Efforts to boost affordable housing supply by acquiring properties to bring into use for affordable housing and help reduce homelessness will be given an £80 million uplift over the next two years.
The funding, announced by First Minister Humza Yousaf on a visit to Hillcrest Housing Association’s Derby Street development in Dundee, will increase the Affordable Housing Supply Programme budget to nearly £600 million in 2024-2025.
Investment will help reduce the time spent in temporary accommodation, including by children, and will also accelerate discussions with COSLA in relation to the number of local authority void properties.
The First Minister, who faces a vote of confidence at Holyrood next week, said: “Housing is essential in our efforts to tackle child poverty and reduce inequality across Scotland, and it supports jobs and growth in the economy. Providing good quality, affordable housing is at the very core of what my Government is doing to make Scotland a better place.
“While there is a single person homeless in our country, it is simply not acceptable to have houses sitting empty – so I am determined that we remove the barriers, and provide the money that will enable councils to buy properties so they can become affordable homes again.
“This £80 million will build on the success of our National Acquisition Programme which I announced last year, which spent more than £60 million and delivered more than 1,000 affordable homes. This is one of a number of actions we are prioritising to help to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation.
“We will also accelerate discussion with COSLA in relation to the number of empty council homes.”
Matthew Algie donates 1,000 coffees to Pay It Forward scheme supporting people experiencing homelessness
Charity support worker explains how coffee can kick start conversations that ‘save lives’
Warning that housing emergencies are having impact on more people across Scotland and UK
Coffee roaster Matthew Algie hopes donation will inspire others to support Social Bite Pay It Forward scheme
People experiencing homelessness can use food and drink service in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen
A SUPPORT worker at one of Scotland’s most prominent homelessness charities has highlighted the ‘life-saving’ potential of conversation for some of the nation’s most vulnerable people ahead of this year’s Pay It Forward Day.
Euan Brock, a support and development worker at Social Bite, was speaking as leading Scottish coffee roaster Matthew Algie donated more than 1,000 coffees to the charity’s Pay It Forward scheme, which provides food and hot drinks to people experiencing homelessness, to mark the global event (Sunday, April 28).
The coffees will be provided through the Pay It Forward scheme across Social Bite’s three Scottish locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen.
Brock has been with Social Bite, the high-profile charity that provides homes, jobs, food, and support to people experiencing homelessness, for three years.
He explained how the number of people the organisation supports is rising, with more Scots facing challenging situations – from rough sleeping and living in temporary/emergency accommodation to facing the imminent threat of becoming homeless – as the impact of food poverty, housing emergencies in Scotland’s major cities, the cost-of-living crisis, and rising energy prices are felt.
Social Bite’s Pay It Forward scheme provides hot food and drinks to thousands of people in need, which Brock says can prove crucial in developing trust and providing a sense of inclusion for people who may have experienced traumatic events.
He said: “The biggest challenge I see at the moment is a shortage of adequate housing across the whole of the UK. Toward the end of 2023 Edinburgh and Glasgow declared a housing emergency with more councils following this year.
“This means more people are finding themselves homeless and declaring it with councils, but there is a lack of permanent and temporary homes, as well as hotels/B&B and emergency accommodation leaving people with no option but to sleep rough or sofa surf with friends or family if they are able to.
“The Pay it Forward scheme can support someone by providing food and drinks, but it also allows us to build a trusting relationship with people accessing the service and then can go on to support them going forward.
“Conversation and inclusion is hugely important in society and a major part of Social Bite. Isolation and loneliness are silent killers and research suggests it can be as damaging to someone’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
“Through Social Bite and Pay it Forward we can welcome people with a smile, a hot meal, and a simple ‘How are you today?’ – it can make someone’s day that hasn’t spoken to anyone and been ignored on the street.
“A simple ‘How are you?’ can save lives.”
The Pay It Forward Scheme has proved a gateway to thousands of people accessing support with housing applications, benefits applications, and other support services they are entitled to, as well as referrals into Social Bite’s Jobs First programme. Others have entered volunteering programmes.
Mel Swan, Social Bite’s Commercial and Operations Director, said: “Pay It Forward is part of the fabric of Social Bite. Food and drink helps people at their most vulnerable and leads to other support towards a more stable position in life. It all starts by talking.
“Matthew Algie’s donation of 1,000 cups of coffee will help hundreds of people across Scotland in the coming weeks. Each one offers the possibility of connection and building a relationship that can help someone experiencing homelessness get the support they need.
“Paying it forward is a small act that can mean a lot and brighten someone’s day. It also plays a big part in our ultimate goal of ending homelessness.”
Paul Chadderton, Managing Director at Matthew Algie, said: “Social Bite tirelessly works to address one of Scotland’s most pressing issues, homelessness, and is one of our most important partners.
“This donation will help kick off conversations that can make a difference, as well as providing a moment of enjoyment at a difficult time for those the charity supports.
“More importantly, we want to highlight the importance of Paying It Forward to people across Scotland. A small gesture can make a huge difference to those who need it most.”
Established 160 years ago this year, Glasgow based coffee roaster Matthew Algie supplies high-quality coffee to partners across Scotland, the UK, and Ireland.
Edinburgh residents are being urged to contact the City of Edinburgh Council if they have booked a procedure known as a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) in the Capital this weekend.
The Council’s Environmental Health team has been made aware that there may be BBL operations taking place from Friday 26th April to Sunday 28th April through people responding to social media posts.
Other local authorities in the United Kingdom have received complaints after similar procedures were carried out resulting in people suffering serious health complications such as sepsis.
Cllr Neil Ross, Convener of the Regulatory Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We have been made aware that there may be procedures known as Brazilian Butt Lifts being performed in Edinburgh this weekend and we have concerns about the safety of such procedures.
“We are concerned about the potential risk to public health and would urge anyone who may have booked such a procedure this weekend to contact us as a matter of urgency.”
Anyone who may have a BBL procedure booked from Friday 26 April to Sunday 28 April in Edinburgh should e-mail environmentalhealth@edinburgh.gov.uk or phone 0131 200 2000.
Granton:hub History group are looking for new members!
The current group would welcome anyone with an interest in local heritage. Members meet on a Saturday morning in the granton:hub archive room, on average every 6-8 weeks, depending on activities.
Joining the group gives members a chance to meet socially, but also deploy any experience they may have in activity planning, researching and writing up stories from the archive, working with archive volunteers, etc. Please get in touch with community@grantonhub.org if you have any questions.
Following an attempt shoplifting incident in Morningside yesterday (Thursday 25 April) police officers traced a 12-year-old boy who has now been charged with making threats of violence towards staff.
Community Sergeant Jen Macgregor said: ‘Behaving and acting in a threatening and abusive way will not be tolerated by our communities.
“Our officers continue to deal with any reports robustly and work tirelessly with families, schools and partners to deter such incidents.
“Please check in with your kids when they’re out and about to ensure they are safe and not involved in anti-social-behaviour or criminality.’
Visitor voices vital part of promoting Scottish tourism, says new survey
Scotland’s reputation as a must-visit, must-return destination is growing according to new research by VisitScotland.
The Scotland Visitor Survey 2023, one of the biggest undertaken by the national tourism organisation*, found that 82% of visitors are likely to recommend Scotland to others, compared to 75% when the survey was last conducted in 2015/2016.
It also showed that more than three quarters (80%) of visitors said they are quite or very likely to come back to the country in the next five years.
With tourism worth an estimated £10.6bn to the economy, repeat visits and word of mouth recommendations have become vital for many businesses still recovering from challenges posed by the pandemic and the cost of living.
Recent figures show that international tourism in Scotland is recovering at a stronger rate than other UK nations and regions but visits from UK holidaymakers may have been impacted by the cost of living.
Typically conducted every three or four years, this is the first time the Scotland Visitor Survey has been undertaken since the pandemic**.
It aims to help understand why visitors take a holiday or short break in Scotland and how they rate their experiences when here.
From March to October 2023, visitors were surveyed both while in Scotland and when they returned home to help build a complete picture of their journey from start to finish.
As well as looking at the profile of visitors and their experiences, the first wave of results*** also focused on motivations and inspiration.
Other highlights include:
Scenery and landscape was the top reason visitors chose Scotland (70%), followed by history and culture (48%), outdoor activities (27%), visiting friends and family (22%) Scotland’s people (21%) and visiting attractions (19%).
Over half of visitors said personal recommendations were the most influential source of inspiration.
71% of visitors rated their experience in Scotland as a 9 out of 10 or higher.
Almost 60% of long-haul visitors stated this was the best holiday they had ever taken.
Tourism Minister Richard Lochhead said: “It’s very heartening to see such a positive response, particularly given this is the first major survey of its kind undertaken since the pandemic.
“Repeat visits and word of mouth recommendations are vital to the sector, so it’s great to see that results are now even stronger than pre-pandemic figures, with over 80% of visitors sharing that they are likely to return to Scotland or would recommend a visit to others, and international tourism recovering at a stronger rate than the UK as whole.
“Scotland’s visitor sector is of huge importance to our economy, and these results showcase the strength, creativity and ingenuity of our tourism providers, who continue to offer a vast choice of unique events, attractions and experiences to visitors from all over the world. Scotland can be proud.”
Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland Chief Executive, said: “This valuable research gives us an important benchmark for where Scotland’s tourism offering is, post pandemic, helping inform and drive our activities as an industry going forward.
“Knowing what our visitors think and what they want is crucial in ensuring Scotland is kept front of mind in a competitive marketplace.
“The strong support demonstrated in the survey is testament to the tireless work and dedication of those within our tourism and events industry, who on a daily basis help create unforgettable and unmissable holiday experiences.
“It is clear the voices of our visitors have a vital role to play in promoting Scotland as a must-visit, must-return destination. This in turn helps grow the economy, creating jobs, sustaining communities and attracting further investment in the future.”
The University of Edinburgh’s globally renowned AI Accelerator programme has announced it is now seeking innovative, technology-driven scale-ups to be part of its eighth cohort.
Aimed at Scottish as well as international companies, the programme supports emerging businesses whose proposition is built on Artificial Intelligence (AI) helping develop and fully maximise their commercial potential.
Applications for this year’s AI Accelerator, open to scalable, incorporated businesses with high growth potential, must be submitted by 19 May.
Prior to the deadline, the University will stage an online information session for potential applicants on 23 April followed by an in-person session on 3 May.
A cohort of up to 16 companies, all of which place a strong focus on ‘AI for good’ to deliver societal benefits in key areas including health and wellbeing, social care, and the climate challenge will then be selected with the programme running from September until March 2025.
Participants will benefit from support aimed at helping them achieve global growth for their companies with discussions on investment strategy development and direct engagement with potential investors.
Along with some generous financial support, newly accepted cohort companies will also be given the opportunity to scale their business through workshops covering a range of commercialisation issues from product pricing to leadership.
Now celebrating its fifth year, the AI Accelerator has supported a wide range of world-leading companies to develop from start-ups to globally focused businesses. These include climate monitoring solution provider, Space Intelligence; Inicio.AI, a technology-driven start-up which makes debt management processes more efficient and accessible for businesses.; and Edinburgh-based cancer research business Carcinotech, which raised over £4m in January to further develop its 3D-printed micro-tumour technology,
Since the inception of the AI Accelerator in 2018, these and other participant companies have gone on to secure over £67m through a combination of external investment and grant funding awards.
University of Edinburgh in the UK Top 5 for Data Science in the current QS World University Rankings and is also the top-rated UK institution for informatics research, according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework rankings. As home to the largest centres for computing science and informatics in Europe, the University’s academic expertise and links into the Data-Driven Innovation hubs provides further value for the companies participating in the AI Accelerator.
The 2024 programme will be once again delivered both digitally and in-person by University of Edinburgh’s world-leading Innovation Hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, the Bayes Centre, and in partnership with Edinburgh Innovations, the University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service. The programme is delivered on behalf of all the university’s Data-Driven Innovation Hubs.
Among the cohort companies which participated in the most recent AI Accelerator were MySmash Media, a disruptive platform which connects film and TV content creators with commissioning decision-makers; Bennu.ai, developers of the world’s smartest bin which sorts waste automatically for a net zero circular economy; and Dyneval, a life sciences business focused on improving male reproductive health.
Fiona Gillies, CEO and co-founder of MySmash Media, said: “The six months we spent with the AI Accelerator programme made a significant impact on our company by helping us identify and further develop commercial opportunities to reach new markets.
“Along with high calibre mentoring and guidance, the programme was also instrumental in opening doors to potential investors and grant funding channels which are key in helping scale an AI-driven business like ours.”
Professor Ruth King, Director of the University of Edinburgh’s Bayes Centre, said: “We’re delighted to be marking the fifth year of our AI Accelerator programme which supports AI-driven businesses to further commercialise their proposition and become world leaders in their field.
“We are proud to have supported over 80 companies in their growth journey by offering mentoring and guidance while opening access to new networks to help them secure funding and investment.
“AI has become increasingly prominent as a disruptive technology impacting all aspects of our lives. The University of Edinburgh has been recognised as a world leader in AI research for more than 60 years.
“We understand the importance of utilising this technology in an ethical and trustworthy manner to deliver social and economic benefits. We now look forward to receiving applications from innovative and ambitious scaleups from within Scotland and across the globe which use AI to tackle key societal challenges.”
Independence would enable Scotland to take its own decisions to address issues such as drugs and gambling, and increase cooperation with international justice partners, according to a new paper published by Justice Secretary Angela Constance.
‘Justice in an independent Scotland’, the 13th paper in the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series, sets out the Scottish Government’s intended approach for the justice system following independence, including aspects which are currently reserved to the UK Government.
It also outlines how Scotland could, through cooperation with international partners and – through European Union membership and representation on the Council of Europe, United Nations and Interpol – play a full part in addressing global issues including cross-border crime, serious organised crime and cyber-crime.
Proposals in the paper include:
restoring police and prosecutors’ access to measures like the cross-border European Arrest Warrant, which were lost following Brexit, in line with the government’s commitment to rejoin the EU as an independent country
extending the public health approach being taken to violence reduction into the currently reserved areas of drug policy reform and gambling
full incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law to further enhance children’s rights
a framework for human rights law to protect and promote fundamental freedoms, including those in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
https://twitter.com/i/status/1783541535247651124
Ms Constance said: “Scotland’s justice system has a long and distinguished history and I am proud of the work we have done over many years to strengthen and modernise it.
“The level of recorded crime has fallen to near 50-year lows and homicides are at their lowest levels since comparable records began. We are also building a trauma-informed approach to our justice system.
“However, there is more we could do with independence. Scotland’s police and prosecutors would regain access to tools to pursue criminals across borders which were lost following Brexit, such as the Schengen Information System and the European Arrest Warrant.
“These are essential to combatting sophisticated criminal networks and helping victims get justice even where a perpetrator resides outwith Scotland.
“With the power to take our own decisions, we could also enhance and further embed our public health approach to justice issues, extending this to addiction such as drugs and gambling.
“This would enable future governments to consider measures that would better address the specific needs and circumstances of people in our communities, such as safer drug consumption facilities, raising the legal age of gambling, and strengthened firearm licensing.
“Combined with the broader economic, employment and social security powers that would come with independence – as set out throughout the Building a New Scotland series of papers – we could take a more effective approach to improving justice outcomes, reducing burdens on the justice system and further reducing the number of victims of crime.”
The evening marked the opening of The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television following renaming and opening of new campus
The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television(The SI; formerly the MGA Academy of Performing Arts) unveiled its brand new Livingston campus last night at a red-carpet launch event celebrating the renaming of the school and new facilities for its students.
The launch party, held at The SI’s new state of the art facilities in Livingston, Scotland, marks a pivotal rebrand for the school with a name change, a new campus and new management from Ireland’s Silver Rock Studios.
The university is also now expanding its reach to international students for the first time as well as continuing to boost local Scottish talent, positioning Scotland as the go-to destination for success in the creative industries.
All guests, staff, and students were treated to an evening of performances, art installations, and a special performance of Dougie MacLean’s famous Caledonia from the school’s current students.
Alumni from The MGA Academy of Performing Arts, now known as The Scottish Institute, have gone on to success in film and television including playing leading roles in BBC’s Gossip Girl and major West End shows such as The Book of Mormon, Wicked and Six!.
Under its new management from Ireland’s Silver Rock Studios, and with new President and CEO Andy Egan, future students will be guaranteed credits as part of their degree, as part of The Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television’s plans to foster the stars of tomorrow.
Taiko Drummers marked the opening of the global apparel retailer’s store on Princes Street yesterday.
UNIQLO boasts a spacious retail space spanning approximately 1,430 sq meters across two floors featuring the full collection of LifeWear for men, women, kids and babies.
Alessandro Dudech, Chief Operating Officer at UNIQLO U.K, Erhan Demir, UNIQLO Edinburgh General Manager, cut the ribbon to UNIQLO’s first Scottish store with special guests from the Japanese Consulate, Mr Tadashi Fujiwara and Ms Minori Ishii, and UNIQLO People Campaign cast member, Aisha Fatunmbi Randall, who has been at the forefront of the restoration of Leith Theatre in her role as Marketing and Digital Coordinator.
To mark the grand opening, UNIQLO Edinburgh is hosting special promotions and events, offering customers the chance to discover the latest styles and enjoy exclusive offers.
UNIQLO app customers will be in with the chance of winning a trip to Tokyo, by scanning the app with any purchase during opening weekend to be entered into the draw.
There will be limited price promotions exclusive to the Princes Street store on items such as Ultra Light Down, Extra Fine Merino sweaters, pleated wide pants and selected innerwear for both men and women.
UNIQLO currently has 19 stores in the U.K. The new Edinburgh Princes Street store opens hot on the heels of One Oxford Street in London on 18th April 2024.
The UNIQLO Edinburgh store operates during regular business hours, providing shoppers with ample opportunities to experience the brand’s renowned offerings. Whether seeking timeless classics or contemporary trends, UNIQLO invites the Edinburgh community to visit its newest location.
For more information about the new store, please visit:
