£21 million for home improvements

Help for Homes will be targeted at disadvantaged households

Up to £21 million will be invested in a new three year scheme to allow low income owner-occupiers carry out essential repairs and energy efficiency improvements to their homes, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced yesterday.

The Help for Homes scheme targets those with limited income who meet the minimum equity requirements.

Unveiling details of the new scheme during a keynote speech at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations’ (GWSF) Conference on Regeneration, Mrs Burgess said:

“Housing is at the heart of the Government’s ambitions to create a fairer and more prosperous country, and that includes supporting homeowners in essential upgrades to enable sustainability at home.

“We recognise there are homeowners who want to look after their homes and make them more energy efficient but are unable to afford to carry out work, particularly those who live in tenements. The Help for Homes funding will help homeowners with limited income to combat this.

“That is why the Scottish Government is tendering for a Help for Homes pilot scheme, which will see vulnerable homeowners given help to carry out vital improvements to their homes.”

The property must have been the homeowner’s sole residence for at least 12 months. The maximum loan is 49 per cent of the valuation.

If there is a mortgage or other secured debt at least 30 per cent of the market valuation in equity must remain in the property after the loan has been deducted. Eligible homeowners will borrow from the Scottish Government and repay when they sell their home, die or transfer ownership.

There will be no means test but the scheme will be limited to properties in Council Tax bands A to C and also to home owners outwith these Council Tax bands in receipt of Council Tax Reduction.

Peter Howden, Chair of GWSF, said: “GWSF very much welcomes the Scottish Government’s renewed emphasis on community regeneration, and its commitment to helping owner-occupiers make necessary and sustainable changes to their homes through the Help for Homes scheme.

“Not only will this scheme encourage regeneration and sustainability within tenements in particular, but it will also help owner-occupiers living in mixed tenure blocks contribute toward overall repairs alongside housing associations and local authorities.”

You’re Not Alone!

Chromosome disorder charity uses social media to ensure to ensure people get the support they need

Social isolation is a huge problem for many parents of disabled children. Throw in a rare chromosome disorder, often a disorder that has no name, just a long, unfathomable code of letters and numbers, and the problem increases.

The everyday challenges which follow, the never-ending worries about the future, constant battles to make professionals and even your friends and family understand, leave parents feely confused and very alone.

To help raise awareness of these issues, Unique is running a Chromosome Disorder Awareness Week from 7 -13 June.

Unique is an UK charity supporting families affected by rare chromosome disorders. A spokesperson explained: “The aim is to spread the word to ensure nobody affected is left feeling isolated and alone.

“Everyone needs their friends around them for support, no one should have to feel so desperately alone and yet hundreds of parents with children affected by a chromosome disorder are facing the hardest time of their lives on their own, being rejected by those they trusted most.”

One ‘Unique mum’ said: “When my son was first diagnosed, friends suddenly stopped contacting me. I would see pictures appear on Facebook of the things they had got up to, things that before that point I had done with them.”

Unique, The Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group, has set up a confidential Facebook group ‘Cafe’ which has grown rapidly to over 3,000 members.

It’s a virtual place where parents can ‘pop in for a cuppa’, vent, ask questions, gain support and also celebrate their child’s achievements.

The Unique spokesperson added: “There is nothing like feeling understood and heard by a community of people who have shared similar experiences.

“It has become a lifeline to parents who feel invisible to the rest of the world, giving them a support network of friends who understand, don’t judge and help them make sense of what is happening to them.

“One mum recently told us: ‘I’ve found that I’ve lost a lot of old friends because they just don’t understand or want to understand my situation. I have made lots of valuable friendships since having my daughter and that’s what counts. The Unique Facebook Cafe group became my lifeline, my access to a wealth of knowledge and my greatest source of support. I soon became friends with three of the mums, we quickly realised we had the same sense of humour and shared a common bond… WE LOVE CAKE! These three women are my bestest, most-treasured and trusted friends!’”

For further information, please contact caroline@rarechromo.org or visit

www.rarechromo.org

Explorer of the Year heads women’s events at Edinburgh Festival of Cycling

Shannon Galpin will talk about her experiences cycling in Afghanistan while Festival puts focus on women in cycling

National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and women’s rights activist Shannon Galpin (above), the first woman to mountain bike in Afghanistan, will be sharing her story in the talk ‘Pedaling a Revolution’ at the third Edinburgh Festival of Cycling, held across various venues from 11 – 21 June.

An avid mountain biker, who has spent seven years working on various projects to empower women and girls, most recently supporting the first generation of women riding bikes as part of the Afghan National Women’s Cycling Team, Galpin will be leading a strong bill of events for women as part of the Festival. She will be speaking at the Royal College of Physicians on 17 June at 7pm.

It is not just in Afghanistan that women are changing the narrative, and not just in cycling. After last year’s successful launch, the Women’s Cycle Forum is back for an evening of discussion, inspiration and networking open to all. This year we’ll be hearing from women from successful campaigns about how they ‘changed the record’ and make a difference to their worlds – and then consider together how we can build a better one of our own. Whether you ride a bike for transport, fun or sport, or work in cycling in any way, come ready to learn and to talk about what we can all do to make a difference across the cycling world. Come away inspired, informed – and challenged – to ‘build a better world‘. The Women’s Cycle Forum will be held at Teviot Row House on 13th June at 7pm.

Another woman trying to bring a new perspective to the cycling safety debate is Tamara von Werthern, writer the of the new powerful new drama ‘The White Bike’. The White Bike addresses the issue of road safety by looking at the personal cost of road death and is inspired by the case of Eilidh Cairns who was killed by a lorry as she cycled to work. It uses witness statements, personal recollections of family members and years of cycling experience on the streets of London to create a deeply personal portrait of a life cut short too soon. A dramatic reading of the play will be given at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar on 11 June at 6.30pm.

Other inspiring woman appearing at the Festival include Juliana Buhring and Emily Chappell. World record holder Juliana Buhring was the fastest women to cycle around the world in 2012 and female winner of the Trans-Am Race 2014. Juliana will be giving a Q&A after the Scottish première of the film ‘Inspired to Ride’ about first TransAmerica race.

‘Inspired to Ride’ gives the audience an incredibly immersive experience of 45 cyclists  from around the world who set out to cover 4,233 miles in  one enormous stage race, traversing through ten US states in a transcontinental adventure of epic proportions. ‘Inspired to Ride’ will be screened at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar on 12 June 7pm.

Emily Chappell will be sharing her stories about cycling through some of the world’s most remote and inhospitable regions in a talk on 11 June at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar at 8pm. A bike messenger by trade, she has recently cycled from Anchorage to Seattle on a fatbike, through the snow and ice of the Alaska Highway.

The Edinburgh Festival also has a wide range of participatory events which are likely to appeal to women, these include: the original Edinburgh Night Ride (starts 19 June) which over the last two years has had over 40% participation. This ride give cyclists the chance to experience of cycling through the night on quiet roads in East Lothian.

A ride which is specifically aimed at female riders is the 15:15 ride led by the Edinburgh Belles on Bikes women’s cycling group. The route for this ride forms a figure of eight which allows riders ride for the whole 30 miles, or decide to stop after the first 15 miles.

There is also the ‘Women, Read and Ride on Tour’ a literary tour of Edinburgh by bike, celebrating cycling writing by women. This ride will include readings by Kate Rawles from her book The Carbon Cycle – Crossing the Great Divide (21 June).

For those who want to learn to ride or increase their confidence, there are courses for beginners (21 June) and an adult commuter course (13 June). In addition to this there are a range of family friendly events, these include the Bike Curious Family Workshop. This event, on 13 June at Sciennes Primary School, is to show families how the bike can be used as everyday family transport.

Tickets and more information on all events are available at www.edfoc.co.uk. The Festival can also be followed on Twitter at @edfoc, on Facebook at EdinburghFestivalofCycling, on Instagram at @edfoc and on Flickr at edincyclefest. The hashtag for the event is #edfoc2015

Craigroyston’s Josh is Local Hero!

Inspirational Young Adult award for Craigroyston pupil

Josh Hardwick from Muirhouse has won the Inspirational Young Adult category at this year’s Edinburgh Evening News Local Hero Awards. Josh received his award at a star-studded gala event at the Assembly Rooms last night.

Craigroyston High School, where Josh is a pupil, also came runner-up in the Schools section.

Josh’s nomination read: “Josh is an active board member of Tenants and Residents In Muirhouse, North Edinburgh Young Peoples Forum and Volunteer at Muirhouse Community Shop.

“He engages with residents from all walks all life, assisting in the community shop on a weekly basis, Josh can often be seen helping with the Food bank distribution

“He is someone who understands the issues that residents face, he is very supportive to their every need when in the shop”

“As a board member of TRIM Josh brings an invaluable young person’s take on issues that we discuss, he is passionate about his community and will do anything possible to make the area better. He engages well with any groups / agencies that attend board meetings or visit the community shop”.

Congratulations, too, to Granton’s Terri Smith, who was runner-up in the Inspirational Young Adult category. Terri suffers from health problems but hasn’t let that stop her giving young people a voice through the Scottish Youth Parliament, where she represents Edinburgh Northern & Leith.

The Inspirational Young Adult was sponsored by the Omni. Centre manager David Edwards said: “We have chosen to support that category because it is important to recognise the amazing contribution young people are making to their communities”.

And so say all of us!

On a night of successes for North Edinburgh, Professor Mike Dixon, a world-leading expert in treating breast cancer, was named Health Champion.

Based at the Western General Hospital, Mike has worked as a specialist surgeon for more than two decades and leads a research team dedicated to understanding why the most common form of breast cancer becomes resistant to drugs, which helps give sufferers the best chance of survival possible. Professor Dixon said he was delighted but his joy was tinged with sadness because his mother, who recently passed away, could not be here to share in the night.

Congratulations also to David Marshall and Thomas Lynch, founders of Dads Rock. The charity supports dads to spend quality time with their children and runs local sessions at both The Prentice Centre and Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. Dads Rock won the Community Champion award (above).

Pilrig Park School was School of the Year, with Craigroyston High School runner-up, and Dean Reilly was runner up in the Fundraiser or Volunteer of the Year for his fundraising efforts on behalf of Leith-based MS Therapy Centre.

The top Local Hero award went to the late Jak Trueman. The fifteen year old from Mid Calder dedicated his last weeks to fundraising as he battled a rare form of blood cancer. He raised over £50,000 for leukaemia and lymphoma research and kick-started the fundraising for Team Jak before his untimely death in February. A worthy winner, indeed.

Edinburgh's Got Soul choir performed at the event — Edinburgh’s Got Soul choir performed at the event

Don’t Look Down: Carers Champion’s leap of faith for charity!

Good luck, Norman – May the Forth be with you!

Carers’ Champion Councillor Norman Work is scaling new heights for charity as part of National Carers Week. The abseil from the side of the Forth Bridge tomorrow will raise funds for VOCAL (Voice of Carers Across Lothian), and will also mark the start of events taking place across Edinburgh to celebrate the awareness week.

Othere events include a city-wide art trail across the city featuring installations created by the Edinburgh Young Carers Project, wine tasting on a barge, song writing, arts therapy and a pamper session.

There are an estimated 65,000 unpaid carers in Edinburgh who play a crucial role in the provision of care to people who would not be able to remain at home and in their own communities safely, independently and with dignity without them.

The theme of this year’s Carers Week, which runs from June 8th until the14th, is focusing on building Carer Friendly Communities. These are communities which support carers to look after the person that they care for well, while recognising that they are individuals with needs of their own.

Councillor Work said: “This week is all about saying thanks to carers for their timeless and selfless work, and for providing an absolutely vital service to the community.

“Our job is to “care for the carers” by making sure they access much-needed help and support, whether it’s financial advice or respite for them.

“The Capital Coalition set up a Carers’ Champion to achieve this and will continue to help them through the implementation of the Joint Carers’ Strategy we developed with NHS Lothian and stakeholders.”

The Abseil has been organised by the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, and you can help support the event by sponsoring those who are taking part – visit the JustGiving website. In addition to the thrill of descending 165ft from the Forth Rail Bridge at South Queensferry, participants will receive a commemorative certificate and t-shirt.

You can sponsor Councillor Work by accessing his JustGiving page,

https://www.justgiving.com/Norman-Work5/

and details of this week’s events can be found on the VOCAL website.