to open the plastic egg up and glue the larger flat base to the pointed top, creating a fun plant pot where you could incorporate some of your favourite flowers.   

Musical instruments are always a win; how about crafting some simple maracas by filling up your plastic eggs with household objects such as rice. Next, take two plastic spoons, hold them against the plastic egg securing with a piece of tape, then you have your musical instrument.   

Crafty is a Premium Craft Membership designed to deliver quality SVG Cut Files and Designs for one low monthly price.  

Scottish Hostels: Welcome to the places we call home

Independent hostel owners reflect on the trips they took as children which inspired them to become hostel owners

It might be the sociable lifestyle. Or it could be the stunning scenery, excellent facilities and warm welcome, but hostelling is becoming the trip of choice for budget-conscious families and travellers of all ages looking for a unique stay.

Holidaymakers looking to leave a positive lasting impression on young minds are being urged to explore the abundant variety and high quality of Scottish Hostels to inspire the next generation. 

Drawn by the friendly way of life and the chance to share the beautiful areas where they live, Scottish Hostels’ independent owners truly embody Visit Scotland’s invitation of “welcome to the places we call home”. And many were inspired after a family trip of their own.

You could say that Pam Richmond, originally from Glasgow, who runs Argyll Backpackers on the banks of Loch Fyne, was born into the role after her parents met while visiting hostels in Scotland during the late 1940s.

She was introduced to hostelling by her parents at the age of 10 and always wanted to run a hostel herself, drawn by a love of travelling, experiencing different cultures, meeting people and hearing their stories.

After a variety of careers, she finally realised her dream by commissioning a purpose-built hostel in 2005, and now she relishes the chance to share the beautiful area where she lives with people from around the world.

She described the journey from the outset to finally opening Argyll Backpackers as quite an adventure in itself and said: “As hostel owners we can all say that we’ve changed our lives, and hopefully for the better.”

Pam added: “The rewards are certainly not great financially, but more than made up for by guests also enjoying ‘my dream’.  Most arrive as strangers but leave as friends, often returning with family to spend a few days exploring further in this area. 

“This is why I do what I do, and love doing it.”

Modern hostels offer a fantastic chance to experience the best of the Scottish countryside.

Set in stunning scenery and often right on the hiking and biking trails, their hosts are experts on each area and are passionate about helping families to make the most of their stays.

Accommodation is geared towards all sorts of holidaymakers, from solo travellers, couples, families and groups of friends, while visitors might be surprised to discover some hostels can even offer facilities like a traditional sauna, hot tub or large covered barbecue area.

And all of this is on a budget which means the pennies saved can be splurged on family fun, adventures and making memories that last a lifetime.

For Scottish Hostel’s chair Dominique Drewe-Martin, who hails from Surrey, it was also a stay in a hostel at the age of 10 that introduced her to the joys of this type of travel. And as a teen, she decided that one day she would own an outdoor centre or hostel when she was older.

After studying at university in Newcastle, Dominique worked in banking for nine years which gave her the financial know-how to put together a business plan and get the go-ahead on a mortgage for a hostel.

Following more than two years of searching for the perfect property with her partner Daniel, she originally found a place in Skye. Unfortunately it fell through but soon after, Ballater Hostel became available and the couple fell in love with its setting, surrounded by mountains in the Cairngorms National Park.

She said: “I love my current work / life balance – working nine to five I could never help out with groups in the village, go help someone at the drop of a hat, move my work around to fit whatever is going on, take holidays whenever I like or take on so many roles in the village.  

“Financially it’s a much simpler life, but when you have amazing countryside on your doorstep, work that you really enjoy – with no annual reviews – plus hobbies and groups that you can properly immerse yourself in and all with so much flexibility it is completely worth it.  

“You don’t need that extra paycheck when you have the way of life you love.”

So who knows, taking your children hostelling might change their lives, as it did for these two Scottish Hostels owners who fell in love with the lifestyle and now offer their own warm welcome to travellers.

How the lives of Syrian refugees are being transformed in Scotland

A group of Syrian refugees met with MSPs yesterday to tell them how their lives are being transformed thanks to the expertise of the staff at Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC).

The group who arrived in Scotland through the UK Settlement Scheme, met Sarah Boyack MSP and Foysol Choudhury MSP to tell them how they are adjusting to their new life in Scotland. 

The group meets up every Friday to learn digital skills using devices provided by ELREC and Connecting Scotland through its Kickstart Scheme. The group receives weekly training at ELREC to help them to improve their English and computer literacy.

Kickstart staff Hassan and Mohammad are originally from Syria.  They have been helping the group adjust to life in Scotland by providing practical help to complete forms and register for banking.

With the help of Hasan and Mohammad who acted as translators, Sarah Boyack MSP, and Foysol Choudhury MSP heard some of the issues the group are facing since their move to Scotland.

Language barriers are a huge issue.  Inappropriate accommodation which is simply too small for traditional large Syrian families is causing significant problems too.  Some families remain in temporary accommodation for several years, and the lack of affordable housing has only intensified the problem. 

The group spoke of health conditions and some are waiting for surgeries. Other families are suffering mentally from the trauma of war and resettlement, and many are under a great deal of stress trying to obtain VISAs for relatives who have been left behind in Syria.

Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian Region and ELREC’s Chairperson, said: “I’d like to thank the group for giving us their time today and ELREC for hosting the meeting.   

“From our conversations, it is clear there are many issues for refugees, but I was heartened to hear the support ELREC can and is providing to help them adjust to their new life in Scotland.

“I hope this meeting showed the group they are a valued part of the community and reassures them that we will take forward the issues we discussed”.

One in four ambulances delayed 30 minutes or more as Emergency Care falls deeper into crisis

The latest Winter Sitrep data for the week ending 27 March show:

  • There were 79,588 ambulance arrivals, 2.7% less than the previous week.
  • More than one quarter of ambulances experienced delays of 30 minutes or more, equal to 21,051 ambulances – an increase of 7.4% on the previous week
  • This is the highest proportion of ambulance delays on record
  • More than one in nine ambulances were delayed by more than 60 minutes, a 10.2% increase on the previous week, setting a new record high for this reporting period.
  • The average number of delays for this winter has continued to creep up, increasing from 0.3% up to 21.3%. The previous highest weekly average number of delays was 14.3% in 2019-20.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine and The College of Paramedics have collaborated on this Ambulance Handover Options Appraisal guidance that details the ways in which Paramedics and Emergency Medicine staff can reduce ambulance handover delays.

Dr Ian Higginson, Vice President of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The data show Emergency Department crowding, long “hidden” within the walls of EDs, has become more visible as handover delays have dramatically increased, leading to ambulances waiting outside EDs with their patients still inside.

“It is vital that ambulances return to active service whenever possible and safe to do so. Delaying ambulance handovers should be a last resort. Holding patients in ambulances leads to unnecessary delays to their care, leaving seriously ill or injured patients in the community requiring an ambulance to wait longer.

“Ambulance handover delays are almost entirely caused by dangerous crowding in Emergency Departments. The root cause of these problems is “exit block” where there are delays for patients to be admitted to inpatient beds from the ED. Patients suffer harm or die unnecessarily when they cannot get an ambulance in time, when they are held in ambulances on arrival in ED, or when they are treated in crowded EDs.

“Emergency Departments must have sufficient capacity to meet demand, and constant flow from the Emergency Department into inpatient beds, otherwise they will not be able to keep patients and staff safe. This means that risk must be properly shared within organisations, and through systems.

“When this does not happen leadership teams tend to look for mitigation. Unfortunately, this mitigation is usually focused at the front door of the hospital, rather than being directed at the root cause of the problem. The Royal College and The College of Paramedics have produced this joint guidance to support good decision making when managing ambulance handover delays in an effort to tackle ambulance handover delays and dangerous Emergency Department crowding.”

Tracy Nicholls, Chief Executive of The College of Paramedics, said: “We hear from our members how consistently challenging this situation is and, whilst we can see that paramedics, ambulance clinicians and hospital ambulance liaison officers are doing everything they can, the system is now at breaking point. 

“Those who need an ambulance are continuing to wait an unacceptable length of time and those paramedics and ambulance clinicians who are running to their next job can clearly see how long their next patient has been waiting and know they are going to be met with frustration, anxiety or fear.

“It seems incongruous that additional measures are being taken at the front door when the whole system flow of patients still needs to be addressed, but we suspect that there are now few options left without further risk to both those who are using the ambulance services and those who are working within them.

“Ambulance operations centres are still fielding calls at record numbers because callers want to know when an ambulance will arrive and are often calling back time and time again.

“It is difficult to hear that an ambulance might be delayed but imagine how a caller feels when their 999 call isn’t answered straight away. The moral injury is not just with the paramedics, but also with all of those involved directly with patients and their care.

“The College supports RCEM’s call for both the reduction in ambulance handover delays and in ED overcrowding.  It is only by working together as a system that we will see this much-needed change and this guidance document outlines the risks associated with the current challenges.”