EVOC has announced a strategic review that puts a renewed commitment to supporting the community and voluntary sector in Edinburgh at its heart.
The ongoing cost of living crisis is hitting groups and organisations hard and this is a chance to refocus on creating a strong sector for a strong city.
An engagement programme will take place in the coming months, involving the sector in shaping a new EVOC strategy, and to ensure stakeholders are fully briefed on the changes.
After 3 years, Bridie Ashrowan has decided to step down as Chief Executive of EVOC to concentrate on research interests around nature-based learning and biodiversity recovery.
In the meantime, two interims have been appointed to lead EVOC through this period of change – David Peace (Interim Chief Executive) and Claire Ritchie (Strategic Advisor to the Board).
Bridie’s tenure at EVOC has brought many successes. She has been a strong advocate for investment in the community and voluntary sector, to support organisations through the ongoing cost crisis, and to strengthen sector capabilities to lead change.
Against a background of decreased funding and increased running costs, EVOC is focused on reducing costs and delivering a balanced budget for the year ahead. This will include an analysis of the current organisational structure.
EVOC Convenor, Diarmaid Lawlor said:“Firstly, I would like to thank Bridie for her commitment, passion and advocacy for the voluntary sector during her tenure at EVOC and we wish her well in her next ventures.
“Our focus continues to be the wellbeing of the many community and voluntary organisations who play such a vital role in the city. We are working with partners and funders to make sure that remains our top priority throughout this strategic review.”
David Peace added: “As Interim Chief Executive, I will be working with staff, Claire and the Board to refocus our efforts and ensure we continue to support voluntary and community groups in delivering core programmes and activities in the city.
“As a sector leader we remain focused on building a strong, sustainable and resilient future for our sector. I welcome engagement with the sector, partners and funders to help shape the way ahead collectively.”
We are more used to seeing him sitting high up in the coach’s box at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on matchday, but Scotland Rugby Head Coach Gregor Townsend yesterday swapped one lofty position for another as he ascended the iconic Forth Bridge to help launch a much-loved Barnardo’s fundraiser.
The charity’s ‘Your View’ event – now in its sixth year – affords members of the public one of the most sought after and unique experiences in Scotland; namely the chance to ascend 361 feet up the historic bridge and enjoy an uninterrupted 360-degree panoramic view of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience has brought joy to thousands and raised vital funds for the work of Barnardo’s Scotland.
Gregor Townsend said: “I have long admired the work that Barnardo’s Scotland undertakes to support thousands of children, young people and their families across the country, so it is a pleasure to be a part of the launch of this year’s Your View event.
“Standing on top of the world-famous Forth Bridge has been a superb experience – the views are amazing – and I would encourage people to take this rare opportunity to climb the bridge. As well as enjoying this bucket-list moment, you will also be contributing to the work of Barnardo’s as it continues to do so much to help young people all over Scotland.”
Your View 2024, which is run in conjunction with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, will take place from Friday, 20th to Sunday, 22nd September, with tickets going on sale at 10am on Thursday (20th June).
To date, more than 5,200 visitors have experienced the event and there have been no fewer than ten marriage proposals on the vertiginous viewing platform.
Best of all, though, the event has raised more than £325,000 to fund the work of Barnardo’s Scotland. To find out more, or to book tickets for the event, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/events/your-view-forth-bridge.
Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Your View is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for those lucky enough to secure a ticket. Not only is it a never-to-be-forgotten experience for those atop the iconic bridge, it is also a crucial fundraiser for Barnardo’s Scotland as we continue to support children, young people and their families throughout the country.
“We cannot thank Gregor Townsend enough for his support for the event and the wider work of our charity. I must admit that it was one of the more surreal moments of my career to be alongside the Scotland Rugby Head Coach more than 350 feet above the Firth of Forth!”
Martin Crewe added: “As I am often reminded, tickets for Your View sell out very quickly indeed, so I would urge all of those keen to attend to sign up as quickly as possible. And, who knows, we might even get to enjoy another Your View wedding proposal this year!
“Your View would not be possible without the generosity of Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, and I wish to thank both organisations and our wonderful volunteers for making this special weekend happen.”
Colin Hardie, Construction Superintendent for Balfour Beatty, said: “At Balfour Beatty, we are committed to giving back to the communities we serve. The Your View event is one example of how we do just that, raising valuable funds to support disadvantaged children and families in Scotland.
“It has been an honour to work alongside Barnardo’s Scotland once again, to offer members of the public this memorable experience on one of the most iconic, unique and admired structures in the world – the Forth Bridge.”
Also featuring over the weekend will be the famous ‘Briggers’. The Briggers are a Forth Bridge research and presentation group of volunteers based in South Queensferry. Named after the bridge workers, the group was formed to identify the names of the 73 men and boys who died constructing the Forth Bridge, they provide details on the history of the bridge and the people involved in its construction.
In the past year, Barnardo’s has provided essential support to more than 11,500 children, young people, parents and carers in Scotland through more than 150 specialised community-based services and partnerships across the country.
The charity works to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.
Campaign to empower LGBTQ+ community to share their stories
Leading Scots charity calls for Edinburgh to share what Pride means to them
A Scottish charity is calling on members of the LGBTQ+ community to come forward and have their voices heard on what makes them proud to be a part of Pride.
The new campaign, #ProudBecause, launched by LGBT Youth Scotland, aims to gather unique stories and perspectives of what makes people proud as part of Pride celebrations.
Set to run in conjunction with the historical (Un)seen (Un)heard campaign, launched last summer, workshops will be held at five Pride events across the country, including Edinburgh Pride Youth Space on 22nd June.
Mhairi Crawford, Chief Executive of LGBT Youth Scotland, said: “After the inspiring stories we heard last year through the (Un)seen (Un)heard project, we’re eager to see even more people get involved this year with #ProudBecause.
“It’s vital that we make sure that voices of young people are heard within the LGBTQ+ community as they after often greatly underrepresented.
“This project will aim to give members of the LGBTQ+ community the chance to come forward and share what Pride means to them, this is a brilliant chance for them to share their stories.
“We’ve got a full calendar of workshops we are due to run this Pride and I can’t wait to see everybody out in full force celebrating what it is that makes them unique, it’s always a fantastic experience speaking to young people at Pride, and it gives me real hope for the future.”
Beyond physical events, LGBT Youth Scotland champions digital participation, offering an online platform where young people can contribute to the evolving (Un)seen (Un)heard archive.
This digital space ensures accessibility and broadens the reach of the campaign, allowing for a diverse collection of experiences and stories to be shared and celebrated.
When asked what Pride means to them, one participant said: “It’s a combination of celebrating who we are, celebrating how far we’ve come and sending a message that we need to keep moving forward onwards and onwards as the years go by.”
Another added: “Pride events, do kind of connect me to the history of LGBTQ people as a community.
“I think pride is something that cements these very disparate groups of people who only really are connected by the fact that they’re discriminated against for various queering features of themselves, it’s kind of an event that brings people together as a unified whole that makes them go: “oh wow, we’re actually not just individual people. We are a group of people”.
“I think even if somebody is an objectively extremely weird person, pride is a way to say “Look, I’m here, and I’m a human being that is here, now, in front of you.”
Launched in 2023, the (Un)seen (Un)heard project held 43 workshops, gathering almost 200 submissions from over 340 participants.
By integrating the key messages of pride, participation, and visibility, the #ProudBecause campaign and (Un)seen (Un)heard workshops are set to leave a lasting impact on Scotland’s cultural and social landscape.
LGBT Youth Scotland continues to lead in promoting health, well-being, and equality, marking itself as a cornerstone of support for the nation’s youth.
With the 2024 European Championships around the corner, a new report by leading online betting and gaming brand Betway has revealed that Scotland’s “Flower of Scotland” is the most popular national anthem of all time in Europe.
The Euros 2024 guide, produced by the bookmaker, scoured through every team’s national anthem to understand which national anthem takes the top spot in fan’s hearts as the most streamed on Spotify.
In first place, Scotland’s national anthem “Flower of Scotland” by The Corries had almost 5 million streams on Spotify. An estimated 200,000 Scottish fans are expected to be proudly singing their national anthem at the Euros this summer as they initially take on Germany, Switzerland and Hungary in their group matches.
In second place is the French’s “Marseillaise”, with 4.2 million streams, while Italy’s “Il Canto degli Italiani” came in third place with 3.4 million streams.
England’s traditional “God save the King” came in 4th place with just over 1.5 million streams, while the Euros host country Germany came in 5th place, with 1.3 million streams for “Deutsche Nationalhymme”.
At the other end, Poland and Spain ranked in 9th and 10th place, with 525,613 and 502,656 streams respectively.
The 10 most-streamed national anthems
Rank
Country
Title
Artist
Spotify streams
1
Scotland
Flower of Scotland
The Corries
4,823,383
2
France
Marseillaise
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
4,246,923
3
Italy
Il Canto degli Italiani
National Anthem Band
3,440,658
4
England
God save the king
Traditional
1,566,902
5
Germany
Deutsche Nationalhymne (Lied der Deutschen, nur dritte Strophe)
Nationalhymne Deutschland
1,353,505
6
Netherlands
Het Wilhelmus
Universal Band
1,034,824
7
Switzerland
Schweizerpsalm
Kpm National Anthems
687,498
8
Turkey
İstiklâl Marşı
Ossi Orkestrasi
680,498
9
Poland
Mazurek Dąbrowskiego
Krakowski Chor Kameralny/ Polish Chamber Choir
525,613
10
Spain
Marcha Real
Jose Angel Tello
502,656
Chad Yeomans, spokesperson at Betway, said:“The Scottish Government may not have officially adopted Flower of Scotland yet, but our research shows there’s no more popular national anthem in Europe!
“National anthems sung before a fixture kicks off have the power to unite travelling fans like nothing else can.
“One thing is for sure, when Scotland faces Germany in the opening match of the Euros the Tartan Army will be in full voice and are sure to produce a rousing and goosebump-inducing rendition of the famous song.”
Consider the following security tips to keep you motorcycle safe and secure:
• Fit a combined alarm and immobiliser.
• Fit a tracker.
• Use chains and disc locks. The more security on your bike the longer it takes to overcome them and so the less attractive it is to a thief.
• When using chains and locks, ensure they are secured to a solid anchor point. Keep them off the ground where possible as this makes them more difficult to cut off.
• Cover your motorcycle and ensure the cover is attached to the security device.
• Use industry tested products. Thatcham, Sold Secure and Secured By Design are recommended security testing schemes in the UK. Always activate the steering lock.
• Do not leave your helmet or other possessions on the motorcycle or in luggage space or panniers.
• Where possible use Parkmark accredited parking, as these areas should be more secure. See https://orlo.uk/Rcf4T for a list of accredited car parks. Alternatively, park in well-lit areas, ideally where there is CCTV.
• Ensure you have a note of your vehicle identification number.
• When travelling abroad you may wish to enquire about secure parking facilities at your destination.
For further Crime Prevention Information visit https://orlo.uk/usorG or contact your local Community Officer by calling 101
If you have any Information in relation to stolen motorcycles, please contact Police Scotland telephone numbers on 101 or 999 in an emergency or report crime anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
The morning after the general election, 5 July, will be a historic moment for the UK. Whether it is delivered by a re-elected or newly elected Prime Minister, their speech to the nation will be a moment of national significance.
It’s a moment that should be accessible to every voter in the UK, including the 87,000 members of the Deaf community who use British Sign Language (BSL).
The Deaf community has continually been excluded during these key broadcasts from No. 10 because of the lack of a BSL interpreter. RNID has long tried to work with the Government to ensure that access is provided for the Deaf community.
A public service announcement is just that, but by not including deaf people the Prime Minister is removing their right to have the information at the same time as everyone else.
RNID has written to both Sir Kier Starmer and Rishi Sunak offering them the use of our interpreter for their victory speech on 5 July. Their speech to the nation will be the start of a new chapter in our country’s history and they cannot lock the Deaf community out.
I encourage all your readers to join our call and sign our letter to make this election inclusive of everyone at rnid.org.uk
Douglas Ross has announced he will resign as leader of the Scottish Tories.
He says he will carry on in the role until after the general election and will also resign as an MSP if he is re-elected to Westminster.
It follows a row over Mr Ross standing as a candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East instead of David Duguid, who has been in hospital and was in effect de-selected.
Mr Ross was also hit with Sunday newspaper allegations of irregularities over his expenses claims.
Mr Ross has denied any wrongdoing and says he would welcome any inquiry.
As a girl who began watching ballet at the age of 10, little did Safia Qureshi realise that one day her interest in dance would lead to a career in helping to improve people’s health and wellbeing.
Safia is currently Director of Evidence and Digital at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, the national improvement agency for health and care in Scotland, whilst also being a volunteer with Scottish Ballet. She is involved with them as part of a ground-breaking initiative that uses dance as an alternative to medication.
Safia, from Penicuik, is one of 3485 NHS volunteers each month, who give up their time to help others. In total, NHS volunteers donated 584,000 hours in 2023-24 – the equivalent of 24,333 days.
She is encouraging others to do their bit and give up some of their spare time, as part of Volunteers Week, which runs from Monday, 3 June until Sunday 9.
Safia said: “I grew up loving ballet. I went to see it with my mum when I was a little, so I’ve always gone to see it when I can.
“I was doing a leadership development course run by the Scottish Government called Project Lift when I first came into contact with Scottish Ballet in a work setting. and they had this idea which they called Colliding Perspectives.
“I was involved in an initiative where small groups of people who were on the course came together with folk from different industries, and one of the companies involved was Scottish Ballet.
“They were looking for help with developing their Dance Health programme so I was straight at the front for that one, saying ‘Let me help!’
“Some colleagues and I were invited for a visit, to meet them and talk about what they were looking for.
“When I was there, I wondered if Healthcare Improvement Scotland might be able to help them, because one of their challenges was persuading healthcare professionals that dance could be used as an alternative to medication.”
Safia initially volunteered with a programme which helped people with Parkinson’s Disease.
She explained: “Having heard about their dance health programme at a high level, I got the opportunity to volunteer with the Dance for Parkinson’s programme that Scottish Ballet was running in Peebles, so I volunteered with them, probably on and off for maybe a year-and-a-half, and that was what really did it for me.
“It was just the most amazing experience, as the classes were run by professional dancers and they treated everyone who was in the room as a dancer. It was all really respectful and the programmes are based on whatever Scottish Ballet are working on, so there’s always a connection back to the company.
“The class became this real community, where people with Parkinson’s and a friend or a partner would come, and we’d all do the class together. It was great for helping people to relax and unwind.
“There were times when I would be blinking back tears at the positivity and community in the room. There’s something really special about the way that dance helped and united us all. I got such a lot from it personally, and it made me more determined that we need to show other people this is something that is amazing.”
With her knowledge as a health and care professional, Safia has been delighted to bring her professional expertise, her contacts within the world of healthcare professionals, plus her love of ballet together, and in turn has made many friends.
She said: “I helped Scottish Ballet set up their research committee and bringing in clinical experts.
“Having been a volunteer for a while, I was thinking some of the exercises that Scottish Ballet do might benefit people with Long COVID.
“We asked some of the patient representatives who’d supported us develop a clinical guideline for people with Long COVID guideline if they would meet with Scottish Ballet and talk them through what might be useful. They then introduced Scottish Ballet to more people in the Long COVID community. There was a real example of thinking differently, and using what you do in a different way to help people.”
Safia added: “When I was 10 years old and going to the ballet with my mum, I wouldn’t have believed this was all possible and that one day, I’d be working with Scottish Ballet. It still catches me every time I go.
“Through volunteering, you meet fascinating people who you would never otherwise have met and you also get to learn about yourself as you broaden your horizons. It’s very rewarding.
“Volunteering makes you feel good in lots of different ways, by doing something that takes you out of your day-to-day routine. I’ve been part of a community I never knew existed, which is lovely and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.”
A 43-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of a 53-year-old man in Gorgie.
Officers were called to Westfield Road at around 12.55pm on Friday (7 June) following concern for a man within a property.
The 53-year-old was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin are aware.
The 43-year-old man is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow (Monday, 10 June, 2024).
Detective Inspector David McAlinden said: “At this time, our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the deceased.
“This was a contained incident, however we know that the police presence and subsequent road closure has had a significant impact on the local community and the wider public.
“We would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as officers have carried out their enquiries in the area.”
