Bake Off star Kim-Joy is judging a summer baking competition to help unwanted cats
The cat-loving celebrity baker will pick the overall winner of Cats Protection’s Pawsome Afternoon Tea at Your Place happening on the charity’s social media sites throughout July and raising funds for cats in the charity’s care.
The competition will consist of weekly cat-themed baking challenges with entrants asked to post a photo of their creation along with a hashtag. Cats Protection will select the weekly winners, with Kim-Joy naming her overall champion at the end of July.
A small donation is requested with each entry which will aid thousands of unwanted felines in the charity’s care including five young kittens rescued from a waste bin in Birmingham.
Named Faith, Giles, Spike, Xander, and Willow, after characters from TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the charity hopes the five will make a full recovery after which they can be found new homes.
“I hope Pawsome Afternoon Tea at Your Place generates a lot of entries because it will help guarantee brighter futures for many unwanted and abandoned cats, says Kim-Joy.
“My own two rescue cats, Inki and Mochi, are my pride and joy and they cheer me up every day. They sit with me whenever I compose recipes or bake and they like to rip up the kitchen roll when my back is turned! I wouldn’t be without them!”
“The competition is a great way for bakers to indulge their hobby while keeping safe in the lockdown and helping a very worthy cause, says Zoe Thompson, Events Organiser for Cats Protection.
“We’ll be judging all entries on appearance, creativity and effort and good luck if you choose to take part.”
Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity, helping around 200,000 cats each year through a national network of around 230 volunteer-run branches and 37 centres.
This is to advise you all that the WPWGCC Chair (Lana Kelly) and I have agreed to schedule a Community Council meeting for Tuesday 30 June at 7pm.
The meeting will be in two parts with the first being in public and the second for community councillors only.
The public part of the meeting has only one agenda item. This is to discuss a request from the Covid-19 Foodshare consortium for a grant of £500 toward costs of producing a community newsletter.
I attach a pdf of this newsletter. We will need a minimum of 3 valid community councillors to endorse this.
Elected Officials: This email is for information and awareness. You are welcome to attend but this is not expected.
Meeting Details: Contact community council secretary Peter Faassen de Heer for details.
Walk the Walk’s supporters have continued to fundraise through the 2.6 challenge and its own virtual MoonWalk Celebration Road Trip
Grant-making charity Walk the Walk is stepping in with emergency grants to support frontline cancer charities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The charity’s Founder and Chief Executive Nina Barough is so concerned about the effect on the lives of cancer patients during the past three months, she felt Walk the Walk really had to do something to try and help.
Walk the Walk’s own fundraising has been massively affected by the pandemic, with the postponement of its events, including The MoonWalk Scotland and The MoonWalk London, where millions of pounds would normally be raised in one night. However Walk the Walk’s supporters have continued to fundraise through the 2.6 challenge and its own virtual “MoonWalk Celebration Road Trip”, raising almost £100,000.
Nina and the charity are very excited to announce they will be making ‘Emergency Grants’ to the value of £20,000 each month to frontline cancer charities, until the end of the year.
The grants will only be made to organisations which are involved in delivering services and support directly to cancer patients. Even a few thousand pounds could make a huge difference in keeping services running at this time.
The effects of the pandemic have been enormous for those diagnosed with cancer. Cancer surgery has fallen to around 60 % of expected levels and 6,000 fewer cancer patients than expected are receiving chemotherapy*. Many people are also being forced to go through treatment on their own. Loneliness is one of the key issues for which frontline cancer charities provide support.
Local cancer services and helplines are being overwhelmed and many having little or no funding coming in, due to their normal sources of fundraising having stopped.
Nina Barough CBE, Walk the Walk’s Founder and Chief Executive said; “After working passionately for the last 23 years to raise money to improve the lives of those living with cancer and for research into breast cancer, it is distressing to see the situation that many cancer patients have found themselves in.
“I really felt that we should do something no matter what and came up with the idea of providing emergency grants. The main aim of these grants is to give charities funding to get them through the next few months, and hopefully allow them some breathing space, so that they can support those who really need it”.
Barratt Homes – one of the first major housebuilders to close its developments in response to the global pandemic at the end of March – has officially restarted its build programme across Scotland.
Delivery scheme sees nearly 200 orders placed in first week
Nearly 200 students have taken advantage of Edinburgh Napier’s free period product scheme after it was extended to include home delivery during lockdown.
Thanks to Scottish Government funding, the University teamed up with social enterprise Hey Girls last year to provide a range of free period products to students in various locations across Edinburgh Napier property.
The scheme has recently been extended to give students living in the UK the chance to order period products to be delivered to their home – for free.
Within the first weeks of free delivery being available, a total of 177 orders had been placed, meaning students who were in lockdown, or at home for the summer holidays, could continue to benefit from the initiative.
Jamie Pearson, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Edinburgh Napier, said: “The deliveries build upon the fantastic work carried out by the University cleaning supervisors and student-led Bleedin’ Saor team to ensure all students at Edinburgh Napier have access to free period products.
“We’re very grateful to the Scottish Government for providing funding to enable this initiative.”
Social enterprise Hey Girls’ mission since being founded in 2018 is to eradicate period poverty in the UK.
Since 2018, Hey Girls has been working with local authorities, schools and colleges in Scotland and since 2020 in Wales to deliver free period products to students, constituents and service users. Products were made widely available in 2020 in Scottish public spaces.
Celia Hodson, Founder Hey Girls said: “We don’t believe anyone should be denied access to period products, during a global pandemic or not. Access to period products is a human right, yet sadly there is still work to be done across the UK to recognise this.
“It’s been incredible to witness, however, the acknowledgement from so many local authorities and educational institutes that this issue is so important, especially during Covid-19. Working with our partners to provide period protection during the coronavirus pandemic hopefully means that women and girls in these settings have one less thing to worry about and can feel confident whilst on their periods.”
“We are working to expand this initiative across the UK, and welcome the opportunity to work with new councils, schools and colleges to keep everyone period protected during Covid-19.”
The home delivery of free period products is the latest in a number of projects Edinburgh Napier has spearheaded which aim to make products available to anyone who needs them alongside helping put an end to the stigma surrounding ‘that time of the month’.
Last year, a student collective called ‘Bleedin’ Saor’ successfully worked with the University, Hey Girls and PR agency Wire to successfully deliver the first-ever University Bloody Big Brunch as part of a national campaign to raise awareness of period poverty.
The same collective also worked with Hey Girls and the University’s Property and Facilities team to develop a new dispenser for its range of period products. This dispenser can now be found in key bathrooms across the University and is also being used by Hey Girls’ clients throughout the country.
Later this year, Bleedin’ Saor will also debut an exciting new collaborative documentary project about period poverty.
Filmed and edited by Edinburgh Napier BA Film and BA Television students, the film takes its inspiration from the Scottish Government’s ground-breaking initiative to provide free products in all schools, colleges and universities. The film will also cover the collective’s trip to Uganda where it researched international contexts and projects tackling period provision.
More information on Edinburgh Napier’s free period products and where to find them can be found here.
At about 8.30pm on Friday 19th June, a 32 year old man was cycling his dark red Genesis Hybrid pedal cycle on Barnton Avenue.
About 20 yards from the junction with Cramond Road South, the rider became unseated from his bike and sustained injuries. The exact cause of the incident is unknown, however there is the possibility that another vehicle may have been involved.
Images of the bike are attached and at this time it is unconfirmed if any other vehicles were involved.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101, quoting incident 2977 of 22 June.
Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins said Police Scotland will continue to provide a robust response to any potential disorder across the country.
He said: “We are aware of a few planned demonstrations and protests which are due to take place across Scotland this weekend. We live in a democratic society and Police Scotland is absolutely committed to respecting people’s rights to freely and peacefully express their views.
“Recent disorder in George Square saw people hijacking a peaceful event with the intention of violence and thuggery.
“This remains completely and utterly unacceptable and we will not tolerate these scenes, including attacks both physical and verbal on the public and our officers.
“My message to those who have been involved in the disgraceful scenes witnessed over the last couple of weeks is that if you continue to behave like this then be prepared to be arrested.
“We have a comprehensive policing plan in place with access to additional resources that can be deployed very quickly to respond to incidents of disorder anywhere in Scotland.
“However, I would remind people that the lockdown restrictions remain in place and people should only leave their homes for very limited purposes. Anyone who wishes to protest should find another way of doing so that keeps everyone safe.”
Six in hospital following incident at Park Inn Hotel
Constable David Whyte has been named as the police officer seriously injured in yesterday’s stabbing attack at a Glasgow hotel. The 42-year-old officer’s condition is described as ‘critical but stable’.
PC Whyte was one of six people injured in the attack at the Park Inn hotel, which is currently housing asylum seekers. The suspect was shot dead by police.
Late last night, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone made the following statement on the incidents in West George Street, Glasgow:
“Terrible incidents such as we have seen today are, thankfully, very rare in Scotland. This event has understandably shocked the people of Glasgow, and indeed, the whole country.
“My thoughts and very best wishes are with those who have been injured and their families, including our colleague Constable David Whyte who was seriously injured in the course of doing his duty. I offer my personal support to all those affected.
“Officers have once again run into danger to protect their fellow citizens. Their professionalism as police officers was outstanding. I pay tribute to their bravery, selflessness and commitment to protecting the public.
“I briefed the First Minister and the Prime Minister earlier today on the circumstances and advised them both that we are not treating the attack as a terrorist incident.
“It is essential enquiries are now carried out to establish the full circumstances and all speculation must be avoided.
“Scotland is a safe place to live and work. We have cohesive communities who work with their police service to maintain our peaceful and respectful way of life.
“In the context of the current health emergency, and to respect those injured today and the people of Glasgow, I ask everyone to exercise personal responsibility. Please, do not gather in crowds this weekend.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has responded to the serious incident in Glasgow’s West George Street.
The First Minister said: “First and foremost my thoughts are with all those people who have been caught up in this terrible incident, particularly the six injured people taken to hospital for treatment, as well as residents and staff at the hotel.
“I also want to thank all of those police officers whose quick and decisive actions contained the incident – one of whom was among those taken to hospital – as well as the work of the other emergency services. The Justice Secretary and I have been kept informed through the afternoon and briefed by the Chief Constable.
“While such a serious incident is rare in Scotland it is another reminder of the courage and professionalism of our police officers who are willing to run towards danger in order to protect the lives of others.
“Clearly there is already much speculation around this incident, which remains under investigation.
“I would urge everyone to avoid such speculation, to not share potentially harmful or upsetting material on social media and to follow police advice while investigations are underway.”
10 Downing Street issued the following statement:
The PM has this afternoon spoken with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about the incident in Glasgow.
He has also held a meeting with the Home Secretary and senior police officers, in which he was updated. The Prime Minister thanked the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Iain Livingstone, for the exceptional bravery of his officers at the scene.
The PM’s thoughts remain with the injured and their loved ones.
