Just a few days until we bring the local community together at The LifeCare Centre, 2 Cheyne Street, Edinburgh, EH4 1JB, THIS SATURDAY, the 7th of December, between 11am and 3pm, for a fun filled day of Christmas magic at our charity fair!
Come along on the day and enjoy: – Craft Stalls – Santa’s Grotto (bookings on 0131 343 0940) – Gifts – Raffle – Merry tunes and delicious festive treats
Whether you’re looking for unique Christmas gifts, or just a chance to make a difference by supporting your local charity so we can keep local older people warm and well this winter, we’d love to see you there!
Christmas arrived early for some Edinburgh care home residents this week, with a festive lunch and film afternoon at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC).
In collaboration with catering partner, Leith’s, the event catering division of Compass Scotland, the EICC produced a special event for local people with Dementia. 100 guests were invited for a traditional two-course Christmas lunch while they watched the Christmas classic, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ on the big screen.
The Leith’s and EICC teams approached local care homes, agencies and charities to invite residents to attend the free event and enjoy some festive cheer in the lead up to Christmas. Residents and carers joined the event from Home Instead, Colinton Care Home, St Margarets Care Home, Alzheimer Scotland, Viewpoint Housing Association and Re-Engage Edinburgh.
Guests were greeted with a glass of bucks fizz to start the celebration, before enjoying a starter of either Cock-a-leekie terrine with pickled vegetables and tomato chutney or celeriac and sun blushed tomato tartare with oatcakes, followed by roast turkey or a roast butternut squash pave with all the trimmings. The afternoon was rounded off by coffee or tea and mince pies.
This is the third time the EICC has hosted the festive film afternoon for local care home residents. The event was carefully considered and supported to ensure it was comfortable, calm and enjoyable for all.
As part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, this activity is in line with its ‘Our Social Promise’, which launched in 2022. This includes a Mission to a Million commitment, to provide support to one million people by 2030 through jobs, training, community engagement and development.
Claire McHardy, Leith’s General Manager at EICC said: “We understand the importance of social connections for older people, so we were pleased to be able to reach out to these organisations to help us put on this event.
“It was a lovely Christmassy afternoon, and it was heartwarming to see the joy that our food and the film brought to our guests.”
Lisa Moodie Commissioned Service Lead for Edinburgh & Lothians at Alzheimer Scotland said:“Alzheimer Scotland was delighted to be invited to the EICC’s festive film and lunch.
“The people we support thoroughly enjoyed the chance to watch a classic film over a festive lunch. Thank you to the EICC for reaching out to involve us.”
Marshall Dallas, EICC Chief Executive commented: “We’ve worked closelywith Alzheimer Scotland over the last ten years, holding their annual conference here at the EICC.
“We have also hosted social gatherings for Re-engage, so we’re really pleased to welcome guests today from these organisations, together with guests from local care homes, as we enjoy a wonderful festive occasion.”
The opening of the Tallest Knitted Christmas Tree was held on November 30th in front of a huge audience.
Our champion volunteer Pat Wilson cut the ribbon, the Newhaven Choir sang beautifully and then people were able to enjoy the craft stalls and refreshments including mulled wine supplied by Malones of Leith.
A huge thank you to all the businesses and individuals who donated so generously to us. Also to those people who came and spent money and also donated money to help us make the Heart more accessible for everyone.
A special thanks to our army of knitters from across the world and especially those who were there at the weekend helping to make the event a such a success.
The fishwife is called JEANNIE a name chosen by 5 people and we held a draw to find the winner and she promptly donated her prize to our fund.
The Tree contained 6257 leaves and is 17’7” (or 536cm) tall.
The Tree and Jeannie can be seen until December 22nd when the Heart is open and if you come on a Wednesday or Saturday morning the kettle will be on!
In January we shall have news of next year’s projects where everyone who wants to can come and join in.
There are around 80,000 unpaid carers in Scotland. Tomorrow, many of these Scots will see £288.60 deposited into their bank accounts. This payment is part of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement, and up to 30,000 carers who were not previously eligible could now be amongst those entitled to the support, thanks to crucial changes to the Scottish system which took place just last month.
To help carers navigate the complex system correctly, Suzanne Bourne – Head of Carer Support at the UK’s largest community of unpaid carers, Mobilise – explains more. Her advice below covers what the Carer’s Allowance Supplement is, how to check if you’re eligible and what to do if you think you’ve missed out on support you’re entitled to:
What is Carer’s Allowance Supplement?
Carer’s Allowance Supplement is worth £577.20 in total, and is split into two twice-yearly payments of £288.60. Eligible carers should have received the first of these payments on 7 June 2024. The second payment isdue on Friday 6 December 2024.
The supplement isn’t new. But rules surrounding a different benefit, which determines whether or not people receive the supplement, changed just last month.
In November, the Carer Support Payment was introduced to replace Carer’s Allowance for carers living in Scotland. Carers who receive the Carer Support Payment are automatically paid the £288.60 Carer’s Allowance Supplement.
And, thanks to the recent rule changes, both forms of financial support are now available to many more of Scotland’s 30,000 young carers.
Who is eligible?
Carers who received either Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment on 7th October should automatically get the £288.60 supplement on 6th December.
To be eligible for the Carer Support Payment you must be:
Aged 16 or over
Providing care for over 35 hours per week to someone who receives disability benefits
Earning less than £151 a week
Living in Scotland
Students must be in full-time education, and meet additional criteria (find out more here)
If you’re due to receive the supplement, you’ll get a letter from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made. If you do not get a letter or payment by 16 December 2024 but believe you are eligible, contact Social Security Scotland.
Who needs to be careful?
In particular, given the recent rule changes, young carers should seek help from Social Security Scotland if they believe they are missing out on vital financial support which they are entitled to.
All carers should also be aware of the upper earnings limit trip hazards. The threshold for Carer’s Allowance – which is still in place for carers in England and Wales – increased to £181 a week following the recent Budget. For Scottish carers, the earnings limit is still £151 a week.
So make sure your earnings are within the limit where you live, and update Social Security Scotland if your situation changes. Especially since this threshold is the source of the ongoing ‘overpayments’ scandal, whereby hardworking carers are having to pay back their benefits.
How can I check if I’m eligible?
If you’re unsure whether you meet the criteria for Carer Support Payment – and, in-turn, the Carer’s Allowance Supplement – you can check using the government’s free eligibility checker tool.
How can I apply?
Applications for Carer Support Payment are now open Scotland-wide. If you’re eligible you can apply online, by phone, by post, or in-person. See the government’s website for full details.
Receiving Carer Support Payment Carer’s Allowance Supplement may affect any other benefits you receive, or the benefits of the person you look after. So it’s important to be aware and seek additional guidance from Social Security Scotland before you apply if you are concerned.
What additional support is available?
There are a number of other forms of financial support on offer for those who look after loved ones. Some of these benefits can be claimed instead of the Carer Support Payment and supplement, for those not eligible, and some can be claimed in addition. These benefits include:
Young Carer Grant – Scottish carers aged 16, 17 or 18 can apply for this yearly payment of £383.75 if they provide care for an average of 16 hours per week. Find more details and apply via the Scottish government’s website
Carer’s Credit – Anyone that provides 20 hours of unpaid care a week is eligible for this National Insurance credit, which helps individuals qualify for state pensions later on. Check whether you’re eligible using this credit checker tool
Carer’s Element – If you’re on a low income and receiving Universal Credit, you may be entitled to an additional £185.86 a month. The Universal Credit team can advise you on this
Carer’s Support Plan – By requesting an assessment from your local council, you can find out if you’re eligible for any additional, one-off, direct payments to help you manage the impact of caregiving. Find out more here
Pension Credit – The Carer Addition (or ‘Carer Premium’) – If you’re aged 65 or over, and on a low income, you may also be entitled to credit which is separate from your State Pension to help with living costs. Find out more via the government’s website
Grants from local councils – Grants to help with caring costs can also be made by councils. Check what support is available to you using this grant search tool
Council tax discounts – If you’re on a low income and claiming a benefit, you may be eligible for reduced council tax. Apply via the government’s website
Heating benefits – It’s also worth checking if you’re eligible for the Warm Home Discount, Winter Fuel Payment, or the Cold Weather Payment. Find out more here
Discounts – There are a number of discounts available exclusively to people who look after loved ones, including discounted train tickets, days out (see a list of attractions that apply here), and even free cinema tickets (with a CEA card)
For more advice and guidance on the financial support available to unpaid carers, you can find detailed information or speak to a carer support expert via the Mobilise website.
More than 4,500 people in Edinburgh have learned about keeping children safe from sexual abuse through the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS campaign running in the city over the past year.
Staff from NSPCC Scotland and the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee have delivered Talk PANTS workshops across the city since October 2023, giving parents, carers and professionals advice on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.
With the help of a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, the campaign helps children understand that their body belongs to them, that they have a right to say no, and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.
The end of the campaign has been marked with two events over the past week – one for families and one for professionals.
At the family event on November 29 at Gorgie Memorial Hall, children, parents and carers enjoyed snacks, games and a reading of ‘Pantosaurus and the Power of PANTS’ followed by an appearance by Pantosaurus.
The professional event at Edinburgh City Chambers on December 3 featured speeches by Matthew McVarish, actor and co-founder of the global Brave Movement; Laura Brown, Lead Officer of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee; Lillian Cringles, Independent Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, and Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Manager.
The campaign launched last year at an event for families at McDonald Road Library. Since then, NSPCC Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council staff have joined Pantosaurus and thousands of families across the city, including at Sighthill and Craigmillar libraries, Edinburgh Zoo and the international book festival. Talk PANTS resources are now available in all 27 libraries across Edinburgh.
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Manager, said: “It has been a great year delivering Talk PANTS workshops across Edinburgh. Welcoming children, parents and carers to our events and sharing the messages of Talk PANTS has been wonderful.
“The campaign doesn’t use scary words or talk about sex. Instead, we focus on the PANTS rules that help children understand important messages like their body belongs to them and they should tell an adult if they’re upset or worried about something.
“More parents and carers across Edinburgh are now equipped with the skills to be able to talk about this difficult topic with their children from a young age and can play their part in helping to prevent abuse. And more children now have a greater understanding of their rights, thanks to Pantosaurus and the Talk PANTS campaign.”
Lillian Cringles, Chair of the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee, said: “This campaign has helped families and professional have these important conversations with children about their bodies and help keep them safe.
“This piece of work across the city has demonstrated a strong commitment to partnership, involving numerous agencies and services. We intend to keep this alive through campaign legacy commitments over the next few years.
“While the campaign has come to an end in Edinburgh, I would still urge as many parents and carers as possible to find out about the Talk PANTS messages, which are available on the NSPCC website.”
A highlight of the Edinburgh Talk PANTS campaign was the creation of sign language resources, which were developed in partnership with the communication charity – Signalong.
The legacy of the campaign will live on thanks to local ‘PANTS champions’ – people usually from a school or nursery trained to deliver the campaign messages to other professionals and families through webinars, workshops and awareness raising events.
And schools and nurseries in Edinburgh have been offered PANTS resource bags to use with children in the months and years to come.
Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk.
Childline is available to all young people until their 19th birthday.
If you are concerned about a child you can contact the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or email: help@NSPCC.org.uk.
Police Scotland have released images of a man they believe may be able to assist with their ongoing enquiries into a robbery which occurred at around 2.15pm on Friday, 25 October, 2024, at a petrol station at Ferrymuir Gait, South Queensferry.
Officers believe the man shown in the images may have information that can assist the ongoing investigation.
He is described as white, 5ft 8ins -5ft 10ins tall and of medium build. He was wearing a black beanie style hat with grey trim, a grey snood which covered his mouth and nose, brown coat with fur trim collar and cuffs, blue jeans and white trainers. He was also wearing a black backpack and blue gloves.
Detective Sergeant Jennifer Hughes said: “Extensive enquiries into this incident remain ongoing.
“I would encourage this man, or anyone who may recognise him, to contact us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with any information should contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2072 of 25 October, 2024. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
MUIRHOUSE Housing Association delivered a Christmas cracker filled with family fun to kick off the festive season.
The Association laid on a sparkling Christmas celebration next to its offices brimming with seasonal cheer which families flocked to. It was the perfect way to start the Christmas festivities and get everyone into the holiday spirit.
Muirhouse Chief Executive Susan Bell said the event was a tremendous success and thanked the community for their support by coming along.
The highlight was definitely the Christmas tree lights switch-on, generously sponsored for the second consecutive year by Kerax Land Ltd, the landscaping and estates contractor for the housing association.
The event featured a variety of family-friendly activities, including seasonal arts and crafts like making “angel templates” and writing letters to Santa.
To banish the Edinburgh winter chill, attendees enjoyed free hot food with a delicious Lebanese twist from Lazeez Street Food and Catering Services, adding an international flair to the event.
A guitarist from the community singing group “Ama-zing Harmonies” led everyone in carol singing.
Susan expressed her gratitude, saying: “We are incredibly thankful to everyone who attended. It was the perfect event to launch the festive season.
“It was wonderful to see the community come together again, and the excitement from the children who came along was truly heartwarming. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and wish everyone a wonderful Christmas.”
She also extended her thanks to the staff team for their hard work in organising and making it such a success.
Deborah Brown, Muirhouse’s Community Engagement Officer, said it was the perfect seasonal occasion to engage with tenants and the wider Muirhouse community.
This project, a collaboration between Universities in Edinburgh, Paris, and Madrid, in addition to granton:hub and Edinburgh World Heritage, explores:
-How we can balance new development with the protection of cultural heritage.
-How local people make cultural heritage.
-How this making can improve lives.
-How the edges of cities hold them together.
The days leading up to the event, a wide range of community representatives will share views on why and how these ‘elements’ are valuable – as heritage in Granton, but also to the city of Edinburgh and the world beyond.
In addition, school teachers, after-school providers, and workers in further and lifelong education, will also explore their contribution to local learning.
On Saturday 14th December, we shall be sharing our discussions with the general public through an exhibition.
We would like to invite anyone to come along and share their views.
Do you have an idea that will make a difference to your local community? Apply now for a grant of up to £5,000 to make your idea a reality.
Please note the application deadline for the Community Grants Fund (CGF) has been extended to 5pm on Monday 16th December 2024. This is the last chance to apply for a grant this year.
You can apply for up to £5000 for community-based activity taking place in 2025. Areas with funding still available are: Almond, Craigentinny/Duddingston, Forth, Inverleith, Morningside, Pentlands, South West and Western.
The Community Grants Fund (CGF) is a small grants scheme provided by the City of Edinburgh Council. Grants of up to £5,000 can be awarded to constituted groups for community based activity.
The CGF was set up in 2007 to help fund projects that will benefit local communities. It is part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to empowering citizens and supporting grassroots initiatives.
Alan Gordon, Secretary for Longstone Community Council, said of the fund: “The CGF is an accessible fund for local groups across the city to make good use of.
“It brings ideas to life, activities to communities and often makes the difference between something happening or not. If you have an idea for improving your community, the CGF can help it to blossom.”
There are 13 local pots of money, each covering a different area of the city.
In some areas the money for this financial year has already been allocated, but there are several areas where funds remain (see above).
For more information about how to apply and to check how much money is available in different areas, go to the Council’s CGF web pages.
If you require further information or help to apply, please email:
The First Minister shows support for Vintage Vibes’ work helping lonely and isolated older people in Edinburgh and highlights the value of building lasting relationships this Christmas and for the future
First Minister, John Swinney joined local older people to hear their impactful stories at an event hosted by Edinburgh-based charity project, Vintage Vibes to highlight the importance of friendship and community connections in tackling loneliness in the over 60s this Christmas and for the future.
Edinburgh is one of the loneliest cities in the UK for older people and Vintage Vibes has been committed to tackling the loneliness crisis since 2015 – empowering over 60s to lead happier, healthier lives through one-to-one volunteer friendship matches, groups, events and activities.
First Minister, John Swinney said: “Vintage Vibes is an absolutely joyful project which brings older people together with younger people to tackle the issues of loneliness and isolation that exist within our communities.
“What I heard from listening to those involved is that sense of improvement in their wellbeing; it brings happiness and connection within communities, and helps people feel they are making a contribution to society.
“Vintage Vibes is a good preventative intervention that helps to boost the resilience, capacity and strength of individuals – it’s a really strong model and is a lovely example of how we can combat social isolation and loneliness and build stronger communities.”
Georgia Artus, Vintage Vibes Lead said: “As we come into our 10th year of creating long-lasting friendships in one of the loneliest cities in the UK for older people, we are delighted to have gained the interest of the First Minister.
“This recognises the empowering contribution our volunteers make every week throughout the year in Scotland’s capital and the transformational change that can be made through friendship.
“We know that loneliness has a hugely detrimental effect on older peoples’ wellbeing and physical and mental health, with the negative health impacts equating to that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
“There is an estimated 11,000 older people who are often or always alone in Edinburgh – and those figures are rising.
“We’re excited for our future as an independent charity, but we have a big challenge ahead to meet demand and fund our vital services. We hope this visit will spread the word that anyone with a little time to spare can volunteer or support the lives of older people, not just at Christmas, but every day.”
The First Minister kindly joined in the festive fun and wrote a Christmas card, joining a host of MSPs who wrote cards at Scottish Parliament last week and hundreds of members of the public who are getting involved in the campaign.
Individuals can show their support by visiting Vintage Vibes’ website, where they too can receive a profile of a local, lonely older person to send a Christmas card to until 6th December – from Elaine, who loves to sing and enjoys musicals, to animal loving Betty, who loves to watching and listening to the birds in the garden.
After that time, gifts can be donated to help Vintage Vibes have an impact all year round, from meals out or a coffee and cake, to tickets to a show.
Vintage Vibes VIP, Marleen said:‘I lost my husband and was feeling down but reading all the lovely Christmas cards really cheered me up.
‘You made my day – thank you all so much.’
To show you care and give the gift of friendship to an older person this year, visit vintagevibes.org.uk today.
