Police Scotland is acutely aware that the diversity of our communities is increasing all the time. We recognise the importance of our communities being able to relate to our police officers and we are therefore actively reaching out to our BME communities and encouraging you to consider a career in policing in Scotland.
During the 90 minute online recruitment event, users will learn about the recruitment process, the training, the role of a police officer and the endless opportunities which are available to you once you embark on this exciting career path.
The date of the event is: Thursday 24th September 2020 6.30pm – 8pm
In order to participate in the event, Microsoft Teams will be required.
For more information and to reserve a space please email:-
Scots are the most likely in the UK to be drinking same or less since before lockdown was imposed
Lockdown was predicted to cause a sharp rise in alcohol consumption and binge-drinking but most UK drinkers (65%) actually drank the same, less or stopped drinking altogether during lockdown compared to previously.
In the weeks following the reopening of the hospitality sector, this trend has continued. Brits are continuing to drink in moderation, but more and more are choosing to do so at the pub.
Scotland is no exception to this trend and, though Scottish pubs only recently reopened their doors, close to a third (30%) of Scots have returned to the pub at least once.
Scots continue to drink in moderation despite the reopening of pubs
The latest YouGov survey commissioned by the Portman Group (2,296 UK adults, 12-13 August) shows that the moderate majority continues to prevail in the UK, even with the much-celebrated reopening of pubs.
92% of Scottish drinkers are drinking the same (59%), less (27.5%) or have cut alcohol out altogether (6%) since the hospitality sector reopened compared to before lockdown.
Scots are the most likely in the UK to be drinking the same, less or have stopped compared to drinkers in England (85%), Wales (88%) and Northern Ireland (89%).
Concerningly 5% of Scottish drinkers said they were drinking more since the hospitality sector reopened than before lockdown. We encourage anyone concerned about their own, or another persons’, drinking to visit Drinkaware or the NHS online for free advice and guidance.
The moderate majority of Scottish drinkers (69%) continue to drink responsibly, within the Chief Medical Officer guidelines of 14 units per week. Weekly intakes remain similar to before lockdown.
Scottish drinkers are also slightly more moderate than their English (66%) and Welsh (68%) counterparts in terms of remaining within the guidelines.
More than a quarter of Scottish pubgoers return to their local
While many of us continue to drink at home, a great number of Scots have resumed much loved habits of gathering at their local pub. Pubs have put in place diligent social distancing measures to ensure that communities can revisit pubs while feeling safe and secure. Scots are responding well to the ‘new normal’ with almost three quarters (76%) saying social distancing has not deterred them from a return to the pub.
It’s not just drinkers who have been making the most of the pubs reopening; pubs have long been a happy and inclusive environment for all members of the community.
The recent period has seen Scots making a cautious return to many much-loved venues outside of just hospitality, including shops and beauty salons, and it seems that, despite one in eight (12%) feeling the pinch after months of furlough or even job losses, we are still setting aside time and money to return to our favourite institutions, something that has been made clear with the popularity of August’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
Pubs in Scotland opened their doors once again on 15 July. Despite this, close to a third (30%) of Scottish adults have made their way back to the pub, slightly higher than Northern Ireland (26%) but lower than Wales (37%) and England (42%).
Speaking about the results of the survey, John Timothy, CEO of the Portman Group, the social responsibility and regulatory body for alcohol in the UK, commented: “During the course of the COVID-19 crisis there has been a fear that many people would turn to alcohol and that misuse would increase.
“Yet Scots are showing continued moderation both at home and, happily, now back at the pub. It’s great to see people supporting their community pubs while drinking sensibly and maintaining social distancing.”
Commenting on the results in Scotland, Douglas Meikle, Head of Alcohol Policy at the Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership, said: “It’s encouraging that so many Scots continue to drink within the CMOs’ guidelines of 14 units a week, in spite of the unprecedented nature of lockdown, with many deciding to drink less.
“As things get back to being more normal it will be important to continue that trend and encourage those who want to go back to our pubs and bars that they can do so safely”.
The UK holiday destination swaps that will save you hundreds
UK holidaymakers can save hundreds of pounds on hotel costs over the course of a holiday by swapping their location for similar destinations just a few miles away, Which? Travel has found.
With international travel restrictions in place around the world and the UK government warning against travel to a growing number of popular holiday destinations across Europe, many UK holidaymakers are continuing to book staycations to see out the end of the summer.
Which? Travel compared the average hotel room rates in towns in 10 of the UK’s most popular destinations, including Cornwall and the Cotswolds, before comparing these to other similar nearby resorts, to see how much people could save on their holiday by travelling just a few miles further.
The biggest saving was in Devon. An average of £59 a night could be saved by swapping one coastal destination for another just 20 miles away. The average cost of a hotel room in Salcombe was £209 a night. However, further down the coast in Dartmouth, holidaymakers could slash hotel costs by nearly 30 per cent, with a hotel room costing on average £150 a night. Over the course of a week, this works out as a saving of over £400.
Dartmouth received the second highest ranking in Which?’s recent survey of seaside towns and villages, achieving a customer score of 84 per cent and scoring highly for its scenery and tourist attractions. It also out-ranked Salcombe, which received a score of 71 per cent.
The shortest distance that Which? found people would have to travel to make a saving was just three miles – from Saundersfoot to Tenby. While a night in Saundersfoot could set you back an average of £155, a room just three miles south in Tenby costs an average of £112, saving £43 a night, or £301 over the course of a week. Tenby also fared well in Which?’s seaside survey, receiving a customer score of 79 per cent, while Saundersfoot received 71 per cent.
Some swaps meant travelling a bit further to make a saving. For example, holidaymakers looking for a Scottish city break could save an average of £25 a night if they travelled the 47 miles from Edinburgh to Glasgow.
Glasgow ranked highly in Which?’s recent survey of the UK’s best cities, scoring 82 per cent – just two percentage points behind Edinburgh (84%). It received excellent scores for culture, sights and attractions, as well as food and drink.
Additionally, with a return train ticket between the two cities costing less than £14 and the journey taking less than 90 minutes, the savings made by staying in Glasgow would cover the cost of a day trip to the capital with change to spare, meaning holidaymakers can enjoy the best of both cities.
Further savings could be made on a trip to the Cotswolds by staying in Gloucester rather than Cheltenham (average saving of £46 a night), a beach break in East Sussex by swapping Brighton for Eastbourne (average saving of £56 a night), and on a break in Somerset through booking in Wells instead of Bath (average saving of £53 a night).
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“These destination swaps aren’t just a chance to save money – travellers can expect to find fewer crowds and more space to breathe, with holidaymakers ranking many of the cheaper destinations as not only better value, but a better overall stay than their pricier and more popular counterparts.”
“As we come towards the end of a holiday season like no other, holidaymakers will be pleased to learn they can still squeeze the last out of the summer without sacrificing beautiful scenery or great attractions by just travelling a few extra miles along the road.”
The Royal Yacht Britannia has been rated the UK’s favourite historical attraction, according to a new Which? survey.
The Queen’s former yacht, permanently moored on the waters of Leith in Edinburgh, came out on top when over 4,000 Which? members were asked to rate the UK’s 50 most visited attractions on criteria including facilities, entertainment and lack of crowds.
The Royal Yacht Britannia, which visited 144 countries during its 44 years in royal service, topped the table with a customer score of 90 per cent. Visitors gave it a five-star rating for food and drink, information, and value for money.
Visitors told Which? it was an “outstanding attraction”, “immaculately kept” and that staff were “very kind and helpful”. One respondent told Which?, “I thought we would spend about two hours there and in the end were practically the last to leave”.
It was followed by Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden in Yorkshire, the country’s largest monastic ruins, with a customer score of 89 per cent. Those who rated it highly described the setting as “magical” and “suited to a slow pace and contemplation”.
The Abbey also scored well for information and value for money with both receiving five stars. It also achieved a further five stars for lack of crowds and queues, meaning visitors can enjoy the ruins and the Water Garden with plenty of space to roam between the two.
Stourhead House and Gardens received the third highest customer score (88%), followed by the Tower of London (87%), the most expensive of the 50 attractions. Entry to the popular London attraction costs £30.30 a head for adult non-members, but visitors gave it four out of five stars for value for money, with a wide range of exhibitions to enjoy as part of the ticket price.
Durham Cathedral was the highest scoring free attraction, with a customer score of 85 per cent – putting it joint seventh out of the 50 attractions (alongside Dover Castle, Culzean Castle, Titanic Belfast and Tyntesfield). Visitors gave it five stars for lack of crowds and value for money.
While visitors recommended the guided tours and attending a service to enjoy music from the choir, the Cathedral has since temporarily suspended singing and choral music as a result of measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
At the other end of the table was Southend Pier, the world’s longest pleasure pier, with a respectable customer score of 63 per cent. Although it features at the bottom of the list, it scored four stars for accessibility and lack of crowds. Visitors praised the walk along the pier as a way to blow away the cobwebs and liked the option of taking a train from one end to the other to enjoy the views.
However, it scored just one star for entertainment and engagement, facilities, and food and drink. Some visitors complained that the pier was “run down” and “not the most exciting place in the world”.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “With so many of us holidaying in the UK this year, we’re all looking for new places to explore and these results provide plenty of inspiration, with some excellent lesser-known attractions alongside the favourites we already know and love.
“Our findings show that visitors value learning something new from the historical attractions they visit, while providing value for money is another common feature of those near the top of the table. What’s clear though is that whatever your budget, whether you’re looking for a stroll down a pier or a saunter through a palace, the UK is blessed with fantastic locations for great days out.”
Universities must scrap plans to reopen campuses next month in order to prevent a major public health crisis, the University and College Union said yesterday.
The union fears that the migration of over a million students across the UK risks doing untold damage to people’s health and exacerbating the worst health crisis of our lifetimes.
UCU said that the prospect of mass student migration was already challenging enough, but the A-levels fiasco and the removal of the cap on the number of students universities can recruitrisked overwhelming some institutions and turning universities into the care homes of a second wave.
UCU said that demanding over a million young people move around the UK to attend university made no sense. The union highlighted there is no functioning track and trace system in place, nor any UK-wide plans to regularly test students or staff. UCU said the push to get students back on campus was being driven by a dangerous desire to get back to business as usual, before it was safe to do so.
UCU said that, rather than allowing universities to reopen precipitously, the government had to step in and underwrite any lost funding for the higher education sector. The union said universities that rely on tuition and accommodation fees feared lost income and the government had to make it clear now that they will not suffer financially for doing the right thing in terms of public health.
The union accepted that there would be challenges switching from blended learning to online, but that the move outweighed the health risks for students and the wider population. UCU added that it was highly likely that reopening campuses would result in local lockdowns and courses being moved online. The union said it was best to make that call now instead of a U-turn that would be too late even by this government’s standards.
The union said that if campuses reopen and cases rise then blaming students, instead of doing everything to mitigate against it happening, would be a denial of responsibility by government and universities.
The union said that although recorded cases were on the rise, the government has not provided systems for testing and tracing that could cope with campuses reopening and universities have failed to step into the breach.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘Moving a million plus students around the country is a recipe for disaster and risks leaving ill-prepared universities as the care homes of a second wave.
“The recent fiasco over exam results and their fallout has left universities under even greater pressure. It is time for the government to finally take some decisive and responsible action in this crisis and tell universities to abandon plans for face-to-face teaching.
‘Refusing to act now will only store up problems further down the line as courses are forced to move online and students forced into lockdown. It is no good blaming students later on for a problem that could have been avoided by government action. We need to move all teaching online for the first term of the new academic year, as recommended by Independent Sage, and the government needs to underwrite any lost funding for the sector.
‘The limited, piecemeal funding measures announced by the government so far are nothing compared with the security and the stimulus that would be provided by a comprehensive funding guarantee. Students will also need financial support to ensure that they can participate fully in online learning .’
The union has issued new guidance that also calls for greater testing on campus and better and more cleaning.
UCU said it wanted colleges and universities to work with the union on risk assessments to ensure staff and students could be confident their health and welfare was institutions’ number one concern. Earlier this week, the union called for face coverings to be worn in colleges and universities.
At 4pm on Tuesday Jo Grady will be joined by guests including Independent Sage members Professor Ann Phoenix and Professor Elizabeth Stokoe, and president of the National Union of Students Larissa Kennedy to consider how campuses could reopen safely. The event will be live on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
Screen & Shield, local supplier of high quality, multi-choice face masks, is hoping to see their coverings being worn by some of the UK’s best-known celebrities.
They have collaborated with beauty director and celebrity stylist influencers This is Mothership – who have a large, engaged and loyal following, including a host of TV and reality stars – to produce the Dot Blizzard #sasMASK.
When Screen & Shield arranged an informal tie-up with This is Mothership last month, they sold out of their Dot Blizzard #sasMASK in less than two hours.
10% of all sales will go to This is Mothership’s adopted charity Camp Simcha and a further 10% of sales will go to NHS Charities Together.
Edinburgh-based Screen & Shield was created after self-employed dad Hass Paymani became alarmed at the unavailability, distribution and quality of face coverings.
Hass said: “We believe we offer the best masks in the market in terms of quality and style, so this collaboration with This is Mothership is the perfect partnership.
“We’re looking forward to seeing some of their best-known followers from the TV and celebrity world, as well as their many loyal followers, wearing our mask.
“We’re also delighted to help This is Mothership continue to raise much-needed funds for Camp Simcha.”
This is Mothership – Samantha Silver and Gemma Rose Breger – who described their blog as a fashion and beauty destination for busy mamas, has some 55,000 followers on Instagram.
This is Mothership stated on their Instagram Page: “We’re smiling behind here, we promise, because the other week we did a shout out asking if anyone who couldn’t access a re-usable mask for any reason to get in touch with us. @screenandshield, a brilliant small business, have worked with us to provide re-usable face masks for families in need and they are on route to them now.
“We’ve also collaborated with @screenandshield on the This Is Mothership Dot Blizzard print mask. It’s triple-layered, reliably sourced cotton and monochrome, with a nose guard that doesn’t steam up glasses. It’s £10 and we are donating all of our proceeds from the collaboration to the charity @campsimchauk – supporting seriously ill children and their families.”
Hass Peymani set up his Screen and Shield brand from scratch just two months ago – but since then, he’s had tens of thousands of masks produced to keep up with demand.
Unlike many of the masks on the market, the #sasMASK is manufactured in Europe and complies with the latest material and layering guidelines for non-medical-grade face coverings.
The #sasMASK has not only been designed to be washable, comfortable and affordable but also comes in more than 50 designs.
As well as sales to individuals, Screen & Shield have increasingly set up relationships with many businesses, community groups and organisations to supply masks to their networks.
The UK Government has published detailed guidance for England’s schools on contingency planning for areas with local lockdowns in place.
The guidance sets out that all possible measures should be taken before any restrictions are imposed on schools to maintain consistent education for children and young people.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Our primary focus remains supporting all schools to welcome back all pupils for the start of term and we thank teachers and staff for their hard work in preparations.
“We hope that we won’t have to implement the guidance set out today because the local lockdown measures we have introduced so far are working. Changes to school attendance will only ever be an absolute last resort.
“However, it is important that both government and schools prepare for a worst case scenario, so this framework represents the sensible contingency planning any responsible government would put in place.”
The updated CONTAIN guidance sets out four tiers of restrictions for education settings, for use as an absolute last resort in areas subject to local restrictions.
All schools, colleges and other education settings are opening for the start of term, with all those in areas subject to local restrictions currently at Tier 1 – fully open to all pupils full time, with face coverings required in corridors and communal areas for pupils in Year 7 and above.
Local authority leaders and directors of public health, alongside national government, would be at the centre of any decision making to move out of Tier 1 for education settings.
They would take all other possible measures, including implementing restrictions on other sectors, before considering restricting attendance in education.
If all other measures have been exhausted, Tier 2 would advise secondary schools and colleges in a restricted area to use rotas to help break chains of transmission of coronavirus, while primary schools remain open to all pupils.
Tiers 3 and 4 introduce remote learning full time for wider groups of pupils, with vulnerable children and children of critical workers continuing to attend.
The government asked schools in July to ensure they were able to provide high quality remote education that mirrors in-school education, in case any pupils were required to self-isolate or local restrictions were needed. These plans should extend to rotas if ever required.
All children are due to return to school for the autumn term and schools have been putting in place protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission.
School staff have been working to implement increased hygiene and handwashing with children remaining in consistent groups, using measures such as staggered break times to keep groups apart.
To further reassure parents and teachers that all proportionate measures are being taken to make schools as safe as possible, the government has announced that in areas of the country currently subject to enhanced restrictions, staff and pupils in secondary schools should wear face coverings in communal areas where social distancing cannot be maintained.
From this week, schools and colleges have begun receiving home testing kits, each receiving a pack of 10 tests, with more available to be ordered if needed. The home testing kits are to be used in exceptional circumstances such an individual with symptoms who may have barriers to accessing a test elsewhere and the home kit would significantly increase their chance of getting tested. This will enable schools and colleges to take swift action to protect others if the test result is positive.
Schools are also receiving packs of PPE to use in the very limited circumstances it may be required, such as when it is not possible for a staff member to maintain 2m distance from a pupil with a suspected case of coronavirus.
This week the Chief Medical Officers from all four nations in the United Kingdom made it clear that the risks to children contracting Covid-19 in school or college is extremely low and that the risks associated with not being in school or college outweighs that of not being there.
The Department for Education has also published further guidance to help schools plan for potential Tier 2 restrictions, which will involve secondary year groups operating a rota system in order to reduce pupil numbers on-site.
Education leaders have expressed frustration that the latest guidance was published on Friday evening at the start of a Bank Holiday weekend, giving them little time to prepare and organise for schools returning next week.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs and Edinburgh Councillor Nick Cook have launched a campaign for Edinburgh Council’s SNP/Labour administration to immediately reopen Braid Road.
In May, the Council rushed through the closure of Braid Road under the auspices of Covid-19 emergency powers. They did so without any substantial consultation with residents or local Councillors, leading to strong protest from Cllr Cook.
There may have been a case, during the early phases of lockdown, for a strict time limited closure of Braid Road to aid social distancing. However, it is clear that with many restrictions eased and children back at school, the road needs re-opened immediately to reduce inconvenience for residents and re-route the traffic that the closure has displaced to nearby streets, including outside South Morningside Primary on Comiston Road.
The Edinburgh Conservatives have consistently voiced concerns at the impact of this closure and have led the opposition to the move in the City Chambers.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“It is clear to me from the number of local residents who I have been contacted by that Braid Road needs to be reopened without delay.
“As lockdown restrictions have eased and schools have returned, the level of traffic that these closures have created on Comiston Road is insufferable for commuters.
“Whatever political party you support, please sign now to add your support to this campaign to get Braid Road reopened.”
Edinburgh Councillor, Nick Cook, said:“In contrast to my Morningside ward colleagues who either dithered or waved their lycra aloft in support of the Braid Road closure, I have voiced robust concerns at the Council’s bungled closure of Braid Road from the outset.
“The inconvenience to drivers, coupled with displaced traffic being funnelled outside South Morningside Primary School demands the Council finally listen to the public and reopen Braid Road immediately.”
· Over a third (33%) of Scots revealed that 50 was the age they begun to feel neglected or invisible in society
· 36% of Scots over 50 don’t think brands advertise to their age and 17% don’t think magazines represent their age
· Over half (56%) of Scots say that being neglected by society makes them feel underappreciated, and a third say it makes them depressed and anxious
· This also impacted over 50s’ career decisions in Scotland, with a quarter (25%) admitting they feel they’re unable to apply for jobs because of their age
Over a third of Scots (33%) have revealed that 50 was the age they begun to feel neglected and invisible in society, according to new research by SunLife released today.
The research found that 56 was the average age Scots over 50 began to feel this way, and that over half (56%) of those over 50 said prejudice towards their age causes them to feel underappreciated, let down (34%) and depressed or anxious (36%).
The new Retiring Ageism report, which follows SunLife’s 2019 Ageist Britain campaign, surveyed 2,000 UK adults and analysed UK brands’ representation of over 50s across their marketing activity.
SunLife’s new research found that due to feeling neglected or invisible in society because of their age, a quarter (24%) over 50s living in Scotland are less inclined to try new things, and a third opt to stay home and miss events (31%).
A fifth (21%) of those over 50 said these feelings made them less inclined to keep fit, active and healthy, directly impacting their physical health.
These feelings also influenced Scots over 50s’ career decisions, with a quarter (25%) admitting they didn’t apply for jobs because of their age and one in six (14%) not applying to a job they had wanted.
Feeling neglected also has a harmful effect on relationships, with 16% of Scots believing their friends and family don’t invite them out because of their age.
“Ageism affects people at work, it affects people’s health, and it can affect the way they see themselves. Our research has found that many people over-50 believe they have been turned down for a job because of their age, and many have been put off applying for jobs as they sound like they’re aimed at younger candidates.
“From the casual ageism of products labelled ‘anti-ageing’ to the way we’ve seen older people spoken about during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s clear that as a society we’ve got a long way to go on this issue. It’s great to see this report shine a light on the issue, and contribute to the vital conversation around ageism.”
Additionally, over three quarters (78%) of those over the age of 50 said they hadn’t seen accurate representation of their age bracket by companies or celebrity personalities within the past year, with Nike, Next and Adidas called out as the top three worst brands for representing over 50s.
The media has also been revealed to mischaracterise over 50s, with just 15% feeling as though national newspapers represented their age bracket well, and only 12% feeling well represented in local newspapers. Furthermore, 21% of 50-59 year olds felt as though they didn’t see people their age in magazines, with this rising to a quarter (24%) of 60 to 69-year olds.
Ian Atkinson, director of marketing at SunLife, added: “We want to keep shining a spotlight on the issue of ageism – specifically, on the misrepresentation of the over 50s in society and the media. Our new report has revealed that this is particularly prevalent in the workplace, advertising and the world of entertainment.
“Unsurprisingly, it can have lasting effects on the mental and physical health of those over 50 who feel misrepresented, causing them to alienate themselves from family and friends. By raising the profile of this problem, we want to continue our ambition of retiring ageism once and for all and encourage other brands to cater to this age bracket who deserve to be recognised.”
Alongside the report, this year SunLife will be actioning three pledges to encourage brands to celebrate life over 50 and help retire ageism once and for all. These include sharing the research and image galleries with leading UK charities to help support them with their initiatives aimed towards over 50s, as well as developing a series of best practice guidelines to assist brands and media.
SunLife found that when searching for imagery of older people, the results often portray an inauthentic view of life after 50 and embody ageist stereotypes. To help counter this, SunLife have embarked on creating their own image galleries, generating these from photoshoots using real people to help authentically show the positive side of life after 50.
The full report and opening foreword from Ian Atkinson can be viewed here:
Culture and heritage sectors are to benefit from a £59 million funding package to protect jobs and help the industry weather the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A new £15 million Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund will provide critical support to a range of businesses such as art galleries, studio facilities, comedy venues, large music venues, commercial theatres, orchestras, dance companies and nightclubs.
It will help to reduce the threat of insolvency, protect jobs and create conditions for a more viable and sustainable future for the sector.
The funding also includes £21.3 million for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to protect jobs and support the reopening of properties in their care.
An additional £5.9 million will be made available to support heritage organisations through committed grants, and £270,000 for the New Lanark Trust (above) will help secure the future of one of Scotland’s six World Heritage Sites.
The package also includes:
£5 million to address the immediate financial hardship faced by creative freelancers
£5 million to support artists to continue developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19, including £1.5 million for the Culture Collective programme to support organisations employing freelance artists to work in communities across Scotland
£3.5 million for independent cinemas
£3 million for youth arts including a funding boost for the Youth Music Initiative which will provide work for musicians
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s been an extremely trying time for everyone in the culture and heritage sectors over the last few months. The major issues presented by the pandemic are not going away but as we slowly start to reopen, this funding will provide much needed emergency support and aid the recovery.
“We have taken time to work closely with and listen carefully to the sectors, to understand exactly what they need. We want to reach as many people as possible and I do believe these funds will make a marked difference in ensuring our culture and heritage sectors not only survive the pandemic but thrive in future.
“As extensive as this package of support is, we know there will still be more needed. Culture and heritage are vitally important to all of our lives in Scotland, at this time more than ever. Without significant borrowing powers, there is only so much the Scottish Government can do. I urge the UK Government to consider extending the furlough scheme, to ensure longer term support as we continue to navigate this crisis.”
Iain Munro, Creative Scotland Chief Executive, said: “We very much welcome this significant announcement of much needed emergency support. This follows a great deal of work involving Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government, but also many people and organisations from across Scotland’s cultural community.
“We appreciate the challenges that everyone working in culture is facing and are pleased to now be able to offer some clarity. Creative Scotland will continue to work at pace to deliver this emergency funding to where it’s needed as quickly as possible.”
The culture funds will be delivered through Creative Scotland and follows on from the previously announced £12.5 million Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund and £2.2 million support for Grassroots Music Venues. It comes as part of the £97 million in UK Government consequentials for the culture and heritage sectors.
Creative Scotland are establishing the details of the funds and how they can be accessed. More information will be made available next week.
Funding that has been announced so far to support the culture and heritage sectors includes:
£10 million funding package for events
£4 million Museums Recovery and Resilience Fund
£3.8 million to protect jobs at the National Trust for Scotland
