Tax credits customers have a month to renew their claim or risk having their payments stopped, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned.
The annual deadline is 31 July and more than 300,000 customers who received a renewal pack with a red line across the first page and the words ‘reply now’ still need to confirm their circumstances for the current tax year to continue receiving payments.
Circumstances that could affect tax credits payments include changes to living arrangements, childcare, working hours or a change in income.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director-General for Customer Services, said: “Please act now to meet the 31 July deadline for renewing your tax credits or your payments could stop.
“There is no need to call us, it is quick and easy to renew via GOV.UK or the HMRC app. For details on how to renew, search ‘manage my tax credits’ on GOV.UK.”
HMRC sent out two types of renewal packs to 1.5 million customers between 2 May and 15 June 2023. These were:
· ‘reply now’ packs had a red line across the first page and the words ‘reply now’. Customers must confirm their circumstances to renew their tax credits
· ‘check now’ packs had a black line across the first page and the words ‘check now.’ Customers whose details are correct do not need to do anything and their tax credits will be automatically renewed
Criminals do use tax credits renewals and other deadlines in scams to attempt to trick people into sharing their banking or other personal details. Typical scam examples include emails or texts claiming an individual’s details aren’t up to date and that they risk losing out on payments that are due to them.
If a phone call, text or email is unexpected, do not give out private information or reply, and do not download attachments or click on links.
By the end of 2024, tax credits will be replaced by Universal Credit. Customers who receive tax credits will receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) telling them when to claim Universal Credit. It is important that customers claim by the deadline in the letter to continue receiving financial support as their tax credits will end even if they decide not to claim Universal Credit.
The government is offering Help for Households. Check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support individuals could be eligible for.
A European mission to explore how gravity, dark energy and dark matter has shaped the Universe has launched following £37 million UK Space Agency funding.
The Euclid space telescope will map the “dark Universe” by observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion lightyears, across more than a third of the sky, to gather data on how its structure has formed over its cosmic history.
Led by the European Space Agency (ESA) and a consortium of 2,000 scientists across 16 countries, Euclid will spend six years venturing through space with two scientific instruments: a UK-built visible imager (VIS) that will become one of the largest cameras ever sent into space, and a near infrared spectrometer and photometer, developed in France.
Secretary of State for Science and Technology Chloe Smith said: “The launch of the Euclid mission is a truly significant moment. Backed by £37 million in UK funding and supported by our remarkable scientific talent and expertise, the mission will launch one of the largest cameras ever into space to look out across our universe.
“The mission will gain unparalleled insight into the mysteries of how the Universe was formed, delivering ground-breaking discoveries that will redefine what we know about space.”
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “Watching the launch of Euclid, I feel inspired by the years of hard work from thousands of people that go into space science missions, and the fundamental importance of discovery – how we set out to understand and explore the Universe.
“The UK Space Agency’s £37 million investment in Euclid has supported world-class science on this journey, from the development of the ground segment to the build of the crucial visible imager instrument, which will help humanity begin to uncover the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.”
The Euclid spacecraft being loaded into the SpaceX Falcon 9 fairing ahead of launch, on 27 June 2023. Credit: SpaceX.
Euclid took off on board a SpaceX spacecraft from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 4.12pm (BST) on 1 July.
The UK Space Agency’s funding goes back to 2010, up to 2024, and is divided between teams at University College London, The Open University, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Oxford, University of Portsmouth and Durham University.
All these institutions have contributed to the development and implementation of the Euclid UK Science Ground Segment (UKSGS), which runs the Euclid data analysis. Led by the University of Edinburgh, which hosts Euclid’s UK Science Data Centre (SDC-UK), the UKSGS will process hundreds of petabytes of data over the next six years to produce maps of the galaxies and dark matter of the Universe.
The wider Euclid Consortium includes experts from 300 organisations across 13 European countries, the US, Canada and Japan.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) also contributed to design and development work on Euclid instrumentation and provided funding to UK astronomy teams who will analyse the data returned from the mission, including studies on the physics responsible for the observed accelerated expansion of the Universe.
Executive Chair at STFC Professor Mark Thomson said: “Euclid will answer some of the biggest and most profound questions we have about the Universe and dark energy. Congratulations to everyone involved in the design, construction and launch of Euclid – we are opening a new window on the cosmos.
“This is a fantastic example of close collaboration between scientists, engineers, technicians, and astronomers across Europe working together to tackle some of the biggest questions in science.”
Research funded by the UK Space Agency
University College London (MSSL and P&A) – Design, build and testing of Euclid’s VIS optical camera (£20.5 million)
UCL researchers have led on designing, building and testing the VIS optical camera, one of Euclid’s two instruments, working with teams at Open University as well as in France, Italy and Switzerland.
The core electronics for the instrument, including its complex array of 36 CCDs (that convert photons into electrons), were built at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory.
The camera, one of the largest ever sent into space, will take high resolution, panoramic images of a large swathe of the Universe, going back 10 billion years and covering a third of the night sky.
Professor Benjamin Joachimi (UCL Physics & Astronomy) is also playing a key role in the ground-based part of the mission (the ground segment), converting Euclid’s raw data into statistical summaries that can be compared to our current theoretical models of the universe.
Professor Mark Cropper, leader of the VIS camera team at UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said: “The VIS instrument will image a large swathe of the distant Universe with almost the fine resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope, observing more of the Universe in one day than Hubble did in 25 years.
“The data will allow us to infer the distribution of dark matter across the Universe more precisely than ever before. The galaxies being imaged are up to 10 billion years old so we will also see how dark matter has evolved over most of the Universe’s history. The Universe on this scale has not yet been seen in this level of detail.”
Professor Tom Kitching, one of four science co-ordinators for Euclid, said: “The puzzles we hope to address are fundamental. Are our models of the Universe correct?
“What is dark energy? Is it vacuum energy – the energy of virtual particles popping in and out of existence in empty space? Is it a new particle field that we didn’t expect? Or it may be Einstein’s theory of gravity that is wrong.
“Whatever the answer, a revolution in physics is almost guaranteed.”
University of Edinburgh (£8.9 million)
Edinburgh has been involved in the design and build of Euclid from its earliest days – leading the Euclid gravitational lensing data analysis, the UK Data Science Analysis and host to the UK’s Euclid Science Data Centre which will process hundreds of petabytes of data throughout the mission.
Professor Andy Taylor, leader of the gravitational lensing analysis for Euclid, the UK’s Euclid Science Data Analysis and SDC-UK, said: “This is a very exciting time for astronomy, and cosmology in particular.
“Euclid is designed to answer some of the biggest questions we have about the Universe. It has been a lot of hard work by many scientists to get here, but the results could change how we understand nature.
Professor Alkistis Pourtsidou, leader of Euclid’s nonlinear modelling team said: “Euclid is going to provide a very large and very detailed 3D map of the Universe, across the sky and along time.
“This map is a remarkable achievement combining state-of-the-art science and engineering. We want to extract the maximum amount of information from it and use it to figure out how nature works at the most fundamental level.
Dr Alex Hall, deputy leader of the gravitational lensing science working group, said: With the launch of Euclid begins an astronomical observing campaign that is amongst the most ambitious ever attempted.
“By imaging over a billion galaxies, Euclid will allow us to make a map of dark matter with unprecedented precision that will answer fundamental questions about our Universe. The next few years are going to be very exciting, and it is a privilege to be part of this incredible project.”
University of Oxford – Developing lensing signal measurement and correction for the effects of telescope and detectors on the data (£2.1 million)
Oxford’s Department of Physics has played a significant role in the lensing data analysis. As well as contributing to the development of the method used to measure the lensing signal, the team have specialised in correcting for the effects that the telescope and imaging detectors have on the data.
No telescope system is perfect – there is always some blurring and distortion of the images – and Oxford’s role has been not only to build the software models but also to devise ways of calibrating those models using dedicated in-orbit data from Euclid. These are crucial steps that allow the lensing measurements to be used to explore the dark side of our Universe.
Professor Lance Miller, leader of the work at the University of Oxford, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time.
“This space mission is the result of years of work and for us here in Oxford, that work continues as we put the finishing touches to the software that will be analysing some of the first Euclid data sent back to Earth, from August onwards.
“I have been working on Euclid since its inception, so to have reached this major milestone today is extraordinary. It is fantastic to be part of a mission that could play a fundamental role in our understanding of the Universe.
University of Portsmouth – Writing code for data analysis (£1.8 million)
The University of Portsmouth’s team, led by Ernest Rutherford Fellow, Dr Seshadri Nadathur, has been working with the wider European team, writing code that will help analyse data from the spacecraft.
Dr Seshadri Nadathur, from Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, said: “Galaxies are not randomly scattered around the sky – instead there are patterns in their positions that are relics of correlations created at the time of the Big Bang, shaped over billions of years by the interplay of gravity pulling galaxies together and the expansion of the Universe driving them apart.
“By measuring and understanding these patterns in the maps Euclid will provide, we will learn about the mysterious force of dark energy that seems to be driving the Universe to expand ever faster.
“The team at Portsmouth has been busy developing and testing software that builds the maps and allows them to correct for any spurious patterns in the galaxy positions that arise purely due to variations in the performance of the telescope and instruments, so that we can isolate the true cosmological patterns we are interested in.”
Durham University – Building Euclid tolerance to radiation and supercomputer mock data (£1.3 million)
Professor Richard Massey, of Durham University’s Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy/Institute for Computational Cosmology, is a founder of the Euclid mission and has been developing its design and science goals for 20 years.
Work from a team of international researchers has included making Euclid’s camera more tolerant to the high radiation environment in which it will need to survive above the Earth’s atmosphere, learning from our experience with the Hubble Space Telescope.
As well as leading on Euclid’s radiation monitoring and mitigation strategy, Durham has used supercomputer simulation capabilities to create mock data to train Euclid’s analysis software, which will be compared against the spacecraft’s real observations.
Professor Richard Massey said: “When exploring any wild new frontier, the first step is to map the land. Euclid will make the largest ever map (with a tiny ‘you are here’ at the centre) and will show the invisible Universe.
“By revealing where dark matter and dark energy hide, we hope to take the second step – to discover what they are and trigger a gold rush of new science about how they behave.
“Euclid is like the Hubble Space Telescope, but with a wide-angle view. It will let astronomers stand back and see the sweeping vista of the Universe – but with the same high-resolution detail.
“Exploring and mapping new frontiers is the most human thing possible. Helping shape our next look into the dark has been a privilege.
“It has taken 20 years to make Euclid’s technology possible, engineer its details, and navigate the politics of competing against other proposed missions that would all discover amazing things. That rocket carries the sense of exploration and lifetimes’ work of thousands of scientists and engineers.”
The Open University – Developing and testing VIS detectors (£1.2 million)
The Open University’s Centre for Electronic Imaging (CEI) has been involved in developing the detectors for the VIS instrument and testing how they will perform in the harsh radiation environment in space.
The team will continue to monitor the detectors during the mission, to help mitigate the effects of the damage caused by high energy particles outside the Earth’s protective atmosphere, allowing Euclid to return the best possible science for the mission lifetime.
Dr Jesper Skottfelt, CEI Fellow at The Open University, said: “After 15 years of CEI involvement in the Euclid mission, it is exciting to see the spacecraft being launched.
“Our study of the VIS detectors has led to the development of new techniques to correct the effects of radiation damage which will enhance science return for this and future space missions.
“We look forward to seeing the progress Euclid will deliver towards answering some of the most fundamental questions we have about our Universe.
University of Cambridge – Developing astrometric calibration pipeline for Euclid image data (£870,000)
The University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy (IoA) team has been involved in Euclid since 2010, supporting development of the astrometric calibration pipeline for the optical image data from Euclid, ensuring that the positions of the billions of sources to be imaged by Euclid can be determined to exquisite accuracy.
Nicholas Walton, leader of the IoA Euclid team and a Director of Research at the University of Cambridge, said: Dark energy and dark matter fundamentally govern the formation and evolution of our Universe.
“The Euclid mission will finally uncover the mysteries of how these ‘dark’ forces have shaped the cosmos that we see today, from life here on Earth, to our Sun, our Milky Way, our nearby galaxy neighbours, and the wider Universe beyond.”
Known for throwing back pints of beer while fearlessly throwing themselves around on stage, all-female Australian troupe YUCK Circus have now partnered with local Edinburgh brewery Pilot Beer to help raise money for charity SHE Scotland during this year’s Festival Fringe.
YUCK Circus and Pilot Beer first collaborated back in 2019 when the Leith-based brewers provided the troupe with beer to drink during their Fringe performances. This year, Pilot are brewing a special edition beer just for YUCK called Upside Down Lager – light, bright and fruity, it’s a juicy pineapple and cherry lager, loosely based on the flavours of a pineapple upside down cake.
A portion of the proceeds from every sale of the beer will go to local charity SHE Scotland through Pilot’s Drinklusion fundraising initiative.
YUCK Circus director Georgia Deguara said the Pilot Beer partnership provided an “incredible opportunity to not only decrease the stigma around ‘unladylike’ drinking habits, but to also encourage more female representation in the brewing industry”.
“We try to give back to the community wherever we tour, and by collaborating with a local company like Pilot Beer we are able to not only promote the fabulous beers they brew, but also raise money for SHE Scotland, an organisation that is empowering women, inspiring youth and talking periods – doing incredible work in Scotland.”
Since winning the 2019 Fringe World top-tier Martin Sims award and Adelaide Fringe Best Emerging Artist with their self-titled debut, YUCK Circus has been touring internationally, picking up dozens of awards and 5-star reviews, and thrilling thousands from the public along the way.
The troupe uses impressive acrobatics and aerial performance to explore the grotesque nature of beauty standards, bougie art and to challenge gender misconceptions. Presenting their real experiences in full comedy, YUCK makes ‘gross’ topics as inclusive as they are entertaining.
Matt Johnson, Co-Founder Pilot Beer, said: “We’re delighted to be once again teaming up with the incredible YUCK Circus team, this time by making a bespoke beer that both celebrates the high-energy acrobatics and highlights the fruity tastes of summer.
“The fact that we’re also able to distribute a portion of the proceeds to a charity like SHE Scotland through our Drinklusion program makes the collaboration even more worthwhile.”
Karen Anderson, founder of SHE Scotland, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has always been about bringing community together, and we are so grateful that YUCK Circus and Pilot Beer have decided to support our charity in their partnership this year.
“The funds raised will go towards our many programs and workshops, which are designed to increase self-esteem, build relationships and improve the life chances of women and girls across Scotland.”
The YUCK Circus Upside Down Lager will be available to purchase in cans from Pilot Beer and behind selected bars in Edinburgh from late July. A portion of sales will be donated to SHE Scotland under Pilot Beer’s Drinklusion scheme.
YUCK Circus is performing at the Palais du Variété in Assembly George Square Gardens from 02 – 28 August this Edinburgh Fringe. Tickets are available now from the Assembly Festival box office, www.assemblyfestival.com.
Applicants for public sector grants must support better pay and conditions for workers in order to qualify, under new strengthened criteria which has come into force.
From today, organisations will need to demonstrate they pay at least the real Living Wage and provide channels for workers to have an effective voice, as a condition of the application.
The requirement forms part of the Bute House Agreement, a plan to work together with the Scottish Green Party to build a fairer and more equal economy.
This applies to organisations receiving public sector grants, and limited exceptions may be applied to ensure the measure remains proportionate.
Wellbeing Economy and Fair Work Secretary Neil Gray said: “Public sector funding should be used for the wider benefits needed in a wellbeing economy, such as the promotion of fair work – including the creation of more high quality, well paid jobs. This in turn will support stronger businesses, and vibrant, healthy communities.
“By extending the reach of our Fair Work First criteria – which has already been applied to some £4 billion of public funds since 2019 – we can better tackle the cost crisis, poverty and social inequalities.”
Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said: “While this is essential to improving worker experience, research has also shown businesses with stronger employee voice and representation perform better and are more productive.
“We will work with employers, workers and trade unions connected to organisations applying for a public sector grant to ensure we are continuing to improve terms and conditions, worker wellbeing and to develop progressive and fairer workplaces.”
Business confidence in Scotland rose 28 points during June to 50%
Scottish businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as evolving their offer (41%), investing in their team, and entering new markets (both 34%)
Overall, UK business confidence rose nine points to 37%, with all regions reporting a positive confidence reading
Business confidence in Scotland rose 28 points during the beginning of June to 50%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking.
Companies in Scotland reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 22 points at 52%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 34 points to 48%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 50%.
Scottish businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as evolving their offer (41%), investing in their team, and entering new markets (both 34%).
The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.
A net balance of 49% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up 20 points on last month.
National picture
Overall, UK business confidence increased by nine points to 37% in June, with all regions reporting a positive confidence reading. Eight out of 10 regions reported a higher confidence reading than in May.
The East Midlands reported the highest levels of business confidence at 52% (up 35 points on last month), the highest level of any UK region or nation this year.
Scotland reported the second highest confidence reading, followed by the North East at 47% (up 12 points month-on-month) and Yorkshire at 45% (up 26 points month-on-month). London and the South West were the only regions to report a decline in confidence. In London confidence fell by 10 points to 33%, while in the South West it fell by one point to 29%.
Business confidence for firms in the service sector rose to 37% (up 11 points), the highest seen since February 2022. With the recent spell of good weather and a reduction in food and energy prices, businesses in leisure and hospitality may be able reap the rewards in the months to come.
Manufacturing firms’ confidence also increased to its highest level since early 2022, rising to 50% (up 10 points) to outperform other sectors.
Chris Lawrie, area director for Scotland at Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking, said: “It’s great to see confidence among Scottish firms on the rise. Many businesses will be looking forward to a busy summer period, especially with large events like the Edinburgh Fringe on the horizon which will no doubt bring excellent trading opportunities for the hospitality and leisure industry.
“It’s encouraging to see leadership teams looking to evolve their offering and making plans to invest in their colleagues too. This should go hand in hand with carefully managed working capital to ensure that businesses have the financial headroom to go after the growth opportunities that come their way.”
Paul Gordon, managing director for SME and Mid Corporates at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “The boost in confidence and hiring intentions is a welcome sign that businesses are managing well in what continues to be a challenging environment.
“It’s particularly pleasing to see that for both services and manufacturing, two sectors which have been hardest hit in recent years, there is real optimism for trading prospects and growth. However, wage pressures continue to be above pre-pandemic levels and firms need to be mindful of this and ensure that costs are evenly distributed and managed closely.”
Hann-Ju Ho, Senior Economist Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “It’s encouraging to see business confidence rebounding following last month’s five-point dip to 28%. Trading prospects and optimism have seen a resurgence this month with overall confidence up in all but two of the twelve regions of the UK, which shows positive prospects across the wider economy.
“However, interest rate rises and cost pressures are still felt by many and we await to see the impact of the latest 50 basis point rise in the base rate. Meanwhile, expectations for average pay growth, although down slightly this month, appear to have picked up compared with the start of the year and remain elevated relative to pre-pandemic levels.”
Zero Waste Scotland delivers Government-commissioned review
Up to 26 million disposable vapes were consumed and thrown away in Scotland in the last year, of which an estimated 10 per cent were littered and more than half were incorrectly disposed of, according to a new report.
The Scottish Government commissioned Zero Waste Scotland to carry out a review of the environmental impact of single use vapes and potential policy options for addressing the problems that they cause.
The review estimates that in the year ending January 2023, there were 543,000 vapers in Scotland – of which 51,000 (9%) were under 16 and 78,000 (14%) were under 18. Most under 18 e-cigarette users prefer single use vapes.
Environmental impacts highlighted by the review include the waste impact of littering; risks associated with unsafe disposal of their contents; and greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption generated in their manufacture.
Total emissions associated with disposable vapes in 2022 are estimated to have been up to 4,292 tonnes CO2e – the equivalent of around 2,100 cars on Scotland’s roads. The lithium batteries used in the most popular disposable vapes could be recharged up to 500 times if the product design allowed.
Lorna Slater, Minister for Circular Economy, Green Skills and Biodiversity said: “This report shows that single use vapes have become a big problem – for our environment, local communities and young people.
“I will take action and will engage with those affected, including young people, over the coming months, with a view to setting out a way forward in the Autumn.
“Single use vapes are an issue across the UK, so I have invited Ministers from the other UK governments to meet to discuss the findings of the report and what we can do in response.
“Those who sell single use vapes are already required to take them back for safe disposal, or contribute to the cost of recycling, but this is clearly not happening as it should. I will therefore write to the UK Minister responsible to share our findings and to ask what they will do to ensure these obligations are met.”
The report shortlists nine potential measures to address environmental impacts of single use e-cigarettes, including a ban on sales, regulations to set certain design criteria, and charges to encourage behaviour change or producer fees to offset the environmental costs, such as a levy based on recycling rates. The report assesses the potential of each option for reducing environmental impact and the benefits of multiple measures in combination.
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland said: “Any form of littering is unacceptable – it damages the environment, economy, and is a blight on the areas where we live, work, and socialise.
“Single use vapes are made up of components which, unless disposed of safely and responsibly, can last on our planet for years and years. And the sight of them, discarded on our streets, is becoming far too common.
“This is why Zero Waste Scotland was happy to lead on this important report. Tackling our throwaway culture is a priority for us and we will continue to work with the Scottish Government in highlighting the huge impact that littering these items has on the environment.”
Action plan to ensure Scottish Welfare Fund reaches those in most need
Improvements to the way crisis support is delivered in Scotland are set out in a plan published yesterday.
The Scottish Welfare Fund provides a vital safety net which has paid out more than £380 million in emergency funds to more than half a million households over the last ten years.
The plan sets out 22 commitments to help the Fund better address unmet need and make decisions more consistent across the country. Actions include a simplified application form, clearer guidance and better promotion to those who may not currently be being reached, including older people.
Improved guidance on referrals to wider services such as debt and welfare advice will also aim to help people with their finances so they can avoid future crisis.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Ten years on from the introduction of the Scottish Welfare Fund, it is time to make improvements to ensure it continues to provide lifeline support. These actions will help to ensure that no matter where people live, they can access support they are eligible for in their time of need.
“The current financial pressures facing many households and the hardship that brings has shone a spotlight on the need for such emergency funds, and as the independent review of the fund made clear in March, the inadequacy of UK Government welfare has contributed to increased demand.
“The publication of this plan demonstrates the Scottish Government’s dedication to strengthening our social security system and working to best meet the requirements of people in Scotland.”
“A photograph is most successful when it doesn’t answer all the questions” says Greg Gorman.
Known for his stark honest portraits of the most famous and infamous faces from the worlds of entertainment, arts, sport and music Greg Gorman’s images have intrigued the viewer from the onset of his career.
Indeed, the American photographer’s portraits of international celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Bette Davies, David Bowie, Alfred Hitchcock radiate something mysterious and vulnerable, despite being perfectly composed and lit.
It is therefore no wonder that Gorman is one of the most influential portrait photographers of our time.
Come along to The Royal Scots Club on Monday 3rd July to hear more from Greg and see some of his most famous photos.
Greg is telling his story at The Royal Scots Club on Monday 3rd July 2023 at 18:30.
To book your place please contact Leanne via events@royalscotsclub.com or by phone on 0131 556 4270.
The role played by professional footballers, and the many others who served at the Battle of the Somme, has been marked at a ceremony in France.
Veterans Minister Graeme Dey took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the McCrae’s Battalion Cairn in Contalmaison, as part of the memorial events to mark the first day of the Battle of the Somme (1st July 1916).
Representatives from clubs including Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Falkirk, Dunfermline, and Raith Rovers regularly attend the annual event.
Mr Dey said: “At the start of WW1 a campaign was launched against professional footballers who were labelled ‘shirkers’ and ‘cowards’ who were happy to stay at home while better men risked their lives at the front.
“The players who joined McCrae’s Battalion proved the critics wrong and demonstrated incredible bravery. Indeed, many of them made the ultimate sacrifice. They went from being called shirkers and cowards to become known as ‘Edinburgh’s finest – Scotland’s Sporting Battalion’.
“Today we honour the bravery of those young men and all those who fought and died on the Somme.”
During his visit Mr Dey also met with the Mayor of Arras, Frédérique Leturque, as part of the Scottish Government’s European engagement work, which aims to strengthen ties with priority EU countries and their regions.
The 1,350 strong McCrae’s Battalion, led by Sir George McCrae, was formed in Edinburgh and included volunteers from Heart of Midlothian, Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Dunfermline, Hibernian, St Bernard’s and East Fife.
In all around 75 clubs (of all levels) provided volunteers along with many other athletes and football supporters most notably of Hearts and Hibernian.
The Battle of the Somme eventually lasted for 141 days. Some 20,000 soldiers were killed in the initial assault on 1 July 2016 with a further 37,000 wounded.
LOCAL ARTS ORGANISATION REACHES 80% OF FUNDING TARGET
North Edinburgh Arts has been awarded £250,000 from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund to support the Millan Hub project.
The announcement marks a significant step forward in NEA’s capital development journey, bringing the organisation closer to achieving their fundraising target: they have now reached 80% of their total goal.
Communites across the UK will benefit from over £50 million in funding to support community ownership of local assets.
North Edinburgh Arts was one of eight successful applicants in Scotland at this stage of the process. Another Edinburgh applicant was Portobello’s campaign to renovate their Town Hall. They receive £90,000.
This £250,000 awarded to NEA will be added to funds already secured for the ambitious build from Foundation Scotland, The Garfield Weston Trust, The William Syson Trust, The Robertson Trust, The Binks Foundation, and the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.
Reaching four fifths of the target gives a real boost to NEA’s Board, team, participants, visitors, and volunteers alike.
A NEA spokesperson said: “We are grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from our local residents, with over 96% backing our mission to keep NEA at the heart of a creative, connected, inspired, and inspiring community.
“Your unwavering belief in our vision has been the driving force behind this achievement. Thank you for your ongoing support!”
NEA is a well-loved and well-used venue but we had outgrown our building. To meet the needs of current and future generatons of North Edinburgh residents it needed to be redeveloped.
As part of the new MacMillan Hub the NEA capital programme will:
Increase the footprint of NEA by 380m2, adding two foors of studio and work/ space Extend the café to look/ into MacMillan Square, and ofer enhanced community facilites Provide bespok/e work/shop space for the ommunity Shed Reduce the carbon footprint through beter insulaton, lightng and environmental design and constructon Be a fully owned community asset.
With the build scheduled for completion early in 2024 NEA has set up a welcome cabin in front of the site to ensure local residents can find out more about the build, join up as NEA members (htps://northedinburgharts.co.uk//membership/) and share their aspiratons for the space.
The refurbished, redesigned and expanded venue will be a welcome space for all, ofering local residents high quality culture, arts, enterprise and meetng spaces. In additon, our venue will link, on site, to the city council’s new Library, new Learning and Skills Hub, new Early Years Centre and social housing.
Lesley Hinds, Chair of North Edinburgh Arts said: ‘North Edinburgh Arts is delighted to receive funding from Community Ownership Fund.
This funding from the Westminster Government shows the confidence they have in NEA and its future in the expanded facilities at MacMillan Hub.’
