SNP CONCESSIONARY BUS TRAVEL SCHEMES HELPING TO TACKLE POVERTY IN EDINBURGH
SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald has said that the SNP Scottish Government’s policy of free bus travel for under 22s, over 60s and disabled people is helping to tackle poverty in Edinburgh.
This year’s Challenge Poverty Week (7th-13th October) is placing an emphasis on key themes each day, highlighting the injustice of poverty in Scotland and showing that policy interventions can make a huge difference in alleviating poverty.
Tuesday’s focus on transport is to ensure that people can get to where they need to go – enabling access to employment, education and essential services.
Scotland has the most generous concessionary fare scheme in the UK, with more than 2.3 million people eligible for free bus travel. The SNP Scottish Government’s firm commitment to bus travel continues with almost £430 million in funding for concessionary travel planned for 2024-25.
Recent figures show that young people across Scotland have now made over 150 million journeys using the Free Bus Travel Scheme since it was introduced by the SNP in 2022.
Commenting, SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald said: “Good, affordable public transport enables people to access jobs, education and training which can raise household income and protect people from being swept into poverty or pulled in deeper.
“Action taken by the SNP Scottish Government has ensured that over 235,000 people, including those often on the lowest incomes, can access free bus travel throughout the City of Edinburgh. With more than 2.3million benefiting across Scotland.
“This free bus travel makes a huge difference to the lives of young, disabled and older people in Edinburgh – removing a significant barrier to escaping poverty and opening up employment, education, social and leisure opportunities.
“Whilst the new Labour government at Westminster seem determined to push more people into poverty by following the Tories’ austerity agenda, the SNP Scottish Government is committed to using all its powers to improve people’s lives and to eradicate poverty.”
Staff from NSPCC Scotland’s local campaigns team will be out in force during the school holidays teaching people from various organisations how they can play their part in keeping children safe.
With autumn holidays approaching, the team felt it was a good time to make sure everyone knows what to do if they are concerned about a child so they can play their part in helping to keep children safe from abuse and neglect.
Listen Up, Speak Up (LUSU) offers free online or face-to-face training to help adults recognise when a child may be at risk, and what they can do to help.
NSPCC Helpline made 1,103 referrals to local authorities and agencies in Scotland over the last three years over concerns of the neglect of a child, highlighting the importance of LUSU.
The NSPCC Helpline takes calls from adults concerned about children, and practitioners will make referrals to agencies if they feel that further investigation of support is needed.
The NSPCC aims to inspire a million people across the UK to take actions that keep children safe through the Listen Up, Speak Up campaign to create a nation of safeguarders who can support families before they reach crisis point.
After a pilot last year, LUSU was rolled out across the UK in February this year. Sanctuary Housing, SSE, House of Bruar and Montrose Playhouse are among the organisations that have signed up so far in Scotland.
And the local campaigns team have organised a week of activity from October 4 to 11, conducting LUSU workshops across Scotland with organisations such as Glasgow Clyde College, Dads Rock in Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire Rangers.
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “It’s been great getting out into communities across Scotland to deliver the important messages of LUSU.
“Everyone wants to play their part in keeping children safe, but it can be difficult to know when and how to act. You will come away from a LUSU session with the knowledge of what to do when you are worried about a child’s safety and wellbeing.
“A lot of people think ‘what if I am wrong?’ but it is more important to think ‘what if I am right?’. That could make a massive difference to child’s life.
“NSPCC Helpline has had to make more than 1,100 referrals for neglect to agencies in Scotland over three years – that’s almost one a day. That lays bare the scale of the problem. We need people across the country to play their part in helping keep children safe.
“If you are part of an organisation which could benefit from a LUSU session, please get in touch.”
Edinburgh North and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert has today called for the GB Energy Satellite Site due to be located in Edinburgh to be based in Leith.
The UK Labour Government was elected on a manifesto to establish Great British Energy, a publicly-owned energy generation company. Last month, the Prime Minister announced that GB Energy would be headquartered in Aberdeen with two satellite sites – one based in Edinburgh and another in Glasgow.
GB Energy is one of the key ways the UK Labour Government is decarbonising the economy while ensuring energy security and lower energy bills in the long term.
Today in the House of Commons, Tracy Gilbert MP called for the Edinburgh site to be located in Leith due to growing renewables sector that has already developed in the area.
In the House of Commons, Tracy Gilbert MP asked, “Can I welcome the actions outlined by my right honourable friend. In particular, I would like to welcome the announcement over the conference recess that GB Energy will be headquartered in Aberdeen with satellite sites in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“Can my right honourable friend outline the role he expects the satellite sites will have and given the investment already underway at the Port of Leith, the number of renewables companies already based in Leith and the potential for supply chains and manufacturing nearby will he consider locating the Edinburgh site in Leith?”
Speaking after her question, Tracy Gilbert MP said, “The transition to renewables is already taking place across Edinburgh and Leith, from the multi-million pound investment at the Port of Leith to support renewable infrastructure as part of the Forth Green Freeport deal.
“Alongside the number of renewables companies and manufacturers based locally and with the proximity to research and academic Leith is the ideal place for a GBE satellite site.
“I look forward to working with stakeholders in Leith to make the case for Leith to be chosen as the location for the GBE satellite site.”
The full exchange between Tracy Gilbert MP and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero can be found here:
EDINBURGH COMMUNITY CAN VOTE TO SUPPORT 3 GOOD CAUSES
Skipton Building Society has announced the launch of its annual “Community Giving” scheme where the local community can vote for 3 local Edinburgh charities to receive donations.
This year, Community Giving is set to donate double that of last year, with a total of £164,000 being shared between 246 good causes across the locations of the Skipton branches.
Each of Skipton’s 82 branches has selected three deserving charities within 20 miles of their branch, with the help of local members, who were invited to nominate good causes making a difference in their communities.
The 3 charities selected for the Edinburgh area are:
Edinburgh Young Carers
Guide Dogs for the Blind
Hopscotch
Starting Monday 7th October, customers visiting Skipton Building Society’s Edinburgh branch will have the opportunity to vote for one of the three charities. Voting will run until Friday, 1st November, with the following prizes awarded to the charities based on their vote count:
1st place: £1,000
2nd place: £600
3rd place: £400
Abigail Wallbank, Skipton’s Group Social Impact Senior Specialist, expressed her excitement for the initiative: “At Skipton, we’re passionate about supporting the local communities where our members live and work.
“Doubling our donation amounts this year allows us to make an even greater difference to the local charities that mean so much to our customers. We’re proud to offer them the opportunity to have a direct say in where our funding goes and look forward to seeing the positive impact these donations will have in the Edinburgh area.”
To vote for a charity, or find more information, please visit your local Skipton branch.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) held the Champion Beer of Scotland competition at the Ayrshire Real Ale Festival on 4th October 2024.
After a close competition, in which all the finalists are blind judged, Cairngorm Brewery’s Black Gold, a 4.4% Session Stout, was chosen to be the Champion Beer of Scotland for 2024, retaining the title that it won last year, as well as back in 2015 and 2005.
Black Gold is described as having roast malt which dominates throughout, slight smokiness in aroma leading to a liquorice and blackcurrant background taste giving it a background sweetness. Very long, dry bitter finish. No less than four colours of malt make the grist!
CAMRA’s Scotland Director Stuart McMahon said “Cairngorm Brewery, which is based in Aviemore, continues to brew a variety of tasty beers.
“Black Gold was a very worthy winner, despite the strong competition from the other category winners. It is a very good example of a rich stout, with the strong roast and burnt malts to the fore, but with a lovely smooth, bitter but sweet aftertaste. Since it was initially brewed, Black Gold has now received the most awards issued by CAMRA in Scotland.”
Five Kingdoms Brewery, Scotland’s most southerly brewery based in Isle of Whithorn took the Champion Beer of Scotland’s silver award, with Dark Storm, a 6.9% strong stout.
However, at a recent competition held in London the bottle-conditioned version of Dark Storm won CAMRA’s National Champion Bottled Beer of the Year – a testament and well-deserved award for the high quality of beers the small brewery is currently producing.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee is calling on the Scottish Government to take urgent action to address the specific challenges faced by remote and rural communities in accessing and delivering healthcare services.
The Committee’s inquiry has found that recruitment and retention of staff is one of the key challenges to effective delivery of services in remote and rural areas. The report highlights the availability and affordability of housing, and access to education and training as significant barriers to recruiting and retaining staff.
The Committee is calling on decision-makers to recognise the extent to which a lack of available and affordable housing is acting as an indirect barrier to healthcare provision in remote and rural areas of Scotland, by making it very challenging for healthcare workers to locate themselves within the communities they wish to serve. It calls on relevant NHS Boards, local authorities, professional bodies, trade unions and other key stakeholders to work together to find practical solutions to these problems.
Another barrier highlighted in the report is the lack of locally available training and development opportunities for staff. The Committee is calling on the Scottish Government and the new National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care to set out how they will improve the availability and suitability of local training and development opportunities.
Difficulties with accessing healthcare services in remote and rural areas were repeatedly raised during the Committee’s evidence gathering. These include practical challenges for patients attending in-person appointments and the often substantial additional travel and accommodation costs, which the Committee say must be addressed.
The Committee highlights significant variations in policy on reimbursement of patient travel costs, depending where an individual lives and whether or not they are in receipt of benefits. It calls for a fairer and more consistent policy for reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs to be developed.
The importance of technology and digital infrastructure in facilitating access to healthcare in remote and rural areas was also raised repeatedly during the Committee’s evidence gathering.
While recognising that some will continue to prefer face-to-face appointments, the Committee is calling on the Scottish Government to set out the specific actions it is taking, or that may be required at UK Government level, to improve digital access to healthcare services in remote and rural areas.
The Committee commends existing good practice in the provision of remote and rural healthcare services, including that demonstrated by third sector organisations. However, it concludes that more action is needed to ensure this good practice is more consistently and widely shared across different organisations and areas.
Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said:“Our inquiry has shone a light on the unique challenges facing remote and rural healthcare services, both for those accessing and those delivering those services.
“The evidence suggests that often healthcare policy is developed as ‘one size fits all’, which fails to address the particular needs of remote and rural communities.
“We want to see a whole system approach which designs services in a way that is more flexible and responsive to local needs – while systematically learning from the good practice that is out there.
“We believe that developing a tailored approach to healthcare service delivery that reflects local challenges and circumstances should be an overarching priority of the new National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care.
“We also look forward to the forthcoming publication of the Scottish Government’s Remote and Rural Workforce Recruitment Strategy and how this strategy will address some of the workforce-related issues our report highlights.
“The voices of people who live in remote and rural areas and work or receive care in these settings have been at the centre of our inquiry and we thank them for their vital contribution to this report.”
Other findings in the report include:
The evidence gathered by the Committee suggests that the current NRAC funding formula fails to meet the specific needs of remote and rural areas. The Committee reiterates previous calls for this formula to be reformed to take better account of the specific challenges and associated higher costs of healthcare delivery in those areas, which include an ageing population, depopulation, and the greater requirement for small scale service delivery.
The Committee says it has heard extensive evidence of the specific challenges associated with implementing the 2018 General Medical Services (GMS) contract in remote and rural GP practices, in particular the practical challenges associated with trying to develop multi-disciplinary teams. The Committee is calling on the Scottish Government to explore the extent to which a revised, more flexible approach to implementation of the contract, specifically in remote and rural settings, might help to improve the sustainability of these services.
The Committee highlights evidence of acute pressures on the provision of social, palliative and end of life care services in remote and rural areas and warns that the tendency of an ageing population increasingly living in more remote and rural areas of the country will mean demand for these services will increase significantly in the years ahead.
Craigroyston YFC 2013 year group are trying to raise funds to attend a big football tournament in Craig Tara.
It’s a big cost for parents who may struggle to go but don’t want to let their kid to miss out. We have 4 mile sponsored walk, race night, bake sale, raffles and loads of other things happening but one of the mum’s has also set up a crowdfunding page.
Unions and equality campaigners have today condemned escalating attacks on flexible working.
A joint statement released yesterday – signed by organisations and campaigners including the TUC, Age UK, the Fawcett Society, Anna Whitehouse (founder of Flex Appeal) and Pregnant Then Screwed – warns of a “witch-hunt” against workers being able to work more flexibly.
The intervention comes as the government prepares to publish its Employment Rights Bill which is expected to enhance existing rights to flexible working.
Highlighting the ongoing briefing against flexible working, the organisations say:
“It’s time to stop the witch-hunt against flexible working. In recent weeks, we have seen relentless scaremongering about how new legislation on flexible working will harm UK businesses and productivity.
“These warnings couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Pointing to the recruitment and retention problems facing employers the organisations say:
“There are 800,000 fewer people in the workforce than before the pandemic, and one of the biggest issues facing employers is recruiting and retaining skilled staff.
“Look at our public services. In the midst of a staffing crisis, health, education and social care workers are leaving due to a lack of flexibility.
“This is not an isolated example. Research published by the Charter Institute of Professional Development last year found that an estimated four million people have changed careers due to a lack of flexibility at work.
“Flexible working can bring more people back into the labour market and keep them there.”
Criticising the bad faith nature of the attacks on flexible working, the organisations say:
“Some have tried to claim flexible working is just about working from home.
“But there are there are many different forms of flexible working.
“For some people it means stable and predictable shift patterns so they can do the school run. For others it means compressed hours to allow for an extra day at home to care for loved ones. And for some it’s a job share to allow time for study alongside work.
“This is about developing patterns of work needed for a modern economy and a modern workforce.
“Flexible working is good for workers, good for employers and good for growth.”
Commenting on the joint statement, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Flexible working – and in particular working from home – is being misrepresented to attack the government’s wider plan to Make Work Pay. It’s time we called it out.
“Improving access to flexible working will benefit workers and businesses, whether it’s through increasing staff productivity or higher retention. And the same is true of improving workers’ rights across the piece.
“When people feel secure and respected at work, they have happier, healthier lives and perform better in their jobs.”
Jemima Olchawski,Fawcett Society Chief Executive, said: “We have to ask who benefits from parroting the fallacy that flexible working and flexible workers are bad for business – it’s just nonsense.
“What really holds growth back is rigid, outdated work practices that exclude women, older workers, and those managing health conditions.
“Offering flexible working options increases the talent pool and enables more people to work.
“While that may threaten those who are happy to maintain the status quo, it can only be good for our economy. We need to see all jobs advertised as flexible by default.”
Victoria Benson, Chief Executive of Gingerbread, said: “Too many single parents are locked out of the workforce or stuck in jobs beneath their skill level because of old fashioned, inflexible working patterns.
“Employers who don’t offer flexible working are missing out on an untapped pool of talent and single parents are missing out on jobs.
“We need to see single parents supported to thrive at work – not just because it’s good for them and their children but because it’s good for employers and our economy, too.”
The full statement reads:
It’s time to stop the witch-hunt against flexible working.
In recent weeks, we have seen relentless scare-mongering about how new legislation on flexible working will harm UK businesses and productivity.
These warnings couldn’t be further from the truth.
There are 800,000 fewer people in the workforce than before the pandemic, and one of the biggest issues facing employers is recruiting and retaining skilled staff.
Look at our public services. In the midst of a staffing crisis, health, education and social care workers are leaving due to a lack of flexibility.
This is not an isolated example. Research published by the Chartered Institute of Professional Development last year found that an estimated four million people have changed careers due to a lack of flexibility at work.
Flexible working can bring more people back into the labour market and keep them there.
Many businesses already recognise the benefits flexible working can bring to their workforces and companies, whether it’s through increasing staff productivity or higher retention.
There are clear mutual benefits from allowing people to balance their professional and personal commitments – let’s not lose sight of them.
Some have tried to claim flexible working is just about working from home.
But there are there are many different forms of flexible working.
For some people it means stable and predictable shift patterns so they can do the school run. For others it means compressed hours to allow for an extra day at home to care for loved ones. And for some it’s a job share to allow time for study alongside work.
This is about developing patterns of work needed for a modern economy and a modern workforce.
Flexible working is good for workers, good for employers and good for growth.
The government should embrace it, and we support the government’s ambition to make flexible working the default from day one for all workers.
Paul Nowak, General Secretary, TUC
Anna Whitehouse, Founder, Flex Appeal
Jemima Olchawski, Chief Executive, the Fawcett Society
Caroline Abraham, Charity Director, Age UK
Lauren Fabianski, Head of Campaigns and Communications, Pregnant Then Screwed
Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director, Women’s Budget Group
Elliott Rae, Founder, Parenting Out Loud & Music Football Fatherhood
Sarah Lambert, Head of Policy and Campaigns, Gingerbread
Claire Campbell, CEO, Timewise
Claire Reindorp, CEO, Young Women’s Trust
Kathy Jones, CEO, Fatherhood Institute
Judith Dennis, Head of Policy, Maternity Action
Jo Dainow, Trustee, Long Covid Support
Simon Kelleher, Head of Policy and Influencing, Working Families
Dementia specialist Admiral Nurses will host clinics at Nationwide’s Edinburgh and Inverness branches to offer tailored support and guidance to anyone affected by the condition
Nationwide and Dementia UK are bringing free face-to-face specialist dementia care to Scotland.
The clinics will be hosted by Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurses in Nationwide’s Edinburgh and Inverness branches to support anyone impacted by dementia, offering life-changing support to families and individuals living with dementia in the area.
Support includes practical and emotional advice on all aspects of dementia – from worries about memory problems and understanding a diagnosis and how the condition can progress to help with financial and legal issues.
Nationwide branches offer a safe, comfortable and private space for families to discuss any aspect of dementia, which aims to help 100,000 people affected by dementia.
As part of the partnership, Nationwide will host 200 pop-up clinics in branches around the UK, and the building society and fund 30 dementia specialist Admiral Nurse posts through Dementia UK.
The clinics form part of Nationwide’s new social impact programme, Fairer Futures, which addresses three of the UK’s biggest social issues through charity partnerships – dementia (Dementia UK), youth homelessness (Centrepoint) and family poverty (Action for Children).
Latest research from Nationwide found that:
One of the main asks of banks and building societies by dementia carers was for a dementia-friendly environment in branches (48%).
Over four in ten (43%) wanted help to better understand care costs and options.
Nearly six in ten (59%) of those caring for someone with dementia were concerned about the impact the disease would have on their finances.
50% of dementia carers are worried by the cost of residential care, with older people (55+) being the most concerned about this. 49% are worried about other costs, such as costs at home.
Sarah Priestley, Admiral Nurse at Dementia UK, said:“We’re looking forward to bringing specialist face-to-face support for people affected by dementia to Edinburgh and Inverness. By partnering with Nationwide, we are able to provide a safe space in towns across the county to ensure our Admiral Nurses are able to reach as many people affected by the condition as possible.
“Dementia is a huge and growing health crisis – someone in the UK develops dementia every three minutes and the condition is the leading cause of death in England and Wales.
“It’s more important than ever that we reach families and individuals affected by dementia and offer one-on-one support from our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses.”
Debbie Crosbie, Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide, said: “Nationwide wants to help people live their best life possible, for as long as possible.
“By working with Dementia UK to fund more Admiral Nurses and turning our branches into dementia clinics, we’re helping to tackle the country’s leading cause of death.
“As a mutual, we work for the good of society as well as our members. We believe this and Nationwide Fairer Futures will change hundreds of thousands of lives for the better.”
Children with life-shortening conditions in Scotland and their families were invited to Edinburgh Airport for a special sightseeing flight where they were accompanied by some of Disney’s most popular characters.
On Saturday, 15 children who receive care and support from the charity Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) were invited by Loganair to experience Scotland from the skies on a sightseeing flight from Edinburgh up the east coast of Scotland and back again.
In a bid to provide a truly magical experience, Loganair partnered with Wish Upon a Star Kingdom for the annual CHAS flight to bring Elsa and Anna on the journey with them for the ultimate Disney experience.
Additionally, Edinburgh Airport’s iconic mascot, EDI The Pilot was on hand to welcome the children to the airport, flanked by James Smith – a member of the security team – who volunteered his time to entertain the children and soar the skies with them as Batman.
Experiencing flying for the first time as a family were siblings Ruhee, Rayan and Khadijah Mahmood. Their dad Viqar said: “They’ve been looking forward to this for weeks and have been very excited today.
“The excitement reached new heights when Ruhee was able to soar the skies with Batman, and his sisters, who are big Frozen fans and regularly dress as Anna and Elsa at home, were able to join the princesses in the sky.”
In support of the day, British Airways provided access to its lounge in Edinburgh Airport, providing a VIP experience for the children and their families. There they experienced a meet and greet, storytelling and sing-a-longs with the Disney princesses and other characters before taking off to see Scotland from the skies – the first time some of them have experienced a flight.
Reflecting on the day, Viqar said: “The amount of organisation that went into today was worth it when you see their faces.
“They’ve had the best time, thank you.”
Loganair and CHAS have a long-standing relationship having embarked on a partnership three years ago. In June 2024, the regional airline announced it would be adding a voluntary £2 donation option to all its online ticket bookings in a bid to bolster its commitment to the charity even further.
In addition to supporting with monetary donations, Loganair provides flights to CHAS at Home nurses, who support families in remote island communities.
This flight marks the third occasion of the annual Loganair flights for CHAS children and their families across Scotland, with previous flights at Glasgow and Aberdeen Airports. Employees also volunteer at Robin House, one of the charity’s two ‘home from home’ hospices in Balloch, tending to the garden throughout the year and decorating the hospice at Christmas time.
Luke Farajallah, Chief Executive Officer, Loganair said: “It is our upmost pleasure to provide a unique and captivating experience for the children and young people of CHAS – it means a huge amount to the families that take part in the trip.
“The CHAS partnership is something that we value hugely, and we are thrilled to play a part in the lives of these incredibly special young people.
“Every year we are committed to bringing joy and happiness to young people and while the sightseeing flight around Scotland is the icing on the cake, we were pleased to be able to partner with Wish Upon a Star Kingdom this year to make the experience as magical as possible.”
CHAS is a children’s palliative care charity which strives to reach and support children and their families across Scotland who are living with life-shortening conditions, offering much-needed respite and continual care. It is CHAS’ ambition to make sure that no one in Scotland has to face the death of their child alone.
Through its partnership with CHAS, established in 2021, the airline has provided staff nurses and the family support team with flights for CHAS at Home services, offering specialist medical care, vital respite and practical support to families across the country within their own homes.
Nikki Corrigan, Service Manager for Outreach at CHAS said: “Our partnership with Loganair has been invaluable to CHAS in helping us be there for families where they need us most, which for many families is in the comfort of their own home.
“As well as the essential support Loganair provides in helping us reach families in more remote areas of the country, days like this give children and their families the opportunity to have an unforgettable experience together, making joyful memories that will last a lifetime. We can’t thank them enough!”
Loganair would like to extend its thanks to all its partners who have helped to make the special day happen, including Edinburgh Airport, Menzies Aviation and OCS.
