£1.57m for five new place-based partnerships to tackle child poverty
Innovative approaches to providing families with locally-based wrap-around support will be backed in five more areas as part of £1.57 million of additional investment this financial year.
The Fairer Futures Partnerships will ensure services are integrated to help families where and when they need it. The partnerships will build on the learning from three pathfinder projects in Dundee, Glasgow and Clackmannanshire.
In Dundee and Glasgow these have seen key-workers helping at-risk families and ‘walking alongside’ them until the right services or support have been identified and provided, and changing the way services are offered.
In Clackmannanshire activities have focused on supporting the community around the child, using schools as anchor points for breakfast clubs, after-school childcare, holiday provision, food services, childcare support and transportation to support holistic child development and family wellbeing .
The five new partnerships are in Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, Aberdeen and Perth and Kinross.
Speaking ahead of a debate on Eradicating Child Poverty in the Scottish Parliament, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s single greatest priority, but this relies on the contribution of many partners.
“Five additional ‘Fairer Futures’ partnerships within local authorities will now be established.
“We know families will only be able to thrive if they have access to the right support at the right time. Designing services around people’s needs means they work better for low-income families, for example to help maximise their incomes, support parents into work and improve the overall wellbeing of families.
“We want to work together with local government to deliver our shared priorities, which include tackling child poverty, to embed this model of whole family support with the potential for this to continue to be expanded further over time to more parts of the country.”
Bongou Cafe, Edinburgh’s cherished Nigerian eatery, will commemorate its fifth anniversary this weekend with a celebration and a series of exciting culinary developments.
The event, set for Saturday, 7th and Sunday, 8th September, will be a vibrant tribute to the authentic flavours and warm hospitality that have made Bongou a standout destination in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic city centre.
All proceeds from sales will be donated to local charity Soul Food, which provide hot, delicious and freshly prepared meals while also offering respite and support to anyone dealing with the challenges of homelessness, poverty or loneliness in Edinburgh.
Originally starting as a barbecue catering business in Nigeria in 2014, Bongou was brought to Edinburgh by founder Tosin Moemeke in 2018. Tosin aimed to infuse Edinburgh’s food scene with the vibrant flavours of Lagos, Nigeria. This vision laid the foundation for the cafe, which has since become a community favourite known for its bold, Lagos-inspired street food.
Since opening its doors in 2019, Bongou Cafe has become synonymous with “Lagos in a Flatbread Sandwich,” offering unique flatbread sandwiches with house-made bread, fillings, and sauces made from “Tatashe” (red bell peppers) and “Rodo” (scotch bonnet chillies). Bongou’s mission has always been to introduce the rich, diverse flavours of Lagos to the local community, a vision they continue to pursue five years on.
Tosin, Bongou Cafe’s founder, says, “It’s been an incredible five years. We started with a simple idea to bring the bold, exciting flavours of Lagos to Edinburgh, and the reception has been overwhelming.
“Our customers have become like family. As much as we cherish our journey so far, we’re eagerly looking forward to the future and the many culinary adventures ahead. That’s why we’re kicking off our sixth year with an unforgettable party.”
The anniversary weekend will debut a new pastry and dessert counter, featuring favourites like the spicy beef pie and pineapple crumble cake. Bongou continues to offer a warm, friendly, and homely setting while serving consistently delicious food to delight its patrons.
Starting in September, Bongou Cafe will collaborate with local chefs to blend Nigerian cuisine with other African culinary traditions. Details of these collaborations, which will unfold throughout the year, will be announced soon.
The weekend festivities will also mark Bongou Cafe’s new opening hours, now extending to both Saturdays and Sundays.
This change responds to popular demand, allowing more food enthusiasts to experience its unique dishes and fall in love with Nigerian food and hospitality.
POLICEare appealing for information following a serious crash in Edinburgh yesterday (Saturday, 7 September, 2024).
Around 2.10pm officers were called to the collision involving a white van and a pedestrian on The Wisp.
The pedestrian, a 31-year-old woman, was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where she remains in a serious but stable condition.
The van failed to stop and was seen making off in the direction of Old Dalkeith Road and Ferniehill Drive.
The road was closed while investigations were carried out and reopened around 6.15pm.
Enquiries are ongoing to trace the van and driver and officers are appealing for witnesses.
Road Policing Constable Andrew Crothers said: “It’s vital we trace the van involved in this incident and I’m appealing to the public for help.
“Were you in the area at the time and witnessed what happened? Did you see a white van in the Old Dalkeith Road or Ferniehill Drive areas? If so, please come forward.
“I’m also appealing to anyone with a dashcam, private CCTV or doorbell cameras to please review your footage and bring anything you think may be of significance to our attention.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 1978 of 7 September. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Labour MP for Edinburgh South West, Dr Scott Arthur, has a golden opportunity to introduce a crucial new law to tackle the climate and ecological emergency – the Climate and Nature Bill – following his success in the Private Members’ Bill ballot at Westminster.
Local residentNaomi Schoglerwelcomed Dr Scott Arthur MP’s success in the 2024 Private Members’ Bill ballot:“We’re delighted that Dr Scott Arthur, our local Labour MP – someone who’s spent their life working on climate and nature solutions – can now make his Climate and Nature Bill a reality.
“Given that Dr Arthur has spent his working life focussing on the use of nature-based solutions to mitigate climate-induced flooding—now that he’s won the ‘MP’s lottery’—we’re absolutely delighted that Scott will become the hero we need. The person who will ensure that the UK Government has a serious, science-led plan—to get to the root causes of the climate-nature crisis—via the CAN Bill.
“Scott’s leadership of the CAN Bill campaign fills me, and many, many other local voters, with hope. At last, we will have a law that means we end fossil fuel production and all the damage that comes with it. That we end the pollution of our waterways, rivers and seas. That we restore our damaged countryside and protect our wildlife. That we bring about a truly just transition to a fairer, greener, future.
“It’s not often that a backbench MP like Scott gets to change the law of the country. Now, Dr Scott Arthur can do just that: he can change history. Thank goodness Scott topped the Private Members’ Bill ballot.”
Thursday’s ballot, which 458 MPs entered, saw 20 MPs’ names drawn, enabling them to introduce their own bills in the House of Commons.
Private members’ bills are public bills brought forward by MPs who are not Government Ministers. A ballot takes place at the start of every parliamentary session to determine who will be able to do so.
20 MPs’ names were chosen at random from the ballot, with Edinburgh South West’s Labour MP—Dr Scott Arthur—drawn in the sixth position.
This means the bill Dr Arthur introduces has one of the strongest chances of making progress in Parliament. Thirteen Fridays in each parliamentary session allocated to debating these bills, and Scott Arthur’s bill—as his name was drawn in the top seven of the ballot—is guaranteed a full day’s debate.
The Climate and Nature Bill, if passed, would require the Government to deliver a joined-up strategy to tackle the intertwined climate and ecological emergency.
This means integrating existing, siloed climate and biodiversity plans—and aligning the Government’s targets with the UK’s international commitments to (1) limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and (2) halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Neither of these essential targets are currently locked in UK law.
New analysis shows more than a million employees didn’t get any of the paid holiday they were entitled to last year – with BME employees hardest hit
Union body says Tory failures on labour market enforcement have allowed bad bosses to exploit staff
TUC launches “five-point plan for enforcement” as new polling shows “huge support” for better enforcement from voters across the political spectrum
And union body says government’s Fair Work Agency could bring enforcement bodies together with “real teeth” to “finally hold rogue employers to account”
Workers across the UK are being “cheated” out £2 billion worth of holiday pay, according to a new report published to mark the beginning of the TUC’s 146th annual Congress today (Sunday).
UK workers are legally entitled to 28 days paid leave for a typical five-day week, with pro-rata entitlement for those who work fewer than five days.
But research by the union body shows that 1.1 million employees (1 in 25 employees) did not get a single one of the 28 days’ paid holiday, or equivalent, they were entitled to last year.
TUC analysis shows these missing weeks add up to £2 billion in lost holiday pay – or on average £1,800 per affected employee.
BME workers and low-paid hardest hit
The research shows that Black and minority ethnic (BME) staff were hardest hit – 6% of BME employees did not get any paid holiday last year, compared to 4% of white employees.
And low-paid workers were most at risk of losing their paid holiday entitlement. The jobs with the highest numbers of staff losing out were waiters and waitresses (59,000), care workers and home carers (55,000), and kitchen and catering assistants (50,000).
Millions missing out on key employment rights
In addition to holiday pay, the union body says millions of workers are missing out on many other basic employment rights due to a lack of enforcement.
Recent analysis from the government’s Low Pay Commission found that 365,000 workers are underpaid the minimum wage – more than one in five of all workers on the wage floor.
And the Resolution Foundation also found hundreds of thousands of workers have been shut out of basic rights like access to their payslip (1.8 million) so can’t check if they are being paid correctly, and auto-enrolment into a pension scheme (600,000).
The TUC says the main reasons people are missing out on paid holiday are:
Workplace cultures where workers fear that requesting paid time off could lead to being treated unfavourably.
Workers being set unrealistic workloads that do not allow time to take leave.
Employers deliberately denying holiday requests and managing out people’s leave.
Employers not keeping up to date with the law.
Five-point plan on enforcement
To address this enforcement crisis, the TUC is today (Sunday) launching its five-point plan for effective enforcement of employment rights in the UK.
The union body says that workers are currently losing out on wages and other key entitlements, while decent employers are undercut by those that don’t meet their legal duties.
The TUC report supports the new Labour government’s pledge to introduce a Fair Work Agency bringing together several existing state enforcement bodies. It calls on ministers to:
Create a properly resourced single enforcement body with a strong union voice in its governance structures.
Recycle fines back into the enforcement system.
Increase the number of inspectors and inspections.
Extend the licensing scheme to new sectors.
Build international links and create a firewall with immigration enforcement to crack down on the exploitation of migrant workers.
The Fair Work Agency
As part of the Employment Rights Bill, Labour has pledged to create a new Fair Work Agency – a single enforcement body with power to crack down on bad employment practices, uphold rights at work and level the playing field for good employers who follow the rules.
It will help bolster the work of unions to ensure people are treated fairly at work.
TUC polling of more than 3,000 voters – conducted by Opinium on the day after the election – showed large-scale backing across the political spectrum for Labour’s Fair Work Agency.
More than six in 10 (61%) voters support introducing a single enforcement body to make sure that workers’ rights are properly enforced – with less than one in 10 (8%) against.
And the polling showed clear support for the agency across the political spectrum.
Conservative voters support the policy by a margin of around three (50%) to one (17%), and there is even more support for the Fair Work Agency amongst Reform voters (53% to 13%).
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “We all deserve a break from work to spend time off with our friends and family.
“But more than a million working people have been deprived of any of the paid leave they are due. And hundreds of thousands more have been denied basic rights like being paid the minimum wage.
“The Conservative government sat back and let bad employers cheat their staff out of their basic workplace rights.
“Tory ministers were more concerned about stopping people getting what they were due by introducing anti-union measures, than funding enforcement bodies properly.”
On the need for the new government’s Employment Bill and Fair Work Agency, Paul Nowak said: “Now it’s time to reset the dial and to end the Tories’ race to the bottom.
“This week at Congress we will be debating how we can drive up standards at work. These shocking findings show why we need the Employment Rights Bill and the Fair Work Agency.
“Working people deserve to be treated fairly and have a minimum floor of rights upheld.
“And there is huge support from the public – right across the political spectrum – for this.”
On the need for a level playing field, Paul Nowak added: “Good employers have nothing to fear as they’re already playing by the rules. Now it’s time to level the playing field.
“Labour’s Fair Work Agency must have real teeth and hold rogue employers who think they are above the law to account.”
Visitor Levy legislation confirmed to come into force
The commencement date of the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act has been confirmed as Friday 20 September 2024.
Welcoming the news of the legislation soon coming into force, Council Leader Cammy Day said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity for Edinburgh and I’m pleased to see Government move quickly on this. We’re looking forward to harnessing the opportunities the new legislation will bring.
“Since the Visitor Levy Scotland Bill became an Act on 5 July, we’ve been working on our plans to run a widescale public consultation that will seek views on our draft scheme. We’ve spent many years designing a scheme that works for our city, and we’ve published details of our plans for a 5% levy on overnight stays.
“This charge could raise up to £50 million per year once established, presenting a welcome and innovative way of sustaining our tourism sector and our incredible city. I’m looking forward to people from all over the city, and the world, sharing their views.”
The Council will launch a formal 12-week public consultation on the draft Visitor Levy scheme for Edinburgh soon after the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act commences on 20 September. The results will inform the final scheme, which will be considered by Councillors early next year.
OPENS ATTHEATRE ROYAL GLASGOW BEFORE TOURING TO INVERNESS, EDINBURGHAND ABERDEEN
This autumn, Scottish Opera presents a revival of the much-loved 2014 production of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, which opens at Theatre Royal Glasgow on 12 October and tours to Inverness, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
It is performed alongside the Company’s specially created staging of Britten’s Albert Herring, which is at Lammermuir Festival, Theatre Royal Glasgow and Festival Theatre Edinburgh, bringing even more opera to Scottish audiences.
Conducted by Scottish Opera Music Director Stuart Stratford, Director-Designer duo Renaud Doucet and André Barbe (La bohème 2017) and Lighting Designer Guy Simard bring this quick-witted comedy to life with typically colourful and quirky style. Set in Rome at the cusp of the Swinging Sixties, the eccentric characters are given life in a world that is the perfect setting for a titanic clash of generations.
This highly successful production of Don Pasquale, which began life at Scottish Opera, was recently seen in Miami, Genoa, Vancouver, and Toronto.
David Stout, who delighted audiences in The Barber of Seville in Autumn 2023, returns to Scottish Opera as Don Pasquale, with three up-and-coming singers making their Scottish Opera debuts in the main roles.
Opera Australia principal soprano Stacey Alleaume is Norina, Filipe Manu (Jette Parker Young Artist 2019/20) is Pasquale’s son Ernesto, and Josef Jeongmeen Ahn (a member of the Jette Parker Artists Company of 2023/24) is Doctor Malatesta.
Don Pasquale runs a crumbling boarding house in Rome, and determined to keep his fortune to himself, he decides to marry, spiting his nephew Ernesto. But, when he finds a bride, he discovers that married life is not as simple as he expected …
Renaud Doucet and André Barbe said: ‘We are delighted to be returning to Scottish Opera with Don Pasquale. After studying the score, we thought that the creative vitality and energy of Rome in the mid 1960’s was an ideal setting for Donizetti’s generation clash opera.
‘We imagined that Don Pasquale owns a small, run-down pensione. Old and something of a hermit, he leaves the running of the hotel to his nephew Ernesto and to his staff – a rum bunch including a chain-smoking chambermaid, a greasy cook and a past-it porter, so old that he has shrunk inside his uniform. A chorus of tourists come and go.
‘The dramaturgy of the opera is illustrated during the overture by the video projection of a typically Italian 1960s ‘fotoromanzo’ — sequential storytelling using photographs, text and speech bubbles — starring the principal characters, enabling the audience to immediately jump into the action of this ‘dramma giocoso’ (drama with jokes).’
Stuart Stratfordsaid: ‘Donizetti was at the absolute height of his powers in terms of melodic gifts and spectacular writing for voices in Don Pasquale.
‘This production by Renaud DoucetandAndré Barbe is amazing, and it sits alongside Britten’s quintessential British comedy, Albert Herring.
‘Both are very different ways of approaching laughs in the theatre, and they were written just about 100 years apart.’
Those who wish to discover more about how Don Pasquale was created can attend Pre-show Talks which delve into the detail of the opera. Tickets are free but should be booked in advance.
Audience members with a visual impairment can enjoy the full opera experience at Audio-described performances, which have a live commentary describing the action on stage without compromising the music. There are also free Touch Tours of the set, and a live audio introduction before the start of the performance.
Specially created Access performances of Don Pasquale run alongside the mainstage productions in Glasgow and Edinburgh. With Dementia Friendly values at their core, afternoon Access performances are for those who enjoy a more relaxed opera experience.
With a shorter running time (under two hours including an interval) and tickets at just £12.50, these performances are open to all, including those who may be living with dementia or Long COVID, more comfortable at a shorter show, struggling to get to evening performances, or would simply benefit from the more relaxed atmosphere.
Don Pasquale is supported by The Scottish Opera Syndicate.
Over 30 different artists feature in the exhibition, including: Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Muirhead Bone, D.Y. Cameron, Victoria Crowe, Anupa Gardner, Jane Hyslop, Walter Geikie, Leena Nammari, Eduardo Paolozzi, Anne Redpath, Willie Rodger, Mabel Royds, Paul Sandby and William Wilson.
Printmaking is one of the most richly diverse areas of the visual arts. For centuries, artists have employed different printmaking techniques and processes to create a variety of effects – experimenting with line, tone, texture and colour. The results range from highly detailed topographical images to vibrant abstract compositions, and from atmospheric impressions to quirky characterisations. In Scotland, this has long been recognised and embraced, with Scottish printmakers offering valuable contributions to the discipline.
Inked Up: Printmaking in Scotland celebrates this versatile, ever evolving artform. The exhibition showcases examples of relief printing, intaglio printing, lithography and screenprinting, dating from the 18th century to present day.
Among the highlights are a unique woodcut print of Edinburgh Castle by Mabel Royds, an enormous linocut map of Midlothian by Jane Hyslop, and a vivid screenprint by Wilhemina Barns-Graham, produced when she was in her 80s.
Many of the artworks are new additions to the collection are on display at the City Art Centre for the very first time. These include compositions by Eduardo Paolozzi, Ian Fleming and James Munro, as well as a group of prints by Willie Rodger, donated in 2023 by the Willie Rodger Art Trust.
Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Val Walker said: “It’s always such a delight to see a selection of works from the City Art Centre’s permanent collection of fine art being presented for residents and visitors alike to enjoy and connect with.
“The Inked Up: Printmaking in Scotland exhibition celebrates this versatile and ever evolving artform and is a fantastic opportunity to see over 30 different artist’s work. The extensive collection of work is a mix of existing and new additions to the collection, on display for the very first time.
“I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to visit our City Art Centre and explore and reflect on the variety of artwork and experience the diversity of printmaking in Scotland.”
Edinburgh City Art Centre Curator, Dr Helen Scott said:“Printmaking is such a dynamic artform – it covers an incredibly varied range of techniques and can be used by artists in so many different ways.
“There are minutely detailed landscape views by 18th century artists like Paul Sandby and Thomas Donaldson, and then there are the evocative etchings of Muirhead Bone and D.Y. Cameron in the early 20th century, with their deep contrasts of light and shadow.
“The exhibition includes pieces by post-war printmaking innovators such as Eduardo Paolozzi and Philip Reeves. And there’s also a good selection of recent works by contemporary printmakers like Leena Nammari, Bronwen Sleigh and Adrian Wiszniewski.
“I’m really looking forward to sharing this exhibition with visitors – revealing the creative scope of printmaking and unpicking some of the practical techniques behind the artworks.”
Admission to the exhibition is free (donations are of course most welcome to enable free access for all!) and opens on Saturday 14 September 2024 and continues until 1 June 2025.
