Day: September 3, 2024

James is going all the way for charity Winston’s Wish

  • Man’s First Visit to Scotland is 1,000 Mile Charity Ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats
  • James Beeson is cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for children and young people’s national bereavement charity Winston’s Wish 

Personal trainer James Beeson, 41, has decided to take on the mammoth challenge of cycling nearly 1,000 miles across nine days from the bottom of England to the top of Scotland to raise funds for a special cause.

As well as taking part in an incredible challenge that will see James cycle roughly 110 miles each day as he completes the huge 9-day cycle, the occasion will also mark James’ first visit to Scotland! He says, “I’ve never been to Scotland before so I’m excited for that and I’m looking forward to seeing different parts of the countryside. Cycling is a completely different experience and I know the views will make all the uphill worth it. The event is really well organised with a proper route and overnights in key location complete with hot food and conveniences.

With a fundraising target that has already raised thousands of pounds for Winston’s Wish, the UK’s first children and young people’s charity as well as regional charity Simon Says, James is keen to raise awareness and funds for a cause that is close to his heart.

James explains, “I had just turned seven when I lost my dad in a car accident on the way home from his works Christmas party. Just five years later just as I started secondary school, I also lost my mum to cancer. I know from personal experience just how difficult it is to cope with grief, as a young child and especially as you get older. 

“I was one of the fortunate ones in that my aunt and uncle took me in but there was no professional support easily available to kids in my situation.

“When I was younger, I was just quiet but as I grew older, I found myself getting more and more angry and found myself in lots of tough circumstances. How do you learn to become an adult when you’ve lost two parents?”

James is very much looking forward to travelling to new parts of the country. He says that cycling is, “Also really crucial for headspace too. Running a business and having a family means life is always busy and dealing with your own head can be tough. I’m at peace on my bike, it’s my time to wind down and switch off and allow myself to have that headspace.”

James initially decided to undertake the Ride Across Britain challenge of cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats when a friend asked for his support to train. He says, “I thought that if I’m going to take part in the cycle then I wanted to do it for a charity that was making such a difference. 

“Simon Says is a local charity and Winston’s Wish supports grieving kids all over the UK and they continue to support bereaved young people right to the age of 25 which I think is a really critical stage, especially when you’ve suffered bereavement. You’re trying to navigate lots of circumstances. You are expected to be an adult and grow up, but you start questioning everything and struggle to fit into a normal world.”

Estimates suggest that each day more than 100 young people are bereaved of a parent and that figure doesn’t equate how many are having to navigate the death of a friend, sibling, teacher or another significant person in their lives. 

Established in 1992, Winston’s Wish has been reaching and supporting bereaved young people and the adults around them when their worlds are turned upside down for more than 30 years. The charity provides support via online content, the Grief in Common Podcast series, as well as on-demand services such as live chat on the website, freephone and ask inbox as well as one-to-one sessions by referral.

James adds, “I am pleased to be raising funds to help support a charity that directs gives advice and support to grieving children and young people.

“I know just how important it is to get help. I still often struggle especially on memorable days or events but have much better systems in place due to years of working on myself with help from loved ones and many different experienced professionals over the years.

“I want to help children who are in a similar situation to me and give them a better chance of coming out it stronger.” 

If you are interested in finding out more about James and his incredible journey or to support him in his venture, then please view his Just Giving page which includes updates on his progress. 

Winston’s Wish is keen to reassure bereaved young people and their families that they are welcome to chat online, email or call for free to speak to a bereavement support worker by calling 08088 020 021, emailing ask@winstonswish.org or using the live chat at winstonswish.org. 

Spending slashed as urgent action taken to balance Scottish Budget

£500 million in savings to ease ‘enormous’ pressure on public finances

Holyrood’s Finance Secretary Shona Robison has outlined the urgent action being taken to balance the 2024-25 Scottish Budget in the face of “enormous and growing pressure on the public finances”.  

Highlighting the continuing effects of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, alongside UK Government spending decisions, Ms Robison said difficult decisions were required.

The total savings, worth up to £500 million, include:

  • Implementing emergency spending controls across the public sector, particularly targeting recruitment, overtime, travel and marketing
  • Ending the ScotRail Peak Fares pilot
  • Mirroring the UK Government’s policy to means test Winter Fuel Payment
  • Making additional savings across portfolios, including in sustainable and active travel and in health and social care

The Finance Secretary said she was also currently planning to use up to £460 million of additional ScotWind revenue to address in-year pressures in 2024-25.

Ms Robison said: “This Government has consistently warned of the significance of the financial challenge ahead.

Prolonged Westminster austerity, the economic damage of Brexit, a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the cost of living crisis have all placed enormous and growing pressure on the public finances.

“In the last three years alone cumulative CPI inflation has seen prices increase by 18.9%, diminishing how far money will go for households and governments alike.

“In the face of these challenges, the Scottish Government has stepped in to support people and services where it has been needed most: on social security, health and public services. But we have done so without equivalent action from the UK Government, which has repeatedly failed to properly review the adequacy of funding settlements.

“We cannot ignore the severe financial pressures we face. We will continue to be a fiscally responsible government and balance the budget each year, as we have done every year for 17 years and as we will do again this year. But this will mean we must unfortunately take difficult decisions along the way.”

Responding to today’s statement by Scottish Government Finance Secretary Shona Robison, Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: “People in Scotland believe in justice and compassion. They know that we need a strong social foundation so we can look out for each other and help people build a life beyond the injustice of poverty.

“But we’re now being left with holes in the fabric of Scottish society that will likely make life even harder for people on low incomes who are already being pushed towards debt, hunger, homelessness, and destitution. That is completely unjust, irresponsible and unnecessary.

“We are a rich country, and our collective wealth has grown massively over the decades. Past generations used that wealth to plan and budget for the public good, and MSPs and Ministers must now urgently use their powers over tax and investment to build a better, fairer future for all of us – and especially those in poverty. Economic growth will not fix the holes in society, unless it comes along with increased social investment.

“We are very concerned about the effect of cuts to mental health support and adult social care. We know that people in poverty are more likely to need that support, and data shows a growing risk of poverty for disabled people.

“We are deeply disappointed that plans to expand concessionary bus travel to people in the asylum system have been scrapped, along with a return to peak fares on ScotRail. We all need the freedom to travel, but too many of us simply can’t afford the fares.

“Organisations like the STUC and IPPR Scotland have published concrete plans that show how the Scottish Government can use powers over tax to invest billions of pounds every year in our shared society.

“We can build better budgets that give people the means to build a better future, to create a true wellbeing economy that supports fair work, and a just transition to the net zero future that we urgently need.”

Reacting to the Scottish Government’s Pre-Budget Fiscal Statement, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer: “With every cut announced by the Scottish Government today, workers and communities across Scotland will be scarred for generations to come.

“For over two years now, we’ve told the Scottish Government they had almost £3.7 billion worth of untapped revenue at their fingertips through increasing tax on the rich. They could have acted. They chose not to. We are in no doubt that brutal Tory austerity has had an undeniable impact on Scotland’s finances. But the Scottish Government must take responsibility for their own cuts. They cannot be allowed to escape scrutiny.

“Public sector workers have faced more than a decade of falling real wages, lagging far behind those in the private sector. Those workers not only have the right to demand above inflation pay rises, but, if our public services are to improve, improvements in pay are non-negotiable. 

“All eyes now turn to the Chancellor but it’s a shambles that we’re awaiting some form of salvation, if any is forthcoming, from the UK Government when our government in Holyrood could have done so much more.

“The people of Scotland do not want a Scottish Government that administers cuts while annunciating the droopy mantra of ‘it wizny me’. They want politicians that choose to govern – and that means taxing the rich to invest in the services that we all rely on.”

The Finance Secretary has outlined the savings in a letter to the Finance and Public Administration Committee (FPAC).

Ms Robison also proposed that the next Scottish Budget takes place on the 4th December, subject to the agreement of FPAC and the Scottish Fiscal Commission. 

Programme for Government: SCVO repeats call for Fair Funding

VOLUNTARY SECTOR FACING ‘UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES’

Tomorrow’s Programme for Government from the Scottish Government must include urgent action to deliver multi-year funding and progress Fair Funding to support voluntary organisations, their staff and their volunteers, and the people and communities our sector works with, says SCVO.

Read SCVO’s full briefing: https://buff.ly/478TpKI

SCVO and colleagues across the voluntary sector welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver Fairer Funding for the sector by 2026, including exploring options to implement multi-year funding deals.

Despite this renewed focus, 18 months on from the policy prospectus, there has been little progress.

Our sector continues to face unprecedented challenges.

In the Programme for Government (PfG) action is urgently needed to deliver multi-year funding and progress Fair Funding to support of voluntary organisations, their staff and their volunteers, and the people and communities our sector works with.

Background

For over a decade, the Scottish Government has recognised the need for multi-year funding, committing to longer-term funding for the voluntary sector across multiple government strategies, including within several Scottish Budgets and Programmes for Government, and the Economic Strategy.

In April 2023, the Scottish Government’s policy prospectus, New leadership – A fresh start, renewed these ambitions, committing to delivering Fairer Funding for the sector by 2026, including exploring options to implement multi-year funding deals. This was followed in May 2023 by a commitment in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy to adopt multi-year spending plans.

Despite this renewed focus, 18 months on from the policy prospectus, there has been little progress. The most recent Scottish Budget made no further commitments, deferring action on any multi-year funding to the upcoming Medium-Term Financial Strategy, and making no reference to voluntary sector funding.

The problem

It is widely understood that our sector is facing unprecedented challenges. Years of underfunding and poor funding practices, and crises such as the pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis have put the sector under increasing pressure, exacerbating financial and operational challenges.

The running costs and cost-of-living crises continue to put pressure on voluntary organisations – with demand for services increasing, costs rising, and financial uncertainty ongoing.

The Third Sector Tracker found:

The most recent Third Sector Tracker results were published earlier this month and cover the three months to April 2024.

By April 2024, the Third Sector Tracker found:

  • 62% of organisations believed that rising costs had affected the ability to deliver core services or activities since December 2023.
  • 47% of organisations reported cost increases in their top three challenges.
  • 33% of respondents had not been able to deliver all their planned services in the preceding 3 months.
  • Only one third (32%) of respondents have been able to meet all of the increased demand for their services in the preceding 3 months. For the organisations who had been unable to meet increased demand, the main difficulties included: staff capacity (54%); raising funds to meet the demand (50%); and volunteer capacity (41%.).

As local councils fund far more voluntary organisations than Scottish government, the fallout from the local government settlement will also have a significant impact on voluntary organisations, further exacerbating these pressures. Similarly, any reduction in local services will result in further increased demand for some voluntary organisations.

The Emergency Budget Response has also left organisations awaiting confirmation of Scottish Government funding vulnerable.

The solution

SCVO and colleagues across the sector welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to delivering Fairer Funding for the sector by 2026, including exploring options to implement multi-year funding deals. Without action in the Programme for Government (PfG), achieving this target becomes increasingly unlikely.

To make progress, the  PfG should commit to aligning the Scottish Government’s “Fairer Funding” principles with SCVO’s definition of Fair Funding– which was developed through significant research and engagement with Scotland’s voluntary sector. This includes commitments to:

  • A longer-term funding model for the voluntary sector across all Scottish Government departments.
  • Define multi-year funding for voluntary organisations as a three-year minimum commitment.
  • Record progress by collecting and publishing what proportion of grants and contracts are delivered on a multi-year basis and accommodate other essential Fair Funding elements.

To be meaningful and support a sustainable sector, multi-year funding must also recognise and incorporate other essential Fair Funding elements including:

  • Flexible, unrestricted core funding
  • Inflation-based uplifts
  • Accommodate at least the Real Living Wage and uplifts on par with those offered to public sector staff.
  • Full costs recovery, which includes core operating costs.

Long term funding should also be provided to local authorities, to allow them to enter into multi-year agreements with voluntary organisations. Between one quarter and one third of voluntary organisations receive funding from local authorities.

Without these commitments, achieving “Fairer Funding” by 2026 becomes increasingly unlikely.

To make and monitor progress, it is also essential that the PfG takes action on transparent funding, including developing timelines, goals, and actions to both monitor progress, and ensure progress can be scrutinised by the voluntary sector and Parliament.

Testimonials

“Like all voluntary organisations, we have very short-term funding, so while our contracts are on paper secure, everyone knows their job is only as secure as the current piece of short-term funding” – Registered charity

“Everything we do is dependent on funding, and amounts are often not confirmed until very late in the financial year” – Registered charity

“Due to annual funding from Scottish Government, which doesn’t cover our core costs, recruitment is often on short-term contracts or is subject to ongoing funding, of which there is no guarantee” – Voluntary sector intermediary

Conclusion

Scotland’s voluntary sector is an employer, a partner, and a vital social and economic actor central to delivering on the Scottish Government’s three missions of equality, opportunity, and community.

The Programme for Government is an opportunity for the First Minister and the cabinet team to recognise and support the many contributions of voluntary organisations, their staff and their volunteers across Scotland by making progress towards the Fair Funding our sector desperately needs.

To achieve this the Scottish Government must commit to progressing multi-year funding, develop timelines and goals, and make plans to monitor progress. To support a sustainable sector, multi-year funding must also recognise and incorporate essential Fair Funding elements.

Additional information

SCVO’s full proposals for the 2024/2025 Programme for Government cover two areas and can be found here:

  1. Delivering Fair Funding by 2026
  2. Transparent funding

Venture Scotland: New programme

🎉We have a programme starting on 21st October! 🎉

If you are aged 16-30, living in Edinburgh and experiencing challenges in life,* Venture Scotland is offering you a FREE opportunity to make some positive changes to your mental, emotional and physical health.

This year’s autumn/winter programme will run up until 18th December and consists of the stages Challenge and Discover.

What you can expect:

🌿Regular skills and wellbeing sessions.

🌿Regular activity days getting outdoors and taking part in activities such as canoeing, hill walking, rock climbing, orienteering, and more.

🌿Residential trips to remote Bothys (simple cottage) in the Borders and to our Bothy in the beautiful Glen Etive.

🌿The opportunity to challenge yourself and make positive changes, all in a supportive and non-judgemental environment.

🌿Gain skills such as confidence, communication, teamwork, emotional awareness and trust in others.

If you are interested and would like to know more, please see our website for more details and for our referral form: https://venturescotland.org.uk/

You can also contact Louisa who is our Outreach and Support Worker via email at louisa.selwood@venturescotland.org.uk ; on Facebook Messenger Louisa Venture Scotland; or phone/text/WhatsApp 07535 164 285.

*Please note we are currently only taking on participants from particular postcodes in Edinburgh, this can be discussed upon receipt of a referral form.

Sight Loss Councils: Ellen aims to inspire a future focused on accessibility

​Ellen Doherty, 47, from Glasgow, who has macular degeneration due to Stargardt’s disease, became one of Scotland’s first Sight Loss Council volunteers earlier this year and is determined to inspire others to make accessibility a priority.​

Ellen, who spoke at a fringeeEvent on street accessibility at the weekend as part of the SNP Conference, is a highly independent person but she still faces daily challenges including poor street accessibility. Navigating streets can be difficult and stressful due to the lack of visual cues, unexpected obstacles, and inconsistent designs.​

A trained mental health professional and mindfulness tutor at Strathclyde University, Ellen explains that sight loss is one of the most traumatic experiences a person can face, with constant reminders every time they open their eyes.

Simply leaving the house or visiting places requires extensive planning, and confidence can be easily shaken. This is why it’s crucial to involve people with vision impairments in planning for street accessibility and to use their lived experiences to guide informed decisions.​

Ellen comments on her sight loss: “When I was seventeen, I was struggling to see the blackboard at school, so I went to the opticians with my parents to see if I needed glasses.

“I was told I had Stargardt’s disease and that I would lose my eyesight prematurely. This was obviously a huge shock, but I just got on with my life and tried not to think about it. I wasn’t given any real information about what was happening, or offered any help or support, so I just pushed it down and tried to pretend everything was normal. I was 17 years old, it really meant nothing to me.​

“So I finished school and went to university, and then in my final year, when I was twenty-one, I lost my central vision almost overnight. It was very overwhelming and traumatic. I drove myself to the eye hospital where I was given my CVI certificate, and then I had to get the bus home.

Again I tried to supress my feelings and tried to pretend it wasn’t happening. I finished my pharmacology degree at university and got a 2.1; but I now couldn’t use it as you can’t do benchtop science with vision impairment.

So, I went back to university to do a master’s in psychology, but I hadn’t really thought about the impact my sight loss would have on this. Eventually, I had to put this on hold for a year as I wasn’t prepared to cope with my new reality, I didn’t even have a magnifier to help me read.​

“For years I struggled to come to terms with my sight loss, so I didn’t want to talk about it, I didn’t want to ask for help, I just tried to ignore it. My approach has always been to keep my head down and just get through it.

My vision impairment isn’t obvious and for a long time I didn’t want to over enclose, I didn’t want to talk about it and felt like it wasn’t anyone else’s business. At 30 I also developed MS which impacted my sight loss further. MS can be brought on by a traumatic event so it could have been my sight loss which caused this.​

“I have always been hesitant to engage with sight loss groups. Since losing my sight was not something I wanted in the first place and it already occupies so much of my life, I didn’t want it to take up any more space.

However, I now realise the importance of talking and sharing, both for myself and others, and that I have a lot to offer through my lived experiences and work experiences. There needs to be more general education about vision impairment and improved awareness-raising, as vision impairment can mean so many different things.”​

Ellen’s experience with sight loss, much like many others, has been deeply traumatic. She now aims to help others through her work as a mindfulness and wellbeing tutor and volunteer for the Sight Loss Councils.​

“This is one of the main reasons why I am so happy to join the Sight Loss Councils. My skillset centres around helping people, and there’s a significant need to enhance the help and support provided to blind and partially sighted individuals.

” From my own perspective, it was so difficult to lose my eyesight rapidly, I desperately needed help and guidance so I could come to terms with what was happening. I felt like my eyesight had been snatched away and I just didn’t know what to do, or to whom to turn. I now know this shouldn’t have happened and that I should have been given far more help and support.​

Ellen adds: “When someone experiences sight loss, they need help to stay on the right path, including psychological therapy, mobility and accessibility assistance, and help with employment. No one should be left to navigate sight loss alone.

“It is one of the most traumatic experiences a person can endure, with constant reminders every time they open their eyes. Escaping from it is impossible. For those who haven’t experienced it, it is very difficult to understand. This is why it is so important that we use lived experience to raise awareness and ultimately make changes.”​

Sight Loss Councils are delivered in Scotland by Sight Scotland, Sight Scotland Veterans and Visibility Scotland and funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust.

For more information please visit sightscotland.org.uk

Crackdown to halt rise in phone thefts

Ministers pledge to crack down on ‘snatch thefts’

The Westminster government has pledged to crack down on ‘snatch thefts’ after this criminality soared by more than 150 per cent in the last year.

An estimated 78,000 people had phones or bags grabbed from them on the streets, with policing intelligence suggesting that this is being driven by increased demand for second hand smartphones, both in the UK and overseas.

To tackle this challenge head on, tech companies and manufacturers will be called to attend a Home Office summit on the issue, looking at the new innovations that could take on the illegal market. This will build on anti-theft smartphone features that some tech firms have already rolled out to protect their customers.

The government will also task police chiefs to tackle this scourge in neighbourhood theft. Operation Opal, the national police intelligence unit will launch an intelligence probe to gather urgent intel on the criminals who steal mobile phones, and where these devices end up. This will provide a stronger picture of the stolen mobile phone market, and identify what more needs to be done to tackle the problem.

Local police will also continue to surge police patrols in areas most at risk of serious violence, including robberies at knifepoint, with the government working with forces across the country to ensure that there is visible police presence in these hotspot areas to deter criminals and protect our communities.  

https://twitter.com/i/status/1830884206081143100

New Home Office analysis commissioned by ministers concerned by growing reports of this issue has revealed:

  • Crime Survey data estimates for the latest 12 months indicates the equivalent of more than 200 snatch thefts every day on streets across England and Wales, the highest rate in more than a decade, and almost 60 per cent higher than the annual average since 2012/13
  • the latest Crime Survey estimates also showed overall theft from the person, which includes snatch and stealth thefts as well as attempts to steal from the person, increased by more than a third in the past year
  • latest published estimates from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show that over one third (36 per cent) of theft from the person offences involved theft of a mobile phone in the past year

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “With new phones coming to market and young people going back to school and university, many of us will have a new phone in our hands at this time of year.

” These figures are troubling and the government is determined to do whatever’s necessary to protect people entitled to walk the streets without the threat of robbery.

“As part of our Safer Streets mission, this new government is determined to crack down on snatch theft, knife-enabled robbery, and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, and we are working to get thousands more uniformed officers into our communities to restore neighbourhood policing.  

“Phone companies must ensure that any stolen phones can be quickly, easily and permanently disabled, rather than re-registered for sale on the second-hand market, and we will be meeting them soon to discuss what further action is required to make that happen.

“If we work together, government, tech companies and law enforcement can break the business model of the phone thieves and moped gangs who rely on this trade.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Personal Robbery, Commander Richard Smith, said: “Personal robbery can have a devastating impact on victims, leaving them with trauma which can be lasting.

“Criminals often target some of the most vulnerable in society, such as children, with threats that violence may be used, making robbery particularly traumatic. We continue to target those habitual criminals responsible for prolific offending, whilst working to prevent young people from being into this type of offending.

“During Operation Calibre, our national police week of action against personal robbery, police forces targeted their activity in over 1,250 known hotspot areas, increasing our visibility and operational activity and arresting those intent on committing crime.

“However, we know that we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. Manufacturers and the tech industry have an important role in reducing opportunities for criminals to benefit from the re-sale of stolen handsets.

“There are several tips you can do to reduce the chances of you becoming a victim, I encourage everyone to follow these and share them with family and friends. If in the unfortunate circumstances you are a victim of robbery, report it to the police or contact Crimestoppers.”

East Coast Buses driver is best in UK!

Thomas Gilhooley of East Coast Buses (part of Lothian Group) crowned UK Bus Driver of the Year

Lothian is delighted that Thomas Gilhooley, from our East Coast Buses driving team, was crowned UK Bus Driver of the Year at the national finals in Blackpool on Sunday 1 September.

As well as the title of the UK’s best Bus Driver for 2024, Thomas also picked up the Coventry Trophy, the Road Operators Safety Council (ROSCO) Award, the Unite Trophy and the John Boxall Medallion.

By way of his victory, Thomas was also the highest placed competitor from an ALBUM member and highest placed competitor from a depot in Scotland.

Representing Lothian in Blackpool was Thomas Gilhooley (East Coast Buses), John O’Hara (Longstone) and Harvey Stroud (Lothian Country).

Willie Hamilton, Operations Director for Lothian said: “We are thrilled that Thomas has been named the Overall Winner of the UK Bus Driver of the Year event.

“The standard across the weekend was extremely high and our three representatives once again displayed the skill and professionalism our drivers are known for throughout the industry.

“On behalf of everyone at Lothian, congratulations to Thomas  on his victory and thank to you Thomas, John and Harvey for showing the rest of the UK what Lothian does best.”

Local Sports Clubs could score £2500 funding from Aldi Scotland

Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund has returned for its ninth consecutive year, giving local sports clubs in Edinburgh and the Lothians the opportunity to receive a share of £50,000 in funding.

Aldi Scotland introduced its Scottish Sport Fund in 2016, with the aim of motivating and encouraging individuals of all ages and skill levels to participate in physical activities within their local communities.

Committed to improving community access to sports across the country, the fund offers sports clubs across Scotland the opportunity to secure essential funding. With a range of funding tiers available, one club per region will benefit from a £2,500 funding boost.

Since the fund’s launch, almost 600 clubs in Scotland have benefitted from a funding uplift of more than £400,000. 

Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund welcomes applications from all sporting organisations that meet the specified criteria. In 2023, Aldi provided support to various sports clubs across Scotland, including Forth Valley Visually Impaired Bowlers, Sutherland Squash Club, Breadalbane Canoe Club, Musselburgh Windsor Girls Football Club, and Galloway Hillbillies Bike Club. This supplementary funding assisted the clubs in financing training sessions and acquiring new equipment.

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director, 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. I encourage all sports clubs across Edinburgh and the Lothians to apply and take advantage of this excellent funding opportunity.”

Sports clubs located across Edinburgh and the Lothians have from Monday 2 September – Sunday 6 October to apply for funding.

One applicant will be selected to receive £2,500 of funding, two applicants will each receive £1,000 of funding, while several other applicants will each receive £500 of funding. Applications can be made via a form found on

 https://www.aldi.co.uk/scottishsportfund.

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. 

Please see the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund FAQs and Terms & Conditions for more information.

Letters: Let’s talk lymphoma this September

September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month and Lymphoma Action is inviting everyone to join the conversation to raise awareness about the UK’s most common type of blood cancer – lymphoma.

There are lots of ways that people can get involved in our Let’s talk lymphoma campaign, including: sharing our information resources with friends, family and colleagues to start the conversation around lymphoma and the symptoms of the condition; taking a Lymphoma Action resource pack to your GP surgery or pharmacy so they can display our materials; or raising funds to support our work.

We are also encouraging people to use the power of social media to raise awareness and send messages of support around the globe on World Lymphoma Awareness Day on Sunday 15 September.

We are asking people to share their experiences on social media to help us reach as many people as possible, not only to raise awareness about the symptoms of lymphoma, but to let them know about the support that is available for people affected by the condition.

Living with lymphoma can be hard and we know that many people experience emotional challenges as a result of a diagnosis, whether they are being treated for lymphoma themselves or are supporting a loved one. Sharing how you’re feeling is important, which is why we are also encouraging people to talk about their experiences, to help them address the emotional impact of a lymphoma diagnosis and connect them to specialists and resources that can help.

Every 26 minutes a friend or loved one is diagnosed with lymphoma. Help us shine a light on the UK’s fifth most common cancer so we can support even more people affected by the condition.

For further details, please visit: www.lymphoma-action.org.uk/BCAM 

Your sincerely

Lymphoma Action

Second Mother and Child Recovery House opens

Children’s charity Aberlour helping mothers through recovery

A second residential rehabilitation service to support women and their children through recovery from addiction / substance use has been opened in Falkirk.

The Scottish Government has invested £5.5 million to support the development of this Aberlour Childcare Trust facility, as well as a house in Dundee which opened in January 2023.

The houses offer 24/7 support and keep families together by letting children of women with problematic substance use stay with their mothers during their recovery.  

Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “This house will allow women to access residential rehabilitation services and keep their family together. 

“We know there is a strong link between women having children removed from their care and risk of drug-related death. Treatment is more effective when families are kept together and it also reduces the harmful impact on children.

“Widening access to residential rehabilitation is a key part of our National Mission on Drugs. We have made £100 million available for residential rehabilitation from 2021 to 2026 to ensure 1,000 people receive public funding for their placement each year by then. That includes £38 million as part of our commitment to increase the number of beds to 650.”

Aberlour Chief Executive SallyAnn Kelly OBE said: “We are delighted to open our new Mother and Child Recovery House in Falkirk. It follows the opening of our first house in January 2023 in Dundee, which has transformed the lives of mothers and their children. 

“Both houses offer a unique service enabling women with problem drug and alcohol issues to keep their young children with them as they recover.

“They provide specialist support that helps women develop skills and encourages them to build new futures for themselves and their children. We understand the need to work alongside women to address their fears.

“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for funding this much-needed new service.”