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Local charity receives funding boost from the ScottishPower Foundation

LifeCare Edinburgh has been awarded a significant funding boost of over £75,000 from the ScottishPower Foundation. The funding will go towards its vital Help at Home and Meals on Wheels services, enabling the charity to reach over 200 local older people living on a low income with free support.

Twenty charities across England, Scotland and Wales have been awarded funding totalling almost £1.2 million for projects tackling a range of issues, from cost-of-living support, to promoting diversity and inclusion and raising awareness of the ongoing climate and biodiversity crises.

Sarah van Putten, Chief Executive of LifeCare said: “The funding from The ScottishPower Foundation will make a significant difference to the lives of hundreds of local older people.

“At LifeCare, we believe everyone should be enabled to thrive in their own home and be active within their community. Over 75% of the people we help live alone and without LifeCare, many older people would be left critically isolated.

“Our services help people to keep well in both body and mind; delivering fresh, hot and nutritious meals to doorsteps with a smile and a chat, providing help with practical tasks when things are getting more difficult to manage, and offering companionship activities to keep people connected.

“With a rapidly growing older population we are struggling to cope with demand for care coupled with the rising costs of service delivery. None of our services are fully funded and we rely on our fundraising to sustain our life-affirming services.

“Thanks to this support we will be enabled to offer our meals on wheels service for free to those that need it and open our Help at Home service for free for those on low incomes for the first time. We are all extremely grateful.”

Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and Trustee at the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “Projects like LifeCare’s free Help at Home and Meals on Wheels services are a prime example of how the ScottishPower Foundation’s support is helping to create a better future.

“With this year’s projects providing vital support set to aid vulnerable people, communities, and natural ecosystems across the nation, it’s important for us to recognise and boost the incredible work of these charities.”

For more information about LifeCare’s services and activities visit:

https://www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk/

For a full list of the 2024 ScottishPower Foundation funded projects, go to www.scottishpowerfoundation.com

Thousands of carers in Scotland to get new benefit

Carer Support Payment extended to 10 new council areas

Thousands more unpaid carers in Scotland will be eligible for a new benefit, if regulations laid this week in the Scottish Parliament are approved.

Carer Support Payment is the replacement for Carer’s Allowance in Scotland. It was first launched in November 2023 in three pilot areas, Perth & Kinross, Dundee City and Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles).

It will be available in 10 new local authority areas this summer as part of the next phase of the roll-out, starting with North and South Lanarkshire and Angus on 24 June. From August it will extend to Fife, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and North, East and South Ayrshire and be available in the rest of Scotland in November.

Eligible carers who live in areas where Carer Support Payment is not yet available are still being urged to still apply for Carer’s Allowance to make sure they don’t miss out on support.

Since it launched Carer Support Payment, unlike Carer’s Allowance, is also available to carers aged 16-19 in full-time “advanced” education and carers aged over 20 in full-time education at any level.

These regulations will see eligibility further extended to some 16-19-year-old carers in full-time “non-advanced” education, such as school, from 24 June.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Unpaid carers provide a huge amount of physical, mental and emotional support. The work they do is invaluable, both to the people they care for and to Scottish society as a whole.

“I am therefore delighted we are ready to roll-out the next phase of Carer Support Payment, allowing thousands more unpaid carers to get the benefit

“This is particularly important for those who aren’t eligible for Carer’s Allowance, but are eligible for Carer Support Payment, including many full-time students.

“Having spoken to carers in the pilot areas, I know Carer Support Payment is not only providing financial support to students who couldn’t get it before, but it’s allowing carers to study full-time who never thought this would be possible.

“I urge anyone who lives in an area where Carer Support Payment is available to apply for it as soon as possible.”

Which Council services are important to you?

We want to continue to invest in services that matter most to our residents. But with reducing budgets, rising costs and increasing demand, we need to do things differently and more efficiently while saving £143 million by 2028/29.

We want to hear residents’ views on:

where we can save money
where we’re doing well
where we need to improve.

Your feedback and suggestions will help us to develop proposals to balance our budget. They’ll also help Councillors understand your needs and priorities when they make decisions about how to spend the city’s budget.

How to get involved

You can fill in our online budget survey or come along to any of our drop-in sessions around the city. You don’t need to book and can come any time between 10am and 1pm.

Tuesday 7 May 10am to 1pm – Morningside Library, 178-182 Morningside Road, Morningside, EH10 4PU
Tuesday 14 May 10am to 1pm – McDonald Road Library, 2-8 McDonald Road, EH7 4LU
Tuesday 21 May 10am to 1pm – South East Locality, 40 Captain’s Road, EH17 8QF
Tuesday 28 May 10am to 1pm – Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street, EH11 1BG
Tuesday 4 June 10am to 1pm – South Queensferry, 9 Shore Road, South Queensferry, EH30 9RD
Tuesday 11 June 10am to 1pm – North East Hub, 101 Niddrie Mains Road, EH16 4DS
Tuesday 18 June 10am to 1pm – North West Locality, 8 Pilton Gardens, EH4 4DP
Tuesday 25 June 10am to 1pm – South West Locality, Westside Plaza, EH14 2ST

Man jailed for serious sexual assault

A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for a serious sexual assault on a woman in Edinburgh on Sunday, 19 December, 2021.

Toby Gayfer was sentenced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today (Friday, 3 May, 2024) following his conviction on 5 April, 2024.

Detective Inspector Keith Taylor said: “This was a hugely distressing experience for Gayfer’s victim and I hope that today’s sentencing will provide her with some closure.

“He now faces the consequences of his despicable actions.

“I hope this sentencing sends a clear message that this type of violence will not be tolerated. We are wholly committed to tackling sexual crimes and bringing those responsible to justice.

“I’d encourage anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report it to us, regardless of when it happened.

“We’ll thoroughly investigate and have specially trained officers and partner agencies to support you throughout.”

Digital record of the Coronation unveiled for the first time in history

The Coronation Roll is the official record of the Monarch’s accession and crowning

King Charles III’s Coronation Roll presented to Their Majesties The King and Queen on Wednesday by Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and Antonia Romeo.
The Public will be able to view the Roll online.

For the first time in history people will be able to explore a digitised version of the Coronation Roll through a new UK Government project.

The Coronation Roll is the official State record of a monarch’s accession and Coronation. The Roll contains details of The King’s accession, the planning of the Coronation, and a detailed description of the ceremony. Rolls include the monarch’s oath to govern according to the customs and laws of the realm, and detail the ceremonial of the coronation – the prayers, the service, the blessings, the order of service, and official guests. For centuries the roll has been authored by the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery.

The practice of creating rolls for monarchs’ coronations dates back to Edward II in 1308. Originally they were written in Latin and French. Rolls have been written in English from the seventeenth century and Charles III’s will be the first to be digitised to allow new generations of people to view it.

Visitors to the site will be able to view video and photographs from the Coronation and exclusive interviews with many of the key participants including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Lord President of the Council Penny Mordaunt and Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk.

Charles III’s Coronation Roll was authored by Antonia Romeo, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery.

It was produced by skilled craftspeople: hand-written by calligrapher Stephanie Gill, and decorated by heraldic artist Timothy Noad with national symbols of the United Kingdom including the English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh leek and Northern Irish Shamrock. Rather than traditional vellum, it was created on high-quality animal product-free paper.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and Antonia Romeo presented the new Coronation Roll and its digital version to Their Majesties The King and Queen at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Their Majesties also viewed several historic rolls: Elizabeth II’s, Victoria’s, William and Mary’s and Edward II’s.

Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, said: “The Coronation Roll is a beautifully illustrated record and an important document of the accession and Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen.

“The Coronation marked a new chapter in our national story and it reflects the very best of our national traditions – which are admired the world over.

£For the first time, this Coronation Roll will be digitised – bringing the tradition into the twenty-first century and giving as many people as possible the opportunity to see it.”

Charles III’s Coronation Roll will be stored with other coronation rolls in the National Archives.

New home for Edinburgh School Uniform Bank

In the wake of a flood, the ESUB has made a significant location change, moving from our previous address at 1 Waterfront Avenue to a new home at 1 Lochside View, Edinburgh Park.

This move ensures the continuation of the vital service we provide to the community, offering school uniforms to families in need.

In our new location, we are set to carry on with our important work, undeterred by the huge challenges posed by the flood.

A New Tartan for Scottish Borders

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the lives of everyone in Scotland, but the ways by which it affected each community were unique. Remembering Together is a national project which seeks to give each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities their own way to remember and mark their experiences of the pandemic.

On 31st May, the Scottish Borders Remembering Together project will unveil the new Borders Together tartan marking the varied experiences of the Covid pandemic on the Scottish Borders area. Commissioned artists Two Destination Language worked with around 700 Borderers across an 18 month period to develop the idea and design.

The unveiling event celebrates the weaving of the tartan for the first time along with its use in creative projects across the area as it begins its distribution to community spaces across the Scottish Borders.

Since the Scottish Borders Remembering Together project began last autumn, over 700 contributions have helped shape the decision to create a new tartan, and what that looks like. These resulted in two designs which draw on the experiences that Borderers shared as well as the particular colour and design ideas they contributed. Borderers voted on the final design at the end of 2023.

During the process, many people in the community spoke about Borders landscapes: the sea, rivers, lochs and reservoirs; the brilliant skies of 2020’s spring and summer; and the brightness of gorse, broom, heather and forests.

There were also references to the uniforms of health and care workers, the masks and warning signs of the pandemic. People shared loss, grief and guilt as well as the challenges of isolation, while others spoke of hope and a new-forged community.

The design draws on colour combinations selected by contributors and incorporates a reference to the five localities of the Borders with many participants wanting the tartan to be something that joins people across the whole region.

Lead artist Katherina Radeva said: “When I saw the new tartan on the loom for the first time, I burst into tears. For me, the design is layered with the hundreds of stories which people have shared across the project.

“It honours lives lost, it respects the extraordinary labour of those whose work filled with new challenges, and it contains the multitude of ways people moved forwards individually and together.”

Following the public vote to select the tartan, a callout was made for community groups to apply for grant funding for creative proposals which enhance the tartan’s accessibility.

Ten groups have now been chosen to develop their ideas.

More information of the selected groups from across Scottish Borders can be found here: https://www.twodestinationlanguage.com/rtb

Inspirational veteran dad inspires runner to achieve lifelong ambition

Teri Evans, 47, from Stevenston, recently fulfilled a lifelong dream by participating in the London Marathon.

Teri was inspired to run in the marathon by her army veteran Dad, Alexander Duncan, who started to lose his sight a few years ago due to macular degeneration and is now supported by Sight Scotland Veterans.

Teri explains: “My Dad has been incredibly fortunate to receive invaluable assistance and support from Sight Scotland Veterans since he began experiencing vision loss.

“The charity’s help and support has been so important in maintaining his independence and enabling him to engage in daily activities. It has provided him with essential equipment like screen readers, daylight lamps, driving glasses and a digital magnifier for reading that he uses regularly and is very grateful for.

“Additionally, he regularly attends the Seamill Veterans Sight Support Group, which he really enjoys as it allows him to connect with fellow veterans and individuals coping with sight loss.

“I was so proud to be running the marathon for my dad and to raise money for Sight Scotland Veterans, it was great to give something back to the charity for all the help they have provided.

“We also arranged with Sight Scotland Veterans that all the money I raise would stay in Ayrshire, so that my dad and the group he attends could benefit, as he was in my thoughts a lot of the way round the 26.2 miles.”

Alexander Duncan, who was in the 4th Royal Tank Regiment for 14 years adds: “I’m so proud of Teri for running the marathon and for raising money for Sight Scotland Veterans.

“The charity has helped me with lots of things and I love going to my group each month, I can’t thank them enough.”

Teri’s love for running started when she was 40, when she decided to take part in a couch to 5K. She then built her way up to running a 10K, then a half marathon, and then ran the Edinburgh marathon 2 years ago.

Teri, who works as a Student Experience Team Lead at Ayrshire College, says: “I never used to run, and would never have believed I would be running marathons a few years ago.

“But I have just built up my fitness and endurance and now regularly attend Irvine Running Club. It was through the running club that I got my spot in the London Marathon, as they got an entry, and my name was picked out of a hat.

“Running a marathon takes over your life, as there are so many changes you need to make, like a strict training plan to follow and changing your eating habits, but it is definitely all worth it. London is the iconic marathon that every runner dreams of taking part in, so it was a lifelong dream! I also ran in 05:07:11 which was a personal best!”

Teri has raised over £1000, plus gift aid, for Sight Scotland Veterans. Sight Scotland Veterans provides free support to armed forces veterans affected by sight loss in Scotland to help them regain confidence, restore their independence and make new connections.

For more information please visit sightscotlandveterans.org.uk or call 0800 035 6409.

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre celebrates Future Fun Day success

Celebrating Success!

Our Future Friendly Fun Day last Saturday was an absolute blast!

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made it a roaring success! We raised an amazing £229 through our tombola and bake sale! This will help fund Summer activities which were suggested through our feedback board on the day.

A huge shout out to our fantastic volunteers who helped us make this day happen. And a big thank you to everyone who donated items to our tombola, and the bakers who dropped of delicious treats!

Finally, a huge thank you to Frank Francia, Ama-zing Harmonies, Scottish Communities Climate Action Network, Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, Moving Music, National Galleries of Scotland, Tummies Not Trash and Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) for partnering with us and providing activities, food and entertainment for this fantastic day!

If you have any photos from the day that you’d like to share please post them in the comments or send them over to us! We’d really appreciate it

Let’s keep the spirit alive and continue to build an even stronger, more vibrant community together!

#NorthEdinburgh

#CommunitySuccess

#NoOneLeftBehind

Unique Assembly get green light to deliver Capital’s winter festivals for next three year

Councillors have today unanimously agreed to award the contract for the delivery of Edinburgh’s world-famous winter festivals for the next three years.

Subject to a ten-day standstill period, the contract will be awarded to a consortium led by Edinburgh-based event producers, Unique Assembly.

The contract covers the production and delivery of Edinburgh’s Christmas for 2024/25 and then for Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay festivals until 2026/27, with the opportunity for two optional twelve-month extensions. The delivery of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay for 2024/25 was already agreed in June 2022 and will also be undertaken by Unique Assembly.

The procurement process followed a ‘lessons learned exercise’, which led to a renewed focus on bid quality and enhancements to the sustainability, environmental, and community impact requirements of bids.

The full report is available on the council website.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “I’d like to congratulate Unique Assembly following today’s unanimous decision by councillors. They bring decades of experience in delivering major events, including our own Winter Festivals, and I’m confident that they’ll provide a fantastic service to the city over the next three years.

“The festivals occupy a central element in the cultural calendar of our city and delivering them well for our residents and visitors remains a key priority for us – not least given the huge enjoyment they bring each year.

“They also deliver substantial economic benefit for the city and for Scotland more widely, supporting jobs and businesses in many sectors most notably tourism, hospitality, and leisure.”