Avant Homes Scotland will deliver 170 new homes in Rosyth with a gross development value of £43.85m after acquiring a 16.5-acre site with planning permission off Admiralty Road.
Called Stewart’s Quarter, the development will comprise a mix of two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes.
It will feature 13 of Avant Homes’ practically designed, energy-efficient detached and semi-detached properties. Prices for homes at Stewart’s Quarter will be released at a later date.
The housebuilder will be investing around £27m to deliver the development, supporting local businesses and communities over a five-year period.
Stewart’s Quarter will form part of the Rosyth Garden Village master plan which will see the delivery of a mixed-use development. Once complete, it will comprise up to 390 new homes, retail units, offices, sheltered housing and a care home.
Work has started at Stewart’s Quarter and it is anticipated the first homes will be released for sale towards the end of March. A show home is scheduled to open this September and the first residents are scheduled to move into their new homes in October.
Avant Homes Scotland managing director, Jim Wilkinson, said: “We are very pleased to have been able to acquire what is an excellent residential development site in Rosyth. It is a great place to live which will be enhanced even further by the Rosyth Garden Village master plan.
“Our objective is to build quality new homes for everyone and our mix of practically designed, energy efficient properties at Stewart’s Quarter available at a range of price points will ably demonstrate that.
“We already have many enquiries from people wanting to live at the development and now we have started work it has stimulated further interest. We look forward to releasing the first homes for sale and providing people with the opportunity to make their ideal next move.”
Avant Homes Scotland is part of the Avant Homes Group, whose house types are ideal for the private, rented, and affordable sectors. The company operates across Scotland, the north of England and Midlands from eight regional operating businesses.
At present, Avant Homes Group employs more than 600 people. The housebuilder’s ambition is to develop its multi-tenure business further across its existing regions and beyond, creating communities as well as providing employment opportunities.
Avant Homes Group is also committed to its environmental, social and governance (ESG) responsibilities in line with its vision to construct and sell “quality homes, for everyone”.
The housebuilder’s ESG strategy recognises its obligations to all stakeholders to deliver a sustainable future. Avant Homes’ house types are significantly more energy efficient compared to existing housing stock and appeal to a wide range of customers with different affordability requirements.
Each of Avant Homes’ developments provides a safe place for employees and sub-contractors to work as well supporting its supply chain. The housebuilder creates communities in places where people want to live.
Avant Homes is committed to securing sustainable growth through private for sale, PRS and additional affordable housing.
This better serves customers and communities, particularly where the cost of living has increased and affordability is stretched.
Avant Homes has invested in the internal expertise to develop and deliver strategic relationships with PRS investors as well as affordable housing providers.
The Group recently announced the sale of 306 new homes across eight developments to a leading private rented housing provider, Sigma Capital Group, for over £59.5m.
Four of the developments are in north east England, two in Yorkshire with the balance in the East Midlands. This significant PRS transaction demonstrates the company’s ability to deliver a significant volume of quality new homes to a major PRS investor.
For the year ended 30 June 2023, the Avant Homes Group delivered 1,766 completions.
Scottish developer Ken Ross, CEO of Hallhill Developments (HDL), is continuing to support the community of Dunbar by gifting 34 acres of land to the Dunbar Community Development & Heritage Trust (Trust) in a partnership with the local council and local community.
The land has been symbolically presented to the Trust for the sum of £1 and was accepted by Trust Chairman Norman Hampshire. This brings the total land gifted by the company over the last few years to the local community up to almost 100 acres.
The Trust plan to create a quality path network, a woodland classroom for local schools, a children’s play area, and a football pitch and changing rooms. Other exciting plans, subject to approval, include a skate park and pump track, and a community café. A Woodland Management Plan will also be developed to benefit the community of Dunbar and its local wildlife.
As part of its commitment to the local community and reflecting its sustainable values, in addition to the land gifted today, HDL previously gifted 15 acres of land which now hosts the Healthy Living Centre. This is a community sports hub with excellent facilities and is home to most of the community sports clubs in the town.
Land was also provided to East Lothian Council at a subsidised cost to deliver the primary school. In addition, over 50 acres of woodland has previously been gifted by HDL to the Trust, which is managed by Lochend Community Woodland Trust for the use of the community.
Ken Ross is passionate about creating healthy environments for people to live, work and play. His team, together with East Lothian Council, the Trust and others, incorporate active travel, safe routes to school together with access to open space and woodland areas to encourage and facilitate healthier lifestyles in their developments.
Hallhill Developments has been involved in the Dunbar area for over 30 years. An independent economic assessment in 2018 by Mackay Consulting identified that more than 600 jobs have been created in the area. To date, over £40m is now being contributed to the local economy every year at Hallhill and 1,700 homes have been built or are under construction in the area.
Since the inception of Hallhill, the population of Dunbar has increased from around 8,500 to circa 14,400, facilitating the delivery of education, road infrastructure and sporting facilities for the town.
Ken Ross, Director of Hallhill Developments, said:“Hallhill is now an area where people want to work, live, and play. Creating sustainable developments that will help to address climate change and the wider healthy living needs of the community is extremely important and is part of the wider vision of Hallhill Developments.
“This land is a gift to the local community of Dunbar, via the Trust. We want to see local people having access to this land and utilising it for a variety of active lifestyle purposes. I’m delighted with the plans the Trust have for the land.”
Norman Hampshire, East Lothian Council Leader and Chair of the Dunbar Community Development & Heritage Trust commented: “I am delighted on behalf of the Trust to accept this further gift of land for the people of Dunbar.
“This project is a perfect example of how a partnership of the Community, Council and a developer can work together to create a strong sustainable community.
“The Community will produce a Woodland Management Plan to improve the woodland for the benefit of the Dunbar community and its wildlife. We will have a quality path network and a woodland classroom that will be an asset for the school.
“The open space area in the middle of the woodland already has planning consent for a football pitch and changing rooms, along with a children’s play area. The Trust have applied to also deliver a skate park and pump track, along with a community café alongside the football pitch. This will complete one of the best community sports and recreation facilities in Scotland.”
Loch Ness Centre calling for eager explorers to join 8-month search
Last summer, The Loch Ness Centre hosted one of the largest ever hunts for Nessie. Over the course of the weekend, thousands of people took part, searching for the elusive creature that has captured the world’s imagination. Results from the weekend included an influx of mysterious sightings and unexplained noises, furthering the belief that something is out there waiting to be discovered.
This Spring, The Loch Ness Centre is embarking on another exhilarating journey as they delve into the mysteries in and around the famous loch. From March 29th to November 3rd, the Centre will be conducting research to map and photograph the vibrant wildlife thriving around the Scottish waters.
The Loch Ness Centre is asking both locals and visitors to join the search in attempt to uncover the secrets of Loch Ness and document the magnificent deer, graceful salmon, enigmatic eels, or perhaps even the legendary monster.
With the new season on the horizon, The Loch Ness Centre is gearing up to welcome a flurry of new visitors eager to learn more about the iconic loch and its history.
Spring is synonymous with new life and budding nature, the perfect time for The Loch Ness Centre to launch its Wildlife Watch and encourage people, from near and far, to look out for the beauty and abundance of wildlife in and around the Loch.
The Scottish Highlands is home to a variety of amazing wildlife and eager eyes may witness playful otters, majestic buzzards and kites, whimsical red squirrels, and the awe-inspiring flights of eagles and ospreys.
Participants are being asked to report on what they see and when, alongside further details such as the weather conditions and the loch’s surface water condition, with all findings being logged for the final report in November. Where possible watchers are being asked to take a photo of any findings.
The warmer weather also facilitates the return of the Deepscan Cruises, giving visitors the opportunity to climb onboard with Captain Alistair Matheson, to search the water right from the source. This one-of-a-kind, intimate experience takes guests on a journey across the incredible body of water, to witness the breath-taking beauty of Urquhart Castle and search the depths of the loch using world-class sonar equipment on board.
Paul Nixon, General Manager of the Loch Ness Centre, said:“We’re so excited to be launching our Wildlife Watch.
“When talking about Loch Ness we instantly think of Nessie, yet there are so many other amazing creatures right on our doorstep here in Loch Ness. We encourage everybody to take part in spotting some of Scotland’s amazing wildlife and who knows what else, or who else, you might see along the way!
“We can’t wait to see what people find and document, to give us a better understanding of what we share this amazing place with.”
Anyone can join the adventure and be part of the Wildlife Watch, whether that’s from onboard the Deepscan or watching from the loch shores.
NHS Lothian has launched a striking new campaign to stub out smoking on hospital sites.Staff members across NHS Lothian hospitals have teamed up to urge patients, visitors and other members of staff not to light-up near hospitals.
They aim to create a healthier environment for patients, visitors, and employees and help protect those most at risk as they receive urgent care in hospitals across Lothian, including the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the Western General Hospital, St John’s Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences.
The campaign, titled “All Areas Are Smoke Free”, uses life size pop-up banners which feature seven members of staff asking people not to smoke on hospital premises.
The banners, which are strategically placed in high-traffic areas where the most smoking takes place, serve as a visual reminder of the importance of maintaining clean air and smoke-free environments.
Healthcare staff, who help deliver lifesaving care every day, are some of the most trusted and valued people in society and it is hoped that their direct appeal will make a difference.
Dona Milne, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian, said: “Smoke Free Hospitals are about ensuring that our patients, staff and visitors can come to our hospitals and breathe clean air.
“Unfortunately, there are still areas on our hospital grounds where we know people are smoking. This is why we’re pleased to launch this campaign as part of our ongoing commitment to promoting health and well-being on our hospital sites.
“We hope to create a cultural shift towards smoke-free environments that prioritises the health of everyone who walks through our doors.”
All hospital grounds have been designated as smoke free areas since 2015. This was further enhanced in 2022 by the introduction of a £50 fixed penalty notice to those who smoke within the 15 metres of a hospital building.
NHS Lothian aims to amplify the reach and impact of the campaign and has been running Smoke Free information sessions with staff members to foster a supportive network committed to reducing smoking prevalence on NHS Lothian hospital sites.
Kate Thomas, a Radiologist at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People who features in the campaign, said: “Children come to our hospital to be treated for asthma and cancer.
“We need them to breathe clean air.“Please do not smoke on our hospital grounds.”
Joanna Mackenzie, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, was also featured in the campaign and said: “I ask my patients to do the difficult job of stopping smoking before their head and neck cancer treatment.
“Please support our cancer patients by not smoking on our hospital grounds.”
Stephen Gallacher, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, A&E, St John’s Hospital, said: “Patients are being treated in A&E for serious, life-threatening and life changing conditions.
“It is not acceptable for our patients to be met with smoke when they come into hospital. Please do not smoke on our hospital grounds.”
Support for anyone who wants to stop smoking is available from the Quit Your Way service.
The Fringe Be Inspired Fund is an opportunity for teachers and schools in north Edinburgh to receive up to £400 of funding at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024.
The funds must be spent on accessing live performance, engagement with companies and opportunities for further experience and education in performance for your young people.
Newly Relaunched Marriott Hotel supports Local Edinburgh charity with over £11,000 worth of recycled items following major refurbishment
The recent redevelopment of the former Holyrood Hotel to the new Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood has resulted in the property donating more than £11,000 worth of quality furniture, from armchairs and artwork to televisions and desks to Edinburgh-based charity Scottish Veterans Residences (SVR), following the completion of an extensive refurbishment.
The charity – a registered housing support service based at Whitefoord House, within the City’s UNESCO site in the Old Town – provides supported housing for former members of the UK Armed Forces and their services are available to anyone who has served in HM Forces, Reserve Forces or Merchant Marine, regardless of age or length of service, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The team have welcomed Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood’s donation as a vital contribution to their services.
Kirsty Smeaton Brown, SVR’s Residence Manager at Whitefoord House, said: “The donation is a welcome surprise and addition to the Whitefoord House site, which will enhance our communal and living areas.
“We are delighted to be able to make such good use of recycled high-quality furniture and our residents and staff are very grateful for this thoughtful and community-spirited donation.”
The hotel, also located in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic old town is now under new ownership and showcasing the renowned Marriott Hotel standards to their guests.
The hotel’s interiors have been refurbished to the tune of £10m and as a result, the existing furniture from the Holyrood property was recycled and donated to the Residences to support their community.
Michael Falla, General Manager of Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood, commented: “The relaunch of Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood marked a long and exciting development for the City and the Marriott brand.
“The hotel team’s hard work and commitment took the Hotel to the next stage of its journey, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to serve our local community.
“We are very proud to be able to play our part in the incredibly worthwhile mission Scottish Veterans Residences fulfil daily and the support they offer to former members of the UK Armed Forces by donating the furniture we replaced during the refurbishment.”
Scottish Veterans Residences also operate at Rosendael, Dundee and Bellrock Close, in the East End of Glasgow.
To learn more about Scottish Veterans Residences and to donate directly, visit https://www.svronline.org
For more information on the newly refurbished Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood, visit www.marriott.com/edimh
Would you like to contribute to the restoration of oysters in the Firth of Forth? Become an Oyster Volunteer!
Oyster Volunteers will get involved in oyster biosecurity, develop skills in citizen science and oyster monitoring and raise awareness of the cultural and environmental importance of oysters in the Firth of Forth.
If you would be interested in finding out more about the opportunities available, drop by the Heart of Newhaven (Anchor East 2 room) on 21st March any time between 12 – 2pm for a chat.
hubCAP Gallery is delighted to present “Nancy’s House,” a new thought-provoking exhibition by artist Megan Rudden.
The show features work produced during and after Megan’s tenure as an artist in residence at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus, exploring the intersection of site-specific art, spiritualism, and metaphysical research.
Megan’s deep engagement with the location of the college, built on the grounds where her great grandparents once lived and worked, has resulted in a unique and collaborative body of work which reflects not only on the physical site, but delves into the realms of the unseen. Many of the works in this exhibition have been made in collaboration, with Megan’s family, with her peers in psychic training at Glasgow Spiritual Centre and with the spirit of her great gran Nancy.
During this residency, Megan immersed herself in the history and atmosphere of her great-grandparents’ home. From conducting a séance in a meeting room to contacting spirits in the college library, she utilised a variety of methods to connect with the past. The exhibition showcases a range of works, including sculptures, drawings, film and writing, which together navigate the tangible and intangible aspects of the place.
Megan Rudden is an artist, writer and psychic medium in training. Through an interdisciplinary practice her work attempts to create non-linear, trans-historical narratives that use place as a focal point to connect stories across time. With a background in sculpture, Megan is interested in how language can evoke materiality, resulting in a captivating and immersive experience for the audience.
The public is invited to the opening event on Thursday, 21st March, from 5pm to 8pm at hubCAP Gallery. The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday to Friday, 11 am to 4 pm, until 27th March.
Join us in experiencing “Nancy’s House,” where art, history, and the metaphysical converge in a captivating exploration of past and present.
Event Details:
Exhibition Dates: Monday – Friday, 11 am – 4 pm, until 27th March
Major package of reforms to support small businesses in PM’s first economic speech since the Spring Budget
£60 million new investment to enable up to 20,000 more apprenticeships, including for young people and small businesses
Unnecessary regulatory burdens to be slashed through Brexit freedoms saving around £150 million per year for thousands of small businesses
New taskforce to be established to boost private investment in women-led businesses and make the UK the best place in the world to be a female founder
In his first economic speech since the Spring Budget, the Prime Minister is expected to set out a major package of reforms to support businesses to deliver more apprenticeship places, cut red tape for SMEs and leverage more private investment in female founders at the Business Connect conference in Warwickshire today.
The UK Government will fully fund apprenticeships in small businesses from 1st April by paying the full cost of training for anyone up to the age of 21 – reducing costs and burdens for businesses and delivering more opportunities for young people to kick start their careers.
This will remove the need for small employers to meet some of the cost of training and saves time and costs for providers like further education colleges who currently need to source funding separately from the government and businesses.
The move is underpinned by an additional £60 million of new government funding for next year, guaranteeing that where there is demand for apprenticeships from businesses, the government will ensure there is enough funding to deliver them.
From the start of April, the government will also increase the amount of funding that employers who are paying the apprenticeship levy can pass onto other businesses. Apprenticeships can currently be funded by a levy paying employer transferring up to 25% of their unused levy to a different employer.
Under the new measures, large employers who pay the apprenticeship levy will be able to transfer up to 50% of their funds to support other businesses, including smaller firms, to take on apprentices. This will help SMEs hire more apprentices by reducing costs and enabling more employers to get the skilled workers they need while unlocking more opportunities for young people in a huge range of sectors, industries, and professions.
Hundreds of large levy-paying employers have already taken advantage of the opportunity to transfer their unused levy funds to other businesses. As of [December 2023], 530 employers including ASDA, HomeServe and BT Group have pledged to transfer over £35.39 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes since September 2021.
Taken together, these measures are expected to enable up to 20,000 more apprenticeships, primarily for young people, and is part of our plan to build a stronger economy and deliver a brighter future where hard work is rewarded and young people get the skills they need to succeed in life.
The Westminster government says this builds on their record of ‘transforming apprenticeships’ over the last decade. Since 2010, they have helped 5.7 million people start an apprenticeship, working with employers to develop almost 700 new high-quality standards and increasing the funding for apprenticeships to over £2.7 billion from next year.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Growing up in my mum’s pharmacy, I know first-hand how important small businesses are. Not just for the economy, but as a driver for innovation and aspiration, and as the key to building a society where hard work is always recognised and rewarded.
“Whether it’s breaking down barriers and red tape for small businesses, helping businesses hire more young people into apprenticeships and skilled jobs or empowering women to start up their own businesses – this government is sticking to the plan and leaving no stone unturned to make the UK the best place to do business.
“Taken together, these measures will unlock a tidal wave of opportunity and make a real difference to businesses and entrepreneurs across the country.”
Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan said: “This Government has built a world-leading apprenticeship system from the ground-up – with apprenticeships now available in around 70 per cent of all occupations.
“Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for businesses to develop the skills they need, and these new measures will help more businesses and young people benefit from them.
“Our plan to deliver a high-growth, high-skilled economy is working, with more opportunities available to young people than ever before.”
This is the third Business Connect conference to take place since it was launched by the Prime Minister last year and is expected to convene over 150 SMEs, as well as government ministers to discuss how we can further support businesses to grow and thrive in the UK.
The Prime Minister is also expected to announce further deregulatory measures to simplify both non-financial and financial reporting for SMEs which is expected to save thousands of businesses across the UK around £150 million per year.
This includes increasing the number of companies which qualify as a smaller or medium sized business through a 50% uplift to the thresholds that determine a company’s size. This is expected to benefit up to 132,000 businesses who will be spared from burdensome form-filling and non-financial reporting requirements.
The existing onerous and outdated thresholds were previously set by the EU, but our Brexit freedoms mean we can now raise the thresholds to ensure they’re more proportionate and better reflect the needs of British businesses. This has also allowed us to go further than the EU, who recently raised its thresholds by 25%.
The government is also removing several duplicative and bureaucratic EU reporting requirements, including for what companies must set out in their annual reports, whilst also making it easier for companies to share digitalised annual reports rather than paper copies – ensuring businesses practices are fit for the modern age.
Taken together, these changes are expected to deliver around £150 million of savings for SMEs per year and save small businesses at least 1 million hours per year in total.
The Government will also consult on further changes later this year including exempting medium-sized companies from producing strategic reports, which could save them a further £148 million a year and raising the employee size threshold from 250 to 500 employees, which will mean around 1,000 more large companies could become SMEs.
Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch said: “Almost every job in the UK is owed to what is, or what previously was, an SME. They are the engines of economic growth for this country.
“Whether it’s through cutting red tape, unlocking investment or lowering business costs, today’s announcements show that this government is committed to doing all it can to turbo-charge SMEs so that they can go further and faster than ever before.”
Speaking directly to businesses and delegates at the event, the Prime Minister will underline the government’s plan to create the economic conditions to encourage entrepreneurship and drive growth.
As part of this, the Prime Minister is expected to announce a new industry led Invest in Women Taskforce to unlock private investment in female business leaders and make the UK the best place in the world to be a female founder.
For too long, innovative, women-led start-ups have been held back due to a lack of finance and the proportion of equity capital investment going to all-female founder teams has been stuck at around 2% in the UK for the past decade.
The core aim of the Taskforce is to raise a bespoke funding pot for female-founded businesses through private capital and address the wider challenges that female entrepreneurs specifically face to help unlock their potential to establish and grow their enterprises.
The new taskforce will be industry led and co-chaired by entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow and Barclay’s Hannah Bernard, with Small Business Minister, Kevin Hollinrake, representing the government. The membership of the taskforce will be set out in due course.
Hannah Bernard OBE, Co-Chair of the Invest in Women taskforce and Head of Business Banking, Barclays UK said: “This is an area I am incredibly passionate about, so it is a privilege to be offered this position.
“I believe that the key to the UK’s growth will be enabling every single entrepreneur in this country to thrive; female entrepreneurs face significantly higher barriers to get their businesses the support and investment they need, from seed funding for start-ups, through to the challenges of gaining scale-up investment.
“I’m really excited to be working with Debbie who is an ideal partner given her entrepreneurial credentials and I believe together, we can make a real difference.
Debbie Wosskow OBE, Co-Chair of the Invest in Women taskforce and multi exit entrepreneur said: “Women leading businesses shouldn’t have to face funding challenges to build and grow their business, because of their gender.
“As an experienced entrepreneur, who founded her first business 25 years ago, I know first-hand the importance of breaking down barriers and making meaningful change for female led businesses.
“By putting funding front and centre of this Taskforce, we aim to make the UK the best place in the world to be a female founder.”
In 2024, the year of the SME, the UK government continues to back small businesses as the lifeblood of the economy:
‘The single biggest way we are backing businesses is by the economic conditions for them to thrive, which is why the government has worked hard to deliver on our priorities to halve inflation, grow the economy and cut debt.
‘We have made good progress on our plan. Inflation has fallen from 11.1% to 4.0%, the economy has performed better than forecast, wages are rising, mortgage rates are starting to come down, the economy has outperformed European neighbours and debt is on track to fall as a share of the economy.
‘Because of the progress we have made, the economy is turning a corner and we have been able to afford tax cuts as part of our plan to reward work and grow the economy. But we know there is more to do which is why we’re sticking to the plan to keep building an even stronger economy to support businesses to establish and grow their roots in the UK.’
Martin McTague, National Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “We welcome these very important announcements on apprenticeships, as well as other action including helping more women start up in business.The Prime Minister is right to take decisive steps to support small employers do what they do best, providing jobs and opportunities in their local communities.
“We have campaigned for more levy-paying businesses to be able to transfer their funds to small businesses in their supply chain, and for crucial support on costs, so we’re pleased to see the Prime Minister make this intervention today.
“Time and resources are in short supply for small businesses and so increasing the amount of funding for training costs will help to improve the number of small firms entering the apprenticeship system.
“Apprenticeships are an effective way of allowing small firms to recruit and up-skill talented people and these measures are a positive way to bolster the number of businesses taking on apprentices.”
Anthony Impey, Chief Executive of Be The Business and Chair of Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, said: “Small businesses are run by some of the country’s most impressive and resilient people, but they are time poor and need a simple, straight-forward skills offer to access the talent they need to grow their businesses.
“These changes will make a real difference in opening up apprenticeships for young people to kick start their careers at a time when small businesses are pushing forward to boost their productivity.”
Marginalised groups in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia to benefit
Support to make quality education accessible to all in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia has been strengthened with funding of £356,000 from Scottish Government for the Inclusive Education Policy Academy.
The Academy forms part of the World Bank’s Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) programme and is a hands-on professional development programme designed to improve access to education for some of these countries’ most marginalised groups, such as learners with additional support needs and women.
The launch marks the Scottish Government’s first participation in a World Bank programme and underlines the Programme for Government commitment to fostering inclusive education practices globally and supporting its partner countries in achieving equitable access to quality education.
International Development Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “We’re committed to supporting inclusive education worldwide and the World Bank’s FLC programme will help us take a significant step towards providing quality education for all in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia, including marginalised groups.
“By providing resources into this transformative initiative, we will empower educators in our Global South partner countries to create environments where every learner can thrive.
“We look forward to seeing the positive impact the Academy will have on the lives of millions of people across the world, and particularly in our partner countries through our new partnership and funding.
“The support fits with our broader commitment to education programming as we strive towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals, particularly with increasing access for marginalised groups, which include girls and learners with additional support needs.”
Luis Benveniste, World Bank Global Director for Education, said: “We are thrilled that the FLC is the first World Bank fund to receive support from the Scottish Government.
“Children everywhere will welcome this new ally in the fight to strengthen and improve inclusive access to quality education. We look forward to working with our Scottish partners on this critical initiative.”
