There will be food, music, fun and games – we can’t wait to see you there!
Please RSVP on Eventbrite to help us plan for numbers: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-renewal-turns-20-celebration-tickets-635374772047?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshwebdesktop
UK businesses and charities are set to benefit from a free interactive guide to help their staff spot and tackle economic abuse when speaking to customers over the phone, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins has announced today.
The interactive guide, which will be available widely later this year, is being released to 30,000 HMRC staff today to help them spot the signs and create an appropriate environment for victims to disclose their experiences. It builds on the government’s Economic Abuse Toolkit, released earlier this year.
Victoria Atkins met with staff and survivors at Advance charity’s West London Women’s Centre today to mark the announcement and was joined by former Love Island contestant and domestic abuse campaigner Malin Andersson.
The minister ran through an early demo of the tool with attendees at the visit to drum up momentum as she called on experts to work with HMRC to get the online tool right, before they distribute it freely online later this year.
By increasing the awareness of staff in government, business and charities of economic abuse, the government hopes the new interactive tool will play its part in stopping violence against women and girls, to build stronger communities for future generations.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins said: “The government passed the landmark Domestic Abuse Act and I am determined to build on that commitment to help victims.
“Economic and financial abuse can be less understood than other forms of domestic abuse, which is why it is vital organisations share best practice with one another whenever they can.
“That is why I’ve asked HMRC to work with charities and experts over the summer to produce a publicly available interactive guide which staff from any organisation which speaks to customers will be able use.”
Economic abuse, which domestic violence charity Refuge estimates 16% of adults in the UK have experienced, is when an individual’s ability to acquire, use and maintain economic resources are taken away by someone else in a coercive or controlling way.
Internal guidance has been distributed to 30,000 HMRC staff today to help front line staff spot victims of economic abuse when speaking to them over the phone. It will help them understand the different types of economic abuse, as well as what signs and characteristics to look out for.
The aim is for this guidance, with support from industry, charities and experts over the summer, to be turned into a free interactive tool to support businesses and organisations whose employees also speak to customers daily.
Malin Andersson said: ““We need everyone to work together if we’re going to be able to stamp out domestic abuse once and for all, so it’s fantastic to see an initiative which will make a difference by training so many people, from businesses and charities, to recognise economic abuse.”
Minister Atkins will also introduce the early demo of the interactive guidance to representatives from the financial services sector and charities at a roundtable later today, where she will hear more about what the sector is doing to tackle economic abuse and what more can be done.
By working with stakeholders to develop and tailor it, the government wants the interactive guidance to reflect the real-world experiences of victims.
Niki Scordi, Advance’s CEO said: ““Understanding the behaviours of domestic abusers and their continuous attempts to intimidate and control survivors, mainly women and children, long after they leave the abusive home is vital.
“This includes control through economic and financial means, such as child support, school fees, bank accounts, loans and access to employment.
“Supporting survivors with specialist Domestic Abuse Advocates in the community and charities like Advance is essential to help change, and sometimes save, the lives of those devasted by domestic and economic abuse.”
The internal guidance distributed by HMRC to its staff today comes hot off the heels of the Economic Abuse Toolkit released in January 2023, which aims to help public sector organisations train staff to identify economic abuse.
Specialist charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA), which was one of the organisations which contributed to the Toolkit, has seen a 150% increase in its website user numbers over the past two years (April 2021 5200 users. April 2023 13,000 users).
SEA research also found seven in ten front-line professionals reported the number of victims of economic abuse coming to their organisation for help had increased since the start of the pandemic. By the end of the first lockdown, SEA found one in five women were planning to seek help around welfare benefits.
Tackling domestic abuse is a government priority and improving the response to economic abuse is integral to this. For the first time in history, economic abuse is now recognised in law as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse included in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. This is in recognition of the devastating impact it can have on victims’ lives.
Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, CEO and founder of Surviving Economic Abuse said: “Economic abuse is an insidious and often invisible form of control, one which can trap a victim-survivor in a relationship with an abuser and leave them feeling like there is no escape.
“This form of abuse can create dependency on an abuser by restricting their access to economic resources, or instability if the survivor is forced to cover all household costs. It causes long lasting harm including debt and bad credit, so that even when someone manages to leave, these effects can follow them around for the rest of their lives, often preventing them from moving on safely.
“We know that victim-survivors are more likely to disclose economic abuse to their bank than they are to the police.
“It is crucial that frontline employees – whether they work in the public or private sector – are trained to understand economic abuse and how abusers might use their service to continue to control a victim.
“It is vital they are given the knowledge and the tools to spot the signs of economic abuse, develop specialist responses and feel confident signposting a survivor to broader support. The right response can be life changing.
“We’re delighted to see the Treasury take this important step to ensure victim-survivors of economic abuse get a good response whoever they speak to. We look forward to working together to ensure this new interactive guide helps organisations effectively respond to economic abuse.”
Police are appealing for information after a man was found seriously injured yesterday (Tuesday, 11 July). The 30-year-old was found around 2.20pm on Albert Street.
He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment.
Enquiries have established a group of around six men wearing dark clothing were seen in the area at the time.
Detective Inspector Martin Smith said: “Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time to contact officers.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 1853 of 11 July, 2023.
“Alternatively, details can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Your Art World
FREE
National Galleries of Scotland: National
24 June 2023 – 14 April 2024
Visitors to the National can now explore the spectacular Your Art World exhibition, showcasing the artwork of creative 3–18-year-olds from Scotland. The nationwide call out has inspired over 500 incredible young artists from across the country to get involved.
The Your Art World project aims to engage with young people and encourage them to think and act more creatively. Having uploaded their creations digitally to National Galleries of Scotland’s website, the artwork is now proudly displayed on screens at the National.
The young people could be as imaginative as they liked and use any type of materials for their creations, resulting in a superb collection of artworks. The exhibition is a celebration of what happens when young people are encouraged to be wildly imaginative with no limitations.
Four community and school groups, from the Scottish Highlands to the Borders, also worked alongside the National Galleries of Scotland to create physical installations. Groups involved included Dounby Community School and Nursery, secondary schools from across the Scottish Borders and Granton Primary.
A group of children and their families from PAMIS, an organisation in Scotland working with people with profound and multiple learning disabilities for a better life, are also featured.
The result is a creation of extraordinary displays ranging from environmentally inspired projects made with rubbish collected from the shores of Orkney to stunning paintings, drawings, and 3D sculptures, along with sensory led artwork by the PAMIS group.
Families and young people inspired by the creativity will also be able to get involved in making their own creations in the galleries this Summer. With a specially created ‘make and share’ area allowing them to produce and upload their own work to the website. There is also the added bonus of having their artwork added to the digital showcase on the screens.
Siobhan McConnachie, Head of Learning and Engagement, National Galleries of Scotland, said: “I feel so excited and proud to be showcasing the artwork of the talented young artists of Scotland.
“The response has been truly inspiring and we have been so impressed with everyone’s creativity. The Your Art World project is incredibly important to us at National Galleries of Scotland as it hands over the creative process to young people and celebrates their work.
“Art has its place in every school, home and young person’s life, whether that be encouraging people to think creatively, use it as an expressive outlet or simply for some fun, this project and exhibition celebrates that art really is for everyone.”
Dounby Community School Head Teacher, Islean Gibson, said: “Being part of such an amazing gallery exhibition has given everyone here at Dounby School such a sense of pride and motivation.
“Sharing our thoughts and ideas as part of a national project has really inspired our whole school community. The power of creation will have a lasting legacy.
“It makes me swell with pride every day seeing just how impactful creativity can be for a wee school and its community. I would wholeheartedly recommend everyone take that step into Your Art World and see where it takes you!”
The exhibition is part of a wider Your Art World project which aims to engage and encourage young people in the world of art. With online resources available for teachers and families to support children in art-based activities, the project encourages everyone to get involved no matter ability or knowledge. By providing tools and guidance, Your Art World demystifies the creative process and makes art accessible to everyone.
The exhibition is made possible thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who have raised more than £5 million awarded by Postcode Culture Trust to support National Galleries of Scotland.
All submissions can be viewed via the online gallery and will also be displayed digitally at the National until 14 April 2024.
A 21yo man has been arrested and charged following a fatal crash on Colinton Road, Edinburgh which happened around 11.35pm on Saturday, 30 July, 2022, and involved a car and a pedestrian.
The 35yo male pedestrian was taken to hospital, where he died on Tuesday, 2 August, 2022.
Check out what we’ve got going on in July! Every Wednesday.
Just pop along, or phone us to book taxi transport. 
An event at Westminster last month saw the launch of the inaugural National Drowning Report from the Water Safety All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) authored by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), and supported by the National Water Safety Forum (NWSF).
The report highlighted some shocking statistics relating to the number of accidental fatalities in 2022, with a section of the report focusing on child drownings.
The report showed that in 2022, 35 children died from accidental drowning, the equivalent of more than a classroom of children. Comparing this to the 5-year average, there was a huge 46% increase in the number of accidental fatalities amongst children in 2022.
The report documents that in 2022, 226 people lost their lives to accidental drowning, with 83% of those being male.
We have already seen a number of people tragically lose their lives to accidental drowning in 2023 and the report looks to provide recommendations for the UK Government to how this can change.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK, commented “We know that for anyone to drown is a complete tragedy, but when we see the amount of children drowning increasing by 46% we know that things need to change urgently.
“Within the report, we have worked with various organisations to put forwards a number of key recommendations for the UK Government to enable all young people to have the opportunity to learn about water safety.
“We want the UK Government to find innovative solutions to better deliver school swimming; mandate that every child has a class-based water safety lesson at each key stage; and to invest in initiatives to address the increase in child drowning fatalities.
“Drowning, for the large part, is highly preventable. Education and supervision in particular reduce the likelihood of an incident turning into a sudden and devastating tragedy.
“We have been asking the question of the UK Government for many years as to why classroom-based water safety is not on the curriculum.
“We recognise that getting all our children in the water is critical but teaching water safety in the classroom removes existing barriers and gives every child an understanding of safety, risk, and the chance to learn how to stay safe in and around the water, no matter their background.”
“This report is a step in the right direction to give MPs and the UK Government the facts and statistics they need to make a change to prevent losing even more children to accidental drowning. We at RLSS UK will work with our partners and the National Water Safety Forum to endeavor to deliver the necessary change.”
The launch of the report coincided with RLSS UK’s annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign where the charity was able to educate over 1.8million children through its free resources to schools and leisure centres.
To view the report visit the RLSS UK website.
Rabbits are naturally sociable animals so it is vital to make sure they have a bunny-friend to live with, according to vet charity PDSA. This ‘Cheer up the Lonely Day’, PDSA is highlighting the importance of rabbits having a compatible companion.
The 2023 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report revealed that 42% of rabbits live alone, with a further 5% living with another species of animal, meaning that an estimated 530,000 rabbits (48%) are still not having their companionship needs met appropriately.
The PAW Report also highlighted that 36% of veterinary professionals identified the ‘lack of an appropriate companion’ as one of the top welfare issues for rabbits.
PDSA Vet Catherine Burke said: “If rabbits live alone, they can feel socially isolated and become bored, frustrated, anxious, and destructive. They need fellow bunny companionship, as it offers them warmth, comfort and company. This minimises boredom, and reduces their anxiety and stress.
“We’d always recommend keeping rabbits in a bonded pair or a small group, for happy, healthy bunnies.
Keeping rabbits together
Catherine added: “Whilst you don’t want a lonely bunny on your hands, it’s important to try to make sure you pair or group your resident rabbit with a compatible companion.
“Rabbits can happily live together in the following combinations:
“For the happiest bunnies, we suggest keeping a neutered male with a neutered female. If you can home a brother and sister together, that’s ideal as they’ll already know each other and will be less likely to fight”, Catherine explains.
“If you have a resident rabbit and would like to provide them with their perfect companion, your local rabbit rehoming centre may have lots of suitable bunnies waiting for a new home with a fellow fur-friend. But they always need to be introduced gradually and a rescue centre may be able to support you with this.”
Important tips on rabbit companionship:
For more information about keeping your rabbits happy and ensuring they aren’t lonely, please visit PDSA’s website.
Have you ever considered improving the security of your vehicle? 
Sometimes simply locking it is not enough.
The list below provides a range of options which will make stealing your vehicle more difficult, especially if several are combined together!
• Check vehicle doors are locked before walking away.
• Do not store keys near windows or doors.
• Keep your key device in a ‘Faraday pouch’ which prevents it receiving or transmitting radio signals.
• If you buy a second-hand keyless car, get the key reprogrammed.
• Make sure the key and any spares are stored securely and safely.
• Consider having an On-Board Diagnostic port (OBD) lock professionally fitted/ask at a main dealership.
• Use a steering wheel lock.
• Fit a pedal box, which encases the driving pedals in a high visibility secure box.
Please report any suspicious behaviour or incidents to Police on 101 or 999.
Research* from the UK Care Guide has found startling levels of stress amongst the workforce aged 40 and over, with over two thirds (67%) reporting increased levels of stress thanks to the cost of living crisis.
The survey, based on the data of 1487 respondents, found that a huge 72% directly attributed their increased levels of stress to the tightening of household budgets as a result of the cost of living crisis.
While work-related factors were a major cause, half of the respondents also identified personal and family-related factors as sources of stress.
Saq Hussain of UK Care Guide commented: “Our latest UK Care Guide research reveals a worrying surge in stress levels among UK workers aged 40 and over in the face of the cost of living crisis.
“This issue cuts deeper than just affecting productivity at work. It’s intruding into individuals’ personal lives, straining relationships and fundamentally undermining their mental wellbeing.
“Amidst these challenges, it’s commendable that almost half of those surveyed have adopted some form of coping mechanism to manage their stress levels. However, the glaring outlier is the lowly 20% looking for professional mental health support. This number signifies not only a potential stigma around seeking mental health assistance, but also perhaps hints at the lack of easily accessible mental health services.
“Our findings highlight an urgent call to action for employers, healthcare organisations, and policy-makers alike. There is a pressing need to not only address the root causes of workplace stress but also to create a supportive environment that promotes mental health resources and empowers individuals to effectively manage their stress levels without fear of stigma.”
For more information on the survey, please email: media@ukcareguide.co.uk
