Month: June 2024

Can you help us shape one of the biggest untold stories in Scottish social history?

General public and former whalers and their families sought to help co-design new online Whalers’ Memory Bank

In June 2023 the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the South Georgia Museum launched a project called The Whalers’ Memory Bank.

Supported by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project is about creating a living, growing digital time capsule where veterans of the whaling industry, their families and communities can come together to contribute and share their stories with a wider audience. 

Since then, the South Georgia Museum has been busy collecting hundreds of stories, photographs and memorabilia from the former whaling communities – the response has been amazing. 

But we want to make sure we tell these stories in a way that captures everyone’s imagination. Presenting stories in a way the former whaling communities want to see, but also in a way that appeals to a wider audience so they can understand this important slice of Scottish social history.

That is why we are putting out a call for anyone who wants to join us either for a short workshop or just drop in and find out more and give us your thoughts.

Over the weekend of 22 and 23 June there are a number of opportunities to join in and help us through a range of workshops and drop-in sessions that are taking place.

Saturday 22 June – we will be at The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine. We will be running a workshop from 10.30am until 12.00 which we are encouraging people to book onto. We will also be running a drop-in session for general visitors to the museum from 2-4pm. 

Sunday 23 June – we will be at The Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther. We will be running a workshop from 11.00am until 12.30 which we are encouraging people to book onto. We will also be running a drop-in session for general visitors to the museum from 1.30-3.30pm. 

Each workshop will last about an hour and a half and we would welcome any former whalers and their families to come along, bring any memories or stories you want to share but, most importantly, be happy to help us shape our early thoughts and ideas on the Memory Bank.

But you don’t need to have had any association with whaling to join in. We are really looking forward to getting input and feedback from the general public so you can also either book onto one of the workshops or come and join us anytime during the drop-in sessions over the weekend should you be at either of the museums.

To book onto a workshop on either Saturday 22 or Sunday 23 May email memorybank@sght.org or just drop in if you want to join us for a more casual chat at the drop-in sessions.

Please note there is an entrance fee for both museums. Workshop attendance is free, but if you wish to visit the rest of the museum once it is ended there will be a reduced entrance fee of £4 for the Scottish Maritime Museum and £5 for the Scottish Fisheries Museum.  

Helen Balfour, Community Engagement Officer for the Memory Bank said: “The story of modern whaling in the Southern Hemisphere is a controversial one with British companies playing a key role in the industry.

“These companies had a largely Scottish workforce, with many from Shetland. Now, only a dwindling number of men survive that have first-hand memories of this industry, an integral part of Scottish and Shetland’s social history. 

“As someone from a family with many connections to whaling, I am conscious that this is story well known to some but not one that is more widely understood or discussed. We don’t only want to delve into the stories of whalers, we want to explore questions such as: why was whaling so important? how did it help power the world between the wars, and what was it like to live, and work from the remote island of South Georgia in the Southern Ocean?

“We have already done some workshops in Shetland in May where we really learnt a lot from whalers, their families and the community. We want to continue that work and hope to see as many people as possible over the weekend of 22 and 23 June to help us shape and tell this hidden piece of Scotland’s social history.”

Linda Fitzpatrick, Head Curator at the Scottish Fisheries Museum who is also helping with the wider collections management of the project said: “This unique project has many features that resonate with the work we do at the Scottish Fisheries Museum to engage audiences with topics relating to the heritage and development of fishing technologies, including whaling. 

“There is no doubt that reflecting on whaling is problematic: it was brutal and exploitative, and few would welcome its return.  Nevertheless, the industry was an important feature of Scotland’s industrial development and generated a distinct and vibrant culture.  

“This is an important moment, therefore, to reach out to ex-whalers and their communities to capture the living memories of those who took part in the industry and to preserve them for the future.  

“We warmly invite anyone with an interest in the subject to come along over the weekend to either museum over the weekend of the 22 and 23 June.”

Police Scotland agrees deal for body worn video

Police Scotland has agreed a national contract to implement body worn video for frontline officers and staff across Scotland, over the next three years.

Motorola Solutions UK Limited was successful in securing the £13.3m contract and work has already started to design, build and implement this new capability.

The contract includes the purchase of 10,500, Home Office-approved VB400 cameras and supporting back-office systems.

Since taking command in October 2023, Chief Constable Jo Farrell has prioritised body worn video.

The equipment can help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing and reduce complaints, support officer and staff safety, and bring wider benefits to the criminal justice system.

Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors said: “The introduction of body worn video will transform policing in Scotland and a national roll-out is a key priority for the Chief Constable.

“Body worn video can significantly enhance public confidence and support officer and public safety by providing effective and transparent evidence of police and public actions.

“Body worn video will also improve the quality of evidence presented in court to deliver faster justice for victims by increasing early guilty pleas and reducing time spent at court for victims, witnesses and police officers.

“We know there is strong public and partner support for body worn video in Scotland and we will continue to explain policing’s use of this important technology, including assurance around data privacy and human rights considerations.

“Appointing a supplier is an important step and we are working at pace with Motorola Solutions to ensure that body worn video is embedded effectively for frontline officers and staff as soon as possible.

“We also want to maximise the benefits of body worn video for the wider criminal justice system to improve efficiencies and experiences for victims and we are working with Motorola and partners to that end.

“This is a complex programme of work, but appointing a supplier is a big step forward and we’ll continue to share details as progress is made.”

A national roll-out of body worn video was a key recommendation of Lady Elish Angiolini’s independent review of police complaints, published in 2020.

Our national public consultation on body worn video received more than 9,000 responses and showed overwhelming support for its introduction, with 81 per cent agreeing that it would increase public confidence in policing.

Chair of the Scottish Police Authority, Martyn Evans, said: “This a welcome development in the project to roll out body worn video to frontline officers as soon as possible.

“This remains a priority for the Authority in terms of the safety of officers, effectiveness of investigations and in building trust and confidence.”

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “I am pleased that the Scottish Government’s record police funding of £1.55 billion for Police Scotland this year has meant that a national contract has been awarded which will introduce body worn video for officers and staff.

“Body worn video can increase public confidence in policing, protect officers’ safety and support the investigation and prosecution of crime, benefitting victims and witnesses and the general public.

“I welcome the Chief Constable’s assurance that the national roll-out is a key priority.”

Motorola Solutions was awarded the contract on the basis of quality and value for money and a range of technical requirements. The new system is anticipated to work smoothly in areas with lower quality network connections, including rural locations, and we are also investing in our network capability to support this.

Mark Schmidl, senior vice president for international sales at Motorola Solutions, said: “We are proud to support Police Scotland with its nationwide deployment of the VB400, an innovative technology solution developed in Scotland, which will play an important role in helping to make communities safer.”

Every frontline uniformed police officer including Special Constables will be expected to wear a video camera on their uniform while on duty and to activate it when using police powers, whether it be a stop and search, an arrest of a suspect or executing a search warrant.

Police staff in custody suites will also use body worn video when interacting with people in custody.

Officers and custody staff will begin using body worn video once the technical infrastructure is established, operational processes embedded, and training is complete.

Body worn video will be rolled out on a phased basis across the country and more details will be announced at a later date.

Seeing the Funny Side: Taking on the Edinburgh Fringe with Sight Loss

Sight loss and the Edinburgh Fringe

Comedian Jake Donaldson is partially blind, or partially sighted, depending on your outlook on life, but what’s it really like to be a visually impaired comedian?

With tickets to his four-week stand-up show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe now available, Jake is keen to dispel misunderstandings about sight loss. “Sometimes people come up to me and say, ‘You’re not actually blind though, are you? That’s just made up for your comedy’. Just because someone isn’t wearing dark glasses and accompanied by a guide dog, it doesn’t mean they’re not visually impaired” he says.

Jake (30) from Newcastle Upon Tyne has been writing and performing comedy since he was a teenager. Having performed previously at the Fringe and at comedy clubs across the UK, his work also includes his 2022 show, ‘Neurotica’ now streaming on Amazon Prime and NextUp.

“I always enjoyed comedy when I was little, and I spent all my pocket money on stand-up DVDs or tickets to see comedians rather than CDs and clothes like most of my friends,” he says. “I joined comedy groups at university, and we performed shows together, I got the bug then and ever since, I’ve been pursuing stand-up.”

This year’s show, ‘Spectacle’ will explore Jake’s sight loss journey. The show will feature a unique use of light and sound to create a sensory experience for audiences. “My eyesight is something that I’ve had to deal with my whole life,” says Jake.

“But it’s now in my 30s that I’m really facing the reality of being visually impaired and what that means for my future. Spectacle feels like a new level of performance for me. I think it will give audiences a new sense of perspective about how they see the world – literally – as well as an hour of laughs.”

Off stage, Jake has been supported by his local Eye Care Liaison Officer (ECLO), a service managed in hospitals across the UK by leading sight loss charity RNIB and other providers. Alongside practical support to help people maintain their independence, they also offer emotional reassurance. Jake adds, “My ECLO has been great, he’s been really instrumental in helping me come to terms with the reality of my sight loss.”

Jake is not the only comedian with sight loss on the comedy circuit, but he is usually the only one on the bill. “It’s rare for multiple visually impaired performers to get booked on the same gig because bookers assume we’ll all be similar,” he says. “In reality, we’re all varied in our styles and kinds of comedy we do.”

And what about venue accessibility?

“In the past, I have been discounted from gigs because the venue was not reachable by public transport, and they automatically assumed I don’t have access to someone who could drive me, but this has thankfully only happened a few times.

“I’m lucky in that, for the most part, I’m usually able to navigate most venues with the sight I do have and my guide cane.

“However, often comedy gigs happen in rooms above pubs or comedy clubs in dark basements which could easily prove difficult for performers in terms of accessibility. The vast majority of bookers and promoters I’ve personally worked with have been super helpful, accommodating and understanding about my access requirements.”

What’s next for Jake?

“Spectacle is a show that I’m incredibly proud of and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it. I want to continue making comedy and sharing it with the wider world. I’m really excited about building my own audience through touring because I love being a comedian. I will continue to push myself out of my comfort zone and create new and exciting shows in the future.”

*Jake’s show, ‘Spectacle‘, is at Just the Tonic – The Mash House (Venue 288) at 6.40pm from 1-11 and 13-25 August 2024.

Taylor Swift-inspired pipe band performance welcomes star to Scotland

SCOTTISH GAS WELCOMES SUPERSTAR SCOTTISH LASS

Taylor Swift with her Scottish ancestry was welcomed to Edinburgh by bagpipers playing her biggest hits.  

With the star performing at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium from Friday 7th – Sunday 9th June, stadium sponsorship signage has also been aptly changed to ‘Scottish Lass’ to greet the singer and celebrate her Scottish roots.

As the first UK leg on her sold-out Era’s tour, Edinburgh residents rolled out a warm welcome in the best way they know how, with eight highland bagpipers and three drummers taking to their instruments to toot out the tune to Taylor’s earlier hit, Love Story.

Roddy Deans, Pipe Major of The Reel Time Band, said “Taylor’s tunes translate surprisingly well to traditional Scottish instruments.

“We’re all huge music fans, so we’re delighted to help welcome Taylor to Scotland in the best way we know how. It’s been a lot of fun recreating Love Story on the bagpipes and putting this ensemble together.”

The Reel Time Pipe Band, who have played all over the world and for audiences including The Royal Family, prepared with 32 hours of rehearsal to deliver the over one-minute Taylor Swift smash hit.

Scottish Children’s Services Coalition: 137 children wait over a year for mental health treatment

New figures show 137 children waiting more for a year for mental health treatment  

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, is calling for the Scottish Government to renew its focus on tackling the child mental health emergency.

The SCSC has also warned that the Scottish Government is in in danger of missing its Programme for Government commitment to Increase direct investment into mental health by the end of the parliamentary term, noting that only 75p in every £100 is spent on specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

While health is a devolved matter, it has also noted that the General Election provides an ideal opportunity to talk about this crucial matter in Scotland.

The call comes as the latest waiting time figures from Public Health Scotland, published on 4th June, indicate that 137 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from CAMHS in the quarter ending March 2024.

The figures also show that a total of 5,557 children and young people were still stuck on waiting lists to start treatment at the end of that quarter.

In addition, just 86.0 per cent of patients with mental health problems were seen within 18 weeks from referral to treatment at CAMHS. This falls short of the Scottish Government’s waiting time target of 90 per cent being seen within 18 weeks.

This comes against the background of an increasing level of violent incidents in the classroom, a result in part due to the current mental health emergency, exacerbated by the long shadow of the Covid lockdown and cost-of-living crisis.

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, cases of poor mental health in children and young people were at unprecedented levels, with under-resourced services struggling to keep pace with growing demand, leaving an increasing number of vulnerable individuals unable to access support.

The Scottish Government in its NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 committed to Increase direct investment into mental health by the end of the parliamentary term in 2026, ensuring that 10 per cent of the frontline NHS budget is invested in mental health, with 1 per cent directed specifically to children and young people through CAMHS.2

However, it should be noted that despite greatly increased demand, only 0.75% of the total frontline NHS budget was spent on CAMHS in the 2022/23 financial year, amounting to £114.799 million (real terms), just 75p in every £100 of the NHS budget.

The mental health budget overall amounts to only 8.53% of total frontline NHS expenditure, a decrease of 0.59% from 9.12% in the past decade (2011/12).3

The SCSC is calling the Scottish Government to refocus on the treatment of mental health issues, prioritising spending and avoiding a potential lost generation of children and young people with mental health problems.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “The latest figures, highlighting that 137 children and young people have been waiting over a year for treatment from mental health services, is extremely alarming.

“We are facing a mental health emergency, and many of our children and young people are at breaking point, with stress and anxiety reaching alarming levels. Despite this, too many are waiting too long for treatment, and if the Scottish Government is to reach its financial commitment to spend 1 per cent of the frontline NHS budget on CAMHS, it will need to radically increase investment.

“While health is a devolved matter, this General Election provides an opportunity to talk about it, and we would urge the Scottish Government to refocus its efforts on delivering services that adequately address the needs of our children and young people.”

It’s a Love Story: Taylor Swift experience comes to Fort Kinnaird

To celebrate the arrival of the hotly anticipated Eras Tour in Edinburgh, Fort Kinnaird is welcoming a Taylor Swift performer to the centre for an afternoon of sparkles and style.

If you missed out on tickets, the event will help you ‘Shake It Off’, with the chance for Swifties to visit the centre on Friday 7th June and enjoy a free live performance from the superstar impersonator. 

‘Taylor’ will be at the centre from 12pm – 4pm, performing songs including Shake It Off, You Belong With Me, and Love Story. Glitter tattoos and meet and greet opportunities will make the event every fan’s ‘Wildest Dream’.  

The performance will take place across the centre, starting outside ODEON, and booking is not required but there will be crowd management in place on the day. 

Lisa Hawkins, Marketing Manager at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We know just how excited our community is for the Eras Tour to visit Edinburgh and we wanted to continue the celebrations at the centre with our very own Taylor Swift experience. 

“Whether you’re a Fearless fan or an Evermore enthusiast, this is the perfect opportunity to get together with likeminded Swifties and have some fun. Fans going to the tour can even finish off the day with some last-minute shopping for their perfect outfit.”   

For more information and to plan your day out at Fort Kinnaird, please visit:

 www.fortkinnaird.com

WE MAKE MUSIC INSTRUMENT LIBRARIES

Borrow an instrument like you’re borrowing a book

Scotland’s flagship Tinderbox Orchestra announces Live in Libraries UK & Ireland Tour to spread a campaign that gets musical instruments into public libraries so people can borrow them for free, just like borrowing a book! 

First dates (more to be announced):

  • 21st June, Glasgow – Mitchell Library (World Music Day) | tickets will be available here
  • 6th July, Leeds – Central Library | tickets will be available here
  • 4th July, Manchester – Henry Watson Music Library | tickets will be available here
  • 8-10, 15-17, 22-24th August, Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Edinburgh Central Library | tickets here

Ahead of this year’s World Music Day (21 June), Tinderbox Orchestra is pleased to announce that its ground-breaking 20-piece orchestra will undertake a tour of UK libraries to spread a national campaign to get musical instruments into public libraries, so people can borrow them for free, just like taking out a book.

The tour will see rappers and singers performing alongside heavy brass, strings, woodwind and a thundering backline.

The We Make Music Instrument Libraries initiative has been growing in Scotland for the past few years and has now spread to over 10 local authorities and 30 community libraries across the country.

Thousands of people have borrowed instruments and these libraries are introducing a whole package of music lessons, workshops, live gigs and events into their buildings, bringing crowds of new people into libraries and supporting music and educational opportunities for communities across Scotland.

The campaign started when a local youth music project run by Tinderbox Collective teamed up with Muirhouse Library in North Edinburgh, to enable children and families to borrow instruments during the summer holiday.

It worked so well the idea got picked up by other library services and local music organisations, who formed a growing Scotland-wide collective, convened by the Music Education Partnership Group and We Make Music Scotland.

They ran a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2022 which gathered donations of hundreds of second-hand instruments. These were serviced to a good standard and placed in libraries across the country, giving thousands of people the opportunity to try out saxophones, guitars, ukuleles, trumpets and all sorts of other instruments.

Tinderbox Orchestra are now taking this campaign and initiative further afield. Funded by PRS Foundation’s Beyond Borders programme, they are bringing their five-star show and 20-piece band together with local acts to perform at libraries in Northern England and Scotland for the first leg of the tour with more dates to be announced soon. 

Initial dates include Glasgow’s Mitchell Library, Manchester’s Henry Watson Music Library, Leeds Central Library, and a run of 9 shows at Edinburgh’s Central Library as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where they will present their new show Outwith Words: Tinderbox Orchestra & Loud Poets, featuring collaborations with some of Scotland’s leading spoken word artists. 

A new crowdfunding campaign will accompany the tour with a call-out for second-hand instruments to help kickstart instrument libraries wherever they go.

They also plan to release a Live in Libraries album as part of the campaign, featuring performances and collaborations from different shows on the tour.

Tinderbox Orchestra will be touring to the south of England and Ireland later in the year (dates TBC) and would love to hear from libraries and cultural organisations interested in joining the campaign.

Internationally acclaimed musician and Director of the Music Education Partnership Group, John Wallace (CBE) said: “With such an incredible demand out there for musical instruments from people of all ages and abilities who want to learn, recycling musical instruments for future generations to enjoy is a zero-carbon idea whose time has come!”

Letters: NSPCC launches new resources for dads as Father’s Day approaches

Dear Editor,

The NSPCC has launched new resources designed to encourage more fathers and male carers to take an active role in their children’s early development. And with Father’s Day just around the corner the charity wants more dads to sign up.

Look, Say, Sing, Play is a set of fun and science-based resources which have been helping new parents since being launched in 2019. It provides activities that can be enjoyed with babies and toddlers to help encourage higher quality interactions and build stronger bonds.

Parents are encouraged to Look at what their baby is focusing on and how they react, Say what they’re doing and copy the sounds their baby makes, Sing along to their favourite tune and Play simple games and see what their baby enjoys. 

There has been a strong take-up of the service by mums, but only 10% of sign-ups were from dads, so the NSPCC held focus groups with expectant dads and those with new babies and toddlers, to see how to encourage more men to sign up.

The charity also worked with Father Support Workers and other professionals to understand how they’d like to use Look, Say, Sing, Play.

We found that fathers and male carers preferred to have outdoor and more physical activities that they could enjoy with their children, and they wanted to get more information about the science behind the programme.

As a result, Look, Say, Sing, Play with Daddy has been created with a whole range of free activities specifically designed to enable professionals working with dads and male caregivers to support them in early attachment, brain development…and having lots of fun with their 0-2 year olds.

The activity book created by the NSPCC features a four-week programme of activities that parents can do with their young children, with several options of varying activities suggested for each week.

Parents and carers can sign up to the main Look, Say, Sing, Play activities at www.nspcc.org.uk, with resources for dads and male caregivers available on NSPCC Learning.

Yours sincerely,

Carla Malseed

NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Manager

Keep Scotland Beautiful: Spring Clean success across Scotland

People across Scotland have come together in their thousands to take positive action as part of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s annual Spring Clean.

Between 15 March and 28 April more than 45,000 people from every local authority area across Scotland joined forces to take part in litter picks, gather data and to raise awareness of our litter emergency.

In total there were 3,564 litter picks registered, showing that people really do want to play an active part in improving the places they live, work and visit.

Across Scotland the volunteer efforts included:

  • 567 litter picks with businesses
  • 357 litter picks on beaches, rivers and canals
  • 967 litter picks led by community groups.
  • 399 litter picks involving schools, young people and educators.

Our Litter League competition, returning for a second year, was once again a great success with young people completing 185 clean ups across 30 local authority areas.

Barry Fisher, KSB Chief Executive, said: “Although 90% of people agree litter is a problem across our beautiful country, what is inspiring is just how many thousands of people have played their part and enthusiastically joined a litter picking event during #SpringCleanScotland – an increase in 15,000 people from last year.

“I’d sincerely like to thank everyone who took part, giving up their time and showing just how much they care about keeping Scotland beautiful. Your commitment to tackling the litter emergency is extremely appreciated.”

Spring Clean Scotland is KSB’s annual challenge to tackle Scotland’s litter emergency, and follows the publication of the Scottish Litter Survey which found that seven in 10 people believe litter is a problem locally and 85% of people want to see more efforts to prevent litter in their area.

We’re delighted to also share our 2024 Spring Clean report, showcasing the amazing achievements of this year’s campaign.

Learn more about our work to tackle the litter emergency on our litter page.

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