Month: March 2020

£1.5m National Lottery boost for Scottish Groups

Over 220 arts, sports and community groups across Scotland are sharing in a National Lottery cash boost of £1,570,035 announced today.

 The funding comes from National Lottery Awards for All Scotland – a quick and simple way to access small National Lottery grants of between £500 and £10,000.

Three Edinburgh-based organisations received funding in the latest round. Citadel Arts Group receives £5620 to produce a new play, ‘Beyond The Ash Tide’, about coping with loss and bereavement, and there’s £9900 for Indian Arts Connection, who plan to produce a festival showcasing the best of British talent in the field of classical music and dance.

Finally, Scottish Child Law Centre is awarded ££5929 to stage their annual conference, which this year focuses on teh rights of children and yong people with additional support needs.

Thanks to an award of £6,552, the Amputee Football Association Scotland will be able to appoint a Development Officer who will with both the senior and junior teams over the next 12 months as they prepare to take part in major events in Scotland and Poland.

Ashley Reid, Founder and CEO, Amputee Football Association Scotland, said: ‘This is an enormously exciting year for amputee football in Scotland.

“Not only will we host the nation’s first ever junior residential ever junior residential football camp, but we will see our Scotland squad compete for the first time in the Amputee Football European Championships in Krakow in September.

“Neither of these life-changing events would be possible without the support of The National Lottery, which has given us the means to grow the game of amputee football in Scotland from grassroots to international level.”

Dundee City Disability Sport will use their award of £7,500 to run training sessions for all of their coaches which will help them deliver a wider range of sporting activities for people with physical, learning and sensory disabilities across the city.

Stuart Gray, Chairperson, Dundee City Disability Sport, said: ‘On behalf of everyone we would like to express our gratitude to National Lottery players for this wonderful award.

“This funding means we can work with our member clubs to develop new programmes, support coach education and buy much needed equipment.”

An award of £9,790 means that Elgin Amateur Athletic Club can celebrate their 50th birthday in style by taking their athletes to training camps in athletic venues across Scotland to use their facilities.

The club will also be able to organise a series of events later in the year for the wider community to join in the celebrations.

Scott Hamilton, Head Coach and Chair, Elgin Amateur Athletic Club, said: We have nearly 100 members with 40 competing regularly at a high level.  These camps will provide them with the skills and experience they need to take it to the next level.

“This funding is essential for us and now we are looking forward to the year ahead and to celebrating our half century as a club with lots of excitement and hope for the future.”

 A National Lottery Awards for All Scotland spokesperson said: “This is National Lottery money making a real impact in communities across the country.

“The variety and scope of the 222 groups receiving funding today showcases the wide range of projects that can be funded through this programme and the difference that the smallest amounts of money can make.”

National Lottery Awards for All Scotland awards grants of between £300 and £10,000 to local groups.

To find out how what it could do for your community visit our website  https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/ or phone 0300 123 7110.

Not-for-profit lender marks record year

Not-for-profit lender DSL Business Finance had a record year in 2019, providing funding of £4.5 million to small and medium sized businesses and social enterprises in Scotland, up from £3.1m in 2018.

The Glasgow-headquartered alternative finance provider supports enterprise in Scotland by offering loans of up to £50,000* to organisations that would not generally be able to access traditional sources of funding.

DSL has increased its loan book dramatically in the last five years – in 2015 it provided total funding of £917,502. Its funding gives a major boost to the Scottish economy by supporting entrepreneurs, start-ups and growing businesses.

Between January and December 2019, DSL gave 207 loans to 173 enterprises and the average loan size was £21,616. This funding created 233 new jobs and maintained 1,012 existing positions.

DSL loans also led to further injections of funding, totalling £1.8m from the private sector and £318,150 from the public sector last year.

One business benefiting from DSL funding is the Nether Bow Café and Bistro on Edinburgh’s High Street, run by husband and wife team Levent and Filiz Celik who have more than 17 years of combined experience in the hospitality trade.

They had always wanted to run their own business and in April 2018 the opportunity arose to take over the coffee house they were working in and develop it as a café and bistro.

DSL provided the couple with a loan to refurbish the property, which included opening up the kitchen preparation area, increasing the customer cover space to 40 and other modernisation to allow the business to grow.  The restaurant employs up to 11 people during the busy Edinburgh Festival season and has been proving popular with customers.

The hard work of DSL in supporting small and medium sized enterprises has also been recognised recently.

DSL and two businesses it funded have been shortlisted in the Responsible Finance Citi Foundation’s  Microentrepreneurship Awards, an annual celebration of Britain’s microentrepreneurs who have accessed alternative  business finance from a Responsible Finance member.

DSL is a finalist in the Resilient Award category, up against other responsible finance providers from across the UK.

Zero waste store The Refillery, set-up in the southside of Edinburgh last year by entrepreneur Kelly Wright with funding from DSL, has been named as one of three UK finalists for an Environmental Sustainability of the Year award.

Former school friends Zander Macgregor and Allan Nairn who launched Wester Spirit Co in 2018, Glasgow’s first rum distillery for over 300 years, with funding from DSL, have been shortlisted in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year category.

Stuart Yuill, DSL Business Finance executive director (above), said: “Despite economic uncertainty, primarily around Brexit, it’s rewarding that we are able to support more small and medium sized enterprises than ever before across Scotland.

“We are already building on the record year we had in 2019 to continue to fund organisations and entrepreneurs that would otherwise struggle to get started or  grow. Our funding supports job creation and benefits the wider economy.

“I’m proud that our work, and the achievements of the organisations we fund, have been recognised by the Citi Foundation which celebrates entrepreneurship.”

Litter, traffic and vandalism can stop older adults from leaving their homes, study in Edinburgh shows

Maintenance of communities in which elderly people live is vital for their health and wellbeing, new research suggests.

Pot holes, noise, litter, traffic and vandalism can create anxieties in elderly people and stop them from leaving their house, engaging with their communities and prevent them living a healthy and active lifestyle.

The research from Manchester Metropolitan University, published in the PsyEcology journal, interviewed 102 older adults age 60-92 in nine neighbourhoods across Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow to understand more about their experiences of living in urban environments.

Many participants reported feeling insecure in their communities, which often stemmed from concerns about maintenance of their neighbourhoods, and the physical and social features of the environment.

Problem pavements

Pavements and kerbs were particularly problematic for those with mobility and visual impairments, and some participants thought that street spaces failed to reflect the needs of older adults by supporting their accessibility and inclusivity.

Many felt they had an “inability to defend themselves” in potentially dangerous situations and had a “fear of falling”, which often created a barrier to leaving their home.

Dr Jenny Fisher, who was part of the research team, and co-lead at Manchester Metropolitan and Head of the Department, Social Care and Social Work, said: “The design of public spaces can confront older adults with barriers and hazards, making the environment uncomfortable and unsafe to use.

“This can affect older adults’ experiences of being active and involved in their communities, and have an impact on their wellbeing. The research is important as the findings have led to recommendations about how organisations and policy makers can respond to the barriers experienced by older adults.”

Although older adults experience lower victimisation rates when compared to other social groups, older people reported greater levels of perceived insecurities and feeling unsafe in their neighbourhoods.

Sense of community

Negative media portrayals and stigma attached to certain places had an impact on the way participants felt in a public space.

A strong sense of community and familiarity in a neighbourhood provided older adults with a more positive perception of safety and security. Older adults who had friends and were known in the community felt as though they were looked after and were less apprehensive about using the neighbourhood.

Disadvantaged communities were more likely to report a stronger sense of familiarity and feeling of safety compared to the least deprived communities and those experiencing social segregation.

Rebecca Lawthom, Professor of Community Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “This research shows that we need to shift towards a broader understanding of perceptions of safety and security, beyond current notions of ‘fear of crime’ to including factors such as accessibility and usability of public space, and involvement with other residents.

“Although prevention and policing services are important, we need to find ways to support people to feel more confident and secure in their communities through approaches to place management.”

The researchers now hope to use the results to influence practice and policy priorities relating to age-friendly cities and have produced recommendations.

This research is part of a three-year ESRC-funded project (Economic and Social Research Council) examining enablers and barriers to creating age-friendly communities that promote healthy and active ageing.

The full paper: Place (in)securities: Older adults’ perceptions across urban environments in the United Kingdom can be found here. 

 

Edinburgh Science Festival cancelled

Following close monitoring of the ever-changing situation regarding the global spread of COVID-19 and having held discussions with key partners, Edinburgh Science is sorry to announce the decision to cancel this year’s Edinburgh Science Festival, scheduled for 4-19 April.

With the Festival less than three weeks away from opening and a programme of over 270 events, this has been a complex process for the organisation to manage, but the health and wellbeing of the visitors, participants and staff remains Edinburgh Science’s number one priority.

The Festival’s key venue partners, the National Museum of Scotland, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and City Are Centre managed by Museums and Galleries Edinburgh on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council have all announced their closures today until further notice.

All customers will be refunded immediately. Should anyone experience a delay they are advised to contact boxoffice@scifest.co.uk.

The board and directors of Edinburgh Science would like to pay tribute to the hard work of the Festival’s core team in developing this programme and to the much wider network of dedicated and creative people they rely on for the successful delivery of all projects.

Festival and Creative Director Amanda Tyndall said: “Now more than ever it is imperative that the public have access to robust, evidence-based science, delivered in a manner that is accessible to them.

“The Science Festival remains committed to that goal and to working with our wonderful partners across the science sector to help connect people with the latest science in these unsettling and challenging times.

“We are exploring how we might do more online and whether any elements of the Festival might potentially be run later in the year and will keep you informed as plans develop. For now, we would like to thank our funders, sponsors, partners, participants and audiences for their loyalty, support and understanding in these unprecedented times.’’

Into the Blue, large-scale outdoor photography exhibition showcasing the beauty, biodiversity and fragility of Scottish coasts and seas, will go ahead as planned. It opens today on Portobello Promenade (Wednesday, 18 March).

This exhibition is curated by Emily Raemaekers from the Science Festival with support from Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2020. It’s a free, family-friendly and drop-in activity, open every day until 27 April.

Through a series of arresting images, Into the Blue invites its audiences to consider the human impact on and responsibility for water, one of the most precious resources on Earth, and ask how we can live in harmony with our watery, blue planet?

Coronavirus: Morrisons introduces new measures

Morrisons has set out a number of measures to support colleagues and customers during the Coronavirus outbreak.

As a British family business, Morrisons will do its bit during the emergency and today sets out a plan to protect and help colleagues and expand home delivery to many more households at a time of national need. In doing so, Morrisons will create an extra 3,500 jobs.

These measures follow on from Morrisons announcement last week that it would be implementing immediate payments for its smaller suppliers, supporting their cashflow during this very difficult time for the British economy.

The key elements of the plan announced yesterday are:

  • Colleague hardship fund – to support colleagues who are in financial difficulty as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak we will create a colleague hardship fund. Colleagues will be able to apply for funds if they experience a financial setback and are struggling to make ends meet.
  • Helping colleagues – Morrisons colleagues are very highly valued and the company is introducing the following measures if they are affected:
    * Those who are sick with the Coronavirus will receive sick pay whether or not they would normally be eligible.
    * Colleagues who are affected either because of self isolation, or by playing their part in looking after close family members or the vulnerable in their local community, will also be eligible for sick pay, alternative shifts or holiday.
  • Protecting colleagues – Morrisons will protect highly valued colleagues by:
    * Asking customers at the checkout to pay, if possible, by card or smartphone to reduce cash handling.
    * Issuing hand sanitiser to checkouts at all stores and significantly increasing cleaning on places that colleagues and customers touch.
    * Redeploying colleagues who are vulnerable to the virus, where possible.
  • Expanding home delivery – Morrisons is to introduce new ways of delivering groceries and more slots for customers, which will also help vulnerable people and those affected by the virus. New measures include:
    * Launching a new range of simple-to-order food parcels, including options for vegetarians, from March 23rd.
    * Making more delivery slots available to customers both through Morrisons.com and the Morrisons Store on Amazon Prime Now. Morrisons will use 100 further stores to pick customers’ shopping over the coming weeks.
    * Launching a customer call centre for orders to be taken over the phone so that people who do not shop online can still order food.
    * To support the roll-out of these expanded home delivery methods, Morrisons will be recruiting around 2,500 pickers and drivers.
  • New Jobs – The outbreak of coronavirus will affect businesses across the UK and Morrisons will be offering jobs to people that are impacted. In addition to around 2,500 pickers and drivers to expand home delivery, Morrisons will be recruiting around 1,000 people to work in the company’s distribution centres. The vacancies will be advertised through a campaign on radio and social media and the Morrisons jobs website morrisons.jobs

David Potts, Chief Executive of Morrisons, said: “We expect the days, weeks and months ahead to be very testing and we are determined to do our bit.

“These measures will support our very hard-working colleagues, enable us to provide more food to more people in their homes and create opportunities for people whose jobs are affected by the coronavirus.”

Chancellor: “Whatever it takes”

Chancellor announces additional £300 BILLION to keep UK afloat

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect against the economic emergency caused by the coronavirus.

This includes unlimited loans and guarantees to support firms and help them manage cashflows through this period. The Chancellor will make available an initial £330 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP – and there could be more to come.

At last week’s Budget, the Chancellor provided £30 billion of support to the economy to deal with the crisis by investing in public services, increasing support for vulnerable people and providing business with tax reliefs and loans.

He said he would take further action as the situation evolved and today outlines further measures, including:

To ensure that businesses have access to the funds they need, \the UK Government will provide:

  • support for liquidity amongst large firms, with a major new scheme being launched by the Bank of England to help them bridge Coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans
  • increasing the amount businesses can borrow through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme from £1.2 million to £5 million, and ensuring businesses can access the first 6 months of that finance interest free, as Government will cover the first 6 months of interest payments
  • including new legal powers in the Covid Bill enabling us to offer whatever further financial support we think necessary to businesses

Providing £20 billion of business rates support and grant funding to help the most-affected firms manage their cashflow through this period by:

  • giving all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England a 100% business rates holiday for the next 12 months
  • increasing grants to small businesses eligible for Small Business Rate Relief from £3,000 to £10,000
  • providing further £25,000 grants to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses operating from smaller premises, with a rateable value over £15,000 and below £51,000

Mortgage lenders have agreed they will support customers that are experiencing issues with their finances as a result of Covid-19, including through payment holidays of up to 3 months. This will give people the necessary time to recover and ensure they do not have to pay a penny towards their mortgage in the interim.

Confirmation that government advice to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres etc. is sufficient for businesses to claim on their insurance where they have appropriate business interruption cover for pandemics in place.

To support the food industry and help provide meals for people who need to self-isolate, the UK government will relax planning regulations to allow pubs and restaurants to start providing takeaways without a planning application.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “We will do whatever it takes to protect our people and businesses from the effects of this global economic emergency brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The interventions I am setting out today will help support businesses of all sizes – so they can continue operating during these unprecedented times.”

The action announced yesterday means that over £3.5 billion in additional funding will be provided to the devolved administrations for support to businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Chancellor will expand on his plans to keep the economy afloat later today and an announcement of support for people who live in rented accommodation is expected this week.

Labour’s John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor, responding to Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s coronavirus update, said: “People are being laid off today and losing their incomes. We are disappointed that this package does not address their concerns.

“The further announcements laid out by the Chancellor lack the certainty required amidst growing public anxiety and still do not go far enough in protecting workers, renters and those who are losing their jobs, or in fully supporting businesses at the scale necessary.

“In particular, the Chancellor’s claim that new forms of employment support will be developed does not appreciate the urgency and gravity of the situation. Workers and businesses need to know now that they will be supported, not in a few days’ time.

“Labour will continue to engage with the Government to ensure we have the proper scale of interventions required to secure proper funding of public services at the time of crisis, public control and oversight of those key services, a strong safety net, and the wellbeing of all.”

Gareth Shaw, Head of Money at Which?, said: “The measures announced by the chancellor, such as a three-month mortgage holiday scheme, are an important first step to helping millions of consumers who may face financial hardship during the coronavirus crisis.

“The government must move swiftly to ensure those in need of assistance get clear information about how these schemes will work in practice – and that the process for doing so is straightforward, ensuring consumers can easily access the support they need in the challenging months ahead.”

Responding to chancellor Rishi Sunak’s package of support for businesses and the prime minister’s pledge to do `whatever it takes’ to support people and jobs through the corona virus crisis, the head of the UK’s leading union, Unite, has said that his union stands ready to play their part throughout this time of crisis.

Len McCluskey, Unite’s general secretary said: “It is abundantly clear that we need a package of measures equal to the public health and economic emergencies now upon us.

“Urgent and considerable action is needed by government to avert personal and industrial catastrophe.

“Unite is pleased to have heard the prime minister and chancellor say very clearly that they `will do whatever it takes’ to protect public health and the economy’s health.  We will hold them to that.

“However, we remain extremely concerned that workers’ and individuals’ own capacity to act on the public health advice will remain seriously compromised because the direct economic support has not yet been provided by government. This must change and urgently.  Providing wage support and covering rents must be a priority.

“It is welcome that those hit by the virus will have a three month mortgage holiday should they need it, but what about the vast majority of people who rent? They need to know that they can put food on the table and keep a roof over their families’ heads. Only then will they feel able to play their part in tackling this public health emergency.

“We urgently need for the government to introduce now the sort of measures that we have seen implemented in our competitor nations, including paying workers 75 per cent plus of their salary while they are forced to be at home as has been introduced in Denmark and Holland.  UK workers deserve the same efforts and assistance.”

 

NHS Scotland placed on emergency footing

Non-urgent elective care will be postponed in Scotland as part of NHS Scotland’s ongoing preparations for coronavirus (COVID-19).

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Health Secretary Freeman said that NHS Scotland would be moving to an emergency footing for at least the next three months, in order to be ready to face a substantial and sustained increase in coronavirus cases.

Ms Freeman said the decision to postpone all non-urgent elective care had been made to free up capacity in hospitals, while work to double Scotland’s intensive care capacity continues as NHS Boards retrain staff and repurpose existing facilities.

Ms Freeman said: “We have been clear from the outset about the challenges our health service will face in the weeks and months to come from coronavirus.

“While our NHS is prepared and has a proven track record of dealing with these types of outbreak, we want to free up capacity in our hospital settings, and ensure access to beds for those who need them.

“That’s why we have asked boards to start scaling down non-urgent elective operations from now until further notice.

“Vital cancer treatments, emergency, maternity, and urgent care will continue, and patients have our assurance that all appointments will be rescheduled as quickly as possible as we get through the challenge to our NHS that COVID-19 presents.

“While these are undoubtedly difficult times, we fully expect our NHS to ensure patients are treated in line with their clinical priority, and the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients has been a priority in all of our planning.”

The Health Secretary’s statement followed news that a second person who tested positive for coronavirus, an elderly patient with underlying health conditions, has died.

This follows the first death of a patient in Scotland with coronavirus, which was announced on Friday 13 March 2020.

Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood said: “I am very saddened to report that an elderly patient with underlying health conditions, who has tested positive for coronavirus, has died. The patient was being treated by the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.

“I offer my deepest condolences to their friends and family at this difficult time. No further information will be available to protect patient confidentiality.”

Parliamentary Statement: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update to Scottish Parliament

  • Non-urgent elective activity includes procedures that are non-life threatening and can be postponed without a negative clinical impact, such as elective gallbladder and hernia surgery, non-trauma orthopaedic surgery such as hip and knee operations, and elective gynaecological operations.
  • Contingency planning for the supply of oxygen both in hospital and in the community is in place, and a further 450 new standard concentrators for use in the community have been ordered.
  • The Scottish Government is working closely with COSLA, Health and Social Care Partnerships and Chief Officers to see a reduction of delayed discharges of 400 by the end of March.
  • A national cancer treatment response group has been established to provide ongoing advice and support around cancer treatments, and ensure all appropriate measures are undertaken in the present situation to protect those living with cancer.
  • The NHS will directly contact people who are immunosuppressed next week and work closely with other social services to ensure they are supported.
  • Surveillance testing is being scaled up to monitor the spread of the virus in the community.
  • Monitoring will also continue through our laboratories and will be targeted on the following further groups:
    1. admissions to hospital;
    2. admissions to intensive care;
    3. community testing dependent on circumstances, for example specific situations such as a nursing home outbreak.
  • Key workers such as frontline NHS staff will be tested to ensure they do not self-isolate unnecessarily.
  • In order to cope with rapid increase in numbers of people presenting with respiratory symptoms, patients will now be asked to contact via NHS 24 on the 111 number, rather than through their GPs.

Scottish Parliament suspends public engagement

The Scottish Parliament has suspended public engagement activities as it prioritises supporting parliamentary business and responding to the Coronavirus.

These changes are being made to ensure that the Parliament continues to fulfil its vital functions of passing legislation, enabling Members to represent the views of the people of Scotland and to scrutinise the actions of the Scottish Government, particularly in the context of the national and international response to Covid-19.

It has also made the changes to reduce risk to visitors and staff.

From today (Tuesday 17 March), the following services have been suspended:

• Events, including Member Sponsored Events & Exhibitions;

• Tours, including Members’ Tours;

• CPG meetings at Holyrood;

• The public café and shop;

• Access to the building for the general public on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays;

• Inward and outward education and community outreach;

• Inward and outward International Relations Office visits;

• Foreign travel for Committee business.

The Holyrood building will for now remain accessible to visitors for meetings connected with parliamentary or constituency business.

The public galleries in the Chamber and Committees will also remain open when Parliament is sitting, though the public is encouraged to watch online at www.scottishparliament.tv.

Speaking as the announcement was made, Presiding Officer, Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP, said: “With each day that passes, it has become clearer that we are facing extremely challenging circumstances now and in the weeks ahead.

“All parties in the Parliament have agreed that we must take further steps in order to prioritise Chamber and Committee Business.

“While openness and accessibility are cornerstones of the Scottish Parliament, the coming weeks are likely to see major changes to how we operate from normal.

“We will continue to monitor developments closely, and remain in regular contact with other UK legislatures, the Scottish Government and the Chief Medical Officer.

“We recognise that this health emergency is creating great anxiety amongst staff, Members and visitors alike, and our response will continue to evolve taking account of the latest information available and closely following the public health advice.”

Meeting to discuss community response to Coronavirus pandemic

North Edinburgh activists are to meet tomorrow to formulate a community response to tackling problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting will take place in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre at 2.30pm.

Meeting organiser Willie Black said: “We have already seen communities coming together to do what they can to help their neighbours and our more vulnerable residents, and  the purpose of tomorrow’s meeting is to co-ordinate this community response to make sure no person is being missed or left out.

“By working together and pooling our resources we can better respond to the challenges posed to our community by this pandemic.”

Local voluntary sector organisations, food banks, community centre representatives, council officers, community councils and local elected politicians have all been invited to attended.

What can you do to help? Why not attend the meeting and find out!

 

Dare you do the DARED Challenge?

A unique fundraising challenge event designed by school staff to support vulnerable children across Edinburgh and the Lothians is back for 2020.

A fundraising event that inspires school staff and individuals from across Edinburgh and the Lothians to lace up their running shoes in support of a leading children’s charity is back for 2020.

The DARED Challenge – Do A Run Every Day – encourages participants to complete either a 1 mile or 5km run every day throughout the month of June in support of West Pilton-based charity, Circle.

Devised in 2018 by Broughton High maths teacher, and keen runner, Mark Fletcher, the DARED Challenge has continued to grow and last year saw more than 150 school staff from across Edinburgh and further afield raise more than £14,000 for the charity.

This year, as well as again looking to school staff from across the region to support the event, Mark and his organising team are appealing for members of the public to get involved. Circle’s patrons, David Tennant and Arabella Weir, will be joining the campaign to recruit participants in the coming months.

David Tennant’s previous video statement can be seen here.

Alongside the fundraising element, the aim of the challenge is to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy the physical and mental benefits of daily exercise, as well as spending time with colleagues away from the desk and work. The choice of different distances enables both experienced and beginner runners to feel included and challenged.

Although the premise of the event was built on getting school staff and teachers exercising regularly, organiser Mark hopes that the health benefits that arise as a result of this type of challenge will inspire anyone – not just teachers – to get involved.

He said: “Incorporating exercise into our daily lives has countless benefits to our physical and mental health. If we can do this while raising money for an extremely deserving cause, everyone’s a winner.”

Funds raised through the DARED Challenge will go directly to supporting Circle in its aim of improving the lives of children by strengthening families. The charity works at the heart of deprived communities across central Scotland, supporting the most disadvantaged children and families to improve their lives, promote their healthy development and reach their potential.

Participation in the DARED Challenge will help strengthen the charity’s family outreach work, help children and their families communicate, repair relationships and develop skills that enable them to lead more fulfilling lives.

Social inequality and poverty lead to some of the many reasons that a family may need the support of Circle including alcohol and substance misuse, imprisonment and young or lone parenting.

Many of the pupils in participating schools from previous DARED Challenges are supported by Circle.

Mark Kennedy, Chief Executive of Circle, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who is taking part in The DARED Challenge as their dedication, passion and enthusiasm will directly enable Circle to continue our vital work supporting vulnerable children and families in Edinburgh and beyond.”

Early bird entry for the DARED Challenge is now open with participants able to choose to run one mile or 5km a day in June. Participation costs £10 per person. Participants are asked to fundraise a minimum of £50. Participants who do not wish to fundraise can pay an additional £20 to secure their position on the challenge.

Full details can be found here.