Fourteen major festivals in Edinburgh and Glasgow will receive a share of this year’s £1.8 million Expo Fund.Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society receives the lion’s share of the funding pot – it gets £550,000.
See below for the full list of recipients.
Established in 2007 by the Scottish Government, the Expo Fund’s aim is to build innovation across the festivals and maximise national and international opportunities for the artists contributing to the festivals.
This year for the first time, the Glasgow Film Festival and the biennial Sonica visual art and sonic festival will receive funding.
Culture Minister Christina McKelvie said: “Scotland’s major festivals are a wonderful showcase for the extraordinary range of artistic talent we have in this country. The Expo Fund not only helps to support performances at home, but enables artists to find new audiences further afield.
“The last few years have been challenging for the culture sector, especially festivals and events. I’m pleased that we are able to continue this important fund and include two more Glasgow-based festivals who will receive support for the first time.”
Creative Scotland Chief Executive Iain Munro said: “Scotland is known across the globe for its outstanding array of world-class festivals. The Expo Fund is vital in raising the international profile of these festivals and enabling them to enhance their programmes through exciting and innovative co-productions and collaborations.
“We welcome the Scottish Government’s decision to recognise the distinct international profile and work of Sonica and Glasgow Film Festival through Expo funding. They join Celtic Connections, Glasgow International and the Edinburgh Festivals, further expanding the diversity of opportunities and inspirational work reaching international audiences.”
Expo Fund 2023-24 recipients:
Celtic Connections
£101,000
Edinburgh Art Festival
£130,000
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
£550,000
Edinburgh International Book Festival
£85,000
Edinburgh International Festival
£100,000
Edinburgh International Film Festival
£59,000
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
£100,000
Edinburgh Science Festival
£120,000
Glasgow International Festival
£75,000
Hogmanay
£130,000
Imaginate – Edinburgh International Children’s Festival
£130,000
Scottish International Story Festival
£120,000
As new entrants, Glasgow Film Festival and Sonica will share
“Keep Calm and Carry On, this is just a test” – that is the clear message from the Deputy Prime Minister on the day of the nationwide test of the national Emergency Alerts system.
Reminder: at 3pm TODAY – Sunday – there will be a test of the Emergency Alert system across the UK.
You will receive a message on the home screen of your mobile phone, along with a sound and vibration for up to ten seconds.
You do not need to take any action – the sound and vibration will stop automatically after ten seconds. All you need to do is swipe away the message or click ‘OK’ on their phone’s home screen – just like for a ‘low battery’ warning or notification – and continue to use your phone as normal.
UK Emergency Alerts Test – “Keep Calm and Carry On: This is just a test”
“Keep Calm and Carry On, this is just a test” – that is the clear message from the Deputy Prime Minister on the day of the nationwide test of the national Emergency Alerts system.
Officials from the Cabinet Office National Situation Centre will send out the alert at 3pm and it will be received by every 4G and 5G device across the United Kingdom.
A major awareness campaign was launched to ensure the public knew about the test of the system, with new polling on Friday showing 88% of the British public were now aware.
The system will be an additional tool in the national resilience toolkit when there is an imminent risk to life.
Announcements and signage across the transport network will be in place in the run-up to the test. The alert will be a siren-like sound no more prominent than the loudest ringtone setting on a mobile phone.
People are being urged to remember that this is just a test, akin to a one off fire alarm drill, and no action is required when they receive the test alert today.
Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, said: “Keep Calm and Carry On – that is the British way and it is exactly what the country will do when they receive this test alert at 3pm today.
“The Government’s number one job is to keep people safe and this is another tool in the toolkit for emergency situations, such as flooding or wildfires, and where there is a genuine risk to life. So it really is the sound that could save your life.
“I would encourage people to remember that today it is just a test; there is no need to take any action and you can simply swipe it away as you would any other message you receive.”
The test will be sent using mobile broadcasting technology which uses cell towers rather than SMS. The test is secure, free to receive and one-way, and does not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data.
The sound and vibration of the test alert will stop automatically after ten seconds. All people need to do is swipe away the message or click ‘OK’ on their phone’s home screen – just like for a ‘low battery’ warning or notification – and continue to use their phone as normal.
The test message will say:
This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
This is a test. You do not need to take any action.
Best practice of Emergency Alerts in other countries have shown that they work more effectively when there is a real emergency if people have previously received a test, so they know what an alert looks and sounds like.
Emergency Alerts have already been used successfully in a number of countries, including the US, Canada and Japan, where the system has been widely credited with saving lives, for example, during severe weather events. In the UK, alerts could be used to inform people about wildfires or severe flooding.
The Government has worked together with the emergency services and partners, including the Football Association and London Marathon, to make sure the UK-wide test has minimum impact on major events taking place today.
Chief Fire Officer for Hertfordshire, and Resilience Lead on the National Fire Chiefs Council, Alex Woodman, said: “Whilst today’s ten second national test may be inconvenient for some, please forgive the intrusion, because the next time you hear the alert, your life and the lifesaving actions of our emergency services could depend on it.
“We must use every tool at our disposal to keep people safe and we need everyone to play their part. The new Emergency Alerts system is one way we can do this.”
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Civil Contingencies, Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill said: “During times of crises, it’s vital to warn and inform the public at speed.
“We look forward to further developing the use of the Emergency Alerts capability and the way it can protect and preserve life, as well as supporting policing’s wider response to critical incidents with partner agencies. Alongside partners, we will continue to listen carefully to public feedback and ensure the use of Emergency Alerts has a positive impact.”
Emergency Alerts will transform the UK’s warning and informing capability; working with mobile broadcasting technology provides a means to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area when there is a risk to life, and provide clear instructions about how best to respond.
The system will be used very rarely – only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives – so people may not receive an alert for months or years, if at all.
A public call for evidence has been launched to establish the scale of ‘sex for rent’ in the UK and ask if existing laws protect victims
A new law is being considered to crack down on predatory landlords exploiting vulnerable people for sex in return for free or discounted rent, the Home Secretary has announced.
The government is seeking views of victims, police and charities as part of a call for evidence launched yesterday (21 April) to better understand the scale and nature of the abhorrent ‘sex for rent’ exchange in the UK.
‘Sex for rent’ is an arrangement where landlords exchange accommodation for free or at a discount in return for sexual relations with their tenants. This is already illegal under the Sexual Offences Act, and landlords can already be prosecuted for attempting to engage in sex for rent.
The call for evidence will look at whether these laws go far enough, or if new measures are needed to tackle the issue and better protect vulnerable people from harm.
Home Secretary, Suella Braverman said: “It’s wholly unacceptable that vulnerable people, and particularly young women, are being exploited in ‘sex for rent’ arrangements. This is an abuse of power which puts people in desperate situations and has no place in our country.
“The launch of this public call for evidence brings us closer to ending this deeply harmful trend and better protecting victims.
“And it is another example of how this government will not stop in our efforts to bring more sexual and domestic abusers to justice.”
According to research by polling company YouGov, carried out on behalf of the housing charity Shelter, nearly 1 in 50 women in England have been propositioned for ‘sex for rent’ in the last five years.
The call for evidence, which will last for 10 weeks, seeks to gain the views of those who have been directly engaged in a ‘sex for rent’ arrangement, whether they were deceived, coerced, or compelled into it.
Among the charities expected to provide their views is National Ugly Mugs (NUM), an organisation which works to end all violence towards sex workers.
They work with numerous victims of ‘sex for rent’ abuse such as Alina*.
Case study
Alina* was struggling financially during the pandemic and was approached online by her landlord. He suggested a rental arrangement where she would provide sex and intimate photos in exchange for a reduction in her rent and utility bills.
At the time Alina wasn’t making enough money to find an alternative place to live, so she agreed. Her exploitative landlord often arrives at the property drunk and unannounced, expecting to have sex with her. He often refuses to leave and she is under constant threat of eviction and homelessness if she does not comply with his requests whenever he wants.
*This modified case study is based on a sex worker’s lived experiences as reported to the NUM research team. Personal details have been changed.
Safeguarding Minister, Sarah Dines said: “While advances in technology have brought us closer to family and friends, they can also make it easier for perpetrators to prey on vulnerable individuals, including through so-called ‘sex for rent’ arrangements.
“Our pioneering Online Safety Bill will ensure social media companies take greater action in order to protect their users – but we must continue to expand our understanding of these harmful practices and what more can be done to protect those who need it.”
Dr Raven Bowen, CEO of NUM said: “We welcome the ‘sex for rent’ call for evidence. As an organisation dedicated to supporting sex workers we have seen first hand the damage that this exploitative behaviour can have, especially on young women and mothers.
“We support action that will clamp down on predatory landlords and we hope that this is accompanied by wider action to combat the fundamental issue of poverty and unaffordable housing that make people vulnerable to this abuse.”
Deputy Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Prostitution and Sex Working, said: “This call for evidence is a welcome opportunity to hear from victims and stakeholders on the reality facing women. With many struggling to pay rent, they become vulnerable to predatory landlords, and it is vital we put an end to this.
“Violence against women and girls in all its forms is abhorrent. Policing is going after the violent and abusive men who commit these crimes. This call for evidence offers a first step towards helping vulnerable victims of this behaviour, please come forward.
“If you are ever in danger, please call 999, you will be listened to and taken seriously.”
Dan Wilson Craw, Deputy Director of Generation Rent said: “This call for evidence is vital. Research conducted by Generation Rent and Mumsnet estimates that over 200,000 women could be victims of ‘Sex for Rent’ in the United Kingdom.
“Four per cent of all respondents indicated that they had been offered free or discounted rent in return for sexual favours, with this rising to a shocking 1 in 10 respondents with a household income below £20,000.
“We know the vast majority of landlords abide by the law: seeking permission to enter and respecting their tenants’ privacy. However, given the unparalleled access landlords have to tenants’ personal spaces and lives, and the scale of the issue, this consultation is necessary in ensuring that everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us, has access to a safe and secure home, free from harassment and exploitation.”
Tackling sexual exploitation and violence against women and girls is a UK Government priority.
In July 2021 they published their new cross-government Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy to help ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere – at home, online, at work and on the streets.
The world-leading Online Safety Bill means that social media platforms will have to proactively tackle illegal content such as use of their sites to coerce and control women for sex. If they fail in these duties, they will be made to pay huge fines up to billions of pounds.
The Home Office is also working closely with Women’s Aid to provide £300,000 for one-off payments of £250 to victims of domestic abuse, rising to £500 where a victim is pregnant or has children.
The funding has been granted to support victims to leave abusive relationships, and will help victims to pay for essentials such as groceries, nappies, sanitary products and rent on their previous property whilst they are in a refuge, or it could be put towards a deposit on new accommodation when they leave a refuge.
Reforms will ‘speed up the removal of people with no right to be here and enhance safeguards to protect unaccompanied children’
THE UK government has tabled a number of amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill to strengthen it further, ahead of it returning to Parliament next week – helping to deliver our priority of ‘stopping the boats’.
The amendments tabled this week will help to speed up the removal of people with no right to be here and enhance safeguards for unaccompanied children who cross the Channel in small boats.
Amendments also include a commitment to consult local authorities within three months of the bill becoming law to understand their capacity to support people coming to the UK through safe and legal routes, and to publish a report on existing, and any proposed additional safe and legal routes, within six months of the bill becoming law.
Together these will provide greater clarity and ensure progress on delivering our plans for safe and legal routes with an annual cap, agreed by Parliament, to ensure we are properly supporting people to rebuild their lives in the way communities would expect.
The UK will continue to play a world-leading role in protecting those in need who come to the country illegally. However, to tackle the abuse of the system which detracts from our ability to help those in need, further amendments are being made to ensure the UK can better protect its borders.
To speed up removals, amendments will make clear that the UK’s domestic courts cannot apply any interim measure to stop someone being removed if they bring forward a legal challenge, aside from in the narrow route available under the bill where they are at risk of serious and irreversible harm.
Instead, challenges would be heard remotely after the person concerned had been removed. This will ensure that someone would only be able to apply for a domestic injunction to prevent their removal if they were to face “serious and irreversible harm” in the country they were due to be removed to.
Amendments will also make clear that ministers may exercise discretion in relation to interim measures issued by the European Court of Human Rights, and set certain principles under which they would make a decision whether to comply or not.
Alongside the amendment, the government is having constructive discussions regarding reform to the Rule 39 process in Strasbourg, to support greater timeliness, accountability and representation in such cases.
Further amendments include:
giving immigration officers new powers to search for and seize electronic devices like mobile phones from people who come to the UK illegally – to help them assess whether someone has the right to be in the UK
increasing protections around the safeguarding risk caused by adults pretending to be children, by bringing in new regulations that will see age-disputed people treated as an adult if they refuse to undergo a scientific age assessment.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “The British public are rightly fed up with people coming to the UK through dangerous small boat crossings, and myself and the Prime Minister are absolutely committed to stopping the boats once and for all.
“The changes I am announcing today will help secure our borders and make it easier for us to remove people by preventing them from making last minute, bogus claims, while ensuring we strengthen our safe and legal routes.
“My focus remains on ensuring this landmark piece of legislation does what it is intended to do, and we now must work to pass it through Parliament as soon as possible so we can stop the boats.”
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said: “It is not fair that people can pay criminal gangs thousands of pounds and pass through multiple safe countries to come to the UK illegally.
“The only way to break the business model of the evil people smugglers and secure our borders is to make sure that if people come to the UK illegally, they won’t be able to stay.
“These amendments will make it easier to swiftly remove individuals who come here illegally from safe countries, whilst re-affirming our commitment to help those directly from regions of conflict and instability.”
These new powers are part of further amendments tabled by the government yesterday to strengthen the ‘landmark’ Illegal Migration Bill, which will see people who come to the UK illegally in scope for detention and swift removal.
The amendments relating to safe and legal routes were laid by Tim Loughton MP, and measures to prevent UK courts from interfering to stop a removal were laid by Danny Kruger MP – the government will support these measures when the bill goes back to the House of Commons for report stage next week. The remaining measures have been tabled by the government.
Martyn Day MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, has been asked by the Committee to open the debate. MPs from all parties can take part, and the Government will send a minister to respond.
We call upon the Government to hold a Public Inquiry into the impact of Brexit
The petition, which has more than 137,000 signatures, states: “The benefits that were promised if the UK exited the European Union have not been delivered, so we call upon the Government to hold a Public Inquiry to assess the impact that Brexit has had on this country and its citizens.”
In its response to the petition, provided on 5 December 2022, the Government said: “The UK’s departure from the EU was a democratic choice and the UK-EU institutions are functioning as intended. The Government does not believe this to be an appropriate subject for a public inquiry.”
What are petitions debates?
Petitions debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.
Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means MPs will not vote on whether to hold a public inquiry into the impact of the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Petition debates are scheduled by the Petitions Committee. Only e-petitions started on the parliament petitions site are considered by the Petitions Committee.
Strachan House care home in Blackall celebrated in style, by brewing up a wonderful afternoon for National Tea Day yesterday with a Community Tea Dance afternoon.
Supplied with a tasty selection of biscuits, sandwiches, cakes, and of course, teas for the event, residents and their families of Strachan House had an amazing afternoon together.
Gordon Philp, General Manager at Strachan House said: “In these unprecedented times with the cost of living, providing a range of community events for our local community and their families is more important than ever.
“Our residents really enjoyed the choice of teas, cakes and events for National Tea Day, and as a nation who truly loves their tea, it was great excuse for an afternoon brew and a natter”.
May Lesueur, a wife of a resident at Strachan House said: “It was a lovely afternoon, and I love a cup of tea so it was a wonderful combination to end the week on.
“And it was lovely for the families and staff join in too. They always take such good care of us.”
Strachan House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides 83 beds for nursing care, residential care, and respite care.
Community support for third year of fund to help more projects
Projects to support mental health and address social isolation and loneliness in adults will share a further £15 million this year.
The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults, launched in 2021, has now provided around 3,300 grants to community organisations delivering mental health and wellbeing support, bringing total investment to £51 million.
Activities will target older people, areas of economic deprivation, people with long term health conditions or disability and LGBTI communities. The Fund has also had a particular focus on responding to the cost of living crisis, which remains a priority this year.
Improved mental health and wellbeing support is one of the commitments in the Scottish Government’s Policy Prospectus, which outlines firm actions to be achieved by 2026.
Health Secretary Michael Matheson visited Pause and Breathe, a social enterprise, in High Bonnybridge yesterday (Friday 21 April) where he announced the additional funding.
He said: “This investment reflects the importance we place on promoting good mental health and early intervention for those facing mental health challenges – ensuring that people can access a range of different types of help to match their needs.
“The Fund will continue to support a range of valuable community mental health and wellbeing projects, reflecting one of the priorities set out by the First Minister earlier this week.”
Pause and Breathe was awarded £10,000 from last year’s fund to offer a variety of wellbeing sessions and activities. Work is underway to change a building that has lain unused in High Bonnybridge for 20 years.
Managing Director Susie Hooper said: “This funding will enable us to hold free weekly wellbeing sessions throughout the whole year and means we can support people who wouldn’t otherwise attend due to financial constraints.”
THIS MORNING (Saturday),Abortion Rights Scotland is celebrating the fifty-fifth anniversary of the date the 1967 Abortion Act became law in England, Scotland, and Wales, from eleven am to 1pm on Lothian Road Edinburgh – Usher Hall side – because on the other side of the road, SPUC (the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child) are holding their protest against access safe, legal, local abortion, provided and delivered by the NHS.
The SPUC protest against safe legal abortion and the feminist celebration of the Abortion Act, are both now in their tenth year – two years missed because of lockdown.
Audrey Brown, retired NHS abortion care consultant, says: “NHS Scotland has long supported women to make their own choices about pregnancy.
“Abortion care is extremely safe, and in fact is safer than continuing a pregnancy. NHS doctors, nurses and midwives working in abortion care are trained to provide a safe and supportive service.
“The majority of women now choose early medical abortion in the privacy of their own home. Restricting access to abortion won’t stop abortion, it will push it underground and make it less safe. We must continue to support free, safe and legal NHS abortion care.”
The counter-vigil against the anti-abortion protest, is both in support of the continuing right to safe, legal, local abortion in Scotland, provided and delivered by the NHS, but also standing with people in countries like Poland and the United States, where the anti-abortion movement has achieved its goal of denying free access to safe legal abortion.
SPUC’s frequent assertion is that they want to make this essential reproductive healthcare “unthinkable” – and most people in Scotland oppose that goal.
SPUC has organised a ‘Pro Life Chain’ event from 11am – 1pm
Organisers say: ‘Remember the lives hurt and lost through abortion by attending SPUC’s 2023 Pro-Life Chain. This peaceful act of witness spreads the message that abortion kills unborn children and hurts women and families.’
Lifelong hater of creepy-crawlies overcomes fear at an unusual tasting event in Edinburgh which saw whiskies paired with crickets, mealworms, locusts and a surprise scorpion!
A lifelong arachnophobe with a fear of creepy-crawlies discovered a taste for edible insects at an unusual whisky tasting in Edinburgh which saw the flavours of crickets, mealworms, locusts and scorpions matched with different types of Scotch.
Scott Begbie from Aberdeen was one of three adventurous whisky fans taking part in a special event called ‘A Pairing With Legs’, which was hosted at The Vaults in Leith, the home of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a global whisky club with an unconventional approach to whisky tastings.
The unusual flavour pairing event took place as part of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 40th anniversary year celebrations. Previously, the Society has paired whiskies with unusual items such as ice cream and also staged a tasting on top of a Munro.
After the event, Begbie, who was given the tasting experience as a present for his 60th birthday, said: “I’ve always had a phobia of spiders and creepy crawlies generally, so I was initially pretty nervous. Seeing the insects and picking them up was quite tricky at first, but I ended up enjoying it.
“My favourite flavour pairing was the smoked crickets with a blended malt featuring smoky whiskies from Islay and Orkney. That pairing of smoky, salty flavours worked really well.
“The mealworms were crunchy and tasted like Bombay Mix with less spices. The locusts were challenging but they reminded me of Twiglets. The scorpion surprised me – it was really good, a bit like a salty Pretzel.”
The flavour pairings
At the event, the first flavour pairing saw mealworms matched with Disco Diva, a 12-year-old whisky from Speyside described as tasting like “an all-singing-and-dancing karaoke of icing sugar-coated biscuits, dried coconut and hot cross buns”.
The second pairing featured locusts paired with Raspberry Fields Forever, a whisky described as having a palate of “creamy custard with juicy raspberry sorbet on apple crumble”.
Finally the smoked crickets were paired with Smokus Fruticosus, a sweet, rich & intensely smoky blended malt featuring whiskies from the islands of Islay & Orkney.
The scorpion was a surprise bonus with the participants trying it at the end of the tasting with a whisky of their choice.
A second ‘A Pairing With Legs’ event is taking place in May with the Society working with Dr Vladimir Blagoderov, the principal curator of invertebrates at the National Museum of Scotland, to explore different types of edible insects.
40th anniversary adventures
This year, the Society is celebrating its 40th-anniversary and is approaching 40,000 members around the world. To mark this milestone in its journey, a series of special releases, events, collaborations and happenings, all inspired by founder Pip Hills’ unorthodox outlook, will continue throughout the year.
Helen Stewart, Head of Brand Marketing & Membership, said: “Whisky and insects? Precisely. This type of tasting personifies what the Society is all about. Our 40th anniversary year is going to be our most adventurous yet.
“‘A Pairing With Legs’ is just one of many unconventional tastings taking place this year as we continue bringing adventurous whisky fans together to explore the flavours of whisky and enjoy interesting sensory experiences.”
New Term Programme 
