UK Men’s Shed Association (UKMSA) has announced the finalists for this year’s Shed of the Awards, their national award scheme which recognises groups and individuals that make a difference in their Men’s Shed and local communities.
Rob Lloyd, chair of the Trustees of UKMSA, said: “Each year entries get better and better. With more submissions than ever, and of such a high standard, this year’s finalists have really highlighted the excellent work they are all doing in their local communities.
“We know how well Men’s Shed participation helps with loneliness, social isolation and both physical and mental health. These finalists demonstrate the breadth, depth and creativity of the projects they each undertake and the impact they have on participants and the wider community”.
Last year’s overall winner, Bootle Tool Shed has designed and made the bespoke Shed of The Year trophy to hand over to the 2024 winner.
This year’s finalists by awards category are;
Health and Wellbeing Impact of the Year
Caerau Men’s Shed
Medway Men In Sheds
Hythe Shed (at the pier)
Shed Partnership of the Year 2024
Pontypridd Men’s Shed
Letchworth Men In Sheds
Broadstairs Town Shed
Shed Volunteer of the Year 2024
Mark Mantle, Ludlow Men’s Shed
David Finch, Men’s Shed Blaenau Gwent
Chris Oldfield, Bethlem Community Men’s Shed
Community Project of the Year 2024
Rhyl Men’s Shed
Heatons’ Men In Sheds
Llanfyllin Shed
Shed of the Year
Petersfield Men’s Shed
Poringland and District Men’s Shed
Shrewsbury Men’s Shed
All finalists have been invited by Mr Speaker, The Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP to the Shed of the Year Awards and Afternoon Tea taking place in the State Rooms of the Speaker’s House in the House of Commons on International Men’s Day, Tuesday 19th November 2024.
The Shed Awards are sponsored by TiteFix, with specially designed trophies for the winners created by Carveco.
In January, National Galleries of Scotland is kicking off the 250th birthday of much-loved artist, Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851), with a special celebration. From New Year’s Day, visitors to the treasured Turner in January exhibition can marvel at a new selection of over 30 watercolours that have never been seen before in Scotland, in an exchange with the National Gallery of Ireland.
Turner in January: Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest, opens at the Royal Scottish Academy building in Edinburgh on 1 January 2025. The free exhibition includes a watercolour of Edinburgh from 1801 that has never been displayed in the city before.
This once in a lifetime exhibition is a celebratory take on a keenly awaited and much-loved annual tradition that has been taking place since 1901. Renowned art collector Henry Vaughan owned over 200 drawings, watercolours and prints by Turner, which he divided in his will between galleries in Edinburgh, Dublin and London.
38 of these watercolours were given to the people of Scotland, on the condition that they are only displayed in the month of January, when light levels are at their lowest. Because of this, these works still possess a freshness and an intensity of colour, almost 200 years since they were created.
Now, in an exciting exchange, simultaneous exhibitions will see Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest make a special trip to the National Galleries of Scotland, while Scotland’s Vaughan Bequest will go on display at the National Gallery of Ireland.
Those familiar with Turner in January are sure to notice how both collections complement each other. Visitors will be able to marvel in sweeping seascapes, dramatic landscapes and spectacular cities.
The most famous British artist of the 19th Century, Turner’s career spanned over 50 years. He experimented constantly with technique and colour, creating landscapes that still astonish today. In his younger years Turner toured Britain extensively, as war made travel to Europe impossible.
He first travelled abroad in 1802 and from 1819 onwards he undertook sketching tours abroad almost every year, visiting France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
The panoramic Edinburgh from below Arthur’s Seat (1801) will be on display in the city it depicts for the first time. A moody view of Auld Reekie captured on Turner’s first visit to Edinburgh in the summer of 1801, dark storm clouds loom over Edinburgh Castle, rain pouring on the horizon as cows drink peacefully in the foreground.
When Turner first visited the Alps in 1802, the trip transformed his understanding of landscape, which was reflected in his boundary-pushing depiction of the mountains, rocks and glaciers. In The Great Fall of the Reichenbach, Switzerland (1802), Turner emphasises the sublime drama and majestic height of the 200-hundred-foot waterfall by including a tiny, ant-like figure on a rocky outcrop to indicate scale.
Both the Scottish and Irish Vaughan Bequests include expressive watercolours painted on Turner’s visit to the Aosta valley in the Alps in 1836, where the artist uses a great variety of watercolour techniques – scratching out, sponging out and working freely in wet watercolour – to depict his beloved mountains.
Venice, city of light and water, held a special fascination for Turner. His third and final visit was in August 1840, when the stormy summer weather inspired a series of tempestuous watercolours recording dramatic atmospheric effects around the city. Storm at the Mouth of the Grand Canal (1840) comes to Edinburgh from Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest.
Also on exhibition will be The Doge’s Palace and Piazzetta, Venice (1840), a golden evening view of gondolas and fishing boats clustered against the backdrop of Venice’s most celebrated buildings.
Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest includes outstanding examples of watercolours created to be engraved and published as a print series.
A highlight of the exhibition will be A Ship against the Mewstone, at the Entrance to Plymouth Sound (c.1814), from Picturesque Views on the Southern Coast of England. A Royal Navy ship is shown labouring in heavy swell at a notorious danger point on the Devon coast.
In this series, Turner aimed to record the landscape and working lives of places and people living along the south coast. In Clovelly Bay, North Devon (c.1822), another jewel-like watercolour from the same series, he shows in great detail the work of quarrying limestone.
Also on show will be A Shipwreck off Hastings (c.1825), which was probably produced for Turner’s Ports of England print series.
Turner in January: Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest truly is a first for Scotland, with most displayed in their original frames and even Henry Vaughan’s original display cabinet.
Charlotte Topsfield, exhibition curator at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: “Exchanging Vaughan Bequest Turners is an idea that Edinburgh and Dublin have been discussing for a long time.
“We are so excited to be working together on this historic swap in Turner’s anniversary year.
“It will be such a marvelous celebration for the people of Scotland to enjoy – a real once in a lifetime opportunity to commemorate a very special painter.”
Anne Hodge, exhibition curator at the National Gallery of Ireland said: “I am delighted that in January 2025 visitors to the National Galleries Scotland will be able to see Turner’s wonderfully expressive vision of a rainy Edinburgh along with all 31 watercolours that Henry Vaughan decided to leave to Dublin.
“It is a great privilege for me to have worked so closely with colleagues in Edinburgh to make this project a reality.”
Turner in January: Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest opens at the Royal Scottish Academy building on 1 January, and is free to visit.
This exhibitionhas been created in partnership with the National Gallery of Ireland. It is supported thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and Sir Ewan and Lady Christine Brown.
Enjoy a Relaxed Opening Hours Day at Dynamic Earth – Accessible Fun for the Whole Family!
Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh’s Science Centre and Planetarium, is excited to announce its upcoming Relaxed Opening Hours Day on 6th November, offering visitors an extraordinary opportunity to explore the wonders of our planet in a calm, sensory-friendly setting.
Dynamic Earth’s Relaxed Opening Hours Day provides an inclusive environment for all visitors. Designed for those who would benefit from a more relaxed visit such as those with Additional Support Needs (ASN), but open to everyone.
These sessions prioritise sensory comfort through sensory adjustments without compromising on the overall Dynamic Earth experience. Whether you’re visiting with family, friends, or solo, Relaxed Opening Hours Day creates a welcoming space for everyone to experience the wonder of Dynamic Earth.
Dynamic Earth’s approach encourages visitors to learn and explore at their own pace, giving everyone the chance to fully enjoy everything this world-class science centre and planetarium has to offer. This is why Dynamic Earth offers sensory adjustments throughout the entire day.
Sensory Adjustments on Relaxed Opening Hours Day:
Reduced Visitor Numbers Throughout the Day: Allowing for a quieter, more comfortable experience across all exhibitions.
Altered Lighting and Audio Features: Adjusted lighting and sound create a softer environment throughout the attraction, from our entrance to exhibitions.
Trained Staff in Disability and Neurodiversity Awareness: Dynamic Earth’s team is equipped to support and assist all visitors, ensuring a respectful and supportive experience.
Subtitles on All Videos & BSL Interpretation: All videos include subtitles, and the 3 pm planetarium show will feature British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation for enhanced accessibility.
A Wide Range of Sensory Aids: Sensory bags, social stories, and sensory maps are available to guide and enhance each visitor’s experience.
Flexible Admission: Enjoy the freedom to visit Dynamic Earth’s tour and planetarium at a relaxed pace, allowing visitors to choose their best experience.
Designated Quiet Space: A dedicated area is available for visitors to recharge during their visit.
Dynamic Earth’s Relaxed Opening Hours Days reflect the centre’s core mission to make science accessible and engaging for everyone.
This initiative aligns with Dynamic Earth’s commitment to “Deliver Outstanding Science Engagement”, reaching people from all backgrounds, particularly those who benefit from an inclusive and adaptive environment.
In addition to the November date, Dynamic Earth will host another Relaxed Opening Hours Day on 24th January, reaffirming its dedication to providing accessible learning experiences for all visitors.
Guided by a purpose to foster understanding and empathy for the planet, Dynamic Earth is committed to expanding access to science in ways that make a positive impact on individuals and communities alike.
Dynamic Earth warmly invites visitors to join them on November 6th and enjoy a day where everyone is welcomed and supported – tickets available to purchase here:
THE Young Women’s Movement, Scotland’s national organisation for young women’s leadership and rights, has today announced this year’s 30 Under 30 – a list of young women and girls in Scotland who are leading change and excelling in their fields.
Now in its ninth iteration, the 30 Under 30 campaign seeks to celebrate young women and girls’ impact in Scotland across a diverse range of experiences.
This year’s list includes young women and girls from age 13 to 30, from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway, who are celebrated for their campaigning, community work, leadership and excellence in arts, sports, and leadership.
This year’s list includes six people from Edinburgh:
· Alanis McQuillen, a Scottish Parliament staffer who has advocated for better visibility and participation of women in Parliament
· Alice Cruickshank, a BBC journalist and producer whose content focuses on empowering and connecting with young people
· Alyssa Faulkner, a campaigner for better medical access, care and awareness for people living with diabetes
· Beth Davidson, 27-year-old CEO of mental health charity ‘Feeling Strong’
· Gemma Smith, advocate for rights and opportunities for care-experienced people
· Khadea Santi, an artist who led a Youth Art Takeover at the Fruitmarket and whose work explores diaspora, identity and memory.
Jenni Snell, CEO of The Young Women’s Movement, said: ‘It’s a privilege to celebrate these inspiring and tenacious young women and girls, who are creating change in their communities, lives and across society in myriad ways.
“We know that this is a particularly challenging time for young women and girls in Scotland, as they are disproportionately affected by poor access to healthcare, the cost-of-living crisis, and a rise in misogynistic rhetoric.
“Reading this year’s nominations for 30 Under 30 and seeing the impact that young women and girls are having despite this was a moving experience, and we are delighted to celebrate their successes and courage for the ninth year.’
Employers in Edinburgh continue to lead efforts in Scotland to make sure people in work can earn a decent wage that is enough to live on.
The real Living Wage is an independently calculated rate based on the cost of living and is paid voluntarily by employers. This pay rate is updated every year to make sure hourly pay keeps up with the costs of housing, childcare, transport, and heating costs for workers in Scotland.
Efforts to boost the number of businesses paying the real Living Wage has led to a total of 746 accredited employers in the city. This means that a total of 217,887 employees are covered by a Living Wage commitment.
Figures shared ahead of Living Wage Week 2024 (4 – 12 November) reveal that the Living Wage movement in Edinburgh is continuing to grow. Since October last year, there have been 91 new accreditations in the city, and this has uplifted the pay of 686 staff.
Living Wage week provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the movement to date, and to express gratitude to employers for maintaining their commitment, despite challenging business conditions.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, and Co-Chair of Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group, said: “Over 80,000 people are living in poverty in Edinburgh and many have been pushed into deprivation because of insecure work. It really can happen to any of us and that is why the Living Wage is such a powerful tool, for making sure people get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
“In 2024 we’re more determined than ever to work with employers to encourage them to sign up, and it feels like we’re witnessing a real movement. Edinburgh is now home to 20% of Scotland’s Living Wage employers and since October last year more than 90 businesses have signed up. I’d like to express my gratitude to every single one.
“The next few months and years will be critical because we know more Edinburgh-based businesses want to help tackle low pay and insecure work, but that they are under increasing pressure.
“So, as the rate of the Scottish Living Wage rises to £12.60 an hour, the events hosted here in Edinburgh and across the country provide an opportunity to showcase how far we’ve come, while acknowledging that more work is needed.”
Kat Brogan, Managing Director of Mercat Tours and Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group commented: “In Edinburgh, the Living Wage movement has continued to grow.
“This is a massive achievement for the city, particularly as many employers are facing difficult circumstances with rising business costs. In this context, committing to the real Living Wage can seem daunting. Yet, it is more important than ever.
“It is not only the cost of business that is rising; the cost of living is also on the up. More and more workers are struggling to keep up with this and are finding themselves unable to afford necessities like food and heating.
“By accrediting as Living Wage employers, organisations are doing their bit to support their employees and to reduce levels of in-work poverty.”
Prime Minister set to announce an additional £75 million to boost border security, bringing the investment in the Border Security Command over the next two years to £150 million
PM to outline major investments to smash criminal smuggling gangs at INTERPOL General Assembly in Glasgow
New capabilities for Border Security Command from £150 million funding pot to drive down Organised Immigration Crime both at home and overseas
New additional funding will cover state-of-the-art tech and information centres, boosts to enforcement and intelligence resourcing and expanding CPS capacity
The Prime Minister is set to announce an additional £75 million to boost border security, bringing the investment in the Border Security Command over the next two years to £150 million.
Marking the first time the INTERPOL General Assembly has been hosted in the UK in over 50 years, Keir Starmer will today (4 November) open the Assembly in Glasgow by setting out his personal mission to smash the people smuggling gangs by resetting the UK’s whole approach to this challenge and intensifying international collaboration to meet the global scale of the threat.
The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body and comprises senior ministerial and policing leads from the organisation’s 196 member states.
In his speech, the Prime Minister will set out his plans to draw on his experience of bringing together agencies to tackle international terrorist and drug smuggling gangs during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions to dismantle the people smuggling gangs who drive illegal migration, profit from human misery and represent a serious threat to global security.
He will also set out how the £150 million will provide additional specialist investigators and state of the art surveillance equipment to ensure those behind this criminal activity are stopped and brought to justice.
This major funding boost for the government’s new Border Security Command will initially be directed towards a range of enforcement and intelligence activity, including:
Investing heavily in NCA technology and capabilities, delivering advanced data exploitation and improvements to technologies to boost collaboration with European partners to investigate and break people smuggling networks.
300 staff for the new Border Security Command, who will strengthen global partnerships, deliver new legislation and lead the system through investment and strategy.
100 specialist investigators and intelligence officers for the NCA, dedicated to tackling criminals who facilitate people smuggling.
Creating a new specialist OIC Intelligence Source Unit which will cohere intelligence flows from key police forces.
Boosting the Crown Prosecution Service’s ability to deliver charging decisions more quickly on international organised crime cases.
The Border Security Command, led by Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, will be provided with enhanced powers – through a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill – to tackle organised immigration crime whilst providing for strong and effective border security.
New measures will make it easier to detect, disrupt and deter those seeking to engage in and benefit from organised immigration crime. The Command will also coordinate the work of intelligence agencies and law enforcement, who lead joint investigations with European counterparts to ensure we can bring those responsible to justice.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will say: “The world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge. I was elected to deliver security for the British people. And strong borders are a part of that. But security doesn’t stop at our borders.
“There’s nothing progressive about turning a blind eye as men, women and children die in the Channel.
“This is a vile trade that must be stamped out – wherever it thrives. So we’re taking our approach to counter-terrorism – which we know works, and applying it to the gangs, with our new Border Security Command.
“We’re ending the fragmentation between policing, Border Force and our intelligence agencies.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Criminal smuggler gangs profit from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk and they have been getting away with it for far too long.
“Our new Border Security Command, with the investment set out today, will mean a huge step change in the way we target these criminal gangs.
“People smugglers and traffickers operate in networks across borders, that’s why we have launched a major boost to our cooperation with international partners including other European countries, the G7 and Europol, and why we are so pleased to be hosting the INTERPOL conference on tackling international crime in Glasgow today.”
The Prime Minister will also announce that the UK Government has increased its in-year support for INTERPOL’s global operations through a £6 million investment which harnesses the organisation’s unique capabilities to tackle serious organised crime affecting the UK.
Addressing the General Assembly, the Prime Minister will say that closer cooperation with international partners is key as he details how the gangs’ operations span from the money markets in Kabul through to the Kurdish region of Iraq and right across Europe and into the UK.
He will stress the government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening security agreements to facilitate greater sharing of intelligence and more joint operational work, in particular through Europol.
The Home Office will also invest £24m in the new financial year to tackle international serious organised crime affecting the UK including drugs and firearms, fraud, trafficking and exploitation. Funds will in part be used to bolster work done by special prosecutors and operational partners in the Western Balkans.
There were more than 5,000 drug related deaths in 2023, with most of the illegal drugs causing these coming from overseas or facilitated by transnational gangs. ISOC funding will also be used to tackle drug smuggling upstream and at the UK border, building on recent successes, such as the effective collaboration with the US and Ecuador, which has resulted in the seizure of 19 tonnes of cocaine.
National Crime Agency Director General Graeme Biggar said: “Serious and organised crime causes more harm, to more people, more often than any other national security threat.
“And almost all of serious and organised crime now has an international nexus. Distance, borders and languages are meaningless to criminals. This is why collaborations with INTERPOL have never been as important as they are today.
“Tackling organised crime, and especially immigration crime, remains a top priority for the NCA. We are currently leading around 70 investigations into the gangs or individuals involved in the highest echelons of this type of criminality, and we are devoting more resources to it than ever before.
“We have built up our intelligence sharing effort with law enforcement partners across Europe and beyond, including having more NCA officers based overseas, sharing intelligence and working side by side on joint investigations.
“This approach is bringing operational results with arrests and prosecutions, but we are also we are seeking to disrupt the people smugglers’ business model, through targeting their social media offering, their supply routes for equipment, and their financial flows.
“We are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle these networks, wherever they operate.”
The announcement comes a month after Britain joined up to a new G7 anti migrant smuggling action plan which included pledges to bolster border security, combat transnational organised crime, and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by smugglers.
The plan includes new, intelligence-led joint investigative actions to target criminal smuggling routes, working with social media platforms and internet providers to remove harmful content promoting illegal migration services or advertising fake job opportunities, and strengthening capabilities to monitor and anticipate irregular migration flows at both global and regional levels.
As winter sets in, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is reaching out for support through its urgent Winter Appeal, aimed at providing vital care for animals in need through much needed donations.
This year, the charity has faced a record number of animal admissions, with nearly 400 new arrivals between September 2023 and August 2024, coinciding with all-time high operational costs.
To raise awareness for their cause, the Home has adorned Edinburgh’s iconic statues of Greyfriars Bobby and Bum the Dog with scarves and blankets, symbolising the warmth and compassion that the community can provide to vulnerable animals and their owners during these cold months.
The Winter Appeal is critical, as it helps the charity sustain its operations and provide essential services. It is estimated to cost over £22,000 this winter to solely heat the Home on top of regular services which sit at £7,000 per day.
Between January and June this year, the Home provided 306,247 meals to pets in Edinburgh, which is the equivalent of the weight of two and a half Lothian buses, and between January to August they successfully rehomed 150 cats and dogs.
Unfortunately, the demand for services has escalated, with the Home’s helpline receiving a staggering 872 hours of calls (equivalent to watching every James Bond film 17 times!) between January and June 2024.
Those six months also saw the Home receive a 10% increase in surrender requests compared to the same period in 2023.
The Home is appealing to members of the public, businesses and groups to get involved and show love and warmth to the animals who rely on its vital support by donating funds to their Winter Appeal.
Communities can also get involved – for example, by hosting a pet food drive, or organising a fundraising Christmas jumper day or even daring to face the cold dip challenge – all helping to raise vital funds and significantly helping pet owners from having to surrender their beloved pets.
“The warm scarves and blankets adorning the Greyfriars Bobby and Bum the Dog statues serve as a beautiful reminder of the love and compassion we can extend to our vulnerable animals. These iconic figures, known for their loyalty, symbolise the bond we share with our pets, and together we can ensure that no animal in need is left without care and warmth this winter.
“The need for our services continues to grow, and it’s through the kindness of our supporters that we’ve been able to assist both pet owners and their beloved animals. Our helpline received 17,995 calls in the first half of this year alone, already surpassing the 17,021 calls we received in the entirety of 2023.
“Every donation counts – Just £10 pays for essential vaccinations for a cat for a whole year. A donation of £150 can keep all our dogs and cats warm for a day, and £25 is enough to keep a hungry dog’s belly full for a whole month.”
The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has been serving the community for over 140 years, offering a second chance to countless animals. This winter they are calling upon the community to help ensure that no animal is left without love and care.
To support the Winter Appeal, please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal or text WARMHEARTS to 70085 to donate £10.
Community Meal & Discussion
Date: Thursday 7 November, 6pm – 7pm
Venue: @
