Month: November 2020

Birthday cake sends ice cream fan to new heights!

AN ICE CREAM FANATIC who flew supersonic on the Concorde was left amazed after receiving a birthday cake in the shape of her favourite ice cream tub.

84-year-old Cecilia Leishman celebrated her birthday with a cake in the shape and design of a Mackie’s of Scotland Salted Caramel ice cream tub.

The cake was made by Cecilia’s long-time friend Susan Stitt, a cake designer from Port Seton, East Lothian.

Cecilia was so stunned by the likeness of the cake that her granddaughter, Kirsty Allan, shared a photo on social media and sent it to the ice cream giant.

Mackie’s too were amazed by the cake creation, and followed up with a gift hamper containing items such as an ice cream scoop, apron and ice cream vouchers to celebrate her birthday.

The great-grandmother is such a fan of Mackie’s Salted Caramel ice cream, that she found herself eating three bowls a day during lockdown.

Cecilia, from Edinburgh, said: “I had no inclination whatsoever that I was going to be surprised with a cake like this for my birthday. My granddaughter told Susan about my love for Mackie’s Salted Caramel ice cream.

“When I was presented with the cake I was gobsmacked. Susan is very talented as it looks like the real thing.

“After I learnt my granddaughter had sent an image of my cake to Mackie’s, I was delighted to see they had shared it with their followers on social media – I felt famous!

“It was so kind of the team at Mackie’s to follow up with a lovely birthday hamper full of goodies.”

Throughout her life Cecilia has experienced some incredible moments from dining on the Orient Express to trailing through the Rocky Mountains in Canada as well as touring China and Hong Kong.

The grandmother added another experience to her bucket list by becoming one of 100 people to fly on the Concorde from New York to Edinburgh in 1996.

Cecilia celebrated her 60th birthday on the Supersonic aircraft after a cruise and week stay in New York.

Cecilia added: “My husband and I sailed to New York, which was a fantastic experience, to go past the Statue of Liberty towering over us was breath taking, but it was amazing to have the opportunity to be one of the few who got to travel on the Concorde from New York to Edinburgh.

“The flight took approximately 2hours and 40minutes, and I remember the pilot telling the cabin that we had gone supersonic and broken the sound barrier – to be honest I didn’t notice any difference!”

Cecilia’s love affair with Mackie’s ice cream began at a small restaurant in South Queensferry, adding: “We were going out for dinner, when I saw a sign at the window say ‘we sell Mackie’s here’.

“I didn’t know what Mackie’s was, so naturally I tried some and I’ve loved it ever since, and now their Salted Caramel is without a doubt my favourite flavour.”

Marketing Director of the family-run business, Karin Mackie, said: “Thanks to Cecilia’s family for sharing the lovely picture of her salted caramel ice cream tub birthday cake – it is amazing and looks even better as a supersize tub!

“We were delighted to hear that Cecilia’s simple joy is having some salted caramel ice cream every day and we send our best birthday wishes.”

Mackie’s is a fourth-generation family farm based, Westertown, is in North East Scotland – and Mackie’s still produce all their ice cream using fresh milk and cream from their own dairy herd on the farm.

The company’s sky to scoop ethos sees it create everything from milk to its packaging on site, powered predominantly by their own renewable energy – via four wind turbines, a 10-acre solar farm and a biomass energy plant. In addition, a £4.5million project is underway to install an innovative new low-carbon refrigeration system, set to be among the greenest in Europe and the first of its kind in Scotland.

To find out more about Mackie’s, please visit: www.mackies.co.uk    

Police appeal following assault and robbery in Leith

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information following an assault and robbery in Leith.

At around 2.10pm on Tuesday (24 November) two men and a woman forced entry into a property on Buchanan Street where a 45-year-old man was assaulted and various personal items were stolen.

He was taken to The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment of serious but not life threatening injuries.

The first suspect is described as a white man, around 5ft 10in tall, of a large build and in his 20s. A second man is described as white, around 5ft 7in tall with a thin build and in his 30s.

Both men were wearing dark clothing, black beanie hats and black surgical masks.

The female suspect is described as white, around 5ft 5in tall with long hip length auburn hair. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a red and black checked shirt, pink trainers and spoke with a local accent.

Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor, of Edinburgh CID, said: “We are appealing to members of the public who may have seen anyone matching these descriptions around the time of the incident.

“The three suspects headed off in the direction of Iona Street towards Easter Road.”I would ask if you were in the area and noticed anyone acting suspicious that you contact police.

“If you have any CCTV, mobile phone or dashcam footage the could assist with our investigation, please get in touch with officers.

“Police can be contacted by calling 101 and quoting incident number 1641 of Tuesday, 24 November, 2020 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Edinburgh unveils plan for ending poverty by 2030

Edinburgh skyline

The city council has unveiled a ten-year delivery plan outlining the actions it will take to help eradicate poverty in the Capital by 2030.

Published just under two months since Edinburgh became the first UK local authority to set a target date for ending poverty, the End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan 2020-2030 will be considered by the Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee on 1 December. 

It sets out key actions to be taken by the Council over the next decade in response to the final report from the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, which was published in September this year. 

Preventing poverty through people-focused and “poverty-proofed” Council services, helping households maximise their incomes, establishing Edinburgh as a Living Wage City and pressing the UK and Scottish Governments for changes to housing investment and social security policy are among the priority actions outlined in the delivery plan.  

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Tackling poverty and inequality in our City drives the choices we are making as a Council. We have to act decisively if we’re to eradicate poverty in the Capital by 2030. The first iteration of the delivery plan, just weeks after we received the final recommendations from the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, is the next major step towards that aim. 

“The ongoing impact of the Covid19 pandemic has hit those on lowest incomes hardest, this should challenge all of us to join the fight to end poverty in Edinburgh. We’ll be ensuring this is central to the choices we make when setting our budget and refreshing the Council’s Business Plan in early 2021.

“This isn’t something the Council can achieve in isolation, however, and this plan is only the first step towards meeting the call to action the Commission has set for us all. The next year will be critical in making sure we pull together and start the long-term work we need to do to end poverty in Edinburgh.

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s estimated there’s as much as £80 million in unclaimed benefits in the city. Making sure people are able to access all the financial support they are entitled to is one vital step we can take towards ending poverty in Edinburgh.

“The Edinburgh Poverty Commission report showed us that there are already a number of excellent support services working hard in this city to help Edinburgh residents do just that, but there is much more we need to do. Eradicating poverty in Edinburgh will take a massive collective effort – a ‘whole city approach’ – and this new delivery plan will see us working with our partners across the city to extend these supports and make sure high quality services to prevent or help people out of poverty are embedded in every community in Edinburgh.

“We’ll also continue to press the Scottish and UK Governments hard on making essential changes to housing investment and to social security policy and implementation to build a stronger support system for Scotland that, to quote the Edinburgh Poverty Commission report, ‘is based on a fundamental objective of providing income security sufficient for people in Edinburgh to live free of poverty‘”.

The End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan 2020-2030 highlights 13 priority actions needed to accelerate progress towards the goal of ending poverty in Edinburgh by 2030, and 44 actions identified for delivery and implementation through existing or forthcoming mainstream Council plans and strategies.

The Plan’s actions span seven ‘action areas’, as outlined in the final report from the Edinburgh Poverty Commission: 

  • The right support in the places we live and work
  • Fair work that provides dignity and security
  • A decent home we can afford to live in
  • Income security that offers a real lifeline
  • Opportunities that drive justice and boost prospects
  • Connections in a city that belongs to us
  • Equality in our health and wellbeing

If approved by councillors on the Policy and Sustainability Committee on 1 December, the Delivery Plan will then be implemented, with a detailed progress monitoring framework brought back to Committee within two cycles. 

In October, the Committee agreed to endorse a Team Edinburgh approach with other partners and organisations to become the first UK local authority to commit to ending poverty by a specific date.

On the day the Capital Coalition made their announcement on poverty targets a protest was taking place in Muirhouse, one of the capital’s poorest areas.

Living Rent campaigners staged an ‘Enough is Enough’ event to highlight the intolerable conditions council tenants are living in.

SELECT welcomes second consultation on regulation of the electrical industry

Scotland’s largest construction trade association, SELECT, has welcomed a second consultation on regulation of the electrical industry which has been launched by the Scottish Government.

The consultation, lodged by Jamie Hepburn, the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, is seeking views on “whether regulatory measures are required to give greater protection to the public and reduce the level of poor electrical workmanship by a persistent rogue trader element”.

SELECT Managing Director Alan Wilson said: “This is another great opportunity for the industry to take part and shape the future.

“It’s heartening to see that the Scottish Government believes that regulation of the sector is so important that it merits this further consultation.

“It’s an excellent chance for Scotland to lead the way and demonstrate that we are committed to safer and brighter future for the industry.”

The latest move follows a consultation by Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston, (above) which was issued in August and closed on 10 November.

Mr Halcro Johnston hopes his consultation will lead to a Member’s Bill ensuring that only properly qualified and experienced professionals can call themselves an electrician.

SELECT and the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) were among those who responded to the consultation, which received more than 140 submissions.

In her response, Fiona Harper, The Secretary of the SJIB, said: “Electricians frequently voice their concerns and frustration that individuals who have not met the established national and industry standards and are not qualified electricians are able to use the title of electrician.

“In what is such a highly-skilled and safety-critical occupation, this situation should be rectified and the title of electrician should be protected.”

In the SELECT submission, Mr Wilson said: “Our research suggests net benefits to Scotland from proper regulation of electricians of around £58million, including the benefits of higher electrical standards, such as fewer injuries and deaths, better functioning installations, less need for call backs or for poor/unsafe work to be repaired, leading to improved customer satisfaction.”

SELECT has been leading a long-running campaign with other leading industry bodies to make sure that those who work in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner.

The groundswell of support on its Wall of Support has seen more than 100 prominent parliamentarians, industry figures and representatives of trade associations and professional services bodies pledging their commitment.

  • The latest consultation can be completed here and closes on 12 February 2021.

ReadAlong with RNIB!

Charity calls for children in Scotland to help set Guinness World Records™ title

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is calling for families in Scotland to take part in a giant virtual reading event in December.

The charity hopes that the event will achieve a Guinness World Records title to highlight the need for more positive representations of disability in children’s literature.

To take part, families will need to read the RNIB’s re-imagining of the fairy-tale favourite, Little Red Riding Hood, called ‘Red and the Wolf’. It includes a young girl with vision impairment as the main character, who uses a long cane and is highly skilled at martial arts.

Aimed at children aged three to seven, the book, which was written by author Deborah Fajerman, also comes with an audio version that has special sound effects designed to help children ‘read along’ with the story.

RNIB head of innovation and development Caroline Beard said: “Our earliest perceptions of the world are shaped by the books we read.

“It is essential that children see disability as natural from an early age, to challenge discrimination, promote an understanding of difference, and help children with disabilities feel included in society. However, there is a shocking lack of positive disabled characters and role models in children’s books.

“We launched ‘Red and the Wolf’ to refresh a classic story and turn it into something that celebrates difference. Now, we are really excited to ask families in Scotland to help us by taking part in RNIB’s virtual ReadAlong and hope that many children will enjoy reading about how Red overcomes the challenges she faces.”

Adam Brown, head of records at Guinness World Records, said: “We wish the RNIB the very best of luck in their upcoming attempt.

“Inclusiveness is a value that Guinness World Records holds very dear and RNIB’s work in challenging discrimination and ensuring that all children with disabilities feel positively represented in the books they read, and in society in general, is incredibly important.

“Their aim to achieve a Guinness World Records title reflects their dedication to this cause and we look forward to adjudicating their record attempt on the day.”

The RNIB ReadAlong aims to achieve the Guinness World Record title for the ‘Most photos of people holding books uploaded to Facebook in one hour’. It will take place on Thursday, 10th December, on the charity’s Facebook page.

To take part, families are being asked to take a photo of themselves reading Red and the Wolf, and post it to the page between 6pm and 7pm. The record will be measured by the number of individuals who upload a photo of themselves, or their families, within the hour.

‘Red and the Wolf ‘is available to purchase now from www.readalong.org.uk for £8.99 including delivery.  

Food businesses urged to play their part in improving the health of local communities

A new nationwide challenge is looking for food businesses to make their recipes healthier and improve dietary health in local communities across Scotland.  

The challenge – Reformul8 – run by Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland, in partnership with Scotland’s 32 local authorities, is open to all small to medium sized food companies. This includes food and ingredient manufacturers, butchers, bakers, cafés and takeaways.

The businesses that take part in the challenge will receive free support to help them select a range of products to focus on and the best ways to make these healthier. This could mean increasing fibre, fruit and vegetables within foods.

Alternatively, labelling could be used to recommend cooking techniques, portion size and serving suggestions. Or fat, salt or sugars, overall calories or portion sizes could be reduced. A simple change could even be to replace a key ingredient with a healthier alternative.

Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, Scottish food businesses have worked incredibly hard to feed and to support their local communities. Now is an excellent time to promote the great work they are doing.

Each business taking part in the challenge will benefit from a range of media support from FDF Scotland to celebrate their achievements in making their products healthier and ultimately improving the health of their consumers. 

Joanne Burns, Reformulation for Health Manager, FDF Scotland, said: “Health is increasingly being seen by consumers as a key reason for choosing to buy certain food products. We recently carried out research where we found that 89% of Scottish consumers have at least one health goal and are actively seeking healthier food.

“I would encourage food businesses to get involved to support your consumers to improve their dietary health. I would also ask members of the public to promote this challenge to your local food heroes.

“Now is a great time for businesses to get in touch so you can start to look at your recipes ahead of the new year when your consumers will be even more focused on eating more healthily.”  

If food businesses are interested in finding out more please email:

reformulation@fdfscotland.org.uk. 

How to safeguard the vulnerable from house fires this winter

Lockdown could lead to a spike in house fires this winter, with elderly people being particularly vulnerable, according to safety experts. 

Health and safety experts at CE Safety have warned that the UK’s lockdown has led to an increased risk of house fires as people spend more time indoors. 

In the period March 2019 to March 2020, 243 people died in fire related incidents in England, and 82% of these were in people’s homes. 

Those over the age of 65 are particularly vulnerable of suffering a fire in their home, and the risk doubles for those over 80. 

Winter sees an increase in house fires due to candles, Christmas decs, and Brits spending more time indoors.  

The Home Office’s online Incident Recording System (IRS) report that the biggest culprits of igniting accidental fires within the home are cooking appliances, accounting for 48% of all fires, followed by smokers’ materials and other household appliances.

Now experts from CE Safety have warned families to be wary of the dangers, look out for their elderly relatives and make sure their electrical appliances are safe. 

A spokesperson for CE Safety said “The coronavirus pandemic has brought the importance of safeguarding our fellow humans into sharp focus.

“As we head into a winter that could be awash with isolation and continued lockdown for some time yet, taking care of our families, friends and neighbours will remain at the forefront of our concerns.

“And the very real threat of accidental fires in the home are ever-more alarming as this year’s Home Office figures reveal that someone is more likely to die in a fire in their home if they’re elderly, and if they live alone.”

Here’s how to help the most vulnerable people avoid risk of fire in their homes. A short conversation might be all you need to have with an elderly or vulnerable person in order to get the fire safety message across and find out how at-risk they are.

Here are some of the most important questions to ask: 

Have they got a smoke alarm?

This should be never overlooked, and Home Office statisticians have worked out that you are eight times more likely to die in a house fire if you do not have a working smoke alarm. So a smoke alarm should be working properly and be within range of the places a fire is most likely to start. 

Check how they’re cooking

Impart general advice about cooking and fires within the kitchen. Help them understand the importance of double-checking if all appliances are off. 

It’s also vital to keep flammables away from surfaces and open flames, and to throw away old oil in pans and crumbs in the toaster.

Do they own dangerous appliances?

Find out the make and models of their main household appliances and do a quick check online into whether they are the type that have had problems in recent years. Recently Whirlpool hit the headlines for faulty washing machines. A quick online check of the serial number can put minds at ease.

How are they living?

Have the conversation or around how they are living, and whether they could be any potential fire risks in their home. How is the wear and tear of their wiring? Are they keeping areas around plugs and electrics clutter-free? Even a build-up of dust close to sockets and heaters can ignite a flame. 

Smoking

Smoking and ashtrays are the biggest killer from fires in the home. So we all need to stress the importance of being ultra-careful with smoking materials around the home. Watch out and make sure cigarettes are extinguished properly and talk to them about never smoking in bed.

Hidden dangers

It might be surprising to people that fires can start in the most obscure ways – from the sun having a magnifying effect from glass ornaments or vases on windowsill onto curtains or carpets, igniting a flame.

Hair styling tools being left on are also a danger, as is overloading sockets, leaving appliances running during the night or electric blankets being on for too long. It might seem obvious but it’s not to everyone.

The three Cs: Candles, chimneys and Christmas lights

We should all be reminded to be careful with the things we bring out exclusively in winter, when it’s cold outside. There’s very little ventilation and everyone tends to be indoors more. Candles, chimneys and Christmas lights are responsible for fires in homes every year, so let people know how important it is to be careful with them.

Plan an escape route

In the event the worst does happen, then there is far more likelihood of having a better outcome if a plan has been put in place beforehand. Knowing where to get help, who to contact, how to respond, what to do and how to keep calm will give everyone a little more peace of mind too.

For more information on how to help keep vulnerable people safe during an especially isolated autumn and winter, please visit https://cesafety.co.uk/the-elderly-and-vulnerable-need-you-this-winter-a-guide-to-avoiding-fires-in-the-home/

Home Again: Grieving girl reunited with long lost cat

A cat missing for nine months and presumed dead is reunited with a grieving young girl – and her reaction is priceless.

After nine months of searching for her beloved cat, 10-year-old Katya Harmon had reluctantly accepted that she wouldn’t see Timmy again. The pair had been inseparable since they bonded eight years previously and the loss made 2020 an even more difficult year for Katya.

Katya’s father Perry had died of cancer in the summer and the family was so overcome with grief that her mother Svitlana took extended leave from her role as a care home worker to come to terms with the loss and care for Katya.

In January the Surrey family moved from Chertsey to West End, Woking. Timmy was kept indoors for the first few weeks but, on only the second time being let out in his new neighbourhood, he failed to return home. They searched garages and sheds, knocked on doors and posted on social media, but no sightings were reported.

Katya was inconsolable for weeks, living in hope of his safe return. After being missing for nine months, mum Svitlana felt the time had come to accept that Timmy was gone for ever and she would need to help her daughter heal. The process started with Svitlana getting rid of Timmy’s toys and bedding, unaware that their luck was about to change.

Within days, Svitlana received a ground-shaking call while doing the school run. Incredibly, Timmy had been found safe and well and would be coming home, thanks to him being microchipped (https://youtu.be/moZDgX-dfEc).

Pauline Welch, Welfare Officer for Cats Protection’s Woking and District Branch said: “We had a report from a lady who had been feeding a suspected stray cat for a couple of months. I went round and scanned him for a microchip, which he had thankfully. While there I looked up the number on our system and saw that it had been registered to an address in Chertsey.”

Although Svitlana hadn’t updated their address on Timmy’s microchip, her mobile number remained the same and Woking’s Cats Protection team (www.cats.org.uk/woking) was able to call and break the happy news.

Pauline said: “The lady who answered was indeed missing her cat Timmy and was over the moon that he’d been found. Her daughter had been devastated when he went missing and had asked her mum that very morning if she’d ever see him again. It’s a heart wrenching story with a happy ending.

“It certainly brought a few tears to our eyes, that’s for sure!”

Relieved mum Svitlana was bowled over when she took the call. She said: “I had just taken Katya to school when I received a totally unexpected call from Cats Protection. I had given up hope of ever receiving such a call. Timmy was coming home. It was almost unbelievable.

“I knew that Katya would be overjoyed to see Timmy. That was when I hit on the idea of filming that special moment, to capture Katya’s reaction to finding Timmy hiding on her bed.”

No sooner had Pauline made the call than Timmy was delivered back to his home.

All the while Katya was at school and couldn’t imagine the surprise waiting for her on her return.

Thankfully, Svitlana captured that moment when Katya is reunited with her beloved cat on video: https://youtu.be/moZDgX-dfEc

The joyful return of Timmy went some way to improving a devastating year for Katya and her mum.

Svitlana said: “We’ve had it hard this year, like so many people. It has been hard to see any end to it. And then I had a miracle call from Cats Protection. It really brought some light back into our world.

“If it wasn’t for that microchip, we wouldn’t have Timmy home with us now. He won’t leave Katya’s side and she is besotted with him. He came back to us two days before my birthday; that really was the best present I could have hoped for this year.”

Cats Protection’s work is possible thanks to the generous donations of supporters and volunteers, especially during the COVID-19 crisis when fundraising has been hit hard.

To donate to the Woking and District Branch and to support cats like Timmy, visit: www.cats.org.uk/christmas/donate

Timmy’s story mirrors Cats Protection’s Christmas campaign featuring a tear-jerking animation created by multi award-winning Aardman Studios. The beautiful three-minute animation is inspired by the true story of a young boy and his missing cat, Casper, and highlights the value of microchips for pets. 

To watch the Christmas animation, visit www.cats.org.uk/christmas

According to Cats Protection’s CATS report 2020*, over a quarter (26%) of owned cats in the UK are not chipped. The charity is actively campaigning to change this by making it a legal requirement for cats to be microchipped, as it is for dogs.

Green light for £24 million Student and Homes Quarter in Abbeyhill

Plans for a new mixed-used student and residential quarter in the Abbeyhill area of Edinburgh have been given the go ahead by the City of Edinburgh Council. 

The Abbey Lane development brings together a 298-bed student complex with 66 new homes on the half-acre site, near London Road. Artisan Real Estate will deliver the homes, while Unite Students will develop the student accommodation. 

Artisan bought the former industrial estate site in 2016 and Unite Students acquired the option to purchase the site in July this year. The estimated total cost for the development is in the region of £24 million. 

Artisan will deliver 66 apartments including affordable homes and retail units built around a landscaped courtyard. The design includes a generous amount of green space, including a courtyard area, green roofs and roof gardens.  

Welcoming the planning approval, Clive Wilding, Artisan’s Group Development Director, said: “This is part of a £90 million investment commitment by Artisan to raise the standards of sustainable living at several prime city centre brownfield sites across Edinburgh. 

“Abbey Lane will be a great example of mixed-use living in a superb central location. As well as reducing urban sprawl by optimising the number of people living in well-designed, energy-efficient homes in low car-use locations well-served by public transport, we are also envisaging what people want from their living environment, post-Covid 19. 

“Significant emphasis is placed on the quality of internal space and light to create enjoyable home-working environments, whilst accessible gardens and landscaping promote health and well-being by making nature and well-designed outdoor space integral to the day-to-day living experience.” 

Nick Hayes, Group Property Director, added: “We welcome this decision to grant planning consent. We believe this development will enhance the on-going regeneration of an important part of Edinburgh city centre. 

“Throughout the planning process, we have engaged with the local community and are looking forward to continuing that important work during the development phase of this project. Edinburgh has an undersupply of purpose-built student accommodation and we’re confident that this development will further improve the vibrant Abbeyhill area of the city.” 

Charities to share over £37,000 from Leeds Building Society Foundation

Charities in Scotland are among those sharing £37,730 in the latest round of funding from Leeds Building Society Foundation.

The Foundation, which works to support those who are disadvantaged, socially isolated or in vulnerable circumstances, is helping charities in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Airdrie, Fife and Auchindarroch.

Grants totalling £6,158 will:

  • Buy props and equipment for Indepen-dance in Glasgow, to allow disabled people to participate in remote dance and movement sessions
  • Provide two Merida Big Seven mountain bikes to the Preshal Trust in Glasgow, for its weekly cycling fitness programme
  • Purchase digital equipment and mobile phones for Bright Lights Relationship Counselling in Edinburgh, so remote counselling sessions can continue
  • Buy seven mini-portals for Firsthand Lothian in Edinburgh, to facilitate online games, art, craft and mindfulness sessions to support mental health
  • Furnish a new therapy room for those who have experienced abuse for the Moira Anderson Foundation in Airdrie
  • Provide laptops and iPods for Fife Young Carers to support young carers in keeping up with their education online
  • Purchase electronic tablets for Developing Potential SCIO in Auchindarroch, to enable mental health support workshops to continue running remotely

In the latest funding round, a total of 42 charities across the UK have benefitted from donations totalling £37,730.

“We’re pleased to be able to assist these charities supporting people in need in communities in Scotland,” says Gary Hetherington, the chairman of Leeds Building Society Foundation.

“The pandemic has presented many extra challenges for charitable organisations of all sizes.

“Whether revamping technology to provide more online facilities or investing in PPE to offer help to maintain more in-person services in a COVID secure environment, these grants will greatly assist the vital services offered within these local communities.”

The Foundation is funded by the Society and its members via the Your Interest in Theirs scheme*.

It primarily provides grants towards practical items that directly support those in need including those with disabilities, affected by homelessness, or with serious health issues.

Applications for grants can be submitted throughout the year and are reviewed by the Foundation quarterly. To find out more, charities should visit the Leeds Building Society website.