Month: November 2023

St Andrew’s Day: ‘Beyond the Tartan’

WESTMINSTER’s Scottish Affairs Committee has published the UK Government’s response to its report on Promoting Scotland Internationally, in which MPs found the UK and Scottish Governments often collaborate well when promoting Scotland’s interests abroad but more work is needed to highlight modern Scottish successes. 

In its report, the Committee found a clear strategy was needed to ensure UK embassies have access to guidance and clear expectations for holding events on key Scottish dates such as St Andrew’s Day.  

The cross-party group of MPs recommended embassy staff of all levels be trained up on the current Scottish industry landscape and the UK Government’s priorities for Scotland in order to ensure a more consistent base of knowledge.

They also found more needed to be done to celebrate contemporary Scottish successes in fields such as scientific research, space and energy in addition to the more traditional attributes of the Scottish brand which still resonate on the international stage. 

In its response, the UK Government highlighted past events but didn’t commit to implementing a strategy for celebrating key dates in the Scottish calendar across all embassies.

The UK Government also indicated senior staff receive adequate training but did not commit to giving staff of all levels updated training on the Scottish market and industry landscape. 

The UK Government indicated agreement with the Committee that officials from the UK and Scottish Governments regularly work collaboratively overseas in order to deliver the best possible outcomes, and also acknowledged the importance of maintaining regular communication between teams. 

The UK Government failed, however, to address a number of the Committee’s recommendations, including no commitment to provide specific information on the UK Government’s current priorities and objectives for promoting Scotland internationally. 

Scottish Affairs Committee Chair Pete Wishart MP said: “Scotland is home to a fantastic array of research and development organisations, businesses and academic institutions – so it’s critical that Scotland’s success stories are promoted in a consistent and coherent way on the world stage. 

“As a Committee, we found there were differing levels of engagement and knowledge related to Scotland’s key interests around the globe as well as a lack of a clear idea of exactly what the UK Government’s priorities are for promoting Scotland internationally. 

“As Scots worldwide celebrate St Andrew’s Day, I’m disappointed that the extent to which embassies around the globe are telling the nation’s story and celebrating Scottish culture will remain inconsistent. 

“Unfortunately, it was hard to identify a clear plan which will ensure Scotland receives the international recognition it deserves. It is, therefore, difficult to see how the UK Government will fully support Scotland to maximise the potential offered by our brilliant industries.” 

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Holyrood Committee ‘concerns’ over Circular Economy Bill

The Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Bill has been criticised for a lack of financial transparency and accurate costings, in a report out today.

The Finance and Public Administration Committee (FPAC) doubts that the Bill complies with the Parliament’s rules on setting out “best estimates” of costs likely to arise.

FPAC Convener Kenneth Gibson MSP said: “Scrutiny of this Bill reinforces our concern that affordability does not appear to be a key factor in Scottish Government decision-making.

“The Minister, Lorna Slater MSP, has committed to consult on the cost of secondary legislation, but that should not replace an assessment of affordability at the point of a Bill’s introduction.

“Our committee is not convinced that this Bill’s financial memorandum meets the requirements set out in Parliament’s Standing Orders to provide: “best estimates of the costs, savings, and changes to revenues to which the provisions of the Bill would give rise”.

Mr Gibson continued: “We’ve seen an increasing use of ‘framework’ bills that provide government with future enabling powers. These do not, however, provide best estimates of all likely costs, and undermine parliamentary scrutiny. 

“It also risks the Parliament passing legislation which may in the end – once outcomes are fully understood – lead to significant cost increases.

“The increased use of framework bills with no clear implementation costs, poses a long-term risk to the Scottish Budget, both now and for successive governments.

“The FPAC is disappointed that Scottish Ministers have still to meet our previous recommendations or expectations around the level of financial data, clarity and transparency required.

“In the end, it will be for Parliament to decide when voting on the general principles of this framework bill, whether the outcomes it seeks to deliver outweigh any financial or affordability considerations.”

On income from fly-tipping and litter fines, the report said:

  • The assumption in this financial memorandum (FM) of a 100% payment rate for fixed penalty notices is entirely unrealistic. Therefore, given that the level of income from fines assumed in the FM is not attainable, it should not be used to ‘off set’ some of the costs of enforcement, such as in relation to fly tipping. We consider this approach to identifying potential savings to be unsatisfactory.

Updates every six months:

  • We request that the updates, committed to by the Minister in her letter of 20 November be provided to the Committee every six months. These updates should include updated information on the expenditure incurred to date, any changes in forecast costs and any savings arising from the Bill and the subsequent Act (subject to the Bill being passed) and relevant secondary legislation, until all provisions are operational.

Behaviour and relationships in schools

New research published

Thousands of head teachers, teachers and support staff have shared their views on pupil behaviour and relationships in Scotland’s local authority schools.

The fifth edition of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR) report found staff perceived the majority of pupils to be behaving well.

The report noted a deterioration in some pupil’s behaviour since the last research was conducted in 2016, thought partly to have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and instances of poverty and destitution. The research also identifies a number of emerging trends in behaviour, including in-school truancy, vaping, disruptive use of mobile phones and misogyny. 

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth discussed the findings of the report as she chaired the third Behaviour and Relationships summit yesterday, bringing together teachers, union representatives, local authorities and other stakeholders.

The research comes as a further report by Education Scotland shows the impact the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis has had on attendance levels for some pupils.

Ms Gilruth said: “We commissioned this research to provide us with the clearest possible picture on behaviour and relationships in schools. It builds upon my own extensive engagement with teachers, school leaders, support staff and local authority colleagues to fully understand how our pupils are interacting with each other and their teachers.

“It is clear from the responses that most teachers report good behaviour amongst pupils – this provides some important nuance to this issue and must be at the forefront of our plans to tackle the instances of disruptive behaviours. Young people must not be demonised, and poor behaviour cannot be generalised.

“Our young people have faced a huge amount of disruption in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has been compounded by the current cost of living crisis – this is not unique to Scotland.

“Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will set out to Parliament our plans to engage with local authorities and schools to ensure a plan of action is taken forward to tackle instances of poor behaviour at the root as soon as possible.

“I plan to engage directly with young people on this matter to ensure their voices are front and centre – as well as with teachers and school staff, to ensure they are fully supported in responding to these challenges.”

The Scottish Childrens Services Coalition (SCSC) is an alliance of organisations that support children and young people who have additional support needs.

SCSC responded: “This report noting a perceived decline in pupil behaviour, especially since 2016, should come as no surprise.

“Many disruptive incidents are linked to pupils with additional support needs (ASN), with numbers more than doubling since 2012, and now amounting to more than a third of children, who are also experiencing an increasing complexity of need. These numbers have been exacerbated by the traumatic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost- of-living crisis, with us also facing a mental health emergency.

“However, this is set against a background of acute under-resourcing to support their needs, with the number of specialist ASN teachers falling by 546 between 2012 and 2022 as just one example.

“Additional funding is desperately needed to increase the support available to those with ASN, including specialist teachers, teaching assistants, mental health professionals and educational psychologists.

“While we support the principle of mainstreaming, that all children be taught in mainstream classes unless exceptional circumstances apply, this has never been properly resourced. Those with ASN are therefore frequently being inadequately supported, which is also impacting on other pupils.2

“Violence against any member of school staff or another pupil is never acceptable, and it is critical that with the Scottish Budget being published next month, our schools are given the necessary resources to ensure that they are safe places in which to work and to learn.”

CMA sets out Autumn update in review of competition in groceries sector

The CMA has set out the latest findings and the next steps in its ongoing review of the groceries sector today

  • Some branded suppliers have pushed up prices by more than their costs increased, but in most cases, shoppers can find cheaper alternatives.
  • CMA to examine further whether ineffective competition in the baby formula market could be leading to parents paying higher prices.
  • CMA to launch review of loyalty scheme pricing by supermarkets, considering its impact on consumers and competition in the groceries sector.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has set out the latest findings and the next steps in its ongoing review of the groceries sector today.

It follows an initial assessment that focused on retail competition in the groceries sector published in July.

That assessment identified 10 product categories (including milk, baked beans and baby formula) for further analysis in a second phase of work, to gain a deeper understanding of competition across the supply chain, with a particular focus on branded and own label food suppliers.

Competition and price dynamics in the supply chain

Food price inflation continues to be at historically high levels, despite falling to 10.1% in October 2023.

Across the food and groceries sector, the CMA found that high inflation has been driven largely by rising input costs, particularly for energy and key agricultural inputs like fertiliser.

But the evidence collected by the CMA indicates that, over the last 2 years, around three-quarters of branded suppliers in products such as infant formula, baked beans, mayonnaise, and pet food have increased their unit profitability and, in doing so, have contributed to higher food price inflation.

However, own label products often provide cheaper alternatives with suppliers of these products earning lower profit margins and competing to win and retain contracts from retailers.

In all but one of the relevant product categories the CMA looked at, as food prices have risen, many consumers have switched away from brands towards own label alternatives, or reduced their consumption, leading to a decline in brands’ market shares and profits. This switching is positive for competition and allows those able to switch, to lessen the impact of high food price inflation.

Overall profit margins have fallen across most branded manufacturers since 2021, mainly because of a fall in sale volumes due to consumers switching to cheaper alternatives.

The CMA has also heard from leading brands that they are aiming to use any future reductions in their input costs to offer customers more promotions, rather than cut the standard price they charge supermarkets for their products.

Baby formula

Baby formula is a product category where different dynamics seem to apply. The prices for baby formula in the UK have risen by 25% over the past 2 years.

Similar to other products the CMA examined, evidence suggests that branded suppliers of baby formula have also increased their prices by more than their input costs. On top of this, the market is highly concentrated (2 firms have around 85% of the market share) and brands have maintained high profit margins over the last 2 years.

Unlike other products examined, there is little evidence of parents switching to cheaper branded options as prices have risen and very limited availability of own-brand alternatives.

Families could make significant savings of more than £500 over the first year of a baby’s life, through buying cheaper baby formula options. Regulation ensures that all baby formula products, including cheaper options, provide all the nutrients a healthy baby needs.

Despite this, the CMA is concerned that parents may not always have the right information, at the right time, to make effective choices. It is also concerned that suppliers may not have the right incentives to offer infant formula at competitive prices.

The CMA will now undertake further work to better understand consumer behaviour (including what influences choice) and barriers to entry and expansion for baby formula manufacturers and consider whether any changes to the regulatory framework could help the market work better.

An update on the CMA’s work into baby formula will be published in mid-2024.

Loyalty pricing

With the rise in some supermarkets making cheaper prices only available for loyalty card members, the CMA plans to begin a review of the use of loyalty scheme pricing by supermarkets in early 2024. The CMA’s work will consider how the growth in loyalty scheme pricing is affecting consumers and competition in the groceries sector.

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: “Food price inflation has put huge strain on household budgets, so it is vital competition issues aren’t adding to the problem. While in most cases the leading brands have raised prices more than their own cost increases, own label products are generally providing cheaper alternatives.

“The picture is different when it comes to baby formula, with little evidence that people are switching to cheaper products and limited own label alternatives. We’re concerned that parents may not always have the right information to make informed choices and that suppliers may not have strong incentives to offer infant formula at competitive prices. We will investigate this further and consider whether changes to regulations are necessary to ensure parents can get the best deal possible.

“We have also seen an increase in the use of loyalty scheme pricing by supermarkets, which means that price promotions are only available to people who sign up for loyalty cards.

“This raises a number of questions about the impact of loyalty scheme pricing on consumers and competition and the CMA will launch a review in January 2024.”

More information and the full report can be found on the CMA Groceries case page

Gordon Ramsay’s Festive Fundraiser returns to Edinburgh

Gordon Ramsay Restaurant Edinburgh venues have welcomed the return of their ‘GReat Donate’ festive fundraiser, to raise money for specialist charity Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland.

The fundraiser launched during the 2022 festive season, coinciding with the launch of Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger restaurant in the St James Quarter. They raised an incredible £15,642 as a result which Gordon and Tana Ramsay then generously matched to give the charity an extra special funds boost.  

This year, a £1 voluntary donation will be added to diner’s bills at the St Andrew Square restaurant and St James Quarter restaurant until the end of December 2023.

The funds raised will help SBH Scotland provide vital support to over 4,000 children, young people and adults across Scotland who are affected by the lifelong, complex conditions of spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus.

Gordon Ramsay became SBH Scotland’s first ever Honorary Patron back in 2003 when he met the organisation’s Chairperson, Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, at the Great North Run. For 20 years, he has continued to support SBH Scotland through charitable donations and appearances.

A spokesperson from Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants said: “SBH Scotland are a fantastic charity which makes a real difference to the lives of so many families across Scotland who are affected by spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus.

“We’re delighted to bring back our Festive Fundraiser to our Bread Street Kitchen & Bar and Street Burger restaurants in Edinburgh and we hope our diners will be happy to make a small gesture this Christmas, that’ll have a big impact on families across Scotland.

Lawrence Cowan, Chief Executive of SBH Scotland, said: “As our Honorary Patron, Gordon has been a great friend of our charity for nearly two decades and we couldn’t be more thankful for his and Tana’s continued generosity.

“Over the years, Gordon has taken time out from his busy schedule to host gala dinners, launch appeals including the campaign to build our Family Support Centre, and personally meet with the families we support.

“Right now, people need our support more than ever. Christmas can be a difficult time and with the burden of the cost-of-living crisis looming heavily in families lives, our finance, benefits and specialist support services are needed more than ever. Through this campaign people can help make sure that no one affected by spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus feels alone.

“We rely on donations to make sure our lifeline support continues, so being able to work with the brilliant teams at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants again means a lot to us and the families we support.

“We thank all the diners visiting Bread Street Kitchen or Street Burger this festive season. Every £1 donated matters to a family in need. It’s a chance to enjoy great food and support a great cause this Christmas.”

For more information on why SBH Scotland and Gordon’s festive fundraiser is so important, please visit: https://www.sbhscotland.org.uk/we-need-you  

Communities Reduce Re-use & Recycle: Zero Waste Final Event

JOIN us in celebrating our Sewing Club’s Zero Waste Competition on Monday, 4th December! 🧵🧷

The event will take place at Granton Parish Church and will include a presentation along with the announcement of the results and delivery of prizes and certificates 🏆

Address: 55 Boswall Pkwy, Edinburgh EH5 2DA

Program:

1:30 pm: Doors open

2:30 pm: Participants present their projects

3:30 pm: Results, prizes, and certificate delivery

4:30 pm: End of the event

Light refreshments will be provided ☕

Please register now to secure your place: https://www.meetup.com/edinburgh-sewing…/events/297633683/

For more information please email: c3r@elrec.org.uk

#zerowaste#edinburgh#sewingclub

Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC)

Scottish Child Payment helping families of more than 323,000 children 

Total spending on five family payments passes £596 million

The families of more than 323,000 under-16s were benefitting from Scottish Child Payment at the end of September, official statistics show. 

Figures published today show the payment of £25 per week was reaching 323,315 children – an increase of more than 7,000 compared to 30 June 2023. 

The Scottish Fiscal Commission had forecast that the average number of children receiving support in 2023/24 would be 309,000. 

Today’s statistics release also shows that the combined overall amount paid out across Social Security Scotland’s five family payments, since they launched, is more than £596 million. 

That’s made up of £458.5 million for Scottish Child Payment and £138.1 million for the rest of the five family payments – Best Start Foods and three Best Start Grants (Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment) combined. 

The average time taken to process applications has also improved across the five family payments. 

For Scottish Child Payment, the average wait was six working days in September, down from 13 working days in June. 

For Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, the average wait was four working days, down from 12 over the same period. 

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “As the First Minister has made clear, tackling child poverty is a key mission for the Scottish Government and these figures show we are reaching more of the children and young people who need our help. We’re doing it more quickly too. 

“It is estimated that Scottish Child Payment will lift around 50,000 children out of poverty in the current financial year.

“Our work with this uniquely Scottish benefit is in stark contrast with the UK Government’s approach of continued austerity, further outlined in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement last week.

“Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and our Best Start Grants provide a robust safety net and are among many actions we are taking in government to lift people out of poverty. 

“However, I would continue to encourage people to spread the word as we want all eligible people to get the help they are entitled to.”

The Scottish Government has twice increased Scottish Child Payment; first from £10 to £20 per week per child then £25 when it extended to include all eligible children under 16 in November last year. 

 The statistics are available in full here: 

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/scottish-child-payment-high-level-statistics-to-30-september-2023

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/best-start-grant-and-best-start-foods-high-level-statistics-to-30-september-2023

Musselburgh: Just Champion!

Local Racecourse gallops off with top award

Musselburgh Racecourse has been named as the Champion Racecourse at the 12th annual Racecourse Association (RCA) Showcase Awards.

The East Lothian track picked up three individual awards enroute to being named as the overall Champion for 2023 – the Racing Post Readers’ Award and the Marketing and Food & Beverage awards.

The Racing Post Readers’ Award asked the racing public to nominate their favourite racecourse based on raceday experience, customer service and value for money. Musselburgh scored the highest average across these metrics and polled almost 20% of the overall votes.

Musselburgh’s continued drive for excellence in Food & Beverage was evident in the Pinkie’s Deli, a Taste of Scotland’s Larder initiative. A move to more a locally-sourced and evidence-based menu was a resounding success with racegoers, with the racecourse seen as best-in-class throughout British racing for its fantastic food and drink offerings.

As a highly successful one-off event in 2019, the Corgi Derby returned to Musselburgh and this time was integral to a campaign which won the Marketing category.

Musselburgh’s use of data to target specific demographics and tailor the messaging, ticket packages and raceday experience was deemed best-in-class by the judges with the results clearly showing a hugely impressive return.

The East Lothian racecourse was also a Finalist in two other categories on the night, demonstrating a racecourse operating to the highest standards on multiple fronts, said the judges.

Musselburgh Racecourse General Manager Bill Farnsworth, said: “Musselburgh’s joins a small group of eight illustrious Showcase Champions and it certainly felt as if all the other racecourses represented at the Awards were particularly pleased that Musselburgh had won.

“I am incredibly proud of the team here at Musselburgh who have shown incredible resilience over the past few years and have been resolute in their commitment to the racecourse and to putting on a fantastic experience for our customers and participants.

“The staff at Musselburgh never stand still and are totally committed to making sure all our visitors have the best possible ‘Musselburgh’ experience. To deliver on so many levels with limited resources is a truly fantastic achievement and we can all be extremely proud of what Musselburgh has achieved.”

The gala event, held at Aintree Racecourse, was presented by the RCA and partnered by Great British Racing, Racing Together, the Racing Foundation and Racing Post.

Alongside Musselburgh’s three award wins and Champion crown, it was a fantastic night for Scottish Racing as a whole with wins for Hamilton Park, Perth and Ayr, while Kelso received a Highly Commended accolade from the independent judging panel.

RCA Chairman Wilf Walsh said: “Our class of 2023 represents a range of racecourses operating at the highest level in their respective fields and I am encouraged by the levels of innovation shown as we look to attract and retain racegoers.

“Musselburgh Racecourse are worthy Champions and join our esteemed Showcase list. With five Finalist nominations and three victories, there can be little doubt this is a racecourse team that deeply cares about their customers, participants and place within the local community.”

Musselburgh is back in action tomorrow (Thursday 30 November) with The Max Recycle Saltire Raceday. Gates open 10.30am and the first race is at 11.55am.

For more information and to book tickets visit here.

Edinburgh medical students win national competition on making right choices as a doctor


Four students from Edinburgh Medical School have won a UK-wide competition on professionalism held by the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Medical Schools Council (MSC).

Students studying medicine across the country were invited to produce an online resource for their peers on how to act appropriately to their skill level as a doctor in training, for example in making a choice to involve senior colleagues when a patient’s condition changes.

Teams could create a social media post, podcast or blog to offer advice on challenges they may encounter in their professional lives. The competition is held every year to help medical students develop their professional skills.

Edinburgh students Marcus Kam, 22; Sagarika Kaushal, 26; David Gringras, 22 and Alex Mazilu, 22 are in their fifth year of study. They created a video acting out several situations where medical students may be faced with a decision of ‘acting within their competence’ or skill level, for example, being asked by a more senior colleague to complete a task they haven’t yet trained for.

The group then discussed the different ways of tackling each situation and pinpointing the best approach, using the GMC and MSC’s joint guidance Achieving good medical practice (AGMP)as a guide.

Marcus Kam, speaking on behalf of the winning team, said: ‘The step-up to the clinical stage of medical school is daunting, in-fact all of the scenarios in our video were inspired by personal experiences we’ve had.

“We were proud of the video we’d produced, but hearing we had won first prize in the competition was the cherry on top. We hope our video can act as a useful resource for medical students around the country.’

Professor Colin Melville, the GMC’s Medical Director and Director of Education and Standards, who was part of the judging panel, said: ‘In a busy medical team, feeling able to speak confidently about your own capability when a task is asked of you, often by your superiors, is harder than it sounds.

“But it is a vital ability in keeping patients safe and in your own professional development as a doctor.

“Every year we receive impressive entries from medical students across the country, and this competition was no exception. 

“We were impressed by the team’s relatable approach. They presented situations we could all envision ourselves in as doctors, and the team did a great job of discussing the solutions in an engaging and nuanced way.’

Clare Owen, Assistant Director of the Medical Schools Council said: “It was wonderful to see so many brilliant entries this year and medical students participating in the competition.

“There was one video, however, that was particularly impressive. It showed excellent consideration of the AGMP guide and what it means to be a good doctor by working within the limits of your competence, through real-life scenarios and a well-produced video. We all thoroughly enjoyed it.’

The video will now be shared with all UK medical schools as a teaching resource. The winners also received £300 in shopping vouchers.

Homeless Project Scotland secure indoor premises for coldest winter months

 

Homeless Project Scotland have finally secured an indoor venue to bring their essential services and the people they help off the streets for the coldest months of winter on the day it was revealed 244 homeless people died on Scotland’s streets last year. 

They have been campaigning for years for an indoor property and now finally have a secure, safe and warm building to house their life-saving work with the homeless. The prominent soup kitchen have operated since 2019 but were forced to move from their base on Argyll St after opposition from local businesses, to a new spot on the Clydeside – but safety concerns for staff meant they moved back last week. 

Now they have a new home for the next three months thanks to Glasgow businessman Barry Cushley, who has handed over the basement of a building his company owns. 

Charity boss Colin Macinnes is thrilled to finally be able to deliver a safe sanctuary for struggling people in Glasgow: ““We are over the moon, this is what we have been working towards since the very start – creating a safe space for the people who need it most. 

“This is 100 per cent going to save lives, it will massively reduce the number of deaths on the streets this winter in Glasgow. 

“A safe, warm place for us to work, to feed and look after people, is all we have wanted. And now we have it – we want to create a 24 hour welfare centre to provide shelter, warmth, hot food to homeless and vulnerable people. 

“It’s the first of its kind in the UK and we plan to run this for three months to preserve life in the depths of winter. 

“We have this building for the next three months initially, so the coldest, most dangerous time of the year. 

“It means the world to us – Barry Cushley has done something no one else in the city has been willing to, he has turned over an area of a building to us to do whatever we need to do to help people.

“The figures are out today showing 244 people tragically died last year on the streets – and it is all the more poignant to see those numbers and know we can make a difference right away.” 

The agreement has been drawn up and Colin will have the keys imminently so he and his team of volunteers can begin moving in and making the changes he wants. “It has happened so fast it is hard to believe – I had to phone back after the meeting and ask was it all real. 

“It came out of the blue, Barry reached out to Nick at McChuills and next thing we were looking round the building and shaking hands. 

“It’s an incredible thing and means so much. We just want to help people and we can now help so many more.” 

Barry Cushley, who runs C&C Group, has signed over the basement of the premium building his company owns in Merchant City, for exclusive use by Homeless Project Scotland for the three months – and wants to continue helping beyond that. 

Barry said, “It broke my heart to see what the team at Homeless Project Scotland are going through with moving to an area they felt unsafe and now going back to where they’d been chased from. I felt I had to do something. 

“I am fortunate to be in a position where I can do something to help Colin and his team right now, to get their people and the families they help off the streets for the coldest months of the year. 

“We have been able to give them full use of a private, warm, dry, safe and secure area of a building we own. We have agreed it’s initially for the next three months – Colin will have the keys next week and it’s theirs to operate and manage as they need it. 

“We had a very powerful meeting with Colin and Nick from McChuills who I have to thank, he was our point of contact and he has helped us put the whole thing together. Colin is really inspirational and so is Nick. Colin knows what he needs and isn’t afraid to ask for it. I admire that. 

“I’ve made mistakes in my life when I was a young idiot but I’m a different guy now and just want to help bring about good things for people who need it – I got a second chance and want to give that to others. It’s vital – everyone deserves a second hance. 

“I really want to give something back to the city and this feels like an important thing – I HAD to do this. I couldn’t stand by and see stories of people not being safe when they’re doing such amazing work. 

“This is just the beginning for Homeless Project Scotland and my team – there are a lot of ideas already about other ways we can maybe help out in the near future and way beyond that too. This is just the start, I promise. 

“And if anyone else can help – please do. I’ve tried to support individuals before but it rarely works, sadly. If you want to really help, work with the people who know how to use that help, like Homeless Project Scotland.”