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Community groups that are helping local people look after their hearts can now apply for a grant of up to £15,000 from national charity Heart Research UK. Grants will be awarded in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England.
The grants are available for new and effective projects working with adults to promote healthy hearts with the aim to reduce the risk of heart disease in their community.
Cardiovascular disease is one of the world’s biggest killers, and the Healthy Heart grants aim to work preventatively within communities that may be marginalised or not have much access to health resources.
Projects should deliver health initiatives mainly focusing on one or more risk factors for heart disease, such as nutrition and healthy eating, physical activity, smoking, or alcohol.
The grants are available to registered charities with an annual income of less than £1m.
Opening dates for applications for each region will be staggered, with Wales being the first to open on the 30th of March with a closing date of the 27th of April.
Since 2001, Heart Research UK has awarded over 300 community grants, directly benefiting the hearts of over 70,000 individuals and countless wider community and family members across all regions of the UK.
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive at Heart Research UK, said: “We’ve seen amazing results from our Healthy Heart Grants over the years and are thrilled to be able to continue to award these in 2023.
“We know it’s a challenge to try and change your life for the better when it comes to things like eating and exercising, and through these grants we’ve seen what a massive impact grassroot community projects can have in providing resources, knowledge and tools and motivating people to look after their hearts.
“We’re now looking for new and innovative projects that really will have an impact, especially if they aim to improve the health of at risk or hard to reach communities.”
To see the full list of opening and closing dates for applications, please visit:
The UK is providing an emergency package of assistance comprising: a team of emergency medical personnel, a team with international search and rescue expertise (ISAR), specialist boats, and urgently needed emergency relief items such as shelter materials and water filters.
This is in addition to the immediate support the UK provided to the Malawi Government at the Emergency Operations Centre in Blantyre when the cyclone hit. This included food assistance, staff and vehicles to help Government and the UN launch emergency operations.
The UK ISAR team will be supporting Malawian counterparts; the team is bringing lightweight, nimble boats and a drone team to help in the search for survivors of the floods. These boats will be gifted to the Malawian Government for future emergency use when the UK ISAR team departs.
The Emergency Medical Team (EMT) will support hospitals in southern Malawi to treat the victims of Cyclone Freddy. They will also join with an existing cholera-focussed UK EMT to help reduce the risk of the ongoing cholera outbreak getting worse, following the floods.
Shelter and water filters will provide emergency shelter to approximately 3,000 people and allow up to 12,750 of those affected by floods, to access clean water and protect themselves from disease.
The UK International Search and Rescue advance party arrived in Malawi on Friday, 17 March. An additional Emergency Medical Team arrived in Blantyre on 18 March. The main UK International Search and Rescue team arrived through Kamuzu International Airport.
Acting British High Commissioner to Malawi, Sophia Willitts-King, said: “The UK is saddened by the tragic loss of life caused by Cyclone Freddy due to the extreme rainfall and unprecedented flooding in Southern Malawi. We stand side by side with Malawi in responding to this crisis.
“The UK’s rapid support will help Malawi with its search and rescue efforts. The additional medical capacity will help Malawi’s hospitals save lives. We are providing temporary shelter to give families protection from the weather.
“We are also investing in equipment that will help people access clean water and sanitation facilities. This support is vital to prevent the spread of deadly diseases, including cholera.”
Cyclone Freddy made landfall in Mozambique on 11 March and Malawi on 12 March. The flooding has already displaced 19,000 people. Malawi was hit particularly hard with what would have previously been judged as a 1-in-20 a year weather event.
While the wider picture remains unclear due to lack of access, landslides on the hillsides around Blantyre and severe flooding throughout Southern Malawi has resulted in over 326 deaths, 832 injured, and 282 missing, with the displacement of over 40,702 homes (approximately 183,159 people), as of 17 March. The flood waters are predicted to peak at the beginning of next week.
The UK ISAR deployed through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, following a request for assistance from Malawi. The team is on permanent standby to mobilise and assist when requested by disaster-affected countries. It always deploys as an official UK government team once a request has been made for assistance.
The UK ISAR is self-sufficient and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days. This is to ensure no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources, following a sudden onset disaster.
The UK ISAR was established in 1993 and has 30 years of experience deploying internationally to such disasters historically. The team is made up of 14 fire and rescue services.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged £400,000 of financial support to Malawi to assist with emergency relief efforts in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
The funding was confirmed in a letter to Malawian President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, and the First Minister also expressed the sincere condolences of the people of Scotland, following the tragic loss of life.
As of Monday 20 March, 499 people in the country have been killed and more than 508,244 people displaced as a result of the storm, which is the longest lasting and highest energy tropical cyclone ever recorded. A state of disaster in the Southern Region of Malawi has also been declared.
The storm’s impact comes as Malawi faces what the UN has described as the deadliest cholera outbreak in its recorded history. In January, the Scottish Government provided more than £236,000 to aid the Malawian Government’s outbreak response.
The letter reads:
Your Excellency,
It is with great sadness that I find myself writing on this occasion. Please accept the sincere condolences of the people of Scotland, and the Scottish Government, following the tragic loss of life and displacement of people as a result of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
It is heart wrenching to see the death, injury, and substantial damage to thousands of people’s homes and livelihoods, all at a time when Malawi is already facing a severe cholera outbreak.
I want to confirm today that we will pledge £400,000 to support emergency flood relief in Malawi. We are discussing with partners working on the ground already as to the most effective way that we can provide that support for those most in need and will engage Malawian Department of Disaster Management as we develop the projects.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by Tropical Storm Freddy, the people of Malawi at this difficult time and with your government in your response.
Nicola Sturgeon
The team from Amazon in Bathgate shared laughs on site last week to raise awareness and funds for Comic Relief in the run-up to Red Nose Day on 17th March.
Comic Relief was founded in 1985 by the scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry. The charity funds and partners with organisations who support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems and food poverty in the UK and around the world. Every year, the charity hosts a nationwide fundraising campaign called Red Nose Day.
Amazon is the new, exclusive home of the new Red Nose, created by legendary designer Sir Jony Ive. Made almost entirely from plant-based materials, the Red Nose starts as a tiny, flat crescent and springs into a beautiful honeycomb-paper sphere. With every Red Nose bought, supporters are helping people through the toughest times of their lives as 100% of all profits go directly to Comic Relief.
Colleagues at the sortation centre in Bathgate took part in a week-long series of activities in the lead up to Red Nose Day 2023 (17th March). Events included a village-themed party with games such as go kart racing, wooden ring toss and darts, with the aim of raising awareness of the work of Comic Relief.
The team also donated £1,000 to Ponies Help Children to boost a local cause whose focus is in keeping with Comic Relief’s objectives.
Throughout the week, Amazon employees were encouraged to snap photos of themselves wearing Red Noses in a virtual photobooth, with £1 donated to Comic Relief for every picture taken.
Speaking on the activities on site, Gary Reid, Site Leader of Amazon in Bathgate, said: “Delivering Red Noses is just one of the ways our team is supporting Comic Relief this year.
“We’ve had so much fun getting together and helping to support the remarkable work Comic Relief does through our fundraising efforts. We are also pleased to donate £1,000 to Ponies Help Children to boost those working to help people struggling in their community.”
Gary Reid, from Amazon in Bathgate who took part in the activities, added: “I loved having a laugh with the team here in Bathgate in the lead up to Red Nose Day.
“Whether it was through a virtual photobooth or wooden ring toss, we had a lot of fun together raising awareness and funds for the many causes the charity supports.”
Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, said: “Ever since we first created the Red Nose in 1988, it has always been a way of showing people how even the smallest of things can make a huge difference.
“We know times are difficult right now, but millions of people across the UK and around the world need our support. If we all come together and do what we can, like buy a Red Nose, we can make real change happen.
“We are hugely grateful to all Amazon colleagues and customers who are able to support this year’s Red Nose Day. Together we can be there for people going through the toughest times of their lives.”
Since November 2022, Amazon has donated £1.8 million as part of its support to Comic Relief and its employees up and down the country have been taking part in weird and wonderful fundraising activities, helping to raise even more money for Red Nose Day.
To read more about Amazon’s partnership with Comic Relief visit:
Healthcare staff will begin to benefit from largest overall investment in Agenda for Change pay in a single year from next month, following unions’ unanimous agreement.
160,000 NHS staff – including nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others – will receive an average 6.5% increase in pay in 2023-24.
This £568 million deal includes a commitment to deliver the most progressive package of terms and conditions reform in decades and support for workforce recruitment, sustainability and retention.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am very pleased that the Agenda for Change trade unions have unanimously agreed to accept this pay offer, meaning staff will start seeing the benefits of this deal in their April pay packets.
“This £568 million deal that will ensure NHS Agenda for Change staff remain, by far and away, the best paid anywhere in the UK. We are also committed to delivering the most progressive package of terms and conditions reform in decades.
“Our healthcare staff have shown how dedicated and hardworking they are time and again and I cannot thank them enough for their commitment, particularly over the last few challenging years. Our staff are the very backbone of the NHS and we are committed to supporting them, particularly during a cost of living crisis.
“I am grateful for the continued efforts to keep discussions going to reach this deal and that this has been able to be processed in time to get the money to staff so quickly.
A total of £568 million has been committed for Agenda for Change pay in 2023-24. This equates to an average uplift of at least 6.5% for all staff at Band 8a and below.
All staff will also receive a one-off pro rata payment of between £387 and £939 depending on banding.
The offer also reaffirms previous commitments to work to reduce the working week, protect learning time and review band 5 job nursing profiles.
Examples of increases over the two years (2022-23 and 2023-24):
The revised pay scales are set out below:
| Band | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 Offer | 2023-24 £ Uplift | 2023-24 % Uplift | Consolidated increase over two years | One-off Payment | ||||
| 1 | 1 | £19,487 | £21,692 | £23,240 | £1,548 | 7.1% | £3,753 | 19.3% | £387 | ||
| 2 | 1 | £19,609 | £21,814 | £23,362 | £1,548 | 7.1% | £3,753 | 19.1% | £387 | ||
| 2 | £21,615 | £23,820 | £25,368 | £1,548 | 6.5% | £3,753 | 17.4% | £387 | |||
| 3 | 1 | £21,709 | £23,914 | £25,468 | £1,554 | 6.5% | £3,759 | 17.3% | £389 | ||
| 2 | £23,603 | £25,808 | £27,486 | £1,678 | 6.5% | £3,883 | 16.5% | £420 | |||
| 4 | 1 | £23,709 | £25,914 | £27,598 | £1,684 | 6.5% | £3,889 | 16.4% | £421 | ||
| 2 | £25,982 | £28,187 | £30,019 | £1,832 | 6.5% | £4,037 | 15.5% | £458 | |||
| 5 | 1 | £26,104 | £28,384 | £30,229 | £1,845 | 6.5% | £4,125 | 15.8% | £461 | ||
| 2 | £28,049 | £30,329 | £32,300 | £1,971 | 6.5% | £4,251 | 15.2% | £493 | |||
| 3 | £32,915 | £35,365 | £37,664 | £2,299 | 6.5% | £4,749 | 14.4% | £575 | |||
| 6 | 1 | £33,072 | £35,522 | £37,831 | £2,309 | 6.5% | £4,759 | 14.4% | £577 | ||
| 2 | £34,637 | £37,087 | £39,498 | £2,411 | 6.5% | £4,861 | 14.0% | £603 | |||
| 3 | £40,739 | £43,286 | £46,100 | £2,814 | 6.5% | £5,361 | 13.2% | £703 | |||
| 7 | 1 | £40,872 | £43,422 | £46,244 | £2,822 | 6.5% | £5,372 | 13.1% | £706 | ||
| 2 | £42,530 | £45,080 | £48,010 | £2,930 | 6.5% | £5,480 | 12.9% | £733 | |||
| 3 | £47,846 | £50,506 | £53,789 | £3,283 | 6.5% | £5,943 | 12.4% | £821 | |||
| 8a | 1 | £50,965 | £53,513 | £56,992 | £3,479 | 6.5% | £6,027 | 11.8% | £870 | ||
| 2 | £55,016 | £57,767 | £61,522 | £3,755 | 6.5% | £6,506 | 11.8% | £939 | |||
| 8b | 1 | £61,325 | £63,530 | £67,285 | £3,755 | 5.9% | £5,960 | 9.7% | £939 | ||
| 2 | £66,018 | £68,223 | £71,978 | £3,755 | 5.5% | £5,960 | 9.0% | £939 | |||
| 8c | 1 | £73,506 | £75,711 | £79,466 | £3,755 | 5.0% | £5,960 | 8.1% | £939 | ||
| 2 | £79,221 | £81,426 | £85,181 | £3,755 | 4.6% | £5,960 | 7.5% | £939 | |||
| 8d | 1 | £88,385 | £90,590 | £94,345 | £3,755 | 4.1% | £5,960 | 6.7% | £939 | ||
| 2 | £92,424 | £94,629 | £98,384 | £3,755 | 4.0% | £5,960 | 6.4% | £939 | |||
| 9 | 1 | £105,635 | £107,840 | £111,595 | £3,755 | 3.5% | £5,960 | 5.6% | £939 | ||
| 2 | £110,468 | £112,673 | £116,428 | £3,755 | 3.3% | £5,960 | 5.4% | £939 |
The Scottish Government yesterday published its draft Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill. The Bill has been introduced to protect the environment and tackle the persecution of birds of prey.
It is expected to significantly change the way in which large areas of Scotland are managed, making it one of the biggest interventions in this area for generations.
Campaign Manager for REVIVE, Max Wiszniewski said: “The proposed bill is a major intervention in land management that regulates destructive practices through licensing, instead of stopping them.
“Intensively managed grouse moors are unnatural monocultures that are burned and stripped of competing wildlife so more grouse can be shot for sport. By creating a circle of destruction around huge areas of our land, biodiversity and more diverse economic opportunities are missed for Scottish people and communities.
“With a new First Minister on the horizon, as the bill progresses through Parliament, we hope it will be even bolder and braver to meet the expectations of the Scottish people.”
The Bill follows a review into grouse moor management led by Professor Werritty, the findings of which were published in December 2019. A year later the Scottish Government committed to introduce measures which will hold land managers far more accountable for their activities.
The Bill proposes to strictly regulate the use of muirburn, the controlled burning of vegetation, on peatland as well as ending raptor persecution. It also includes measures to ensure grouse moors are managed sustainably, to ban the use of glue traps for rodents and tighten regulations for the use of other types of wildlife traps.
Robbie Marlsand, Director of the League Against Cruel Sports Scotland, a REVIVE coalition partner added: “When it comes to grouse shooting, this Bill appears well intentioned but kicks a couple of contentious cans down the road. Snares are primitive, cruel and indiscriminate. This Bill should remove them from the Scottish countryside – with no ifs and no buts.
“The impact of this Bill on killing grouse for sport will also depend much on the content of a yet to be written code of conduct that shooting estates must comply with. Only when that is finalised will we be able to appreciate the potential impact of this legislation. For example, hundreds of thousands of animals are killed each year so that there can be more grouse to shoot for fun and it’s not yet known if this Bill will change that.
“Killing any animal for entertainment is repugnant to the majority of people in Scotland. We therefore welcome any incremental steps that will make it more difficult to do.”
Leading community retailer, Scotmid, is inviting charities across Edinburgh to become its charity partner of the year for 2023-24, working together on a programme of fundraising and support.
The convenience retailer is looking for an organisation that shares its values and passion for supporting local communities. Together, both will build a creative and fun partnership to encourage participation and fundraising from colleagues, members and customers alike.
Current charity partner, Guide Dogs, will use the donations from Scotmid to support guide dogs in training as well as recruiting and training Habilitation Specialists and Guide Dog Mobility Specialists.
These Specialists play a crucial role with hundreds of children and young people (0-25 years) who have a visual impairment to help them develop a broad range of skills and live a more independent life.
Kyla McVicar, Business Development Manager at Guide Dogs, said: “We’d encourage charities to apply for this exciting opportunity to be Scotmid’s next charity partner.
“You’ll be joining forces with an incredible organisation who really care about making a massive difference in local communities.”
Shirley MacGillivray, Head of Membership & Community at Scotmid, said: “The charity of the year partnership provides both a fantastic platform for us to support worthwhile causes and for our charity partner to have the extended support of our colleagues, members and customers.
“We are seeking an ambitious charity that will make the most of this incredible opportunity and can’t wait to begin working with the cause.”
Scotmid has raised over one million pounds during its last three partnerships with CHAS, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and Scottish SPCA.
Scotmid’s Charities Team will host a live Q&A at 11am on Wednesday 29th March. Joining information available from membership@scotmid.co.uk.
Charities can find more information on how to apply here.
Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 14th April 2023.
Did you know that we have regular volunteering sessions?
We have a wonderful community of people from all walks of life who gather in the garden to help us maintain its beauty and help with seasonal gardening tasks.
Whether you’re an avid gardener or a complete beginner we would love to have you!
We have an employed gardener on site if you’d like to learn specific things and advance your skills, or if you just need a helping hand to gain some confidence.
For more information check out of website and email us with your interest to arrange an introductory visit.
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has called for greater resourcing to support those with additional support needs (ASN).
The call comes as new figures from the Scottish Government’s annual teacher census indicate that while the number of specialist ASN teachers has fallen to a new low, the number of those pupils with ASN has soared to a record high.
Between 2012 and 2022 the number of ASN teachers (publicly funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has fallen from 3,389 to 2,843, a decrease of 546 teachers, representing a cut of 16.1 per cent.1
This fall is against the background of an increase of 104.8 per cent increase between 2012 and 2022 in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 118,011 to 241,639, amounting to 123,628 individuals. This includes those with mental health problems, learning disability, autism and dyslexia, and currentlyrepresenting more than a third of all pupils (34.2 per cent).2
Against a background of spending cuts and reduction in specialist support, the SCSC has called for greater resourcing from both the Scottish Government and local authorities to ensure that those with ASN, who are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods, are getting the care and support that they need.
The coalition has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of a presumption of mainstreaming, meaning that all pupils are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, without the necessary support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need.
“This is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap as we know that those with ASN are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods. With cuts in support, including in the number of specialist teachers, it is going to be extremely challenging to reduce the current inequalities faced by those with ASN.
“While we also support the presumption of mainstreaming, which means that all children and young people are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, it is clearly difficult to see how this is functioning properly given the fall in specialist support and increase in the number of those with ASN.
“The Scottish Government and local authorities need to work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society.”
1 Scottish Government, Teacher census 2022 supplementary statistics, 21st March 2023, table 6.7. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/ (accessed 22nd March 2023).
2 Scottish Government, Pupil census 2022 supplementary statistics, 21st March 2023, table 1.5.
Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/pupil-census-supplementary-statistics/ (accessed 22nd March 2023).
