SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald, has welcomed the First Minister’s announcement that the Scottish Child Payment will be doubled from April 2022.
The announcement will see at least 7555 eligible children across Edinburgh receiving £20 per week per child from spring next year, with more than 106,000 children across Scotland immediately benefitting from the increased payment.
Since the launch of the Scottish Government payment on 15 February 2021, £2,036,820 has been issued in payments to families in Edinburgh.
It is now expected that over 400,000 children could be eligible for the doubled payment by the end 2022, which is when the benefit, which is unique in the UK, will be extended to children under the age of 16.
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “I am delighted that at least 7555 children across Edinburgh will have their Scottish Child Payment doubled in just four months time. This will give £20 per child per week to 7555 children in Edinburgh – four times the amount originally demanded by campaigners.
“The Scottish Government’s national mission to tackle child poverty is absolute – with £2,036,820 having been provided to families across Edinburgh since February, and almost £32 million across Scotland as a whole.
“The doubling of the Scottish Child Payment to £20 is the type of bold action that makes a real difference to people’s lives and shows how focussed the Scottish Government is on meeting Scotland’s Child Poverty targets.
“Once again, the tale of two governments is striking. While the SNP are doubling the Scottish Child Payment to lift thousands of children out of poverty, the Tories at Westminster have just cut £20 per week from many of the same families – knowingly pushing thousands of families into poverty.
“The people in Edinburgh deserve the chance to escape the damaging policies we get under Westminster control and get the chance to choose a better path, one with the full powers that an independent Scotland would bring and allow us to build a fairer society.”
Fore Play Crazy Golf is looking to open a new home of golf in a sought-after location in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket.
The successful crazy golf concept which currently operates out of Picardy Place on a temporary basis in the city has submitted planning applications to Edinburgh City Council for a 9,139 sq ft A listed building on a mixed-use license.
The new three-floor venue would accommodate up to 200 guests and bring at least 30 new jobs if successful.
Proposed plans include a multi-level experience-led playground for grown-ups featuring two courses, street food vendors, and inventive drinks that capture the brand’s playful energy with competitive socialising lying at the heart of the sympathetic renovations.
The independent venue would require a significant investment from the owners and their vision looks to encapsulate the vibrancy of the neighbourhood with local landmarks inspiring the plans for their imaginative crazy golf courses.
A provisional opening date has been set for summer 2022.
Craig Neilson, Chief Greenkeeper at Fore Play Crazy Golfsaid: “We love Edinburgh and ever since we opened our first temporary venue in 2020, we’ve been looking for the perfect venue to call home.
“1 Grassmarket has been lying empty for three years and when we clapped eyes on the 19th century Listed building we knew we wanted to create something special for the community to be proud of.
“The sense of place in the Grassmarket has been intrinsic to our development plans and we feel that our immersive venue will benefit those in the surrounding areas.
“We are looking forward to hearing from the council on our applications.”
Fore Play Crazy Golf is an independent Scottish business and is a Living Wage Accredited Employer and has a profit share model for its staff.
Virgin Red will match points earned on train travel and donate them to its 13 charity partners
Virgin Red will match all Virgin Points earned with Virgin Trains Ticketing in December and donate them to its 13 charity partners
Hundreds of thousands of Virgin Points are expected to be earned by Virgin Red’s members as the nation reconnects with loved ones this Christmas
Virgin Red members receive three points for every £1 spent on train travel with Virgin Trains Ticketing – meaning they can reward themselves with a Christmas treat too.
As the nation prepares to reunite with family and friends this December after last year’s festivities were cancelled, Virgin Red predicts a bumper month of train travel this December.
Members of Virgin Red, Virgin’s rewards programme, can earn up to three Virgin Points for every £1 spent on train tickets with Virgin Trains Ticketing – and this December, Virgin Red will match all points earned on train tickets and gift them to its 13 partner charities as a cash donation. With Virgin Trains Ticketing, travellers won’t see any booking fees on e-tickets either.
With UK train journeys costing between 5.5p to 34p a mile* Virgin Red is giving travellers an extra reward for heading home and reconnecting with friends and family by delivering much-needed support for charities across the country, many of whom have seen donations dip post pandemic.
Andrea Burchett, International and Strategic Development Director, says: “Travelling by train this Christmas really is rewarding with Virgin Red – not only will members receive points which they could use for a little Christmas treat for themselves, they’re also helping those less fortunate as Virgin Red matches and donates the Virgin Points earned from train tickets to its 13 charity partners.
“If it wasn’t enough reason to reconnect with our friends and family, earning points for every ticket bought and seeing those points matched and donated to charity, really means there has never been a better time to travel by train. And remember, with Virgin Trains Ticketing, there are no booking fees!”
Virgin Red rewards come in all shapes and sizes, from the small things that make the everyday better, to awesome extraordinary experiences, and it’s super easy to earn points, too with members earning Virgin Points just for doing their shopping online via Virgin Red.
It’s also really easy to boost your Virgin Points balance to enjoy rewards with Virgin Trains Ticketing. For example, as of 30 November 2021:
An off-peak return from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly over a weekend (£94.50) will accrue 284 Virgin Points.
An off-peak return from London Victoria to Brighton over a weekend (£39.60) will secure 119 Virgin Points.
An off-peak return from Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh Waverley over a weekend (£86.90) will collect 261 Virgin Points.
December 2020 saw Childline deliver a record number of counselling sessions across the UK for a single month*
NSPCC launches its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal
On 21st December, NSPCC supporters will take to the streets to walk 5K so the NSPCC can be here for children this Christmas, as landmarks across the UK, including the Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, light up green in support of the charity
The NSPCC-run service Childline, which has bases in Aberdeen and Glasgow, can today reveal the service delivered a record number of almost 600 monthly sessions about this concern to children across the UK last December.
From April 2020 to March 2021 there were 6,039 counselling sessions about loneliness with children from across the UK, marking an all-time high for a single year. This is an increase of nearly half (49%) over the past four years.
The NSPCC has long highlighted that many children and young people struggle with loneliness and isolation. The data released today suggests that these feelings were exacerbated during the pandemic, as schools were closed, and they were forced to stay at home. Children shared with Childline’s counsellors that these experiences were particularly acute over the festive period, as households were unable to mix.
Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline said: “At Childline we know how painful Christmas can be for some children, particularly when the media is filled with pictures of families happily celebrating together, and they are feeling alone and unloved. A child once described it to us as like looking through a shop window where everything inside is warm and bright, and you are outside where it’s cold and dark.
“The festive period can be especially difficult for children who are struggling with their mental health or are in homes that are unsafe. Given the impact of the pandemic, it is no surprise that this year we’ve seen record numbers of children from across the UK get in touch with us about loneliness.
“The lockdowns exacerbated these feelings for some young people, especially when schools had to close, and they couldn’t see the friends and family they loved and needed.
“Last Christmas was one of the toughest in living memory, bringing with it great sadness and challenges for many children. And we want to remind children in Scotland who are struggling or feeling alone that our Childline counsellors, working from bases across the UK including Glasgow and Aberdeen, are there for them whenever they need to talk to someone, and that they can contact us by phone or on-line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”
Young people who contacted Childline about loneliness also talked about being unhappy, feeling unloved and generally low. Some described it as a dark experience that was overwhelming. As well as loneliness, the top reasons children turn to the service for support with their mental health include anxiety and stress, low mood, and depression.
Childline is staffed by 1,200 Childline volunteer counsellors across the UK and last month celebrated its 35th birthday.
A 14-year-old boy from Scotland told a Childline counsellor:“I self-harmed a couple of days ago after being clean for a year and it triggered a panic attack. I think I self-harmed because I felt lonely and bored.
“I just don’t know what to do anymore and really regret what I have done. I am bored with life and am lonely because I don’t get to see anyone because of COVID. I don’t have the energy to arrange to meet up with anyone.”
In response to concerns about children this Christmas, the NSPCC has launched its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal. The advert sees Childline counsellors taking calls at Christmas from children struggling with loneliness and isolation, suicidal thoughts and feelings and physical abuse.
Christmas can be a very challenging time for children who suffer from abuse, neglect and are struggling with their mental health. Cut off from school and other support, it is vital they have somewhere to turn.
The NSPCC is reaching out to the public to support its Here for Children Appeal and make a donation, so Childline counsellors can answer a child’s call for help this Christmas.
Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, as well as seeking support from Childline counsellors, young people accessed Childline online resources, information, and tools to support their mental health in ways and at times that were most convenient and helpful to them.
Childline saw huge increases in the number of young people using the website to access information, advice and resources.
On the 21st December, which is the longest night of the year, hundreds of people will walk 5K to support the NSPCC.
On this night, landmarks across the UK, including Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, are also supporting the charity by lighting up and turning the NSPCC’s trademark green colour. The people taking to the streets to walk and the landmarks lighting up green represent the hard-working Childline counsellors who are there for children, offering a beacon of light in their darkest times.
The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day.
Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When a child needs help, Childline can be a lifeline. When a child feels like they have nowhere else to turn to, it’s vital that the NSPCC is here, ready to listen and support children across the UK.
Three men have been sentenced following armed robberies at jewellery shops in Leith (August 2019) and Dundee (in September 2019).
Dean King (above), 28, Anthony Wheeldon, 40, and Connor Willis, 24, had pled guilty in October 2021 of the raid at the Walker shop in Union Street in Dundee. Willis had also admitted his part in a raid on a jewellers in Great Junction Street in Edinburgh.
At the High Court in Edinburgh King was sentenced to nine years and two months and Wheeldon to 11 years plus four years on licence. Willis was sentenced for both robberies to 12 years plus five years on licence.
Detective Inspector Bob Campbell, the senior investigating officer for the robbery in Edinburgh, said: “We welcome this sentencing. Willis was a member of a gang that entered the jewellers in Great Junction Street armed with a sledgehammer and axes and stole a large quantity of jewellery.
“A member of staff was injured during the raid but still confronted the robbers. Willis is a violent man and is now facing the consequences of his actions in prison.”
Detective Inspector Gavin McKinlay, the senior investigating officer for the robbery in Dundee, said: “These men went to the shop in Dundee armed with weapons, threatened a customer and staff and made off with jewellery worth a five figure sum.
“They had only one thing on their mind, to get the jewellery and nothing was going to get in their way. Despite the high levels of intimidation displayed and the clearly terrifying experience for those within the shop they were thwarted by the bravery of a customer who challenged them and this distraction allowed staff to activate the alarm. This meant they made off with a much smaller haul than they might otherwise have taken.
“An extensive and complex police investigation tracked these men down to locations across Scotland and the north of England, but I would like to pay testimony to the bravery of the customer, who was injured and has fortunately recovered, and the shop staff who were left badly shaken by what happened.
“These men are now facing the consequences of their actions. There is no place for this kind of violence in our society and we will always do all we can to bring people responsible for such crimes to justice.”
Throughout the COVID-19 response, renewal and recovery physical activity has and continues to be recognised as fundamental to physical and mental health and wellbeing. So why not boost your immunity, manage stress, and put yourself first for a change by gifting yourself 12 days of fitness?
Available to buy online only from 1st – 31st December, Edinburgh Leisure, a charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to lead more active and healthy lives, has launched its seasonal promotion, 12 days of fitness, with the aim of encouraging people to stay active in December.
The 12 days of fitness promotion offers 12 consecutive days of membership, from the moment you buy, for only £12 and give access to Edinburgh Leisure’s climb and fitness facilities (with the exception of the Turkish Baths at Portobello), subject to COVID-19 restrictions.
And if you get the fitness bug, you’re not restricted to one pass per person either – if you wish to buy a second pass after your first pass expires, it’ll mean you’re doubly on the way to reaching those fitness goals ahead of New Year.
Edinburgh Leisure’s facilities are second to none and offer choice and great value, across various city locations.
Their gyms feature some of the latest fitness equipment and while things are a little different from before with physical distancing measures in place, and the need to book your gym, swim and climb sessions in advance, you will be assured a warm welcome, with helpful staff ready to help you reach your fitness goals.
They also have numerous swimming pools across the city, from historic baths to the famous Olympic-sized Royal Commonwealth Pool and Europe’s largest climbing arena at Ratho.
For further information about Edinburgh Leisure venues and services and the 12 Days of Fitness Promotion visit:
More than £11 million has been awarded to two drugs projects to enable them to expand their residential rehabilitation service as part of a commitment to increase the number of beds in Scotland by 50% to 650 by 2026.
River Garden Auchincruive in South Ayrshire will use the funding over the next five years to increase capacity from seven to 56 residents and build a unit to meet the specific needs of women.
NHS Lothian will receive around £5 million to create capacity to support around 600 additional placements over five years at Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) and increase capacity at the Ritson detoxification clinic from eight beds to 12. This will enable the board to develop a pathway to rehab for those using complex polysubstances and illicit benzodiazepines.
The funding is part of the additional £100 million announced as part of the National Mission to improve access to residential rehabilitation.
In a statement to Parliament on progress with Residential Rehabilitation, Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance outlined plans to ensure that by 2026, at least 1000 people are publically funded to go to rehab every year – a 300% increase on the number prior to the launch of the National Mission.
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “While there is much to be done to address our drug deaths crisis we are making changes to support people to access the treatment and recovery that is right for them.
“Our commitment to increase the number of publically funded places by 300% and the number of beds by 50% will provide options for those who can safely access and who want to access residential rehab.
“The funding announced for these latest projects comes from the additional £100 million we are investing in residential rehabilitation over the next five and we are determined every penny of that will make a difference.”
General Manager of Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services David Pickering-Gummer said: “The grant will allow the LEAP service to increase capacity by 40% and increase bed numbers in the Ritson Clinic by 50%, to allow for stabilisation and detoxification prior to transfer to LEAP.
“There will be a greater focus on vulnerable groups and we will employ peers with lived experience to act as ‘bridges’ between community services and rehab. We will also focus on strengthening aftercare provision.
“The team are particularly thrilled to see the ‘Peer Bridge Project’ being funded, which will open the doors a bit more widely to vulnerable groups in keeping with Scottish Government priorities.
“We are grateful to the Scottish Government and to the local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships for having the vision to fund plans which will make a real difference to the lives of patients and their families who are struggling with addiction.”
River Garden Chair William Smith said: “All at River Garden are enormously grateful for the funding support from the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme.
“This funding will enable the significant expansion of our residential capacity to create additional space for residents, and new staffing resource and facilities that specifically meet the needs of women.
“Existing residents come from across Scotland and we very much look forward to having the opportunity to help many more people sustainably recover from addiction in the beautiful setting and community of River Garden Auchincruive.”
