Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Scotland hero Colin Hendry kicks off second season of Specsavers- sponsored Football Memories referee tour

PARTICIPANTS of Football Memories groups across Scotland will once again get the chance to hear from former referees as their whistle-stop tour of the country, courtesy of Specsavers, kicked off with a special guest in Elgin on Wednesday (11th December).

For the second season in a row, the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner of the Scottish FA has facilitated for retired refs to speak to participants of Football Memories, a project which assists people living with memory loss conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as those experiencing loneliness and social isolation.

The special tour got under way at Borough Briggs, home to Elgin City Football Club, where ex-whistler Bill Machray got proceedings under way, with special guest and former Scotland captain, Colin Hendry in attendance.

With more than 1,000 matches between them, both Colin and Bill regaled attendees with stories from their illustrious careers, as well as showcasing some of the keepsakes and paraphernalia they have collected from games they had been involved in across the country and abroad over their combined 40 years in the sport.

Bill, who was a category two official and now works as a referee observer with the Scottish FA, refereed hundreds of matches in Scotland. He, largely, officiated in the Highland League, around the same time Elgin City were in the division, but also ran the line in a couple of Scottish Cup Finals.

Colin Hendry, who grew up close to Elgin’s stadium in Keith, had an illustrious career for the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Rangers and Scotland, winning the English Premier League, Scottish Cup and 51 caps among many other top honours.

Colin says: ‘It was a privilege to speak to those gathered at the Elgin Football Memories group as Specsavers kicked off its fantastic initiative once again.

‘Schemes like these are brilliant for the older and more isolated community across Moray, raising awareness of memory loss conditions and providing people with a space to have a cup of tea and chat football.

‘My own mother still lives in the area and it’s groups like Football Memories which often keep people of her generation active and purposeful in the community.’

With the Elgin visit a resounding success, the next port of call on the tour is Perth in January, followed by Dumfries in February.

Established in 2009, Football Memories Scotland is a charitable project run by the Scottish Football Museum in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland.

With more than 600 groups around the country, often hosted in football settings, Football Memories uses engaging football-themed resources stored in a memory box, such as reminiscence cards, life-size player cutouts, newspaper clippings and books, to stir memories and discussions led by volunteers.

Specsavers will sponsor the boxes for the referee tour and have helped to provide some exciting new memorabilia for them such as old football boots, photographs of former referees and other essential equipment required to help run the groups.

Long-term memories can be triggered for many through the visual cues of images, videos, artefacts and discussions taking place in a small group or even a one-to-one setting, unlocking precious happy moments from the past. The impact can be enormous.

Robert Craig, Chair of the Scottish Football Museum, says: ‘We are excited to get under way once again with the first referee visit of the season in our renewed partnership with Specsavers.

“Their continued support to the Football Memories project, which impacts the lives of all who touch it, is invaluable and helps us to carry on delivering for those living with memory loss conditions or experiencing isolation.

‘Our Elgin group is a great example of the benefits Football Memories can bring to the people, and I’m sure the attendees will have taken a lot from their morning with Bill Machray and local hero, Colin Hendry.’

Willie Collum, Scottish FA Head of Referee Operations, says: ‘The success of Football Memories is plain to see, and this fantastic initiative – now into its second season – is one that our roster of former referees is proud to support, as an extension to our existing partnership with Specsavers.’

Specsavers’ Jenny Stephenson, Scottish Divisional Chair, says: ‘Specsavers is proud to not only be the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner of the Scottish FA, but to also help raise awareness of the vital work Football Memories does in assisting people living with memory loss conditions within local communities across Scotland.’

Specsavers announced in 2024 that it was renewing its’ sponsorship deal, becoming the Official Eye and Ear Care Partner of the Scottish FA, marking 24 years of support and beyond for the partnership – one of the longest agreements of its kind in sport. 

The deal will see the partnership continue into 2025, not only helping with the training and development of referees, but also raising awareness of para and grassroots football in Scotland.

Scottish Budget will prioritise patients through NHS improvement

The Scottish Government Budget will prioritise patients and drive improvements to the NHS, Health Secretary Neil Gray has said.

If approved by parliament, the 2025/26 Budget will deliver record health and social care funding of £21 billion to ensure faster, more accessible care by improving capacity and tackling systemic challenges like delayed discharge.

This builds on ongoing efforts to address the NHS’ challenges and improve healthcare for all to create a more responsive, effective health service with earlier intervention, ensuring better outcomes for patients throughout Scotland.

Key measures set out in the draft Budget include:

  • reducing NHS waiting lists, by cutting waiting times so patients can receive vital treatments and procedures more quickly
  • improved access to GPs with expanded primary care services and additional resources to make it easier for people to see their GP
  • progress set to continue on new hospitals, including the Belford, replacement Monklands, and Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, which will deliver state-of-the-art care and greater capacity

To address delayed discharge and reduce waiting lists, £200 million has been allocated in the 2025-26 Budget. If approved by parliament, this funding will expand the innovative ‘Hospital at Home’ service, allowing more patients to receive high-quality care at home instead of being admitted to a hospital.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We are determined to drive improvements in our NHS and deliver the best possible service for patients.  But I know that some people are waiting too long and finding it difficult to get appointments – we have listened and we are taking action. That is what people can expect from this government.

“The measures we set out in the Budget would mean quicker treatments, more GP appointments, and world-class facilities for people across Scotland.

“By March 2026, no-one will wait longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment with more than 150,000 extra patients treated as a result.

“The Budget also delivers investment to tackle delayed discharge, one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS, and to expand the Hospital at Home service giving thousands of patients the care they need at home while freeing up hospital beds for those who need them most.

“With initiatives like these, we will build a modern, resilient NHS that delivers for everyone by providing innovative and effective care.

“But we will only be able to deliver these transformational investments and drive further improvements for patients if our Budget is agreed. Our NHS needs this Budget to pass – and I am urging Parliament to unite behind it.”

‘Bombshell’ report shows short-term lets boost Scottish economy by £864m per year – with no evidence of housing impact

BiGGAR Economics challenges ‘false narratives’ surrounding Scotland’s self-catering sector now at risk from heavy-handed government regulation

NEW independent analysis from a respected Scottish consultancy reveals the substantial positive economic impact of Scotland’s self-catering industry which was also shown to have a negligible effect on housing.

BiGGAR Economics calculated that short-term lets (STLs) contribute nearly £1bn gross value added (GVA) to the Scottish economy while supporting approximately 30,000 jobs. By accommodating visitors, STLs generate economic activity across Scotland, with the local impacts exceeding residential use, supporting an additional £32,400 GVA per property.

Guests staying in self-catering accommodation, termed ‘secondary lets’ in Scottish STL legislation, also spend more than the average visitor to Scotland, with knock-on gains for related tourist and hospitality businesses. Alongside this huge economic boost, the researchers also highlight that self-catering accounts for less than 1% of the country’s total housing stock.

This challenges the narrative that STLs are fuelling Scotland’s housing crisis, with self-catering at only 0.8% of the country’s housing stock, too low a proportion to have a meaningful impact on local housing markets. Moreover, according to the report, in every local authority area, economically inactive empty homes account for a larger proportion of total dwellings than from secondary lets.

The key headlines include:

  • STLs are estimated to generate £864m GVA and support 29,324 jobs across Scotland;
  • Edinburgh and Highland together account for 44% of the total economic impact but the sector’s benefits are dispersed throughout Scotland;
  • The annual GVA associated with an average owner-occupier/private rented household in Scotland was £14,451, compared to £50,159 for a two-bedroom STL; and
  • STLs make up a tiny proportion of Scotland’s housing stock, with self-catering accounting for just 0.8%. This is considerably less than the 3.6% that economically inactive empty properties account for.

This study comes as the Scottish Government published an implementation update report on STL licensing which the industry maintains did not adequately address their longstanding concerns. At a local level, councils such as Highland and Edinburgh are also assessing their regulations.

BiGGAR’s new analysis is based on the best available evidence on STLs in Scotland. The findings have been shared with Scottish Government Ministers and officials.

Graeme Blackett, Director of BiGGAR Economics, said: “This report shows that secondary lets make an important contribution to Scottish tourism and economy overall, supporting almost 30,000 Scottish jobs.

“Our research also concluded that it was clear that secondary lets are not a driver of the wider Scottish housing market.

“If short-term let regulations leads to a reduction in the supply of secondary lets, that will have a negative impact on the tourism economy, without delivering any solutions to Scotland’s wider housing challenges.”   

Fiona Campbell, CEO of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said: “This is yet more compelling evidence that short-term lets aren’t the main contributor of the housing crisis but are instead turbocharging local economies with a near £1bn positive impact while supporting 30,000 jobs.

“The current unbalanced regulatory framework does not reflect this reality and changes are needed before irreversible damage is done.

“Local councils should take heed of the report’s findings when considering their approach to planning policies and control areas to ensure the relatively small number of valuable short-term lets are protected.

“For policymakers, the message couldn’t be clearer: you can’t solve a housing crisis by producing a crisis in Scottish tourism by decimating local businesses that underpin local economies. Attention must shift to the real causes of the housing crisis.”

Economic-Impact-of-Short-term-Lets-in-Scotland-Report-by-BiGGAR-Economics-11Dec24Download

New exhibition celebrating the diversity of faiths in the Capital opens at Museum of Edinburgh

Four Seasons in Faith, a captivating new exhibition that highlights the rich and diverse faith communities within the city has opened at the Museum of Edinburgh.

The exhibition has been shaped by Museums & Galleries Edinburgh’s ‘Keep the Faith’ project, which worked in collaboration with the Edinburgh Interfaith Association and faith groups from across Edinburgh to curate a collection that reflects how communities would like to see their celebrations of faith represented within the museum collection.

The exhibition showcases a wide array of objects donated and loaned by members of some of Edinburgh’s major world faith communities, offering visitors a unique insight into how people embody their faith in the city today.

With the help of a group of community curators from different religious backgrounds, the exhibition tells the stories of these communities and explores how faith is celebrated throughout the year in Edinburgh.

Highlights of the exhibition include:

  • a Buddhist prayer wheel from the Edinburgh Tibetan Buddhist Temple
  • a pair of Shabbat candlesticks and a Kippah and Talitt belonging to a Jewish American immigrant now chair of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association
  • a Muslim prayer mat brought from Pakistan to Edinburgh in the 1970s.

The exhibition also includes items that highlight the role of faith in the broader Edinburgh community, such as hand-drawn artwork created by members of a parents and toddlers group run by the Baha’i community and St James the Less Episcopal Church, as well as a knitted hat issued by the Mission to Seafarers in Leith, a charity supporting seafarers’ mental health worldwide.

In addition to these more traditional items, the exhibition gives voice to lesser-known religious practices in the city. Visitors will discover objects used by the Heathens of Lothian in their rituals, as well as an exploration of how these practices influence Edinburgh’s vibrant festival calendar, including events like Beltane and Samhain.

As part of its ongoing work with community curators, the Museum of Edinburgh will also be creating a short film documenting the diverse faith practices in the city today. This film will feature oral history interviews and inter-faith conversations recorded at various places of worship across Edinburgh, providing a vital addition to the Museum’s social history collections. The film will be showcased at the exhibition’s closing event and will be made available on the Museum’s online channels.

Culture and Communities Convener Cllr Val Walker said: “Four Seasons in Faith is an important reflection of Edinburgh’s rich, diverse, and evolving cultural landscape, celebrating the faiths that shape the city’s identity and the people who practice them.

“Visitors to the museum can learn all about the traditions, celebrations, and stories that shape Edinburgh’s spiritual landscape throughout the changing seasons.

“The exhibition is also accompanied by a programme of events led by our community curators and their community contacts which will be a vital addition to our social history collections and will give context to the existing faith collections and the new material we have collected throughout this project.”

£2 billion potential boost to growth as UK joins major trade group

The UK has today officially joined CPTPP as a fully-fledged member, potentially boosting the UK economy by £2 billion a year in the long run

  • UK today becomes first European nation to accede to CPTPP, a major trade bloc in the Indo-Pacific which includes countries like Japan, Vietnam, Peru, Chile and Malaysia
  • UK membership grows CPTPP’s GDP to £12 trillion and creates opportunities for businesses, potentially boosting the economy by £2 billion a year in the long run
  • This comes as an immediate step to support the Government’s Plan for Change by delivering growth and putting more money in people’s pockets

The UK has today [15 December] officially joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as a fully-fledged member, potentially boosting the UK economy by £2 billion a year in the long run.

CPTPP is a major trade bloc whose members – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and now the UK – have a combined GDP of £12 trillion.

The UK’s accession is estimated to benefit all UK nations and regions in the long run, relative to 2019 values, with boosts of £240 million for Scotland, £110 million for Wales, and £70 million for Northern Ireland. All English regions are also estimated to gain, including £450 million for the South East and £310 million for the North West.

From today businesses across the country will face lower tariffs and fewer barriers when selling to economies across three continents, with the financial services, manufacturing and food and drink sectors in particular set to benefit, helping to support the Government’s Plan for Change by boosting household wages by £1 billion every year and delivering on one of the five missions of kickstarting economic growth.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Britain is uniquely placed to take advantage of exciting new markets, while strengthening existing relationships. Today’s news is further proof that the UK is a wonderful place to do business, with an open, outward looking economy driving the growth people can feel in their communities.

“Agreements like this boost trade and create opportunities for UK companies abroad. This is a proven way to support jobs, raise wages, and drive investment across the country which is key to this Government’s mission to deliver economic growth.

“Our Trade Strategy, published next year, will finally put in place a long-term, strategic plan for international trade that helps businesses and consumers and, ultimately, grows the economy.”

CPTPP is designed to expand over time, further growing the economic and strategic benefits of the agreement. Costa Rica was recently announced as the next country to go through the process of joining, and other economies such as Indonesia  – the largest economy in Southeast Asia, with a GDP of over £1 trillion and home to around 280 million people in 2023 – have already expressed an eagerness to join the bloc.

CEO of HSBC UK Ian Stuart said: “Being part of the CPTPP signals that the UK is open for business with some of the world’s most exciting growth markets. Since the announcement of the UK’s accession in July 2023, we have seen an increase in payments between the CPTPP markets and the UK, and we expect this growth to continue.

“As the world’s leading trade bank, with deep roots across many CPTPP countries, we are well-positioned to connect UK businesses with growth opportunities in markets such as Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Australia.”

Chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers Jean-Etienne Gourgues said: “At a time of increasing barriers to trade globally, the UK’s accession to the CPTPP is welcome news for Chivas Brothers Scotch whisky business. 

“Improved access to markets in dynamic regions like South East Asia and Latin America in a trading bloc which covers almost a fifth of the total value of Scotch whisky exports should help boost our £1BN annual exports.”

Chief Executive Officer of Scalerr Matthew Borthwick said: “International expansion isn’t just for the big businesses out there. Due to agreements like the CPTPP, UK SMEs will also benefit, making it easier to trade with CPTPP countries.

“As a tech scale-up consultancy with customers across the world, we at Scalerr welcome the support the CPTPP will provide by reducing costs, easing administrative burdens, and facilitating international trade.”

Sectors like automotive and food and drink will be able to benefit from CPTPP membership, including through modern “rules of origin” provisions which allow goods to qualify for lower tariffs when built from parts from CPTPP countries then exported to a CPTPP country. For example, a UK car engine manufacturer using components from other CPTPP countries could more easily qualify for lower tariffs when exporting the final engine within CPTPP.

UK services firms, which employ over 80% of our workforce, could also find it easier to export their services to CPTPP countries, with firms allowed to manage funds across the world from the UK and provide services to CPTPP markets on a level playing field with domestic firms in key sectors.

Prices on consumer goods could also fall if savings are passed on by importers, with tariffs removed on items like fruit juices from Peru and vacuum cleaners from Malaysia.

Through CPTPP, the UK now has free trade deals with Malaysia and Brunei for the first time, economies with a combined GDP of over £330 billion last year.

CPTPP’s entry into force comes as the UK edges closer to securing trade deals with partners such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, India, Switzerland and South Korea. These form one half of this government’s twin-track approach to trade which seeks to reset our relationship with the EU at the same time as striking new trade deals.

COVID-19 Day of Reflection

SUNDAY 9th MARCH 2025

2025 marks five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sunday 9 March 2025, A Day of Reflection will be held. This will be an opportunity to remember those who lost their lives and reflect on the sacrifices made by many during the pandemic.

First Minister, John Swinney said: “The Day of Reflection is an opportunity for people to remember and commemorate those who lost their lives during the pandemic, to reflect on the sacrifices made by many people and the impact of the pandemic on the nation and our daily lives, as well as honouring the work of health and social care staff, frontline workers, researchers and all those who volunteered and showed acts of kindness during this unprecedented time.

“The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all of us in different ways and you can mark the day in a way that feels right for you – whether it’s organising your own get together, joining in a local event or remembering in your own way at home.”

Find out more about how you can participate at gov.uk/dayofreflection

Capital’s libraries launch Edinburgh 900 poetry competition

Edinburgh 900 Launch LP

A new poetry writing competition to mark the 900th anniversary of the capital has been launched by Edinburgh Libraries.

As part of the Edinburgh 900 celebrations taking place the city-wide contest invites local residents to share their creativity and love for Edinburgh through original poems.

The competition celebrates the city’s rich history, culture, and community spirit and six winning entries will be featured on exclusive bookmarks distributed throughout the capital’s council-run libraries.

Entries must be written about the City of Edinburgh in connection with the Edinburgh 900 celebrations. There are ten themes for the Edinburgh 900 which can be used as inspiration:

  • City of David
  • City of Faith
  • City of Commerce
  • City of Industry
  • City of Conflict
  • City of Finance
  • City of Ideas
  • City of Leisure
  • City of Celebration
  • City of Diversity

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the city’s poets to showcase their creativity and contribute to Edinburgh’s special celebrations.

“I’m excited to hear voices from all over the city capturing the spirit, beauty and history of our remarkable capital.

“Edinburgh has long been a city where literature thrives, as we mark 900 years these unique bookmarks provide another meaningful way to honour the city’s legacy and the power of words to connect and inspire.”

The deadline for submissions is Friday 31 January 2025. Entrants should reside in the Edinburgh postcode area and have an EH postcode and be 18 years or older.

Full details on how to enter and terms and condition are on the Edinburgh 900 website.

Addressing Delayed Discharge

£100 million Scottish Government funding to improve patient flow

£100 million funding in the 2025-26 Budget to tackle delayed discharge will make Hospital at Home the ‘biggest hospital in the country’, if approved by Parliament.

The service, which offers a safe alternative to admission to an acute hospital, will grow to 2,000 beds by December 2026, alleviating pressure on health and social care settings.

The money will also ensure all A&E departments in Scotland have frailty units directly linked to community care settings, with an increased focus on collaborative working to identify ways to improve patient experience.

It is part of an overall £200 million package to clear the majority of new outpatient and treatment time patient waits and renew the NHS.

Social Care Minister Maree Todd visited Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline to outline a package of measures to reduce delayed discharge and to learn about other services that can be replicated across Scotland, such as Discharge to Assess that has been successful in Fife.

Ms Todd said: “Reducing delayed discharges is a key priority for the Scottish Government and the Budget we published last week will throw the weight of the government behind NHS improvement.

“More than 96% of all hospital discharges happen without delay but we are working with local health partners and local government to find solutions for those that don’t and address the variation we are seeing across Scotland. Our Budget for 2025-26, if approved by Parliament, will provide £200 million to help clear waiting list backlogs, improve capacity and remove blockages that keep some patients in hospital longer than necessary.

“Once someone has been assessed as well enough to be discharged from hospital, the best place for them to be is at home, supported by a bespoke care package. This can be delivered by services for older people such as Hospital at Home, and evidence shows that those benefitting from it are more likely to avoid hospital or care home stays for up to six months after an acute illness.

“We want to expand that service to make it the ‘biggest hospital in Scotland’, providing the very best care, in the comfort of a patient’s own home or home-like setting.

“We have a plan to renew our NHS and the Budget’s record funding for the health service will ensure that 150,000 extra patients are treated, deliver additional support for GPs, and invest in new hospitals at Belford and Monklands.

“We want to improve our NHS, but to do that Parliament must approve our Budget Bill to unlock investment to drive long-term and lasting improvements – and the healthier population that we all want to see. The NHS needs Parliament to unite behind this Budget.”

Women’s Charity Calls Upon Government to Prevent Domestic Abuse as ‘Orange the World’ 2024 Ends

Registered women’s charity, Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland  (SIGBI), is calling upon the government to prioritise prevention against domestic abuse, and other crimes that incite Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), as ‘Orange the World’ 2024 draws to a close.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that approximately 2.1 million women are victims of domestic abuse per year and that between two and three women each week are killed by a current or former partner.

Refuge reports that, in the UK, the police receive a domestic abuse-related phone call every 30 seconds. Yet, it’s estimated that only 24% of domestic abuse crime is reported to the police.

Over the past few weeks, SIGBI has been campaigning for the elimination of VAWG and domestic abuse with its annual ‘16 Days of Activism’, a UN Women campaign that highlights gender-based violence worldwide.

Ruth Healey, President of SIGBI, said: “Amounting to a national emergency, violence against women and girls can take so many forms – physical, emotional, financial, and coercive – and much of it is now hidden, especially when it comes to domestic violence, which makes it so much harder to combat.

“It’s terrifying that between 2018 and 2023, there was a 37% increase in violent crimes against women and girls. 

“The issue is growing, and the urgency for collective action is underscored by staggering numbers and reports highlighting the prevalence of gender-based violence both nationally and globally.

“Gender-based violence needs to be unacceptable in all parts of our society, and it requires a multi-faceted approach to address it. This includes prevention, protection, and prosecution, but mostly prevention.”

The ‘16 days of Activism’ also commonly referred to as ‘Orange the World’ commenced on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and has recently drawn to a close on 10 December, Human Rights Day.

Over the course of the campaign, SIGBI’s members – known as Soroptimists – have turned the UK orange, lighting up key monuments and buildings, to shine a light on these issues.

St Alban’s Museum, Hertfordshire County Hall, Cartmel Priory, The Hoad Monument, Barrow Town Hall, Pembrokeshire County Hall, Cirencester Parish Church, Wigan Town Hall, Wills Hall in Bristol, Bristol City Hall and key buildings in Salisbury are a few locations which turned orange over the past few weeks.

The campaign took place not long after the UK Government announced new measures to combat VAWG, marking the first step in its pledge to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade.

Ruth said: “As Soroptimists, we believe we need to continue to raise awareness of this issue – empowering communities with the knowledge needed to help prevent violence before it starts.

“This is why – as the campaign ends this year – we’re keen to call on the Government to do more. While reforming police responses, strengthening the justice system, empowering victims and making Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) a mainstream issue is important, it is most important to prioritise the prevention of domestic abuse crimes or VAWG in the first instance.

“By turning the UK orange this 25 November to 10 December, we took action, raised awareness and ignited change, but we don’t want it to stop there. We are committed to creating a world where women and girls can live free from fear, empowered to reach their full potential.”

Soroptimists across the UK undertake a significant amount of work to prevent VAWG and domestic abuse – much of that work involves education around the impact of crimes against women.

The charity’s Lichfield club, for example, has run several Healthy Relationship talks to boys, aged 15 – 17 years old at the Lichfield City Football Academy, emphasising the need for Consent and Respect. Feedback from the Academy is that there has been a definite shift in behaviour.

Programmes are being run across the UK alongside conferences that bring together local agencies, councillors, Police Crime Commissioners and others to discuss local approaches.

Soroptimists have also launched observation studies into the treatment of female domestic abuse victims, watching over 220 sessions of the Special Domestic Violence Courts in the pilot alone. This work has now been replicated in Wiltshire (2018), the Midlands (2020 and now in Wales (2024).

The observations have consistently supplied similar recommendations. These include:

  • Female victims need consistent access to Domestic Abuse Advisors.
  • Technology needs to be used effectively to make a stressful situation less so, and to ensure that trials are not affected by an abuse of technology.
  • Essential training needs to be delivered to all magistrates, judges and Crown prosecutors so they fully understand domestic abuse, and how fear and control affect a victim’s decisions.
  • The voice of the victim must be represented appropriately.

SIGBI is a membership organisation which focuses on empowering women and girls to achieve their full potential and works to eliminate barriers and discriminations that hinder women’s progress.

The charity does this through its 248 clubs throughout the UK, Ireland, Malta, Asia and the Caribbean – over 200 of which are in the UK. It currently has a total of 5,150 members.

The organisation has consultancy status at the UN – with members participating in UN meetings, submitting statements and collaborating on global projects which advance gender equality.

The 16 Days of Activism, and the charity’s work on VAWG, are a part of this. Get involved here: https://sigbi.org/

“Women’s safety is not a privilege, it’s a basic human right,” Ruth concluded.