Day: August 26, 2021

Council calls for increase in number of Afghan refugees to be welcomed to the UK

Edinburgh’s Council Leader is to write to the UK Government calling for the number of refugees to be welcomed to the UK to be increased from the 20,000 already committed over five years.

Councillor Adam McVey will take this action after a Coalition motion was unanimously approved at Full Council today. 

Cllr McVey said: “The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan is heartbreaking to witness and as a city, we want to do everything we can to help people fleeing for their lives as the crisis deepens.

“That’s why I’ll be writing to the UK Government calling on them to increase the number of Afghans who will be welcomed to the country in the coming years.

“We’re working very closely with partner agencies and the Home Office already and will soon give shelter to around 250 Afghan refugees in the Capital, as well as around 50 people to settle as permanent citizens.

“We’re proud to have them join us and will welcome them with open arms, as we will when more of their countrymen and women arrive in the Capital in the months to come.”

Depute Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s humbling to see the outpouring of compassion and generosity shown by so many residents in the city who are coming forward with offers of accommodation and direct support for Afghan refugees. We are an outward-facing, globally responsible Capital and will play our full part in helping people in such desperate need.

“We now call on the UK Government to increase the total number of Afghan refugees that can be welcomed to Britain over the coming years and for local authorities to be provided with appropriate funding to support their needs.

The full text of the agreed motion reads:

“Notes that unfolding events in Afghanistan since the US, UK and other nations’ substantive withdrawal have been shocking to witness and that the whole of the UK bears a moral responsibility for dealing with the consequences. Notes efforts of residual personnel still in Kabul to support evacuation of some of those at risk.

“Supports the people of Afghanistan in enjoying the liberties previously protected by allied forces and the right to independence of thought, to vote and for women and girls to be educated and play a full part in the work and life of their country- as well as the right to life for at risk groups, such as LGBT Afghans.

“Acknowledges that many UK veterans who served in Afghanistan will find the deteriorating security situation extremely difficult and lead them to question the sacrifices they and their colleagues have made and requests the Lord Provost, as Veterans’ Champion, continues to engage with local armed forces.

“Agrees that Edinburgh must embrace its responsibility to welcome those fleeing persecution and empower these people to reach their full potential when they arrive.  This includes providing good quality immediate temporary accommodation and welcoming Afghan refugees for permanent resettlement in the Capital.

“Agrees to explore all avenues to secure appropriate accommodation, without putting pressure on existing demand for social homes, such as exploring using short term let properties, to maximise local provision.

“Notes ongoing discussions between the Council and the UK Government on arrangements to host a number of Afghan refugees who were locally employed staff as well as ongoing discussions on welcoming further Afghan refugees.

“Further notes these discussions will include other third/voluntary sector and Trade Unions to support and welcome refugees along with the continuing dialogue with the Scottish Government of levels of support they can also contribute. Agrees this includes full access to local services and should also include access to support finding employment, without restrictions on ability to work.

“Agrees the Council Leader writes to the UK Government to add Edinburgh’s voice to calls to increase the number of Afghan refugees, who are not formerly locally employed staff, beyond the 20,000 already committed over 5 years.

“Notes the funding arrangements for the formally locally employed staff and agrees the Council leader and officers continue dialogue with UK Minsters and officials to ensure support is fully funded by the UK Government and delegates to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, to approve any such other costs arising not covered by UK Government funding, or existing budgets, up to £500,000 from the unallocated general reserve.

 “Notes current arrangements of UK Government funding for formally employed staff is able to cover private rented property rates and agrees the Council leader and officers communicate directly the need for the same level of support for all refugees being welcomed and resettled in the City.

“Notes the very generous offers of direct support from the people of Edinburgh and agrees that Edinburgh should play its part in welcoming of Afghan refugees: both in terms of the need to find immediate temporary accommodation and welcoming Afghan refugees for permanent resettlement in the Capital.“

Carmichael lays green foundations with Lanark Road development

A Glasgow-based housing developer has broken ground on a new sustainable 25-flat development in Edinburgh, with support from Bank of Scotland.

Carmichael Homes has delivered 11 developments across Greater Glasgow over the past nine years, including sites in Finnieston and Bishopbriggs. Building on its success, the firm has recently started construction on a new 25-flat development made up of a range of one to four-bed flats on Lanark Road in Edinburgh.

The latest development in Edinburgh will feature a green roof to help the building retain water and aid local biodiversity, enhanced high performing glazing for added insulation, modern fans and an energy efficient boiler system, linked to solar panels.

To support the development, Carmichael Homes secured a seven-figure funding package via Bank of Scotland’s Clean Growth Finance Initiative (CGFI) which provides discounted lending to help firms invest in sustainable projects.

The construction of the new flats is expected to take 16 months, with completion expected by December 2022. The business currently has three live developments across Glasgow and Edinburgh and is expecting a further three projects to go live next year – all of which will be developed with a focus on sustainability.

Carmichael Homes is also supporting Scottish businesses during the development, using products from Wick-based Ashley Ann Kitchens, Aberdeen-based Stewart Milne and many more locally sourced companies. 

Scott Carmichael, managing director of Carmichael Homes, said: “At Carmichael Homes, we create high-quality properties that are sustainably built to help Scotland on its way to net zero.

“The support from Bank of Scotland has been a massive boost to our business. It has enabled us to equip each property with a host of eco-friendly features and ensure each flat has a low carbon footprint.

“The project will also mark a continuation in our expansion into Edinburgh. A recent report* found that people across Edinburgh are concerned with the current climate emergency and by building new homes with this in mind, we are continuing our commitment to provide sustainable homes across Scotland.”

Douglas Spowart, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said: “Earlier this year it was reported that renewables met 97% of the country’s electricity demand in 2020.

“While this was a positive development on our path towards net zero, there’s still more that can be done. Businesses in sectors ranging from agriculture to construction can all play a considerable role in helping us decarbonise.

“Carmichael Homes’ new project in Edinburgh is a prime example of a Scottish business doing just that and we’re proud to be supporting them with this new sustainable project.

“With COP26 just around the corner, we’ll continue to support businesses like Carmichael Homes as they work to reduce Scotland’s carbon emissions and strengthen our ever-growing green credentials.”

Hundreds of Edinburgh’s children and families ‘Get into Summer’

Hundreds of young people and their families in the Capital have taken part in a huge programme of summer activities delivered by over 100 City of Edinburgh Council and partner organisations.

The ‘get into Summer’ initiative was part of a nationwide scheme funded by the Scottish Government to support children and young people’s wellbeing during the summer after a year of disrupted school, out of school activities and periods of isolation from friends due to the pandemic.

The activities built on the regular summer programmes put on by the Council and partners and were delivered in communities across the city. They helped children and young people to get healthy, creative and most importantly, re-connect with each other.

A key focus of the programme included activities targeted at families from low income households who may otherwise have struggled to access such experiences during the holidays. It ensured that these groups and those living in poverty were able to access, at no cost, a full programme of summer activities, in many cases with travel and food costs also covered.

The overall programme had a focus on opportunities for youth and children’s work, very young children and their families, with opportunities for sport, outdoor, art and cultural activities.

The Get into Summer project included:

  • Picnic in a Park trips saw over 200 children and their families take part
  • Over 300 food and activity parcels being delivered to families every week of the school holidays
  • Hundreds of activity sessions from over 150 different providers throughout the school holidays

There’s been really positive feedback from families such as:

One mum talking about her food box delivery said: “Huge thanks for our box, it was fantastic as always, we made good use of the sharing plate for all our veg as we had d.i.y rainbow wraps for dinner. Super yummy and encouraged the boys to try things they would not normally eat.”

Another mum said after her trip to a country park with her three children: “A huge thank you for the fantastic day, we loved Jupiter Artland and are already planning our next visit.”

Some of the partner organisations putting on events and providing support include: 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café, Disability Services, Intercultural Youth Scotland, Edinburgh Young Carers, Lochend Football Academy, National Galleries of Scotland, Play2Learn Sports Coaching and Shakti Women’s Aid.

Councillor Ian Perry, Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Huge praise to all the different teams at the Council and our partners for providing such a fantastic programme of activities over the summer for our young people and their families.

“The pandemic has caused such a disruption to their wellbeing and our ‘Get into Summer’ programme brought as many of them together as possible to play and socialise over the holidays.

“There really was something for everyone with activities ranging from sports coaching to trip, to drama workshops, to local parks with many additional activities on top of what we usually offer during the holidays. This really has been a summer of fun for these families and I hope we’ll be able to do it all again next year!”

Councillor Alison Dickie, Vice Convener for Education, Children and Families Vice Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s really positive to see what a huge difference this programme of activities has made to the daily lives of children and their families during the summer.

“We listened to their voices about the impact of lockdown on their mental health and wellbeing and this was an important first step to help them re-connect with their friends and interests over the holidays.

“Many families on low income struggle during the summer holidays so this targeted offer was a positive step forward and helped boost opportunities for those who have faced the greatest challenges in the past 17 months. This programme had children’s rights and needs at its heart and thanks must go to everyone who pulled all this together.”

Save the Fringe!

New campaign launched to help Fringe recover from devastating losses

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced the launch of a new £7.5m fundraising campaign to help aid the long-term recovery of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

‘Save the Fringe’ will serve as a starting point for a wider Fringe revival, following the devastating impact of covid-19.

As the campaign officially kicks off, Edinburgh Gin are on board as founding investors, with an estimated £150k investment to come from the sales of its Edinburgh Gin Presents Phoebe Waller-Bridge collaboration. Around £160k has also been raised thanks to the kind generosity of individual donors.

The fundraising campaign will be driven by seven principles, which aim to:

  • Support artists and venues who bring work to the Fringe
  • Break down barriers to participation in the Fringe
  • Build and support sustainable practices across the festival
  • Deepen engagement with Edinburgh residents
  • Extend engagement with young people – particularly from underrepresented areas of our city
  • Create opportunities for network building and professional development for artists and arts industry across Fringe platforms
  • Secure a new home for the Fringe Society to provide a year-round space for artists, community groups and schools.

The campaign – currently at the very beginning – is expected to take place over three to five years. The exact criteria for distributing the fund will be announced following a series of consultations, hosted by the Fringe Society in autumn/winter 2021, to better understand the individual needs of various stakeholders. Edinburgh residents, artists, venues, producers, local businesses and more will be invited to explore ways the festival can develop and improve.

The funding will then support a renaissance for the Fringe in the future, led by the Fringe Society’s findings. More details on the consultations will be announced in the coming weeks.

Commenting on the launch of Save the Fringe, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said:  “The last 18 months have been the most challenging in the Fringe’s history, and everyone – from artists and venues to the Fringe Society – has experienced huge losses.

“I’m so proud of what’s been achieved in 2021, and in so many ways, this year’s festival was a success. Over 940 shows were brought to life, incredible new venues were created in the most imaginative of spaces, and audiences flocked back to experience the magic of the Fringe.

“But it can’t be stressed enough: this does not mean the Fringe is back to health. 2021’s scaled-back event only happened because of emergency grants, and in many cases, loans that now need to be repaid. We want to ensure the Fringe that returns reflects the world we live in – not just those who can afford to keep going.

“Recovery isn’t about going back to how things were. It’s about reimagining the Fringe as the best version of itself and using this moment of pause to reflect and change. We want everyone – from residents and local business owners to artists, operators and audience members – to have their say on what that looks like. And we’ll need support to make that vision a reality.”

Benny Higgins Chair, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Fringe is one of Scotland’s greatest cultural exports. It is recognised internationally as a landmark celebration of the arts and is an access point to culture for so many people. But the Fringe is not publicly funded in any meaningful way, and the last 18 months have shown us how much urgent investment is needed to protect this world-renowned event.

“An estimated £20m was lost in 2020 alone. To make 2021 a reality, many operators relied on loans and emergency grants. This is not sustainable, and this campaign is about undoing some of that damage, while building a more affordable and equitable Fringe. This campaign will give us a foundation to do just that.”

Neil Mowat, Brand Director at Edinburgh Gin said: “The Fringe has offered the world a stage – bringing arts lovers together, welcoming brave work and introducing new incredible talent. But it needs our help.

“Phoebe Waller-Bridge first debuted ‘Fleabag’ at the Fringe in 2013, so we need the festival to thrive so that stories like hers don’t go untold.

“It has been an honour to support the Save the Fringe initiative as founding investors, and we can’t wait to see the Festival return to its usual spectacular self as soon as possible.

“Every penny of profit from our ‘Edinburgh Gin Presents’ Phoebe Waller-Bridge collaboration bottle goes directly to support the artists of the Fringe festival – so if you love gin, the arts and Edinburgh, buy one while you can.”

National Lottery supports Edinburgh creative projects through Open Fund Awards

A series of innovative creative projects from Edinburgh artists and creative organisations have been set in motion thanks to funding awarded through Creative Scotland’s Open Fund. 

Over £150,400 has been awarded to nine Edinburgh based projects including a new dance platform from Dance Horizons; Page2Stage, a new writing night produced by Michelle McKay and hosted by Assembly Roxy and a family-friendly festival in Vogrie Park. 

These projects are among 45 across the country sharing over £1million of National Lottery funding.

These funds aim to support creativity across Scotland for artists, organisations and creative groups as they seek to build sustainability after emerging from COVID-19 restrictions.  

Innovations from Dance Horizons is a new contemporary dance platform that will support artists through the production process to share their creative practice as a high-quality finished work to audiences.  

CEO and producer Oliver James Anwyl says: “As we emerge from the pandemic, this funding is incredibly valuable to ensure the success of this year’s platform.

“Dance has been one of the hardest genres to present online during the last 18 months and we are so excited to bring work to the stage for our audiences to enjoy.” 

Glacial Narratives – a report from the Arctic is an exhibition that aims to raise awareness of the wonder of ice as a material and ask questions about its disappearance in the run up to COP26.  

Artist Mary Walters says: “As artists, we can add to contemporary climate change discussions by articulating the wonder we have for this amazing material that is fast disappearing.” 

Page2Stage Edinburgh is a new writing night produced by Michelle McKay and hosted by Assembly Roxy that will provide a supportive environment for playwrights to gain feedback on their work and offers the audience a unique insight into the writing process. 

Producer Michelle Mackay says: “We are working at grassroots level, building a network in Edinburgh and the funding means we can continue to build and develop Page2Stage providing further opportunities to create new work and partnerships.” 

VOGRIE POGRIE is a free, highly accessible and family-friendly festival taking place entirely outdoors in Vogrie Park from 11-12 September with pop-up performances from clowns and storytellers, activities and workshops and activities in the park and local community beginning from 3 September. 

Callum Ross, Creative Director says: “Trotwork Events is delighted to have received funding and have the opportunity to work with lots of great creative artists and groups again. 

“Vogrie Park will come alive, and it will feel like a lovely gift to us all to enjoy. We can’t wait.” 

Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, who raise £30 million for good causes across the UK every week, alongside equally welcome funding from the Scottish Government, these Open Fund awards continue to build resilience within Scotland’s artistic community as well as provide creative engagement opportunities to enrich the lives of people across Scotland”.  

A full list of recipients of Open Fund awards is available on the Creative Scotland website.  

YPI students secure £60,000 for charities in Edinburgh

Secondary school students in Edinburgh have been responsible for a vital funding boost of £60,000 to local charities through their involvement in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI).

The 20 schools committed to The Wood Foundation programme which sees young people work in teams to identify social issues impacting their communities and the charities addressing them. They then develop creative presentations in a bid to secure their school’s £3000 grant.

The top three social issues securing YPI funding this year were support for those facing health and ability conditions, services to address mental health and wellbeing, and action to tackle poverty in Scotland’s communities.

Ali MacLachlan, UK Director at The Wood Foundation, said: “Young people raising awareness of social issues and ensuring this vital funding reached communities at a time of acute need is so important.

“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and commitment shown by schools and students to ensure this important learning and funding opportunity continued with such vigour despite all the challenges of the school year from Covid-19.

“Giving young people a platform and a voice to lead their learning and make a difference to the issues they saw first-hand locally took on additional significance in a year when so much autonomy was taken away.

“We have been blown away by many of the presentations and have great hope that our young people are an exciting force for change.”

Nationally, 220 schools took part in the programme this year channelling £660,000 to charities. Since it was launched in Scotland in 2008, the active citizenship programme YPI has been responsible for more than £5m being granted to local charities championed by young people.

It is Scotland’s largest independent initiative being delivered in education, having empowered more than 230,000 young people to advocate for causes they care passionately about while developing vital skills.

Barbara Johnstone MBE is Organiser and Trustee of Ravelrig RDA which secured two grants this year. She said: “The successful groups were impressive from the start and had really interesting questions.

“They clearly took on board all I had shared with them in their presentations. YPI is so beneficial for the personal growth of the youngsters and the reward for us is massive.”

Hannah Treagus was one of the students in the successful team. Hannah has volunteered at Ravelrig RDA for more than two years. She knew the incredible role the horses and centre had to play in supporting families dealing with a host of issues.

Hannah said: “Fundraising has been really hard hit by Covid-19 and I really wanted to share the passion I have for Ravelrig RDA through YPI. We worked really hard on our presentation and were really determined to do well. I am so pleased we secured this funding which will go towards a new horse when the centre can reopen properly.”

As an education programme, teachers believe that YPI is improving young people’s skills for learning, life, and work in areas such as teamwork, decision making, research, creativity, communication, problem solving and resilience. They also believe students are becoming more empathetic and engaged in their communities, better able to discuss social issues and committing to be active citizens.

YPI is managed and majority funded by The Wood Foundation and is supported by a network of likeminded funding partners. In Edinburgh it is supported by abrdn. Its Head of External Affairs Jeff Newton said:

“YPI enables young people to make a real difference to their local communities whilst showcasing their commitment, creativity, and innovation. We are proud to be a lead funder of the programme which enables young people to have their voices heard in the Edinburgh community.

“For the past three years colleagues have been involved with mentoring students and judging YPI Showcases, and we have always been incredibly impressed by the maturity and conviction of the presentations.”

The Wood Foundation is a venture philanthropic organisation committed to addressing social inequity and investing in developing young people in Scotland, as well as economic investment in the UK and East Africa. It was established by its Chairman Sir Ian Wood and his family in 2007.

 City of Edinburgh 

Balerno High School Kirknewton Community Development Trust 
Boroughmuir High School Stepping Stones 
Castlebrae High School Thistle Foundation Health & Wellbeing 
Craigmount High School Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity 
Craigroyston Community High School Ferrywell Youth Projects 
Currie Community High School Kids Love Clothes 
Fettes College TalkTime Scotland 
Firrhill High School Lothian Veteran’s Centre 
Forrester High School Conscious Edinburgh 
George Watson’s College Cyrenians 
Gracemount High School St Columbas Hospice 
Holy Rood RC High School Steps to Hope 
James Gillespie’s High School Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled 
Leith Academy Joshua Nolan Foundation 
Liberton High School Edinburgh Women’s Aid 
St Augustine’s High School The Welcoming 
St George’s School  Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled 
Stewart’s Melville College Children 1st 
The Edinburgh Academy U-Evolve 
The Mary Erskine School Alzheimers Scotland 

Have your say on Edinburgh’s Museums and Galleries

Consultation closes 30th August

Museums & Galleries Edinburgh is a collection of 13 varied and fascinating venues owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council.

We look after the following venues: City Art Centre, Museum of Edinburgh (previously Huntly House),The People’s Story Museum, The Writers’ Museum, Lauriston Castle, Museum of Childhood, Travelling Gallery, Queensferry Museum, Museum Collections Centre, Scott and Nelson Monuments.

We run a varied learning and community engagement programme. Following the Covid outbreak we are looking to consult communities about how we can support their work, be more inclusive and better respond to community needs.

We would love to hear your views about what you’d like us to prioritise.

Click on survey – it takes only one minute: http://ow.ly/iPaq50FfUBD

Twelve young filmmakers to be the voice of Scotland at COP26

Picture: Sandy Young/scottishphotographer.com

Scottish Youth Film Foundation (SYFF) and COP26 Principal Partner ScottishPower has unveiled the team of young filmmakers who have been selected to bring the voice of young Scotland to COP26.

Twelve young Scots from across the country and aged between 16 and 21 are being trained to film, direct, present and produce content which will be broadcast daily to a global audience as COP TV during the environmental conference.

SYFF co-founder Scott Mackay who has been working with the young people this summer, said of the global project: “COP TV is a fantastic opportunity for young people to influence the climate change conversation on a global stage – to bring the voice of young Scotland to the world and the world to the young people of Scotland.

“Working with the team, I am so impressed with the knowledge, passion and enthusiasm they bring to the film-making process. They are a credit to Scotland and will be fantastic young ambassadors both to the delegates and climate change influencers we interview and to the global audience watching our daily broadcast.”

“We are hugely grateful to ScottishPower for their support. This promises to be a historic event and I’m honoured to be working with such a talented group of young Scots.”

© Sandy Young Photography Sandy Young/scottishphotographer.com

Dr Sam Gardner, Head of Climate Change and Sustainability at ScottishPower, said: “We need everyone to play their part in tackling the climate emergency and we’ve already seen that the enthusiasm and determination of young people can not only influence the decision-makers, but can result in real and lasting change.

“COP26 is arguably the world’s most crucial conference on climate change yet. It’s where we hope to see real action taken to cut carbon emissions and limit the rise in global temperatures. ScottishPower is already playing its part, investing £10billion in the UK over five years – £6 million every working day – to double its renewable generation capacity and drive forward decarbonisation.

“I’m delighted to meet the team from COP TV and I look forward to seeing the stories and news they capture during COP broadcast worldwide.”

The team will be supported by Christie Paterson, an offshore environmental manager with ScottishPower’s parent company Iberdrola. Based out of ScottishPower’s Glasgow HQ, Christie works with Iberdrola windfarm projects worldwide, advising on how to reduce and monitor potential environmental impacts.

Christie said: “I think COP TV is a fantastic initiative and it’s been great to meet the team at our windfarm today.

“There are so many great stories to tell as we journey towards net zero and I hope I can help show this group of young filmmakers all the ways we are working to help protect the environment both here in the UK and at windfarms around the world.”

MEET the FILM-MAKERS:

Becky Gillan

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Hiya! My name is Becky and I live in Edinburgh (Although I’m originally from South Lanarkshire). I study Government Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh and have a strong interest in economic, environmental, educational and health policy. A fun fact about me is that I work as a roller skating instructor.  

With COP TV, I hope to be able to spread awareness of climate change both within my generation and beyond. As well as this I hope to be able to interview key environmental stakeholders and ask the difficult questions that young people need to know.

Josh Parker

I’m Josh, I’m 17 and I’m from the south side of Glasgow. I’m in my first year of university. I’ve been really interested in activism and have worked on a range of issues that affect young people.

I hope to bring greater awareness to the climate crisis among other young people and inspire people to get involved in learning more/taking action..

Emily Ritchie

I’m Emily, I’m 20 years old and I live just outside of Glasgow. I’ve recently graduated from City of Glasgow College, where I studied HNC Social Sciences.

My hope is, that through the COP TV project, I will be able to build upon my current understanding of both Climate Change and the media industry.

Going into this project, my experience was mainly media based – having made a few short films in the past, along with an interest in photography.

Already I have learned vital skills in filmmaking, more about what we can do to tackle the climate crisis and the importance of COP26, something that will hopefully continue throughout the COP TV project.

Meredith Rae

I’m Meredith, I’m 17 and from the Falkirk area. Started getting interest in this area by writing a piece for my school newspaper regarding climate, the pandemic and climate justice.

I’m aiming to do Film and Television with Politics at University of Glasgow in 2022 and in the past year created an initiative at school called ‘Lady Business’ which aimed to combat period poverty.

Joseph Olanlokun

My name is Joseph Olanlokun. I’m 17 and live in Armadale in West Lothian.

One day I want to be a  film/TV director so I am interested in Directing, Screenwriting and Camera Work. It’s been fun working with COP TV so far because it’s given me the chance to meet like-minded people who are positive about Climate change.

I hope to influence the way young people think about climate change and I want more people to do their part in making the world a better place.

Zoe Conroy

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My name is Zoë Conroy and I come from a village called Banchory. I am 17 years old and I am currently in my sixth year at Banchory Academy.

I also have lately secured a place at Edinburgh Napier for a 4 year long photography course starting in 2022.

I really hope to go into the fashion industry as I have always felt that change is necessary within. Change is something I am very used to. I was born in Houston Texas and lived there for 5 years, then moved to Dubai, where we stayed for 6 years and finally moved to Scotland.

As you can tell by now I don’t shy away from change and there must be change made if we want to combat the climate crisis. 

I hope that COP TV will give me the opportunity to get myself and the other young people who are part of the team out there and our voices heard, so that the change is made. 

Stella Duncan

My name is Stella and I come from Dumfries. I am 16 years old at present but I am aiming to do a university level qualification in global environmental issues alongside my advanced highers.

I’ve been part of the school’s eco-committee for quite a few years and outside of school I have been attending a local film making group (Scene 1 take 1) for almost 7 years.

Scarlett Alexander

Hi, I’m Scarlett from Ayr and I’m 16 years old.  I am into lots of different fashion and music and I’ve been taking an interest lately not just in media and climate but how media can be more climate and carbon conscious.

Totally fascinated by the technology of broadcasting and I hope to get a real chance through COP TV to gain experience in camera work and editing. Currently making my own personal film for COP TV about waterways near my home town.

I recently had a chance to sit in on the editing of a documentary about Johnny Cash and his performance in San Quentin jail.

Rachel Henderson

I’ve taken part in school climate protests like the march in Glasgow in 2019. I’m 16 years old and currently studying Higher Drama. I go to Bishopbriggs Academy and I am a massive bookworm with my favourite book being ‘ The Midnight Library’ By Matt Haig.

I hope to gain more knowledge and insight on what’s going on in the world and to use the skills I learned to spread awareness and to inspire others to make change

Jasmin Robertson

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17 years old and from Nairn I have attended the Friday climate strikes at school and I aim to improve our world throughout all my creative practices. Recent art projects have looked at things like plastic pollution and reforestation.

I am really looking forward to the act of making programmes and films; From the writing and planning to the editing and final transmission. I enjoy editing and can’t wait to get started making films for broadcast during COP 26.

Finlay McLennan

Hello! My name is Finlay, I am 17 years old and I live just outside of Inverness. I love trad and folk music and I play the fiddle with my band Cala.

What I hope to achieve at COP is inspiring other young people to be a part of the fight for climate change through the use of film and also to gain experience working in the media industry.

Charlie Topping

I’m Charlie. I’m 16 years old and from Drumchapel and just completed a short comedy horror film (despite the pandemic) for my Higher Media course.

Really looking forward to getting involved in all aspects of both broadcast and the climate crisis as we head to COP 26. Which will likely be the most important event to ever come to my hometown of Glasgow. Main focus – fast fashion.

For more information or to arran