Month: March 2021

Which? – Fragmented electric car public charging networks must be overhauled

Which? is calling for a major overhaul of the UK’s fragmented electric vehicle public charging network to ensure emission-free vehicles are a viable option for all consumers.

The consumer champion analysed the UK’s electric car public charging network and found serious issues within the infrastructure that could deter people from buying electric vehicles.

It found motorists cannot easily use charging networks operated by different providers as they rely on a bewildering array of sub-standard apps and payment methods, and drivers can face unnecessarily expensive charges.

With around 12 million electric cars expected to be on UK roads by 2030, according to the Climate Change Committee, Which? believes the public charging network as it stands is not fit for purpose for the millions of people who will soon depend on it, and is in dire need of reform to ensure it is accessible for all consumers.

More than 30 providers make up the UK’s public charging network, however Which? found almost all require motorists to download a network-specific app, or sign up for a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) card to use their charge point – a confusing system that would mean drivers planning long journeys would have to ensure they have the right app or RFID for chargers on their route.

Tesla has one of the most affordable networks of ultra-rapid public chargers (120-250kW), but this can only be used by Tesla car owners, dividing the public charging network even further. When Which? asked if Tesla would open its supercharger network to other car brands in the future, the company said it would not make “future-looking statements”.

Tesla also has a network of “destination chargers” with a power output of 3-22 kW, some of which are only available to Tesla models, whereas others can be used by any car with a Type 2 plug. However, these chargers could be opened up to all cars, as Tesla confirmed there is “just a switch inside that makes it [the charging point] universal or Tesla only”.

The UK government previously advised that all rapid chargers built from spring 2020 should allow payment by card – but as it is not legislation, not all firms have installed card payment machines.

According to Zap-Map, fewer than one in 10 (8%) of charge points offer rapid chargers (25-100kW) and allow card payments. Most other types of chargers do not accept cards. Drivers who use chargers and want to pay by card can face additional costs, as some that do accept cards charge more.

BP Pulse, one of the biggest providers in the UK, accepts contactless payments but charges 25p per kWh for those who pay via its website or app and 30p per kWh for card payments. Which? calculated that this 5p difference, using the Volkswagen id.3 as an example, could mean owners paying by card would be charged around £140 extra annually.

While Which? believes it is charging customers more for using a bank card, BP Pulse told the consumer champion: “those who choose to sign up for a free membership receive a discount on their charging costs”.

Motorists could also face higher charging costs if they use a network that charges per minute rather than per kWh, such as Source London.

Using the Volkswagen id.3 as an example, Which? found from Source London’s 7.4 kW charger it would cost £1,012 annually to charge, but this would increase to £1,740 a year from a 22 kW charge point, which costs more due to its faster charging rate, though most cars have a maximum AC charging rate of 11kWh.

Source London told Which? that its prices include on-street parking, which others do not, and that its “price per minute pricing structure is designed to encourage users to disconnect their vehicle as soon as they have finished charging.” It also confirmed customers will still be charged even once their car reaches 100 per cent charge, though overnight chargers are cut off after four hours.

As a first step to reform the public charging network, the government and industry should consider making public chargers universal so motorists need just one app, RFID card and account to access all networks across the UK. While creating a universal infrastructure will have its challenges, Which? believes it is essential to create a simple and appealing network.

Other improvements that should be considered include avoiding single-brand networks from being created, and for Tesla to open its charging points to all EV drivers, as the UK needs more charge points. It should also consider implementing a pence per kWh pricing structure as opposed to charging per minute to ensure drivers are not overcharged and can easily compare costs across different providers.

The government’s ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars will encourage more motorists to switch to emission-free vehicles, which will play a vital role in achieving net-zero by 2050. However, to ensure motorists can make this transition, the public charging network needs to work much better for consumers.

Harry Rose, Which? Magazine Editor, said: “Millions of consumers will be expected to own electric cars in less than a decade, but the public charging network is disjointed and in dire need of reform to ensure it is a viable option for all consumers, especially those who do not have access to a private charger.

“The lack of universal access to the various charging networks must be addressed and a much simpler pricing structure is needed so consumers can easily compare prices across providers and ensure they are not overcharged.”

Buying an electric car

  • If you’ve never driven an electric car, you may be surprised by the quick acceleration from a standstill, so take it slowly on your test drive until you get used to it.
  • You will save money on car tax. Electric cars are exempt from car tax as they emit zero CO2. Also, they are exempt from the ‘expensive car supplement’, which sees most models that cost over £40,000 liable for an extra £310 per year for years two to six of ownership.
  • If you can charge at home, you’ll want to get a wall box charging point. The UK government currently offers a grant toward buying and installing a wall box, called the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, which covers 75% of the cost, capped to a maximum of £350. For those living in Scotland, the Energy Saving Trust will provide up to £300 further funding on top of this, with an additional £100 available for those in the most remote areas.

Carnegie UK Trust: What next for Fair Work in Scotland?

The Carnegie UK Trust has published a new report:What Next For Fair Work in Scotland? 

With the approach of Scottish Parliament elections in May, the country is at a critical juncture, having spent the last year confronting COVID.

The Scottish Government has a strong pre-existing commitment to the achievement of ‘Fair Work’ – defined as that which offers opportunity, security, fulfilment, respect and effective voice – and a dedicated Fair Work Convention acts as an independent source of advice and scrutiny on Scotland’s progress towards becoming a ‘Fair Work Nation.’

However, COVID-19 has significantly altered the context in which that Fair Work agenda is being moved forward. The pandemic has severely impacted lives and livelihoods – but has also seen labour market interventions and business innovations that were previously unimaginable, and given rise to calls to build back a better labour market.

Our report considers the progress of Scotland’s Fair Work agenda so far, and sets out our recommendations about how Fair Work can continue to be advanced in a way that is responsive to the significant challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic.

While many different actors -employers, public bodies, trade unions, and wider civil society –influence the achievement of Fair Work, our recommendations are focused on the government in Scotland, looking ahead to what actions can be advanced in the next parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government’s existing commitment to and programme of Fair Work activities provides a strong foundation for Scotland to adapt to the challenges and opportunities exacerbated by COVID-19.

Our report makes 18 recommendations about how progress can be sustained and Fair Work expanded to many more people, including that Scottish Government should:

  • Increase support to grow ‘Fair Flexibility’ in Scotland.
  • Continue to articulate the compelling business case for Fair Work, starting with a ‘Fair Work in the Recovery’ campaign targeted at employers.
  • Support the delivery of a ‘Living Hours’ programme in Scotland.
  • Dedicate resources towards a renewed focus on work-related health and safety.
  • Continue to improve how Fair Work is measured in Scotland.

We would be delighted to hear your views on the ideas in the report.

You can get in touch with us on Twitter @CarnegieUKTrust, using the hashtag #FairWork, or you can let us know your thoughts by emailing the report author, Gail Irvine, Senior Policy and Development Officer, on gail.irvine@carnegieuk.org

Impact of Brexit likely to intensify, says Holyrood committee

The Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee has stated that the societal and economic impact of Brexit is likely to intensify as Scotland begins to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a legacy report published on Friday, the Committee says scrutiny of the UK’s evolving relationship with the EU should be an early and urgent priority for a successor Committee.

The report highlights that alignment with the EU regulatory regime will be a key scrutiny challenge going forward. Monitoring EU policy and legislative developments will be necessary to determine how aligned future Scottish Governments will remain with the EU. 

The Committee considers that Brexit has resulted in UK legislation re-shaping devolution and increased the complexity of the devolved settlement.

Evidence taken by the Committee in 2021 also reveals the substantial impact on key sectors of the economy due to the new trading relationship and this is likely to intensify in the coming months.

The combined impact of Brexit and Covid-19, the report says, has created significant challenges across the economy with the impact felt hardest by small and medium-sized businesses.

The report also highlights the significant impact of the pandemic on the cultural sector, specifically the viability of cultural venues and the need for a strategy to ensure they emerge sustainably from the pandemic. The Committee recognises the increased financial pressures facing the arts and recommends further monitoring to make sure funds are adequately supporting the sector.

The February 2021 announcement of an extra £9m for the Creative Freelancers Hardship Fund was welcomed but the Committee has stressed that more support is needed.

Another key area of scrutiny within the Committee’s culture remit was the Glasgow School of Art inquiry, which determined that the school did not specifically address the risk of fire to the Mackintosh building despite risks being identified.

The Committee understands work is ongoing by the Scottish Government to carry out a fire mitigation review of publicly-owned A listed buildings and recommends its successor seek an update on the progress of this work. 

The Committee repeated its call for the Scottish Government to establish a public inquiry with judicial powers into the 2014 and 2018 fires at the Glasgow School of Art.

Speaking as the report was published, Committee Convener Joan McAlpine MSP said: “The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union has been a key area of focus for the Committee in Session Five.

“It has become abundantly clear that, although we have left the EU, there are still very real concerns and issues that will continue to affect Scotland in the years ahead.

“Moving into the post-Brexit reality, the Committee wants to see the Scottish Parliament and Government represented in the governance structures established by the new EU-UK relationship in order to ensure that Scotland’s voice is heard, especially when it comes to the impact of the Agreement on devolution”.

Ms McAlpine added: “The 2014 and 2018 Glasgow School of Art fires were of significant concern to the Committee because of the global, architectural significance of the Mackintosh building.

“We urge the Scottish Government, once the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service investigation has been completed, to undertake a public inquiry with judicial powers to understand what went wrong in Glasgow, explore the risks posed by fire to historic buildings and the ability of custodians to effectively manage properties to prevent such tragedies happening again in the future.”

Deputy Convener Claire Baker MSP said: “It is difficult to overstate the immense impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Scotland’s cultural sector.

“The Committee is acutely aware that this sector depends upon an extensive network of freelancers, many of whom could not access government support during the pandemic as they did not meet the eligibility criteria.

“Additional financial support announced by the Scottish Government in recent weeks is welcome, but it is clear that more needs to be done to support this important but vulnerable group.”

You can read the full report here.

Morrisons to donate 100,000 chocolate eggs to familes this Easter

– The eggs will be distributed to local food banks, schools and community groups via Morrisons Community Champions –

– Morrisons customers can also donate Easter Eggs in-store –

Morrisons has announced it will be donating 100,000 chocolate eggs to those in need in the run up to the Easter weekend. 

Morrisons Community Champions at all stores nationwide will be working with local food banks, schools and community groups to distribute the Easter treats to individuals and families who would benefit most. 

Each of Morrisons 497 stores will receive a dedicated delivery of more than 200 Easter eggs, including household favourites Smarties and Creme Egg, which will be set aside, ready to donate.

Customers also have the opportunity to get involved as Morrisons is setting up ‘Easter Egg Donation Stations’ in every store where customers can drop off additional eggs they have purchased.  

The supermarket wants to raise the spirits of the nation and spread some hope and joy across local communities as lockdown restrictions are set to be eased by the government this week. 

Rebecca Singleton, Customer & Community Director at Morrisons said: “We know that celebratory occasions can come at an additional cost to families, but we want to make sure that no-one goes without Easter eggs this year.

“Across the UK we’ll be donating 100,000 eggs to local communities where they are needed most.”

The Easter egg giveaway is part of Morrisons £5 million drive to keep the nation’s food banks stocked by manufacturing additional products which are then donated directly to local communities.

The £5 million donation, announced in January, adds to the £10 million worth of food that Morrisons donated in 2020.  

For more information visit www.morrisons.co.uk

Chris Packham supports charity’s launch of badger baiting documentary for teenagers

Naturalist and television presenter, Chris Packham CBE, has voiced his support for a short film from animal welfare charity, Naturewatch Foundation.

The video shows teenagers the brutality and shocking prevalence of badger baiting, a blood sport that continues to thrive all over the UK – despite being banned since 1835.

The Gloucestershire-based charity invites anyone working with teenagers to feature the 16-minute documentary in their schedules at a convenient time, particularly secondary schools, youth work settings, badger groups, wildlife organisations and police officers.

‘Raising Awareness of Badger Crime’ is presented and produced by Alex Collins, a young filmmaker and keen conservationist.

Collins takes the audience deep into the forest to the site of a badger sett. Delving into the lives of badgers, he explores not only their ecology and how vital they are to their ecosystems, but also the extreme cruelty they face, including badger baiting. Teenagers are taught how to recognise signs of wildlife crime and how they can help protect badgers if they suspect persecution is happening.

Packham, a patron of Naturewatch Foundation, said: “The film offers teenagers the chance to appreciate and connect with the natural world, and with a creature they may have previously had little knowledge of.

“As we have learned, particularly during the pandemic, nature has been recognised as a source of inspiration and comfort for so many of us. It is more important than ever that we inspire the younger generations to become guardians and protectors of our natural world and all the beautiful creatures that call it home, particularly the humble and highly victimised badger.”

Collins, a zoologist, said: “The fact that badger baiting remains so un-discussed among the general public is a testament to how far we still have to go if we are to defeat wildlife crime nationwide. I believe that all generations, young and old, have the power to create positive change and I hope that this film acts as the first stepping stone towards inspiring people to do that.”

On request, the charity provides educational resources to support the film and offers a free wildlife crime novel to participating schools. ‘A Badger’s Tale’ was illustrated by 13-16-year-olds following an art competition, which was judged by Chris Packham.

Caroline Ruane, CEO of Naturewatch Foundation, said: “Our badger baiting awareness programme for teenagers was launched in 2018 but, due to social distancing restrictions, was put on hold during the pandemic.

“We have risen to the challenge of making our message as accessible as possible by sharing our new film online. Badger crime can be a generational issue, with children witnessing their parents’ involvement and not registering that their activities are morally wrong – or even illegal.

“To help save British badgers from a horrific end, we invite anyone who works with teenagers over the age of 13 to share our thought-provoking, and conversation-starting, video with their groups via our YouTube channel. Young people can change the future for this iconic animal.”

Watch the film: https://youtu.be/GF0aDcKSMUk

Interested parties who would like to receive the supporting educational pack are asked to contact Naturewatch Foundation at info@naturewatch.org.

Metro Bank’s top tips for debt management

·       Debt Awareness Week 22 – 28 March 2021

·       Nearly 500,000 in rent and mortgage arrears

·       Mortgage payment holidays deferral ends on 31 March 2021

For the first time since the pandemic hit, normal service will start to resume as financial payment holidays wind down and nearly nine million Britons who have taken on debt during the pandemic will need to start tackling their debt repayments. 

Hot on the heels of Debt Awareness Week (March 22-28), March 31st will be the last day that homeowners can ask for a mortgage payment deferral.  The UK’s community bank, Metro Bank is advising any homeowner concerned about being able to return to normal payments to talk to their mortgage provider as soon as possible.

Recent published data estimates close to half a million people are in rent or mortgage arrears  because of coronavirus and 130,000 UK households  are still taking advantage of mortgage payment holidays,  which is of concern as 16 million people expect their income to fall in the next six months.

Andy Piggott, Director of Lending Products, Metro Bank, said: “We recognise that homeowners have faced extraordinary circumstances impacting their finances and we are here to help. 

“We want to talk to our customers who are struggling and encourage them to contact us as soon as possible. Anyone worried about how they are going to start paying their bills again should be proactive in seeking support. Good lenders will want to work with their customers to help find a manageable solution.”

Metro Bank has put together these top tips to tackle any financial worries:

TALK TO YOUR LENDER

Good lenders want to help.  If you can’t resume your payments, they can look at a range of options including:

·       Short term options, such as accepting reduced payments for an agreed period of time.

·       Long term options, such as extending your mortgage period to reduce payments.

·       Good lenders will explain the impact of what the tailored support means for you and your mortgage, including what will be reported on your credit file and whether you will be considered to be in arrears during any agreed arrangement.

FREE DEBT ADVICE

These organisations offer free help about budgeting and can give advice on how to talk to your lender about your repayments:

1.     The Money Advice Service – moneyadviceservice.org.uk

2.     Citizen’s Advice Bureau – citizensadvice.org.uk

3.     StepChange – stepchange.org

4.     National Debt Line – nationaldebitline.org

5.     Shelter – shelter.org.uk

6. Granton Information Centre – www.gic.org.uk

SUPPORT FOR MORTGAGE INTEREST

If you are on state benefits – income support, pension credit, job seeker’s allowance, universal credit or employment or support allowance – you may be able to get government help for interest payments on your mortgage – visit gov.uk/support-for-mortgage-interest for more information.

For more information please visit

– https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/mortgages/i-want-some-information-about/mortgage-payment-support/

CASE STUDY: PIOTR

Providing welfare advice at the right time and in the right place can both provide health benefits for patients and reduce demand on the NHS.

Funded by NHS Lothian through the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Granton Information Centre runs an advice service in GP surgeries and medical centres.

Piotr (35) found Granton Information Centre’s GP service a lifeline when he and his family faced eviction:

“Life was going along quite happily. We didn’t have much money but my children were well fed and clothed and we were okay. That all changed in the space of a few weeks and I struggled to cope,” Piotr explained.

“First, my wife had to give up her work earlier than we had planned. She was expecting our third child but she became ill so she had to stop working. She had high blood pressure and we did not want to put her life, or the baby’s life, in danger.

“We had been saving what we could because we knew my wife would be going on maternity leave, so it just meant being even more careful about what we spent.

“Then, two things happened in the space of a few days. First, my car broke down and it needed a really expensive repair. At the time I was doing three different jobs to try to make ends meet. I needed the car for delivering parcels during the day and also to get me to my other jobs. What made things worse was that if I didn’t work I didn’t get paid.

“Then, the same weekend, I injured myself playing football with my son! It was crazy – I fell awkwardly and landed on my wrist! I had planned to cycle to one of my other jobs to keep some money coming in, but I sprained my wrist and ankle and so now I couldn’t even do that!

With no income and debts quickly spiralling, Piotr ignored letters from his landlord.

“I put it off”, he explained. “Although my English is okay, the letters were difficult to understand. I did not want to worry my wife so I kept it to myself. I hoped that, once I was working again, I could sort it and things would be okay. That was wrong – things would just have got worse and worse.”

Piotr accompanied his wife to an appointment to see her practice nurse, who suggested it would worthwhile speaking to a Granton Information Centre adviser.

The adviser was in the medical centre at the time – and Piotr explained his problem.

“At last I felt able to share my problem with someone. She was very patient”, Piotr said. “We were so lucky to have met her that day. She explained that we were facing eviction: unless immediate action was taken we would have found ourselves homeless.

“It was very serious, but our adviser was so good. She made sure that we were able to stay in our home. She also worked with us to find out what benefits we were entitled to. I had thought I could not claim benefits because I was working – but I was wrong. ”

While Piotr and his family are not debt-free, their debts are being managed and the family are now receiving the benefits they are entitled to.

Piotr concluded: “It was a relief to talk over our problem with someone who understands the system. I had been keeping it all to myself and it made me ill. We were so close to losing our home.

“Now, we can plan our future. And I am more careful when I play football!”

£30 million for charities and social enterprise

A new £30 million fund is being established to support small businesses within the third sector, helping them to grow as Scotland recovers from the impacts of coronavirus.

The fund will be designed to respond to a need for third sector organisations to access loans to help grow and explore new forms of social investment and finance. It will also help support the sector to meet the challenge of the pandemic and to become more sustainable in the long-term.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “We have worked hard to support the third sector throughout the pandemic. This new fund will focus on those organisations with the potential to grow, contributing to jobs and making a positive contribution to our communities and the wellbeing economy. 

“It also goes some way towards our commitment to explore other strands of social investment, including capital loans, to build upon Scotland’s world leading position in social enterprise.

“The fund will help this sector to ensure that it not only supports our communities, but is at the very forefront of our recovery, leading our communities and our country through recovery.”

Yvonne Greeves, Board member at Firstport & Chair of Catalyst Fund, said: “The Catalyst Fund is an exciting new addition to the social investment arena in Scotland.

“The patient, revenue-based repayment model is well placed to help certain social enterprises obtain the capital they need to start-up and grow, whilst offering them a more flexible repayment approach to match their ambitions.

“We welcome the support from the Scottish Government in backing this innovative model and we look forward to supporting social enterprises with potential for high-growth to enter new markets and deliver significant social impact.”

The Third Sector Growth Fund will build on more than £1 billion which has been invested in communities since the start of the pandemic, which includes a recent commitment to a further £14 million to allow the Communities and Third Sector Recovery Programme to continue to the end of June.

The Third Sector Growth Fund will have three elements:

  • The Social Catalyst fund, which totals £15 million, will help growing organisations which are not able to access finance through standard loans, offering investment which can be repaid based on turnover, rather than growing interest rates. This would suit small businesses and start-ups whose income is variable.
  • The Circular Economy Fund will support activity which builds on sustainability of social enterprises and enables growth through investment loans. Together with The Long Term Third Sector Finance Fund which will offer loans for social enterprises and Third Sector organisations over a period of 18-24 months. a total of £10 million will be available.
  • The Social Impact Venture Portfolio will offer investments of equity into mission-driven businesses, encouraging organisations to adopt a social enterprise model. This is worth £5 million.

The delivery partners are The Social Impact Venture Portfolio and Social Investment Scotland, a social enterprise and a charity offering loan funding and business support across the sector to make a positive impact on lives, society and the environment.

Social Investment Scotland will manage The Circular Economy Social Enterprise Fund and Long Term Third Sector Finance Fund.

The Impact Investment Partnership Scotland (IIPS), an entity owned equally by Firstport and Social Enterprise Scotland (SES), will manage the Social Catalyst Fund.  

Access to the funds will be by application. Further details of the funds and how to apply will be published on the partner organisations websites later this Spring. 

Community spirit triumphs in Edinburgh as local people donate to support each other

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The Actimel campaign to “Give Communities Their Best Shot” * has got off to a hugely successful start.  With 339,080 Actimel bottles already donated to Fareshare and Foodcloud in the UK and Ireland, it’s clear that the willingness to help local people is still very much alive in lockdown 3.

Central & South East Scotland is smashing it as 8,770 bottles have already been donated to Edinburgh Fareshare distribution centre.

Recent research ** found that as many as 1 in 2 people are concerned about their community’s immunity.  In fact over half of British people place the same importance on the health of their community as they do on their own family and 78% of people are concerned about the health of the most vulnerable people in their communities.

Lindsay Boswell, CEO Fareshare says: Lindsay Boswell, CEO Fareshare says: “It’s great to see so many packs donated through the Actimel campaign so far, but there is still more that people can do. 

“FareShare has more than doubled the amount of food we distribute in response to the Covid-19 crisis, now supplying frontline charities with enough food to create 2 million meals each week – with two thirds being accessed by children and families.

“Now more than ever it’s vital to ensure vulnerable people can access a balanced diet, which is why the support from Actimel is so important. This campaign gives shoppers a means to support the most vulnerable people in their communities, by simply buying a pack*.”    

Sarah Dossett, Marketing Director Actimel says: “We’re delighted with the success of our campaign so far and really inspired by the community spirit of the Scottish public.

“Helping those that need it most, such as the people helped by FareShare, is what we believe in as a company. As a certified B Corp it’s very much a part of what drives us every day.”

Small but mighty: Each shot of Actimel*** is packed with 10 billion L. casei cultures along with 1/3 of the recommended daily intake in vitamin D, as well as vitamin B6 which support the normal function of the immune system. Just one shot a day and you can take on whatever the day throws at you.

●      Actimel contains Vitamins B6 & D to help support the normal function of the immune system.

* Give Communities Your Best shot” T&Cs: 18+. UK & Republic of Ireland. Start date 00:01 on 01/01/21. Closing date 23:59 on 30/04/21. Promotional packs. To participate, visit www.actimel.com, enter the unique code on the lid and select your community. Selection to be made from a list of different pre-defined regions that you can discover on our website.

Limited to 100,000 packs donated in UK and 10,000 in ROI to food related charities, in the UK: FareShare (Charity No: 1100051), in ROI: FoodCloud (Charity No: CHY21177). Full T&Cs see www.actimel.com.

** Danone General Health Attitudes Survey of 1000 adults in UK & Ireland

*** Contains naturally occurring sugars 

INK on MESH crowdfunder launches today

Lorna Brown is seeking your support to turn her dream of a creating a community arts and design resource in Newhaven into a reality.

Lorna explained: “Creative Scotland selected my business plan for their crowdmatch funding support in February this year.

“I’m looking to achieve my goal of establishing INK on MESH, a community print space that offers classes, courses and tuition in screen printing and stitched textiles.

“Post – pandemic, INK on MESH will become a space that promotes and encourages creative expression, community connections, confidence building and well being through hand craft and heritage skills education.

“I can continue to develop my own textiles brand, Blessed Unrest and also provide affordable space and specialized equipment for developing, emerging and graduate practitioners.”

INK on MESH is an interest partner with The Heart of Newhaven Community, one of the first dedicated intergenerational centres in the UK and will potentially open there in Autumn 2021 or in another local retail space.

Lorna added: “Individuality prevails! You can give people the same instructions and access to the same materials & equipment but how they explore that, interpret and express that is entirely UNIQUE … this is one of the fascinating and constant motivating experiences for me as a craft educator.

“Ink on Mesh will become that dedicated space where people at all ages and stages can come to explore their unique ideas through the craft of screen printing and textiles. Let’s make this happen!”

The crowdfunder launches at 9am this morning (Monday 22 March).

Crowd funder for #inkonmesh – https://crowdfunder.co.uk/ink-on-mesh

Linda’s friend and colleague Lisa Arnott said: “I can not express how super delighted for my amazing best friend Lorna Brown of BlessedUnrest and her Crowdfunding launch for the new and amazing dedicated print studio INK on MESH.

“Her Crowdfunding starts at 9am on Monday 22nd March. It’s an amazing way to become part of her story, show your support for a well-needed resource for our community and support the arts and design industries.

“Set your watches and phone alarms for 9am on Monday 22nd March!”

Please start supporting and following:

Facebook:@inkonmesh

Instagram:@inkonmesh

Twitter@inkonmesh

Individuality prevails!

Let’s make this happen!!😁🙌🏼Monday 22nd at 9am.

Law firm Gillespie Macandrew announces charity partnerships

Gillespie Macandrew announces new charity partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity

Leading Scottish law firm Gillespie Macandrew has begun a three year charity partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC).  Alzheimer Scotland provides support for those living with dementia and the ECHC supports children and their families in a variety of healthcare settings.

The new partnerships are a key part of the Firm’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which includes donating 1% of pre-tax profits each year to the nominated charities.  The firm has an established and active CSR committee which includes representatives from all four of Gillespie Macandrew’s offices.   

As well as financial support, staff are given a day off each year to take part in charitable activities and as a result of this commitment to the nominated charities, the Firm has donated a total of over £130,000 in the past five years.

Chief Executive Officer Robert Graham Campbell commented: “We have a long and proud history of supporting charitable causes, whether it is engagement though volunteering, providing funding and pro-bono legal advice or partnering to host training opportunities. 

“We look forward to working with our two new charity partners to support the excellent and valuable work they do.”

Stakeholder Engagement Lead from Alzheimer Scotland, Caroline Miller said: “The incredible commitment from Gillespie Macandrew will help us provide a range of person-centred support for people living with dementia and their families, who have been devastated by the pandemic.

Money raised will also go towards our exciting project to build the UK’s first Virtual Dementia Resource Centre so we can offer support no matter where you are and what time of the day it is.”

ECHC’s Fundraiser Amy Ford added: “Gillespie Macandrew’s support over the next three years means that we can continue transforming the experiences of every child and young person in hospital and healthcare throughout the duration of the pandemic and beyond.

When the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People opens on Tuesday 23 March, ECHC will be there to support children, young people and families in many ways and we simply could not do this without the generosity and kindness of our charity partners like Gillespie Macandrew.”

Alzheimer Scotland and ECHC were nominated and voted for by staff and Gillespie Macandrew is pleased to be able to offer our support, particularly at a time of increased pressure on the services they provide. 

The firm has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth and advises on all areas of land and rural business, private client, commercial real estate, energy, tax and disputes.