Month: December 2023

Independent Living Fund reopens for new applicants

Budget provides continued investment in social care

The Independent Living Fund, which supports disabled people, is to reopen to new applicants after receiving £9 million investment as part of the 2024-25 Scottish Budget.

The funding forms part of the £19.5 billion budget for NHS recovery, health and social care and will support around 1,000 new applicants.

The initiative was closed to new applicants by the UK Government in 2010, with payments to the 3,000 existing recipients taken over by the Scottish Government in 2015. Scottish Ministers committed to reopening the fund in September as part of the Programme for Government.

The health and social care budget also includes £13.2 billion for frontline NHS Boards – a real terms uplift, with additional investment of more than half a billion pounds. Funding for social care next year will be over £1 billion higher than in 2021-22. The health increase is more than the total block grant consequentials announced in the autumn statement which means that resource funding for health and social care has more than doubled since 2006-07.

On his visit to Independent Living Fund Scotland in Livingston yesterday, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Michael Matheson said: “I’m pleased that we will be able to help more disabled people in Scotland to lead full and independent lives as part of our continued support for social care services.

“We are investing in the development of the National Care Service so that everyone has access to consistently high-quality social care, whenever they need it. This will help to remove barriers, tackle inequalities and allow people choice – as well as easing the pressure on Scotland’s NHS and continuing the integration of community health and social care support.

“This also builds on our other commitments in this sector including an £840 million increase in funding for social care over the life of the Parliament and an additional £230 million to support a pay uplift for social care workers to a minimum of £12 an hour.  

“The Budget provides funding of more than £19.5 billion – protecting health and social care delivery in the face of unprecedented fiscal pressure. However, despite this investment, hard choices along with greater efficiencies and savings will need to be made. This is because the Scotland’s healthcare system is under extreme pressure from the ongoing impacts of Covid, Brexit, inflation and UK Government spending decisions.”

Executive Officer of the Independent Living Fund Scotland Peter Scott OBE said: “Following yesterday’s budget announcement of an additional £9m investment into ILF Scotland in the coming year, we welcome the opportunity to expand the work of our organisation and assist up to 1,000 more disabled people.

“Whilst we feel privileged to have the opportunity to re-open the Fund to new applicants, we do not underestimate the level of responsibility that accompanies it.

“We are very grateful to the disabled people, their organisations and other key stakeholders for lending their expertise and supporting us with the co-production of the re-opening of the Fund, work which is already well under way.”

Missing Drylaw woman – Police appeal

*** UPDATE – FIONA TRACED ***

POLICE have confirmed that Fiona Aitken, 55, who was reported missing from Edinburgh has been traced safe and well.

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POLICE are appealing for the public’s help as part of our efforts to trace a woman reported missing from Edinburgh. Fiona Aitken, 55, was last seen in the Drylaw area around 10.20am yesterday (Wednesday, 20 December).

Fiona is described as white, 5ft 6ins tall, of medium build with short blonde hair. She has a distinct polar bear tattoo on her arm.

When last seen she was wearing blue jeans, a light coloured zip top and dark blue shoes.

It is believed she is driving her vehicle, a blue Volkswagen T-Roc registration SO21HLF.

Sergeant Michael Thomson said: “Concerns are growing for Fiona’s welfare and we are appealing for anyone who has seen Fiona, her vehicle or who has any information on her whereabouts to contact us.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference number 2175 of 20 December.

Gender Recognition Reform Bill: Judgment will NOT be appealed

The Scottish Government will not appeal the judgment in the judicial review challenging the UK Government’s use of a Section 35 order to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

The UK Government’s intervention and subsequent judicial ruling means the Bill cannot proceed to Royal Assent and be enacted.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Gender Recognition Reform Bill was passed by a majority of the Scottish Parliament and we will not be withdrawing it. However, the UK Government’s unprecedented use of Section 35 means the Bill cannot proceed to Royal Assent.

“If the current UK Government is willing to work together and indicate the changes they would find acceptable we will happily sit down with them. However, it seems that my counterparts at Westminster will not do this, and it remains to be seen what a future government will do.

“We are unwavering in our commitment to supporting and empowering LGBTQI+ people in Scotland. We will continue to work across government towards a society that is equal and fair, and where everyone can live as they are.

“Devolution is fundamentally flawed if the UK Government is able to override the democratic wishes of the Scottish Parliament. We will be ready to challenge its use on future Scottish legislation, and to protect the democratic will of this parliament.”

The UK Government will seek expenses from the Scottish Government for the Section 35 legal battle over the Gender Recognition Reform Bill, Alister Jack has confirmed.

Scottish Trans told supporters: “We are bitterly disappointed about this, as we know many of you will be. The current process to update the sex recorded on our birth certificates is intrusive and difficult.

“Last year’s Bill was not perfect, but it was a huge step forward towards a much fairer and simpler process – so that in those rare but important moments in life where you need your birth certificate you can hand over ID that shows who you truly are.

“So many of us worked really hard to help people understand why the law needed to change – and it’s important to remember that we succeeded, with a large majority of our MSPs voting in favour of the changes last year.

“We’re pleased that the Scottish Government intends to keep the Bill on the Scottish Parliament’s books, meaning that even though it can’t currently gain royal assent and become law, it could at a later date if the Section 35 order was lifted. While it’s clear that there is no path forward with the current UK Government to removing the block on the Bill, we hope that we won’t have to wait too long until a time where the political situation changes.

“When it does, we will be strongly urging the Scottish and UK Governments to get round the table so that the Bill can move forward, and so Scotland can join the growing number of places around the world with progressive, fair and modern laws that respect trans people’s human rights.

“We were pleased to hear the Scottish Government restate their support for trans equality, and to other commitments they have made to improve our lives.

“There’s a lot more to do to make Scotland (and the wider world) a place in which trans people can live happy and healthy lives beyond gender recognition reform, and we will be working as hard as we can to contribute to those positive changes.

“This is a setback and a disappointment – but once we’ve had a minute to catch our breath and rest over the holidays, we will get right back to work.

“We know that some of you will have been holding off on applying for a Gender Recognition Certificate using the current system, in the hope that you could use the fairer and simpler process that, if the UK Government had made a different choice, might even have just about been in place by now.

“Given the uncertainty around when things might change, if you want to apply for a GRC we think that the best thing to do would be to use the existing application process. We are always happy to help you make sense of how to apply – so please be in touch if you need us.

“We know that others might be unable to apply using the current process, because of all of the barriers it contains. We’re thinking of you today. If you’re upset, frustrated, disappointed – we are too. Please reach out and talk to the people around you if you need to.

“Some places you can reach out are:

“Please note that these services may be affected by holiday opening hours.

“Our love, strength, and solidarity to all x”

Social Justice Secretary statement

Holyrood Committee Backs Visitor Levy Bill at Stage 1

‘potential to be a positive force for the tourism sector’

The majority of members on the Holyrood Committee considering the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill have supported the general principles behind the legislation, which would allow Scottish local authorities to introduce an overnight accommodation levy, following extensive consultation.

Publishing its Stage 1 Report today, the Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee said that a majority of members of the Committee support the general principles of the Bill and a majority of members again found that it was “unlikely that the introduction of a levy in certain local authority areas, assuming a relatively modest rate, would have a deterrent effect on visitor numbers and therefore on the visitor economy in Scotland.”

Conservative MSPs Miles Briggs and Pam Gosal did not support several of the report’s conclusions or the general principles behind the Bill.

A majority of members however agreed with evidence from stakeholders which suggested the introduction of a levy has “the potential to bring significant benefits to visitors, the tourism sector and local residents” whilst recognising that not all of Scotland’s local authorities are expected to introduce a levy and therefore benefit directly from the Bill.

Supporting the Bill’s provision to give local authorities the ability to choose whether to introduce a levy and how to apply it locally, a majority of members of the Committee welcome “the degree of flexibility” provided and believe that this will allow councils to “design and implement it in a way that suits local circumstances.”

The Committee also recognised business concerns around the timing of the legislation, following the impact of COVID-19 on Scotland’s tourism sector and the increased costs of doing business, as well as recent changes to short-term lets licensing.

The Report also said the Committee was “mindful of the concerns of accommodation providers that the introduction of a levy could result in an additional administrative burden” and welcomed the Bill’s requirements to implement localised monitoring and reporting to ensure transparency and accountability.

Considering if any levy should be a flat or percentage rate, the Committee considered this was “perhaps the most difficult aspect of the Bill in terms of determining what the right approach should be” and invited the Scottish Government to undertake further work on this area of the Bill to find a suitable solution.

The majority of members of the Committee agreed that “meaningful consultation with the tourism and accommodation sector to create a genuine sense of partnership working” would “help alleviate the concerns of many in the sector” and show that a levy should bring “long-term benefits” by improving the experience of visitors to areas where a levy is applied.

The earliest date a visitor levy could be applied by local authorities is 2026, which a majority of members of the Committee considered would provide enough time for any “outstanding issues to be resolved through engagement and consultation” with businesses and other key stakeholders.

However, the Committee also invited the Scottish Government to respond to suggestions from some councils that they should be able to introduce a levy sooner than 2026.

Commenting, Committee Convener, Ariane Burgess MSP said: “In supporting the Visitor Levy Bill at Stage 1, a majority of the members of the Committee recognise its potential to positively impact Scotland’s tourism sector.

“After thorough consultation and consideration, most members of the Committee have supported the core principles of the legislation, emphasising that a well-designed levy, at a modest rate, shouldn’t discourage visitors and should bring benefits for the tourism sector.

“A majority of the members of the Committee welcomed and support the flexibility provided by the Bill, which will enable local authorities to customise the levy’s implementation meaning that local levies are designed to suit local circumstances.

“Understanding concerns from businesses and being mindful of possible administrative burdens, a majority of members of the Committee believe that industry worries can be resolved through constructive engagement and consultation at the local level, ahead of any levy being introduced in 2026.

“For the majority of the members of the Committee the Visitor Levy Bill has the potential to be a positive force for the tourism sector, and thank the individuals, organisations and other stakeholders who provided evidence to inform this report.”

Police: Have you seen Connie?

POLICE are seeking your assistance in trying to locate a 14-year-old girl, missing from Penicuik.

Connie Cochrane was last seen in Dean Place, Penicuik around 1.30pm on Tuesday, 19 December, 2023. She is around 5ft 2 inches in height with long black hair. When last seen, she was wearing a black, shiny Canada Goose body warmer, a pink jumper and black leggings.

Police are growing increasingly concerned about Connie and just want to know she is safe and well.

Officers have been checking relevant CCTV images and continue to liaise with partner agencies in case Connie is using public transport to get around.

Inspector Cheryl Blanch said: “We are continuing to speak to Connie’s family and friends for any small details that could assist in our enquiries.

“I would appeal to anyone who may have seen Connie or who has any information about her whereabouts to please contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 2905 of 19 December, 2023.

Aldi donates £50,000 to amateur Scottish sports clubs in 2023

Retailer’s Scottish Sports Fund initiative has supported more than 60 clubs this year

Aldi Scotland has revealed that it has donated £50,000 to amateur sports clubs this year, supporting more than 60 local clubs across six Scottish regions.  

The retailer’s ‘Scottish Sports Fund’ encourages people of all ages and abilities to participate in physical activity within their local communities. It also provides a funding pot for sports clubs to apply for financial support ranging from £500 to £2,500 to help with purchasing new equipment or team kits.  

Since launching in 2016, almost 600 clubs in Scotland have benefitted from a funding worth more than £390,000, as part of Aldi Scotland’s goal to improve community access to sports across the country.  

This year, funds have been donated to sports teams across the country, including Edinburgh, Dundee, Tayside, Perth, Kinross, Fife, Glasgow, the North East, the Highlands and Islands, and Central Scotland.  

One benefactor was the 2011 Girls Team at Musselburgh Windsor Girls Football Club, who received the top award of £2,500. One of the oldest and largest youth football clubs in Scotland, the community club helps girls looking to develop their skills in football.   

Buchan Park Bowling Club also received £1,000 through Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund. Based in West Lothian, the club promotes and trains members of the public in bowling.  

Laura Bosworth, Musselburgh Windsor Girls Football Club, said: “We are so pleased to have been awarded the highest funding of £2,500 from Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund.

“This funding has made a real difference to the work we do in our local community to continue helping girls develop their skills in football.” 

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “Since 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sports Fund has given a wide range of sports clubs the chance to benefit from essential funding to help them invest in much-needed equipment and resources.  

“We remain committed to supporting sports clubs across Scotland to help continue the fantastic work they do in their local communities. Every year, we are blown away by the volume of applications we receive, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming even more in 2024.” 

Applications for next year’s Scottish Sports Fund are expected to open in Spring next year.  

The Aldi Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the application criteria. All applications will be considered by the Aldi judging panel and entrants will be notified of the outcome of their funding application within four to six weeks from the region’s deadline. 

See the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund FAQs and Terms & Conditions  for more info.

Charity expands partnership with GoodSAM to save more lives

Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has worked with GoodSAM since 2018, helping to connect responders to patients in those critical moments when they are experiencing a medical emergency. 

The partnership has now taken another step to help save even more lives within local communities by launching a new part of the GoodSAM app – to help support rescue efforts in water emergencies. 

RLSS UK has worked with GoodSAM to further develop the app to not only include locations of those registered as responders on the app, but also lifesaving equipment in and around towns and cities, which can prove vital in rescuing someone who is in difficulty in the water. 

An average of 308 UK and Irish citizens lose their lives to accidental drowning each year, with more people drowning inland than at the coast, so responders knowing exactly where water rescue equipment is vital.

Vicki Jones, the mother of student Tom Jones who sadly drowned in the River Severn in Worcester in 2018, has spoken of her support for the initiative: “This is a subject so close to my heart after losing Tom and we have been working with the Royal Life Saving Society UK. This is such a positive step to further raise awareness of the importance of water safety. 

“Water rescue equipment can and does save lives. Every second is critical during a rescue; this map will help make communities safe and ensure the equipment is rescue-ready when needed. The app will enable everyone to get on board and play a part to ensure all water safety equipment is logged and to report it if missing or damaged.  

“I will get involved and register water safety equipment when and where possible and I hope you will too.”

Various water rescue equipment is located along and near waterways, including lifebuoys and throw ropes, to help members of the public who find themselves in difficulty in the water get help as soon as possible.

However, RLSS UK and GoodSAM identified that not all first responders will be aware of where these vital pieces of equipment are located, especially when they are needed in an emergency. 

The app will now allow members of the public to plot where pieces of equipment can be found to allow quick and easy access by first responders when they are needed. 

As well as this, the app critically allows people to report if a piece of equipment is missing or damaged. This report on the GoodSAM app will then be sent to RLSS UK who will liaise with landowners and local authorities to rectify the issue and ensure the equipment can save lives if and when it is needed. 

Professor Mark Wilson from GoodSAM said, “We are delighted for RLSS UK to be collaborating with us on the water rescue equipment map; they have been at the forefront of lifeguard training, lifesaving and water safety education for a very long time and by working together, we can build on the excellent work that they already do and make rivers, lakes and bodies of open water even safer for all.”

RLSS UK is encouraging its members, volunteers and lifesavers, as well as members of the public who have appropriate qualifications and knowledge, to register on the GoodSAM app to become a first responder.

As well as this, the charity and GoodSAM are asking members of the public to submit any water rescue equipment within their local community to ensure that it is logged on the app to help people when in need. 

Nick Grazier, Senior Head of Commercial Projects & Partnerships at RLSS UK, said: “This map is a game-changer for open water rescue; not only does it support the emergency services and GoodSAM responders to assist in the case of an emergency, but with the opportunity for app users to report damaged or broken water rescue equipment, we can work with landowners and local authorities to ensure that the equipment is fit for purpose and rescue-ready.”

Jo Talbot, Commercial Director at RLSS UK, added, “We are incredibly proud to partner with GoodSAM and add to the vital work already achieved by the army of volunteers contributing worldwide.

“This type of project has been a desire for the charity for a long time, and it is so rewarding that it is coming to fruition.”

To find out more about how to register on the app and how to register water rescue equipment, visit www.rlss.org.uk/goodSAM. 

If you would like to become a first responder, RLSS UK offers first aid qualifications and further details can be found on the RLSS UK website.

Santa Paws! Christmas Day at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home

Christmas is a wonderful time for so many; filled with love and connection, and at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home it’s no different. For many staff, Christmas day is spent at the Home, looking after the animals and sharing Christmas cheer.

A typical Christmas day at the Home consists of even more love, treats and playtime for its residents. In the lead up to the big day, members of the team have wrapped up presents for every animal to open and enjoy. The dogs are taken for a big run around outside, followed by Christmas snacks, presents and lots of cuddles.

The team give each cat a gift to suit their personal tastes such as a soft toy or a ball, but inevitably, they’re more interested in the wrapping paper! They are then treated with Tuna, Sardines and gourmet cat food for their delicious Christmas dinner.

The Home works endlessly all year round to help keep pets in their loving homes, but sadly receive a heart-breaking number of surrender requests when owners are no longer able to care for their pet.

Earlier this year Simon came to the Home as a young puppy after being found tied to a park bench alone in the early hours of a cold Spring morning, beside a plastic bag with his belongings. Simon was left frightened, malnourished and anxious.

When he arrived at the Home he quickly captured the whole team’s hearts. Thanks to the  care, love and hard work he received, Simon gained enough confidence, and condition, to be ready to go to his forever home.

Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home said: ‘Our team creates something truly special here at Christmas.  Everyone is so dedicated to the animals and mission that we are more than happy to spend the day here at the Home. It’s always such high spirits, with everyone chipping in to make the day all the more fun for each other and for the dogs and cats.

“Until the animals are rescued and re-homed, we are their family, and Christmas is the time for family.”

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their vital services increases.

To help get through the winter months, the Home recently launched a Winter Appeal, seeking donations to enable the Home to cope with the increased demand, continue providing vital support to animals in need and help people to keep their beloved pets at home.

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To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.

Donations of £20 can provide a cat with the vaccinations they require to be rehomed or £100 could keep a dog warm in the Home for three months.

Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. If you would like to donate but don’t wish to hear more, text SURRENDERNOINFO instead.

Scotland loves a bargain!

Scottish shoppers love hunting for second-hand deals – but when it comes to repairs, only one in five would mend a broken appliance

  • Half (49%) of consumers in Scotland say they enjoy looking for deals on second-hand and refurbished goods
  • More than one in three (39%) Scots would give a quality used or refurbished item to a loved one this Christmas as Amazon reveals the most popular ‘Second Chance’ shopping bargains

According to new research released today by Amazon, Scotland is a region of second-hand bargain hunters. Half (49%) say they enjoy hunting for deals on second-hand items, with almost a third (30%) saying they always seek second-hand or refurbished offers first.

The study also found 91% of people surveyed in Scotland check ‘used’ prices against new when shopping online, with 36% refusing to pay full price for anything, be it clothing, tech or homeware.

This openness to embracing quality used and refurbished products is likely to be reflected in Scotland’s Christmas stockings this festive season, with more than one in three people (39%) saying they would gift a quality second-hand item to a loved one.

Despite enthusiasm for buying second-hand and refurbished items, only one in four (23%) surveyed in Scotland would mend an appliance if it breaks. Instead of fixing it, 23% of adults surveyed in Scotland say they throw away items such as toasters and kettles when they break, while 36% say they recycle them.

The most common reasons for giving up on a repair were not knowing where to start and worrying that attempts to repair something would in fact make it worse. Amazon sold 4 million returned and refurbished products in the UK last year online through Amazon Second Chance (amazon.co.uk/amazonsecondchance), saving British customers more than £100 million.

In the first nine months of 2023, Amazon’s sales of second-hand goods in the UK increased by more than 15% compared to the same period last year.

Shoppers can bag bargains with up to 50% savings compared to recommended retail prices online and, for a limited time only, in person too at the new Second Chance Store in Central London.

The store also offers customers the chance to bring in broken home tech and laptops to its Repairs Zone for free advice and workshops on fixing them. In its opening week, home and kitchen items including upright hoovers and food blenders, game consoles and controllers, laptops, smartphones and toys were the most popular categories bought in the Second Chance Store.

“Some of the most popular products that people search for on Amazon are also available as quality second-hand items. When you buy second hand, you’re not just saving money, you are also giving a product a second chance. The beauty of second-hand shopping is that it’s like a treasure hunt. You never know what unique and valuable items you’ll discover while giving a second chance to pre-loved goods.” said Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline.

Generational attitudes to pre-loved shopping

Nationally, Gen Z – those born after 1996 – are the ones most likely to buy pre-loved items, with 31% of the clothes they wear and 33% of the tech they own being second hand, on average, according to the survey. More than four in 10 (44%) surveyed typically shop pre-loved first, but fewer than one in three (30%) would repair a broken appliance. 

Millennial shoppers – age 27 to 42 – are the most open to learning how to repair a broken tech item, with almost half (45%) surveyed saying they have visited a “repairs café” in the past 12 months. Nearly three quarters (72%) say they have successfully followed a DIY repairs video on YouTube.

The research also reveals that three in 10 Generation X shoppers – aged between 41 and 56 – look for second-hand deals first, but 27% admitted they wouldn’t trust themselves to do a ‘DIY repair’ at home, according to the research.

Baby Boomers surveyed are among the least likely to try to repair and prolong the life of their belongings, with just 28% looking for pre-loved items before new. Cutting costs is the biggest reason all age groups ‘bargain hunt’, with 87% believing it’s good to save money when shopping, even if they can afford to pay full price. 59% also feel it’s important to buy pre-loved, or to extend a product’s life, for the planet.

Customers can visit the Second Chance Store, stocked with quality returns from Amazon up until 12 December, with all sales proceeds going to Barnardo’s. Amazon also offers quality returned products year-round online at Amazon Second Chance (amazon.co.uk/amazonsecondchance), which also provides customers with information about product repair, recycling and trade-in for electronics. Purchases are backed by Amazon’s 30-day return policy and award-winning customer service.