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New Carers Trust report highlights increasing pressure on our carers

New Carers Trust survey reveals devastating double whammy of cost-of-living crisis and increasing intensity of caring responsibilities on children and young adults

“I’d love to have kid problems. Instead, I’m saving up to try and pay our rent and to see if I can squeeze in some food at the end of it.”

66% of young carers and young adult carers in Scotland told Carers Trust’s survey the cost-of-living crisis is always or usually hitting them and their family adversely
36% say they always or usually face additional costs because they are an unpaid carer
54% say the time they spend caring has increased in the past year
52% always or usually feel stressed because they are an unpaid carer.

A new Carers Trust survey released yesterday (9^th March) shows the devastating double whammy of the cost-of-living crisis and the increasing intensity of caring responsibilities shouldered by children and young people providing unpaid care to family members.

The report, released a week ahead of Young Carers Action Day (15 March), an annual event led and organised by national charity Carers Trust, aims to raise awareness of the devastating impact on young people of fulfilling their caring role without sufficient support.

The UK-wide survey of 1,109 young carers (aged under 18) and young adult carers (aged 18-25), including 181 living in Scotland, showed alarming findings, with many young people contributing to or managing the family finances.

The survey found that 36% of respondents in Scotland said they always or usually face additional costs because they are a young carer or young adult carer and 66% said the cost-of-living crisis is always or usually affecting them and their family.

One young adult told the survey: “I’d love to have kid problems. Instead, I’m saving up to try and pay our rent and to see if I can squeeze in some food at the end of it.”

The survey also found a significant intensification of their caring role. More than half (59%) of those surveyed in Scotland report caring for between 20 and 49 hours, while also balancing their studies, work and lives outside of caring. However, as many stated in the survey, this does not reflect the extra time they spend worrying about the needs of the person they care for and the true figure may be much higher.

In total, 54% of young carer and young adult carer respondents in Scotland said the time they spend caring has increased in the last year and 36% said they now care for more people than they used to.

One young adult told the survey: “Caring never stops. Especially when it’s time to sleep, your brain constantly worries about how tomorrow will be, hospital appointments, money etc. It’s in overdrive.”

Time spent caring hits education and wellbeing

A higher proportion of those caring for more hours per week reported problems with money, not having time to socialise, feeling stressed and worried and not getting enough rest, sleep or time for themselves.

In terms of education, 49% of respondents in Scotland said that they never or do not often get help in school, college or university to balance caring and education work, with a third of overall respondents saying they usually or always struggle with that balance. They also report a lack of support from schools, with 32% of Scotland respondents saying there is ‘not often’ or ‘never’ someone at their school, college or university who understands about them being a carer.

For those who work, 50% ‘always’ or ‘usually’ struggle to balance caring with paid work in Scotland.

One young adult said: “There is a lot of pressure on me, to the detriment of my own health, wellbeing, success, happiness and future.”

The findings suggest these pressures are having a devastating effect on mental health. Many struggle with emotional wellbeing and feel stressed, overwhelmed or drained. The survey revealed that 52% of young carer and young adult carer respondents in Scotland ‘always’ or ‘usually’ feel stressed.

Illustrating the overwhelming nature of being a young carer, one said: “You don’t get to have bad days. If you have a bad day, the whole house can fall into disarray. It’s exhausting and traumatic.”

Young and young adult carers say the key things they need are support around: mental health, money and finances, education and a break from caring.

Among its recommendations, Carers Trust is calling for:

All schools, colleges and universities to appoint a Young Carers Champion with strategic responsibility and oversight for identifying and implementing appropriate support.
Scottish Government to introduce a fully resourced right to short breaks for all unpaid carers with dedicated funding.
Improved access to financial support for young carers and young adult carers, including extending Carer’s Support Payment (currently Carer’s Allowance) eligibility to unpaid carers in full-time education.
Scottish Government to increase the level of funding for young carer and young adult carer support and ring-fence it.

Louise Morgan, Director of Carers Trust Scotland comments: “These shocking survey results show young people caring for their loved ones are being hit by a perfect storm of increasing intensity in their caring responsibilities and the spiralling cost of living.

“It cannot be right that children and young adult carers are having to take on the burden of dealing with stretched household finances and caring for ever longer hours, to the detriment of their education and wellbeing.

“These young people and the local organisations that support them need radical action from local and nation governments. Young people also tell us they urgently need support with mental health and access to breaks. It’s high time we gave them the help they so sorely need.”

Lib Dem landslide!

CLEAN SWEEP: LIB DEMS ROMP HOME IN CORSTORPHINE MURRAYFIELD BY-ELECTION

The Liberal Democrats have won the Corstorphine Murrayfield by-election. The rampant Lib Dems won at Stage One of the voting process 0 amassing more votes than all the other candidates combined – and they now hold all three seats in the ward.

Fiona Bennett’s emphatic victory reinforces the Lib Dem team at the City Chambers to 13 councillors, five behind the biggest party the SNP.

Edinburgh’s ‘ruling’ Labour group has just 12 councillors and last month was forced to adopt the Lib Dem budget plans to cling on to power.

Labour finished fourth in first preference votes in the by-election, which was brought about by the resignation of former SNP Lord Provost Frank Ross.

The declaration was made early this morning (Friday, 10 March) by Returning Officer for Edinburgh, city council chief exec Andrew Kerr.

Returning Officer, Andrew Kerr, said: “Thanks to everyone who took part in the by-election helping to elect a new councillor to represent their views on matters affecting the ward and the entire city.

“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Fiona Bennett as a new councillor and I look forward to working with her.

“I also want to thank our elections team who have worked hard over recent months to make sure this by-election ran so smoothly.”

The turnout for the by-election was a fair 42.3%.

Jubilant Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton remarked on Twitter: “Get in! So delighted for Cllr Fiona Bennett and the team she built and inspired around her.

“Important observations-

Lib Dems now second biggest party in Edinburgh

SNP down by almost 1/3rd

“This is the biggest council by-election win in our party’s history.”

Corstorphine Murrayfield by-election, first preferences:

LD: 4577 (56%, +6.2)

SNP: 1086 (13.3%, -5.4)

Con: 788 (9.6%, -6.3)

Lab: 568 (7%, -0.9)

Grn: 417 (5.1%, -1.8)

Elaine Miller (Ind): 327 (4%, new)

Pete Gregson (Ind): 295 (3.6%, new)

Scottish Family Family, Pro Life: 90 (1.1%, +0.3)

Libertarian Party: 20 (0.2%, new)

Ward_6___Corstorphine___Murrayfield_results_2023 Download

Cats Protection warns of animal welfare crisis as people cut down on vet visits and insurance

Cat owners are cutting back on pet essentials such as vet care, vaccinations, and insurance as a result of the cost of living crisis, according to new research from Cats Protection.

The leading feline welfare charity is seeing a rise in people giving up their cats for financial reasons and is warning there could be an animal welfare crisis as a direct result of the cost of living.

Cats Protection has launched an online hub to support owners in need with a raft of information including how to look after your cat on a budget and how to access help with costs.

One in three* cat owners surveyed said they feel “greatly impacted” by the cost of living crisis, while nearly one in five (18%) said they were spending less on vet services, including missing essential vaccinations or not microchipping their pet.

Meanwhile, nearly one in three (31%) of cat owners said they are concerned about how they would pay emergency vet bills if their cat became sick or injured, with nearly one in five (18%) concerned about paying for routine vet treatment. The charity says this represents tens of thousands of cats whose welfare could now be at risk.

A quarter of cat owners (25%) said they are spending less on pet insurance because of the cost of living and 17% are concerned about paying for insurance in the future.

Alison Richards, Head of Clinical Services at Cats Protection said: “We know the cost of living is having a huge impact on people across the country, with many cat owners making difficult choices to make ends meet. Cutting back on insurance or vet treatment can ultimately lead to higher costs if a cat becomes injured, gravely unwell, or even pregnant.

“We’ve launched a new information hub with lots of tips and ideas for looking after your cat on a budget, with everything from how to make free cat toys to how to access help with costs such as neutering. We want to provide access to information and resources that can help every owner look after their cat.”

Cat owners also reported cutting back on spending, with more than half spending less on eating out or takeaways, days out, clothes, drinking and holidays. The survey also showed that 60% of owners feel their cat is a source of comfort to them during a difficult time.

Adoption centres are also seeing a rise in people giving up their cats for financial reasons.

Nicola Murray, deputy manager at Cats Protection’s Harrow Homing Centre, said: “The cost of living is having a greater impact on animal welfare than Covid. We’ve got desperate people turning up on our doorstep every week and our waiting lists for people wishing to give their cat up are several weeks long.

“People need more information and support for managing their cats during this time as no one should have to give up a much loved pet during a time of crisis.”

*Survey of 3,011 cat owners in the UK, conducted by Basis on behalf of Cats Protection. Fieldwork completed in December 2022.

Choudhury: Fight goes on for equality on International Women’s Day

Responding to this year’s 2023 International Women’s Day, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “International Women’s Day is a wonderful celebration dating back over 100 years. It is a chance to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness of the continued fight for equality.

“International Women’s Day highlights the ever-evolving issues women have faced: voting rights, equality in the workplace and under the law and changing social attitudes.

“It is important that we also use International Women’s Day to highlight the experience of women from a diverse range of backgrounds.

“For example, in Ukraine, we are seeing women struggle disproportionately with human trafficking when being displaced. This is something I have addressed in the Scottish Parliament’s debate marking a year of war in Ukraine.

“In 2022, I spoke to the Scottish Parliament about the importance of creating opportunities that specifically target women from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to get involved in sport, as hostility and abuse within sport can lead to low-levels of participation from BAME women and girls.

“For International Women’s Day 2023, I spoke in the Scottish Parliament debate on Wednesday to address how women from ethnic minorities can face overlapping systems of discrimination: both racism and misogyny.

“Many women from ethnic minorities experience misogyny in different ways and we need to recognise this multiplicity of experience in order to tackle misogyny.

“I am also particularly worried about the treatment of women when wearing items such as the hijab. Many Muslim women wear these as a sign of modesty and faith, but in the UK they have been met with violence and harassment.

“I’ve even heard cases of women avoiding train stations in fear that someone would push them on to the tracks.

“International Women’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to make efforts to combat these issues.

“There are already tracks being made on some of these issues, for example Scottish Rugby recently announced a system was being put in place to allow concerns to be raised over racism and misogyny.

“This can’t be the end point, however. The commitment to these underrepresented women needs to remain a core element of all sports, and indeed all sectors, across Scotland.

“The involvement of ethnic and religious minority women to the same level as everyone else needs to happen before Scotland can confidently say it is a diverse and accepting nation with equality for all.”

Misogyny law consultation

Proposals to criminalise abusive and humiliating behaviour routinely directed at women and girls

Misogynistic harassment could become a criminal offence as part of proposals aimed at providing greater protection for women and girls in Scotland.

A consultation has been launched on the draft reforms, which would create five new laws to provide police and prosecutors with new powers to tackle the corrosive effects of misogyny.

The proposals are based on the recommendations made by the Working Group on Misogyny led by Baroness Kennedy. This concluded that the harmful effects of misogyny meant women and girls required new protection through the criminal law.

Under the proposals, the scope of how current laws tackle misogynistic abuse would be expanded to include threatening, abusive or sexual behaviour directed towards women or girls – because of their gender– which is likely to cause them to feel degradation, humiliation or distress.

It would also be used to tackle situations where women or girls are subjected to threatening or abusive messages about rape, sexual assault or disfigurement – either in person, or online.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “Baroness Kennedy’s report was stark in its assessment of the level of misogyny that exists in Scotland. Women and girls are routinely humiliated, touched, groped, undermined, trolled and objectified both online and off, and subjected to threats, harassment and abuse about their looks or desirability – stopping them from fully participating in society.

“Although there are already a range of laws that can be used to prosecute aspects of misogynistic harassment and abuse, these do not accurately identify the particular harm caused by misogyny. They also fail to adequately respond to problems faced by women, which is why we are consulting on further criminal reforms.

“And while criminal law reform alone cannot be expected to eliminate misogynistic abuse, or the attitudes which perpetuate it, these specific criminal protections are an important step in challenging society’s – and particularly men’s – tolerance of misogyny. I encourage everyone with an interest to consider what is proposed and offer their views.”

Baroness Helena Kennedy KC said: “ I strongly encourage as many women as possible to participate in this consultation.

“For too long the law has not been drawn from the experience of women. It is time to hear from girls and women about what they think should be included in law so that they can be treated as equals and live free from abuse and denigration.”

The consultation will run from 8 March to 2 June 2023.

Take part in the consultation.

The five new proposed criminal laws are:

An offence of misogynistic harassment. This would make it a criminal offence for a person to behave in a way that amounts to misogynistic harassment directed at a woman or girl or group of women and girls.
An offence of misogynistic behaviour. Intended to deal with misogynistic behaviour which is likely to have the effecting of causing a woman or girl to experience fear, alarm, degradation, humiliation or distress where that behaviour is not directed at a specific woman or girl (or group of women and girls) and so could not be described as ‘harassment’.
A statutory aggravation concerning misogyny. This would be used where an offence had a misogynistic motive or a person demonstrates misogyny whilst committing a crime. The statutory aggravation would ensure that this motive is recorded and taken into account when sentencing.
An offence of threatening or abusive communications to women or girls that reference rape, sexual assault or disfigurement. This offence criminalises sending an abusive message to a woman or girl that refers to rape, sexual assault or disfigurement
An offence of stirring up hatred against women and girls. This offence is concerned with the effect that the behaviour may be likely to have on the people in whom the perpetrator is seeking to stir up hatred of women and girls.

CCTV appeal after Leith hammer attack

Police in Edinburgh have released images of a man that they wish to speak to as they believe he may have information that can assist with an investigation into a serious assault.

Officers have released CCTV images of a man who may be able to assist

The incident took place around 11.35pm on Wednesday, 1 February, 2023, at Albert Street in Leith.

A 31-year-old man was struck to the back of a head with a hammer resulting in him having to attend hospital.

The male shown in the images, is described as white, 20-30 years old, 5ft 8in to 5ft 10in tall, medium build, wearing a dark woolly hat, dark jacket with small light logo on left breast and rear right shoulder, black trousers with white vertical stripe on each leg, and black trainers.

Detective Constable Euan Chancellor of the Violence Reduction Unit, Gayfield CID said: “This was an unprovoked attack which was highly distressing for the victim who suffered a serious injury.

“Violent crime such as this is of the utmost concern to police in Edinburgh so I would urge anyone who recognises the male in the images to contact us as soon as possible.

“Members of the public can contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting reference number 0044 of 2 February, 2023 or, if they wish to remain anonymous, they can call the independent charity, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

The DARED Challenge is back for its sixth year!

Local charity, Circle have just launched their annual DARED (Do A Run Every Day) Challenge, which is back for its sixth year this June.

Over 600 runners have taken part in The DARED Challenge over the past 5 years, and they have succeeded in raising over £87,000 for local children and families living in some of Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.

Take part in DARED 2023 for a month of fitness and fun, and help Circle bring the total figure raised to £100,000!

“DARED was exactly the challenge I needed to get my going again after a prolonged period of laziness had set in. The support from the other participants was amazing and kept me going through highs and lows!” – DARED Participant

What is The DARED Challenge?

The concept of DARED is very simple – do a run every day in June whilst raising money for Circle. That’s it. You can run at any time of day that suits you, before work, after work, during lunch, early evening- anytime!

There are three challenges to choose from, including the 1 mile, 5km and DARED To Be Different Challenge, and you can choose to participate to raise money for Circle’s children and families or pay a one-off donation entry fee. This includes your welcome pack, runners top, medal, and event fees.

DARED is a challenge of physical and mental stamina, requiring disciplined preparation and recovery, an accomplishment that all participants should be proud of. Every penny raised and every mile run will go towards making a life-changing difference to children and families living in some of Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas, who need support now more than ever.

For more information about The DARED Challenge, visit: https://circle.scot/support-us/the-dared-challenge-2023/

Who is Circle?

Circle works at the heart of disadvantaged communities across Central Scotland. Circle offers a range of whole family support services that promote children’s healthy development and potential. They engage with families who face exclusion due to social injustice, poverty, and health inequalities.

For more information about Circle, visit: https://circle.scot/

Whether you are an experienced runner looking for a challenge, or a beginner, DARED is a great way to improve your fitness and bond with a community of likeminded people, whilst raising money and awareness for Circle.

For more information, get in touch at; Kirsten.Wales@Circle.Scot

Download the FREE DARED Information Pack here:

https://circle.scot/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DARED-2023-Information-Pack-6.pdf

Aldi hits milestone of 30 million meals donated – with 137,000 in Edinburgh

Aldi has officially donated 30 million meals to good causes since launching its food donations initiative in 2019, with 137,938 meals being donated to local communities in Edinburgh.

In partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly, all of the supermarket’s stores in Edinburgh are partnered with foodbanks, charities and community groups, who receive surplus food year-round.

As a result of the successful partnership, more than 4,000 good causes across the country have now benefitted from the scheme, including soup kitchens and children’s breakfast clubs.

The milestone follows Aldi’s donation of £250,000 to Neighbourly to launch its Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund to further support increased demand during the cold months.

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “Donating 137,938 meals in Edinburgh through our partnership with Neighbourly is an amazing achievement, with the initiative now more vital than ever for local community groups and charities who face soaring demand.

“We’re committed to doing all that we can to support people in the communities where we trade, and through our partnership with Neighbourly we have helped to make food more accessible for those in Edinburgh.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added: “We’ve worked with Aldi for several years to help them further their support for those in need.

“The cost-of-living crisis is impacting communities in Edinburgh and we’ve seen the demand on foodbanks and local causes increase drastically since our partnership began.

“The support of the public and businesses like Aldi makes a huge difference. We know the donations have helped thousands of charities, community groups and families in need.”

Aldi has also recently extended its partnership with Company Shop Group to help excess stock from its network of Regional Distribution Centres be redistributed to community stores across the UK.

Charities and community groups interested in working with Aldi should contact Neighbourly at aldi@neighbourly.com.

Local care home ladies glam it up for International Women’s Day

Residents at Strachan House in Blackhall marked International Women’s Day yesterday by spending the day celebrating the achievements of wonderful trail-blazing women throughout history.

This special day takes place on March 8th every year to celebrate women’s rights and inspire people to fight for gender equality. A United Nations-sanctioned global holiday, it celebrates women’s contributions to society, raises awareness about the fight for gender parity and inspires support for organisations that support women globally.

Residents afterwards enjoyed complete pamper sessions and makeover to inspire others that you’re never too old to look your best. The afternoon saw many of the home’s women get together over an afternoon tea specially put on to mark the day and their life achievements.

Gordon Philp General Manager at Strachan House said: “We’ve all had a really interesting day thinking about the very many brilliant women who have had such an impact on our lives, whether that was an historic figure or people in our own family.

“It was good to share our experiences, take stock and reflect on how much society has changed over the years.”

Granton Station Square event marks first major milestone of £1.3bn Granton Waterfront regeneration

Locals being invited to celebrate the opening of Granton Station Square this Saturday will also be given a sneak peek of the magnificently refurbished Edwardian Granton Station building.

Completion of the square and station building is the first major milestone of the City of Edinburgh Council’s wider £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront. All are invited to attend the free community event.

The site had lain vacant for years before it was bought over by the Council in 2018. The £4.75m restoration of the building, together with the development of the square, were partly funded through the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and Town Centre Fund.

The name for the square was chosen following an online consultation with local residents.

The station building will be managed by social enterprise charity Wasps Studios, who work across Edinburgh and Scotland, to provide affordable workspace for artists and the creative industries. Wasps will be taking on the building shortly to start their internal fit out.

When opened the charity will be providing space to support around 40 jobs, as well as helping around 100 people each year with creative business development opportunities. Alongside this they will deliver a heritage programme for local people and railway enthusiasts on the unique history of the location as well as providing exhibition space to showcase local talent. They’ll also host workshops and a series of outdoor and online events for locals, with the potential to attract thousands of visitors to the area.

The newly created public square in front of the building will be host to events and local community activity throughout the year. Council leader Cammy Day will cut the ribbon to open this fantastic and innovative new public space and everyone attending will also have the opportunity to take a guided tour of the newly refurbished historic Granton Station building ahead of it officially opening later this year.

Previous Chair of Scotrail John Cameron CBE will also unveil the National Transport Trust Red Plaque ‘Red Wheel’ with Cllr Day on Granton Station building. The Transport Heritage programme commemorates Britain’s rich and globally important legacy in the development of transport.

Family fun will be part of the celebrations from 11am to 2pm on the day where visitors will meet some local crafters, makers and organisations at the market stalls and will be able to join in with play and arts activities on the lawn. There will also be performances from Edinburgh College students and the Newhaven Community Choir.

Local S3 pupils from Craigroyston Community High School have also been busy creating beautiful artwork symbolising the area with local artist Shona Hardie to be displayed from this weekend down Waterfront Broadway for everyone to see as they make their way to the event.

A history exhibition will also be displayed on the square’s two new art benches, which going forward, will provide free exhibition space year-round.

Granton Waterfront will partner with cultural organisations to curate a changing programme of work inspired by and/or created by local artists and residents on the benches. The project was launched in March 2023 with a themed exhibition ‘Past, Present, Future’ to showcase historic and current-day images of key heritage assets within the area.

Forth Councillor Cammy Day said: “We’ve taken local people with us through every step of this process to reach this first major milestone. Seeing the refurbished Granton Station and iconic clock as well as the new square in all its glory feels very significant for the project and is another reason to come along and help us celebrate at this fantastic event.

“They sit at the heart of our £1.3bn regeneration of the wider area and will be a focal point for the community and visitors to enjoy for generations to come.

We’re creating homes, jobs and new communities at Granton Waterfront and you can already see construction well underway for the first of the 3,500 net zero carbon homes. We’re building over 70 new mid-market and social rent net zero homes, with the first new residents due to move in at the end of this year.

“And on the far side of Forthquarter Park the Western Villages site is making good progress to deliver 444 net zero homes. Also included in the plans are a new primary school, health centre, active travel routes and improved transport links, as well as workspace, community and cultural spaces.

“We’ll also be marking the start of works on the neighbouring iconic Granton Gasholder shortly. It will create a multifunctional public space that can be used and enjoyed by residents and visitors alike so look out for work starting there soon.

Scottish Government Regeneration Minister Tom Arthur said: “Completion of this project represents a significant step forward in the regeneration of Granton Waterfront.

“Through funding from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, this new work space for artists demonstrates the powerful role our communities can have in helping transform their town centres and neighbourhoods by investing in their future.”

Audrey Carlin Chief Executive Officer Wasps said: “We are very excited to be showcasing the building, which we plan to operate under the name Granton Station Creative Works, to visitors for the first time on Saturday 11 March. We hope creative people will come to view for the first time this much-needed creative hub for both the local community and Scotland’s creative sector.

“The transformation of such an important building with its strong connection to the industrial heritage of Granton has been wonderful to be part of, and a huge credit must go to the City of Edinburgh Council and their contractors for turning our collective vision for a sustainable future for this important historic building into reality.

“At Wasps, we are passionate about supporting Scotland’s creative economy, and Granton Station Creative Works is a testament to our commitment to providing affordable, high-quality workspaces, encouraging collaboration, creativity and innovation. We look forward to seeing the positive impact that this project will have on the Granton community and the wider creative economy in the years to come.”