The Scottish SPCA is caring for a lovely little Shrew who was found orphaned in Gifford alongside his brother. Continue reading A helping hand for Hugh the Shrew!
Category: North Edinburgh News
Financial support for Interfaith Scotland
Interfaith Scotland is to receive £145,000 to help support their work with different faith groups and interfaith organisations.
Making the announcement while meeting with representatives from different faith groups and interfaith organisations across Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “In the past year we have witnessed faith groups working together with one voice to show their support during humanitarian crises across the world.
“The vital work of Interfaith Scotland in raising awareness of the importance of interfaith dialogue and increasing our understanding of different traditions and practices enriches our communities.
“By working together with Interfaith Scotland and all communities I hope to see a safer, stronger and more inclusive society which we are all able to fully contribute to and benefit from.”
Growing interfaith expertise since the 1970s, Interfaith Scotland is highly regarded in the international interfaith community as being a leader. Interfaith organisations promote mutual understanding of the teachings, traditions and practices of different faith communities.
Director of Interfaith Scotland Dr Maureen Sier said: “Interfaith Scotland is delighted to receive this funding from the Scottish Government. It allows us to continue the important interfaith engagement work that takes place across Scotland. Challenging religious prejudice, stereotyping and misunderstanding is at the heart of what we do and ensures that everyone, whatever their religion or belief, has an opportunity to play an active role in promoting a just and inclusive Scotland.”
Mixed fortunes for Granton groups
Joy for Walled Garden campaigners but Granton sur Mer is sunk once again Continue reading Mixed fortunes for Granton groups
New Child Poverty Map reveals urgent need for action
- More than one in three children grow up in poverty in parts of Scotland
- Campaigners call for rethink of UK benefits cuts
The End Child Poverty coalition has published a new child poverty map covering Scotland and the rest of the UK. The latest figures reveal that poverty affects children in every part of Scotland, with as many as 34% of children living in poverty in some local authority areas – compared to just one in ten in others.
Across the UK more than three and a half million children are living in poverty, with 220,000 of them living here in Scotland.
Local child poverty estimates are broken down by local authority, parliamentary constituency and ward and show huge variation across the country.
Members of End Child Poverty in Scotland, including Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, Barnardos Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS) Children1st and the Poverty Alliance are calling for urgent action to be taken at UK, Scottish and local government level.
The coalition is calling on the Chancellor to use the upcoming Autumn Statement to end the freeze on children’s benefits, and reverse the sharp cuts being introduced to in-work benefits under Universal Credit. They warn that the current benefits freeze means that as prices rise, low income families find it increasingly hard to pay for basic essentials at the same time as cuts to Universal Credit are pushing more working families below the poverty line.
In Scotland the campaigners are calling on Holyrood and local government to make sure the proposed Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill addresses poverty at local level.They believe that the Bill, which will enshrine the Scottish Government’s ambition to eradicate child poverty by 2030, should explicitly set out and support the role of local government and its community planning partners in tackling child poverty.
John Dickie, Director of Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said: “There’s no doubt that many of the key drivers of child poverty are UK wide and if the new Prime Minister is serious about supporting families then decisive action must be taken to end the freeze on children’s benefits and reverse sharp cuts to in-work support under Universal Credit.
“But this new map also makes it clear that child poverty plays out in different ways at local level. Local authorities and their partners know their communities and are in a great position to work with local people to prevent poverty. Many are already doing important work to make sure local childcare, housing and employability policies are working for low income families.
The new Scottish child poverty legislation must now be drafted so as to ensure all local authorities are supported in law to take a strategic approach, and that all levels of government are pulling in the same direction – towards a Scotland free from child poverty.”
Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “The latest map of child poverty across Scotland reflects the experience of our services working with families on low income day in, day out.
“There is much good work taking place to support these children and families but given their financial situation changes in benefits that reduce income have a damaging effect on parents and children. To address these challenges Barnardo’s Scotland works in partnership with local authorities and public bodies in many areas. We recognise the key role they have in the ambition to eradicate poverty and believe that a strategic approach to tackling poverty at the local level should be a key part of the new Child Poverty Bill as well as support to implement this duty”.
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance said: “Poverty in Scotland continues to harm the lives of children across Scotland, as this new map shows. Living on a low income not only affects their well-being now, but can have a negative impact in the future. This is an unnecessary situation and one that requires urgent attention.
“The forthcoming Scottish Child Poverty Bill and the Social-Economic Duty should begin to focus more action on the way that we support people at the local level. However, these figures also serve to highlight the damaging impact that cuts to social security benefits by the UK Government have had on many Scottish families. If Theresa May wants to signal a new direction for her Government, then these cuts should be reversed.”
Alison Todd, Chief Executive of Children 1st, Scotland’s National Children’s Charity said: ““Many of the children and families we support are becoming increasingly caught in a complex poverty trap which includes housing costs, trying to meet the costs of enabling their children to take part in school activities and being isolated from opportunities. By working in genuine partnership with families experiencing poverty, local authorities can make a real difference in these and many other areas to help lift children out of poverty.”
Scotland
Percentage of children in poverty (after housing costs)
By Local Authority
| Aberdeen City | 18.2% |
| Aberdeenshire | 13.1% |
| Angus | 20.6% |
| Argyll and Bute | 20.4% |
| Clackmannanshire | 27.3% |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 24.3% |
| Dundee City | 27.7% |
| East Ayrshire | 28.0% |
| East Dunbartonshire | 14.2% |
| East Lothian | 20.3% |
| East Renfrewshire | 14.5% |
| Edinburgh, City of | 22.0% |
| Eileanan an Iar | 17.6% |
| Falkirk | 22.0% |
| Fife | 25.0% |
| Glasgow City | 34.1% |
| Highland | 19.2% |
| Inverclyde | 27.9% |
| Midlothian | 22.5% |
| Moray | 17.2% |
| North Ayrshire | 30.4% |
| North Lanarkshire | 25.0% |
| Orkney Islands | 14.1% |
| Perth and Kinross | 18.2% |
| Renfrewshire | 23.6% |
| Scottish Borders | 21.0% |
| Shetland Islands | 10.6% |
| South Ayrshire | 25.7% |
| South Lanarkshire | 22.0% |
| Stirling | 18.8% |
| West Dunbartonshire | 26.5% |
| West Lothian | 22.8% |
By Parliamentary Constituency
| Aberdeen North | 23.0% |
| Aberdeen South | 15.7% |
| Airdrie and Shotts | 28.2% |
| Angus | 23.3% |
| Argyll and Bute | 20.4% |
| Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | 30.0% |
| Banff and Buchan | 18.9% |
| Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | 22.7% |
| Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | 23.0% |
| Central Ayrshire | 27.0% |
| Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | 22.6% |
| Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East | 22.2% |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 24.8% |
| Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | 20.0% |
| Dundee East | 22.7% |
| Dundee West | 27.9% |
| Dunfermline and West Fife | 21.0% |
| East Dunbartonshire | 12.2% |
| East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow | 19.6% |
| East Lothian | 20.3% |
| East Renfrewshire | 14.5% |
| Edinburgh East | 27.3% |
| Edinburgh North and Leith | 23.7% |
| Edinburgh South | 18.5% |
| Edinburgh South West | 23.4% |
| Edinburgh West | 17.5% |
| Na h-Eileanan an Iar | 17.6% |
| Falkirk | 21.1% |
| Glasgow Central | 39.2% |
| Glasgow East | 33.7% |
| Glasgow North | 31.0% |
| Glasgow North East | 37.6% |
| Glasgow North West | 33.2% |
| Glasgow South | 29.3% |
| Glasgow South West | 33.4% |
| Glenrothes | 30.6% |
| Gordon | 9.2% |
| Inverclyde | 27.9% |
| Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | 17.7% |
| Kilmarnock and Loudoun | 26.7% |
| Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | 27.7% |
| Lanark and Hamilton East | 23.7% |
| Linlithgow and East Falkirk | 23.1% |
| Livingston | 23.0% |
| Midlothian | 22.5% |
| Moray | 17.2% |
| Motherwell and Wishaw | 26.1% |
| North Ayrshire and Arran | 29.3% |
| North East Fife | 18.4% |
| Ochil and South Perthshire | 21.7% |
| Orkney and Shetland | 12.2% |
| Paisley and Renfrewshire North | 22.0% |
| Paisley and Renfrewshire South | 25.2% |
| Perth and North Perthshire | 19.7% |
| Ross, Skye and Lochaber | 18.0% |
| Rutherglen and Hamilton West | 23.0% |
| Stirling | 18.8% |
| West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | 9.9% |
| West Dunbartonshire | 26.5% |
Continue reading New Child Poverty Map reveals urgent need for action
Raising the roof at Tanfield
Tanfield Bowling Club is today celebrating the news that it has received a £20,000.00 funding boost from SUEZ Communities Trust (formerly SITA Trust) to New Roof Project. Continue reading Raising the roof at Tanfield
Tomorrow at North Edinburgh Arts: United We Will Swim … Again
Power to the People group invite you to a screening of ‘United We Will Swim … Again’ tomorrow at 6.30 in North Edinburgh Arts.
The film tells the story of the long struggle by the Govanhill community of Glasgow to stop the closure of their local swimming pool. The pool was saved after local people occupied the building for 6 months. It eventually reopened and is now a thriving community facility.
The film is an inspirational story which provides a bit of hope and encouragement in terms of what can be achieved when people come together with a common purpose. A member of the campaign will attend the screening and will take part in a Question & Answer.
A bus has been arranged to take people to North Edinburgh Arts. The bus will leave Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre at 6pm. Anyone requiring transport should call the centre on 552 5700.
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Continue reading Tomorrow at North Edinburgh Arts: United We Will Swim … Again
Sturgeon: time to end austerity
The UK Government must reverse its austerity policies and give people more grounds for hope, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will say in a speech in Sheffield today. Ms Sturgeon will challenge the UK government to address some of the underlying causes of the vote to leave the European Union. Continue reading Sturgeon: time to end austerity
Gemme on?
A Green MSP is campaigning for all of Scotland’s qualification football matches to be made available to watch on terrestrial television.
Ahead of Scotland’s game against England on Friday, Alison Johnstone MSP is calling for the SFA to sign a deal with a free-to-air broadcaster to allow more fans to watch Scotland attempt to qualify for a major tournament. Matches involving Gordon Strachan’s team are broadcast exclusively on Sky until 2018.
However, Scotland’s game with the Auld Enemy at Wembley will screen live on STV, but only because of the English FA’s broadcast agreement with sister channel ITV.
Alison Johnstone, health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP for Lothian, said: “More and more sport is moving to subscription-based TV channels. The BBC lost rights to show the Open golf to Sky and punters wanting to watch European football have to tune in to BT Sport for the Champions League and the Europa League.
“Fans shouldn’t feel like they have to fork out large sums of money to pay for sports channels, nor should they feel the need to cram into a pub to see a game. It’s understandable that the SFA will want to do a deal with the highest bidder, but considering England qualifiers are shown for free on ITV, there’s no reason why Scotland games can’t be shown on one or more terrestrial channel.
“We want children in Scotland to be inspired by the athletes they see on TV and a deal for future qualification matches on terrestrial could help us to produce the next Kenny Dalglish or Denis Law. At very least, it’ll encourage more children to go outside, kick a ball and play with friends.”
Alison, a qualified athletics coach and former competitive runner, added: “Ofcom’s code on designated live sports events rightly lists the World Cup and the European Championship finals as must-show games on territorial TV. It would be better if it was MSPs, rather than MPs, deciding what goes on that list and I suspect many at Holyrood would support free-to-air Scotland games if the ability to do so is devolved.” Continue reading Gemme on?
Meet Freezy at Fort Kinnaird
Shoppers now have the chance to experience a free virtual treasure hunt at Fort Kinnaird as it brings a new augmented reality game – ‘Freezy’s Christmas Adventure’ – to Edinburgh for the first time this Christmas. Continue reading Meet Freezy at Fort Kinnaird
‘United We Will Swim … Again’ screening at North Edinburgh Arts
I’m writing on behalf of the Power to the People group to invite you to a screening of ‘United We Will Swim ….. Again’ on Wednesday (9 November) at 6.30 in North Edinburgh Arts (writes Lynn McCabe). Continue reading ‘United We Will Swim … Again’ screening at North Edinburgh Arts