itison and Social Bite work in tandem to ‘break the cycle’ of homelessness

– WIN A VIP EXPERIENCE WITH CHRIS HOY AS PART OF THE CHARITY EVENT –

Glasgow based itison will once again be working in tandem with Social Bite to offer a VIP experience with cycling legend Chris Hoy, to raise money for the charity and help end homelessness in Scotland and across the UK via its Break The Cycle fundraising event.

Known for its deals and events, itison has teamed up with Social Bite for over eight years and is now offering people across the country a chance to win a VIP meet and greet experience for them and three friends with Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy on 4th September, not to mention training tips and tricks on the run up to the charity ride, now in its second year.

Purchasing a £5 donation on itison will enter each person into a prize draw for the once-in-a-lifetime experience with Scotland’s cycling sweetheart with all monies going to Social Bite to help the homeless.

The winner and three friends will also get entry into one of the three charity cycle routes, a day full of free activities, in addition to complimentary pizza from Pizza Geeks, Break The Cycle totes packed with goodies, and entertainment at Murrayfield Stadium where all cycle routes will end.

Taking place this Sunday (4th September), Social Bite has added two additional routes this year to give more people the chance to take part in the fundraising challenge and help break the cycle of homelessness in Scotland.

Participants now have the option of a 20-mile or a three-mile challenge with the original Ultimate Challenge route still available at a whopping 60 miles, starting at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, finishing at BT Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh.

Having worked closely with Social Bite since its inception, itison has helped raise over £2.7 million for the charity with members donating thousands of meals to those who need it most, as well as funds for the first Social Bite Village in Edinburgh, with plans underway for villages in Glasgow and Dundee in 2023.

Attendees and participants will also be treated to live entertainment from Michael Welsh, Wukasa, Turn the Tables, as well as Scottish comedy legend Elaine C Smith, and some motivation and fitness tips from Mr Motivator, Al Kellock from the Scottish Rugby Union and Track cyclist Shanaze Reade.

**Pics free to use** SIR CHRIS HOY JOINS HUNDREDS OF CYCLISTS TO HELP RAISE OVER £700,000 TO BUILD TWO NEW VILLAGES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESSOlympic hero cycles with fellow riders on 60-mile route from Glasgow to Edinburgh to support Social Bite‘Break the Cycle’ campaign will help fund two new villages in Glasgow and London Sir Chris Hoy led the way today (Sunday 5 September) as he joined hundreds of other cyclists on a charity cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh to raise money to help build two new villages for people experiencing homelessness.The Olympic legend completed the 60-mile route to support Social Bite’s ‘Break the Cycle’ campaign which has so far raised over £700,000 as it aims to fund the creation of two new Social Bite Villages in Glasgow and London.The cyclists set off from the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and pedalled through to the finish line in Edinburgh, near the Social Bite Village in Granton on Sunday, September 5.Each of the participating cyclists fundraised since the campaign launched earlier this year, with entrants having access to a host of special prizes, including naming a house at one of the new villages and a signed medal from Sir Chris. Amongst the 540 participants was former Scotland Rugby player, John Barclay, as well as residents and staff from the Social Bite Village in Edinburgh. TV fitness guru, Mr Motivator, was also on hand to warm the cyclists up on the start line and welcome them over the finish line at the end of their journey.Josh Littlejohn MBE, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Bite, who also completed the cycle, said: “It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to cycle alongside a sporting hero like Sir Chris and the hundreds of other passionate supporters that completed the route alongside us.“Having so many people support the cause is incredibly humbling and Sir Chris’ backing of this campaign has been a major boost in our efforts to raise money for two new villages for people in a situation of homelessness. “We’re working very hard behind the scenes on the plans for two further Social Bite Villages in not just London and Glasgow but other major cities as well, and the money from Break the Cycle will help turn these plans into a reality. We’re all very grateful to all of our supporters and partners who have helped push the campaign forward.”As well as the charity cycle, the fundraising campaign has been open to all levels of fitness and ability, with people across the UK taking part in virtual challenges since March to raise money.Challenges have ranged from long distance challenges, through to different exercise routines depending on what suited people best.Sir Chris Hoy said: “I’ve been a huge supporter of Social Bite and the incredible work it does for a number of years now.“I’ve seen the positive impact the charity has on so many people’s lives and I’m really thankful to everyone who has been able to support the Break the Cycle campaign so far.“It was fantastic to meet all the other cyclists and join them for the ride which will make such a difference to the lives of people experiencing homelessness.”Since opening in July 2018, Social Bite’s Edinburgh village in partnership with Cyrenians has helped 43 people find their feet again, 100% of the residents in a recent survey preferred living at the Social Bite Village over Hostels or B&Bs.The village offers a supportive community to help people build an independent life, with the village blueprint offering an alternative to how society responds to homelessness.Money raised from the Break the Cycle campaign will go towards creating the two highly supported communities with the pro bono help of engineering firm Arup. 10% of funds raised from the event will also be donated to SAMH, the Scottish Association for Mental Health and further funds will be invested in Social Bite’s mission to Break the Cycle of homelessness by providing food, employment opportunities, and housing projects.To find our more or donate, please visit: breakthecycle.co.ukENDSFor more information please email socialbite@stripecommunications or call Fraser Clarke on 07582 453633.NOTES TO EDITORS:About Social BiteSocial Bite started as a small sandwich shop on Rose Street in Edinburgh in August 2012 and has now grown to a major driving force in tackling homelessness in Scotland and further afield.One in 4 of Social Bite’s staff have a background of homelessness and the charity has received visits from Hollywood superstars Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.Social Bite is the largest distributor of free fresh food to the homeless in the UK, giving out more than 140,000 items of food and hot drinks per year. In response to the recent pandemic, more than 800,000 emergency food packs and essential items were distributed.Social Bite’s 2017 and 2018 Sleep in Park events in Scotland raised almost £8million and saw more than 18,000 people sleeping out.With funds raised from Sleep in the Park events, The Social Bite Village was built in May 2018 and 43 people have since been housed in the bespoke accommodation. The charity also launched a nationwide program to bring 830 rough sleepers of the streets into their own accommodation with support. More than 530 people have now been housed and counting.In 2019, the charity’s founder Josh Littlejohn MBE created The World’s Big Sleepout, which was a global campaign to raise awareness of homelessness. The campaign saw 60,000 members of the public Sleepout in 52 cities all over the world and was supported by Will Smith and Dame Helen Mirren.The Social Bite Fund (SC045232) is a registered charity in Scotland on a mission to end homelessness through innovative housing solutions and, pioneering employment and support programmes.

Oi Norman, CEO at itison, said: “Homelessness is an epidemic, and with circumstances becoming more challenging for everyone across the UK, unfortunately it is affecting more people and families than ever.

“That’s why these types of fundraising activities are so essential, and to continue supporting Social Bite in its mission to end homelessness is so close to our hearts at itison.

“We hope that by offering this deal on our site we are able to encourage more people than ever to get involved, donate and have some fun. It’s not every day you get to meet legends such as Sir Chris Hoy, never mind being entertained by the likes of Elaine C Smith – plus who doesn’t love an excuse to wear that much lycra!”

Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, added: “itison has always championed our cause, and with their help, we have been able to build our Social Bite Village in Edinburgh, deliver thousands of meals to the most vulnerable in our society, and help to begin to break the cycle of homelessness which so often is rooted in poverty and trauma.

“With this latest offer from itison on their deals site, we will be able to further expand the work we do across Scotland and further afield, while offering our supporters a great day out for the whole family.”

Donate £5 for your chance to win via itison. The lucky winners will be announced on Friday 2nd September.     

100 per cent of money raised will be donated to Social Bite. Multiple donations and gifting of donations permitted. Each £5 entitles you to an entry.

https://www.itison.com/Edinburgh/deals/win-a-vip-meet-greet-experience-with-sir-chris-hoy-and-support-social-bite

Guide Dogs to spread more pawsitivity thanks to partnership with Scotmid

Community retailer aiming to raise £250,000 for new charity partner  

A leading Scottish community retailer is hoping to get tongues – and tails – wagging today (Thursday 1st September) with the announcement of its ‘pawsome’ new charity partnership.

Scotmid has taken the lead and chosen Guide Dogs as its barkingly brilliant charity companion, with plans to raise £250,000 over the course of the year long partnership. 

The funding will enable Guide Dogs to train three new Habilitation Specialists, as well as two Guide Dog Mobility Specialists, who will help and support hundreds more people in Scotland who are living with sight loss.

Guide Dog’s Habilitation Specialists support children and young people with a vision impairment, providing them with the skills they need to live an independent and active life and helping them reach their full potential.

Habilitation involves mobility, orientation and independent living skills. From supporting physical development in the early years, to navigating streets safely, preparing food, handling money and using technology as they grow older.

Funds will also be allocated to training two Guide Dog Mobility Specialists who partner life-changing guide dogs to people with sight loss. When guide dogs are partnered with a person with sight loss, the partnership boosts general mobility as well as increasing confidence and independence to go out into the community; expanding opportunities to socialise and reducing isolation.

Kyla McVicar, Business Development Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said: “Guide Dogs offers a range of services for adults and children affected by a vision impairment, as well as their families. We have expanded our services in recent years so that we can help thousands of people with different needs lead confident, independent and fulfilling lives.

“We are really excited to be working with Scotmid and would like to say a huge thank you for their incredible support, which will enable us to train crucial new staff members and reach even more people affected by sight loss.

“The new roles include guide dog mobility specialists, who train our dogs and partner them with people with sight loss and habilitation specialists, who work with children and young people to help them develop vital life-long orientation and independence skills.

“This means that Scotmid will make a significant and lasting difference for families affected by sight loss across the local communities it has a presence in.”

John Brodie, Chief Executive at Scotmid, said: “Our core purpose is to serve our communities and to improve people’s everyday lives, so Guide Dogs is an excellent fit for us.

“Over the coming year, we are looking forward to raising much needed funds and awareness of this very worthy cause. We want to play our part in supporting those who are affected by sight loss, helping them to live more independent and fuller lives.”

Colleagues, customers and members across Scotmid’s stores will take part in various fundraising and engagement activities throughout the year, including ‘Name the Puppy’ competitions, Kiltwalks and in-store activities to support the partnership.

Beechgrove Garden team design Woodland Garden for rescue dogs

A new garden area at Dogs Trust West Calder, designed by the team at BBC Beechgrove Garden, has been given the doggy seal of approval by some of the charity’s current canine residents.

The team behind the popular BBC programme transformed a previously unused woodland area at the charity’s West Calder Rehoming Centre into a doggy paradise for sniffy walks and precious relaxing time away from the kennels.

Avid viewers of Beechgrove Garden will have seen Dogs Trust staff, volunteers and current residents of West Calder Rehoming Centre feature on two recent episodes of the show. 

Working with the charity’s staff and volunteers, the team at Beechgrove planted lots of dog friendly plants to create a really peaceful, sensory area which is now being enjoyed every day by the 50 dogs currently looking for new homes.

Speaking about the garden, Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre Manager Susan Tonner says: “We wanted to turn an unused woodland area at the centre into a dog friendly garden area that could be enjoyed by our dogs, staff, volunteers and potential adopters. 

“Our Maintenance Operative, Stephen McLean, contacted Beechgrove Garden to ask what type of plants they would recommend that were safe for dogs and would flourish under the trees.

“To our amazement presenter Kirsty Wilson (above )got in touch asking if she could visit and, once she had seen the area, they offered to design the garden and film the transformation for their programme.

“We were of course delighted and said yes please!

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the finished garden, which is a really peaceful sensory area which is now being enjoyed every day by our dogs and staff.  

“Everything we do at Dogs Trust West Calder is about enriching the lives of our dogs while they are with us, and this new woodland garden very much helps us to achieve this aim.”

Book Festival reinvents success with 2022 hybrid presentation

The overarching theme announced in June was All Together Now, and so it proved to be.

The 2022 Edinburgh International Book Festival saw families, adults and school pupils flock to the Book Festival’s new site at Edinburgh College of Art to enjoy a range of activities and events, browse the Festival’s independent Bookshop and relax in the grassy courtyard. What a Festival it was!

The Book Festival’s 2022 programme featured over 600 events, including 150 in the Baillie Gifford Children’s Programme and 18 created especially for schools. 200 of the events were livestreamed on the Book Festival website and many are still there to watch on-demand and will remain available until later in the year.

Book Festival audiences are well-known for snapping up tickets weeks in advance of August, however this year we saw a significant shift in booking behaviour. Whilst sales were steady throughout, it became clear that many people were choosing to book much later than they had done in the past – with the number of on-the-day bookers exceeding anything we’ve seen before.

Overall, 100,000 tickets were sold across the live and livestreamed events, with people watching from 65 countries.

With our new location at Edinburgh College of Art, the popular Pay What You Can ticket prices for all livestreams alongside 31 in-real-life events, plus an eclectic range of daily free author events across the 17 days, the 2022 Book Festival attracted a more diverse audience, with a greater proportion of new attenders alongside thousands of established festival-goers who were keen to return.

Another innovation, introduced in 2021, was a big outdoor screen in the grassy courtyard of the Festival village: we showed 45 events and anyone could drop in and watch for free.

Edinburgh International Book Festival director Nick Barley said: “My heartfelt thanks go to all the many individuals and organisations who have championed and supported the Edinburgh International Book Festival and given us the opportunity to innovative and create an ambitious new hybrid Festival which we can build upon in future years.

“This year was always going to be a bit of an unknown, but the overwhelmingly positive response we have received from audiences old and new, local residents, festival goers and authors and individuals from every corner of the world, has made it an absolute joy to deliver.

“We are under no illusions that this is only the beginning of our build-back journey, and our focus now is to consolidate and respond to what we’ve learned from this year as we plan our return to the Edinburgh College of Art and Central Hall sites in 2023.”

Whilst this year’s Festival may be over, you can relive the magic by watching a wealth of events online.

Many are available to watch until the end of the month and some for longer. You’ll find the video expiration date on the individual event listing – if there is no date listed, the video will be available to watch until the end of the year.

Catch up with the likes of Noam Chomsky, Philippe Sands, Diana Gabaldon, Alan Cumming, Douglas Stuart, Ottessa Moshfegh, Maria Ressa, Armando Iannucci, Anthony Beevor, Torrey Peters, Val McDermid, Janey Godley, Jessie Burton and many, many more …

See the list of events you can watch on catch-up

And look out for a very special event with the Nobel Prize-winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. 

He comes to Edinburgh to talk about his new book on Friday 23 September. You can book tickets (and a copy of the book if you’d like one) for that event now on the website.

More information and book tickets for Orhan Pamuk.

Bin Collections resume: Put out BOTH green and grey bins

If you’re due a wheelie bin collection TODAY or FRIDAY, please put BOTH your green and grey bins out for collection.

Bin collections and street cleansing services resumed on Tuesday but it’s looking increasingly likely that strike action will start again from Tuesday 6 September.

Because of this, we are making changes to bin collection schedules this week:

If you are due a bin collection on Thursday 1 September or Friday 2 September, you should put out both your green AND grey wheelie bins, and any bagged extra waste. Please put them out by 6am on your normal collection day and we will aim to empty them BOTH.

There may be some delays and they may not be collected on the same day as each other, so please leave them out until the end of the day on Monday (5 September).

If you are due a food waste collection, you should put this out as usual, by 6am.

Garden waste collections will be suspended on Thursday 1 September and Friday 2 September. We’re very sorry for this and will be in touch with details of how we’ll compensate you for any recently missed collections.

The glass collection service remains suspended. We’ll provide an update when this is due to restart.

Red box and gull proof sack collections will continue as normal this week.

We are collecting recycling and non-recyclable waste separately. Unfortunately, in some cases recycling bins will have too much non-recyclable waste in them. This means we will not be able to recycle those bins and they will be collected alongside grey wheelie bins. We will be recycling as much as we can.

We are working hard to catch up on collections after the strike action. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Please let your neighbours, family and friends who might not have heard about the latest guidance know.

You can find full details of bin collection days, the recovery plan and advice on dealing with waste at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/binstrike

Find out more about changes to collections this week on the city council website:

http://edinburgh.gov.uk/binstrike

Just one week left to nominate for Councillor Awards

Who are your leading councillors?

In one week, nominations close for the only national awards ceremony celebrating the work of councillors across Scotland.

Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) Scotland and CCLA are proud to host the 5th annual Cllr Awards honouring the achievements of individual councillors who go above and beyond for their communities.

This year’s categories showcase the vital work of councillors including the coveted Community Champion, Leader of the Year and Young Councillor of the Year awards.

Nominations can be made by anyone (members of the public, councillors and council officers) who would like to recognise a councillor who has made a real difference to their area over the last year.

The deadline for nominations is  Wednesday 7 September with the shortlist due to be unveiled at the end of September. 

The winners will be decided by a panel of judges made up of senior councillors and officers and leading stakeholders from across the sector. On Wednesday 12 October the winner will be revealed at the annual awards ceremony taking place at Marryat Hall (Caird Hall) with 2022 hosts Dundee City Council. It will be held as a hybrid event with virtual link ups to the live ceremony.

This year’s Awards are made possible thanks to the generous support of founding partners, CCLA.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of LGIU Scotland, said:  “From how our towns look to the home care we receive and the funding of much valued community projects, the work of councillors is felt across all of our lives on a daily basis. 

“Councillors and councils are key to keeping the machinery of everyday life going, ensuring the most vulnerable in the community are looked after and making sure the places where we live and work are thriving, safe and inclusive. 

“Much of the work done by elected members is behind the scenes, which is why we created the Cllr Awards. So that every year we can take time to recognise this work and celebrate their achievements.

“The LGIU is proud to once again open nominations for the annual Cllr Awards to honour the commitment of our locally elected representatives. Our local democracy and our local democratic structures are stronger because of our councillors.

“We look forward to seeing a record number of nominations this year and getting to know the many inspiring stories behind them.”

Join For Less – Edinburgh Leisure kicks off their latest membership campaign

In these cash-strapped times, Edinburgh Leisure is kicking off their latest membership campaign, with a no-joining-fee offer, encouraging you to join the city’s biggest club in town.

New members joining Edinburgh Leisure from 1st – 30th September 2022 will receive a no-joining-fee offer, worth up to £35.  This offer applies to fitness, gym, swim and climb memberships but excludes golf, soft play, and junior fitness memberships.

Ally Strachan, Fitness Development Manager at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We all know how important keeping active is for our physical wellbeing but it’s also hugely beneficial for our mental wellbeing too, with the feel-good factor and endorphins one experiences after exercising and keeping active.”

Different levels of membership are available including full fitness, gym/swim/fitness class memberships and climbing. The Edinburgh Leisure membership is available to buy online (terms and conditions apply).

Ally Strachan continued: “It’s exciting times at Edinburgh Leisure with the new Meadowbank recently opened, Wester Hailes High School and Trinity Academy’s Sports Campus (above).

“And with 1 world-class climbing centre, 11 swimming pools, 16 state of the art gyms and over 750 fitness and gym classes per week from Aquafit to Zumba, Edinburgh Leisure offers much choice and variety. There is something for everyone to enjoy moving and getting fitter.

“And if you’re needing some extra support, anyone of our friendly gym staff can devise and review a programme for you.  They’ll help you on whatever journey you are on.”

For further information visit www.edinburghleisure.co.uk

Follow on Facebook – @EdinburghLeisure

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Like on Twitter – @Ed_Leisure

James Hutton’s legacy to launch Scottish Geology Festival

James Hutton is often regarded as the founder of modern geology, his research reset the world view on the Earth’s processes and made possible other major theories such as continental drift and the theory of evolution. However, many people still know so little about this key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment.

‘A conversation on James Hutton: the man and his legacy‘ with Alan McKirdy, will launch the 2022 Scottish Geology Festival. The event will provide an insight into Scotland’s fascinating geological past, present and future, discussing James Hutton’s work and legacy of challenging conventional thinking which underpins the work of the James Hutton Institute today.

It will be hosted by the Institute in Aberdeen and the Scottish Geology Trust (SGT) on 1st September, from 4:00-6:30 pm.

Professor Colin Campbell, the Institute’s Chief Executive, said: “Hutton’s approach epitomises the Institute’s purpose, intent and values. He was willing to stand up to dogma, based on the rigorous pursuit of observation and science.

“He actively sought out and fostered opportunities to engage and collaborate with others across a wide range of disciplines. He was, by nature, highly creative and driven by curiosity about the world, but he also had a practical mindset and sought uses for his ideas around agriculture.”

The Scottish Geology Festival will run from the 1st of September to the 9th of October, unlocking the stories from the rocks beneath our feet that hold the secrets of our planet’s past.

The SGT and partners will deliver a programme of activities across the country, showcasing and celebrating Scotland’s incredible geology.

From coastal walks and fossil hunting to online and in-person talks, there will be something for everyone to enjoy during this year’s Festival no matter how much or little you know about the subject.

Dr Katie Strang, Director of the Scottish Geology Festival, said: “We are excited to be back for the third year of the Scottish Geology Festival.

“During Scotland’s Year of Stories, the Festival is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to explore Scotland’s incredible landscapes, learning how they have been shaped over millions of years by geological processes; revealing the secrets and tales of our planet’s past.

“From volcanic eruptions to tropical coal swamps, dinosaurs to earthquakes – the rocks beneath our feet provide endless opportunities for adventure, education and discovery.”

With climate change challenging Scotland all year round, the SGT continues to support awareness raising on how Scotland’s geology can help play a role in responding to this emergency. Joining forces with Scottish Water, the Trust will also be encouraging every event participant to consider and review their use of water.

Please register to attend the Festivals launch event here, £5 tickets, free to SGT members and staff of the James Hutton Institute, booking required. For details of all Festival events visit www.scottishgeologytrust.org/festival.

Learn to Swim ambassadors inspire next wave on world stage

Decorated athletes return from Commonwealth Games

TRIUMPHANT swimmers returning to Scotland after a successful Commonwealth Games hope recent achievements will inspire the next generation of swimmers.

Learn to Swim programme ambassadors, Duncan Scott and Toni Shaw, are using their profile to encourage youngsters across the country take to the water and learn to swim.

The National Learn to Swim Programme – a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water – is delivered by Local Authorities, Leisure Trusts and swimming lesson providers throughout Scotland.                                                                                                

The programme, which is promoted by ambassadors Duncan and Toni, aims to help children of all ages and abilities become confident, safer and competent swimmers.

Duncan, who comes home as Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all time, returns with six fresh medals, including two golds. He has tallied up 13 Commonwealth medals since 2014. It comes after he became Team GB’s most successful athlete ever from a single Olympic Games with his 2021 Tokyo haul.

He said: “After competing in world-wide events, it’s so nice to be able to come back to the grassroots and motivate those at the beginning of their swimming journey.

“Whether youngsters simply become regulars at the pool or if this involvement inspires the next generation of competitive swimmers – only good things can come from encouraging more children into the water.”

Duncan started his swimming journey in South Ayrshire where he learned to swim at Troon swimming pool alongside his sister and he often states that competitive sibling rivalry spurred him on to achieve his best at swimming from a young age.

From swimming regularly with his family Duncan went on to join the local swimming club under coach Mike Boles and quickly showed talent, entering competitions at the age of 8.

Duncan continued his swimming journey in Alloa at the Alloa Leisure Bowl. He joined FIRST, a composite club where Steven Tigg became his coach. He then won a scholarship to Strathallan School as a result of his swimming ability with coach Elaine Johnston and started to compete, still under FIRST, in national and international competitions.

Duncan still trains under coach Steven Tigg and is based at the University of Stirling where he graduated with a Degree in Business and Sports Studies in 2021.

Toni secured a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 Para Swimming event and placed fourth in the individual medley. At just 14-years-old, Toni Shaw first competed at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 in the Gold Coast.

She said: “It’s fantastic to play important role in the promotion of swimming across the country.

“Learning to swim is a vital skill as it keeps us safe around water while providing a range of health and wellbeing benefits. It also is a fun way to keep active and socialise.”

Toni learned to swim in Aberdeen in a learn to swim programme at Northfield Pool. She has always been a strong advocate of children with disabilities being integrated into mainstream lessons, spearheading Scottish Swimming’s ‘SeeMyAbility’ campaign as she felt she benefitted from a mainstream programme rather than one-to-one lessons.

She joined Cults Otters – one of the local swimming clubs where it soon became apparent, she had a strong talent for swimming, particularly freestyle.

At the age of 14 she moved to the Aberdeen University Performance programme, training at Aberdeen Aquatics centre under coach Gregor McMillan. She began to compete at a national and international level winning 6 medals at the World Para Swimming Championships in London 2019, and in 2022, became world champion over 400m freestyle.

Like Duncan, Toni recently started life as a student at the University of Stirling where she trains under coach Josh Williamson.

The next chapter of Learn to Swim is to build a real legacy for Scotland – improving water safety, and, through working with schools and local authorities, giving all children a real platform for success and to achieve their full potential in the pool and out.

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs with Scottish Water, said: “In Scotland, we’re surrounded by so much water making it essential to learn to swim from a young age.

“Duncan and Toni are both inspirational and play an important role in inspiring the next generation involved in the programme. Through involvement directly helps youngsters understand that this is a vital life skill that one day could ultimately save their life.

The Learn to Swim programme is being delivered across Scotland by 36 Leisure Trusts and Aquatic Providers in more than 160 pools and is aimed at youngsters from birth up to 11-years-old.

So far, more than 100,000 young Scots have taken part in the programme and we are targeting another 100,000 by 2025 in a bid to create a new generation of safer and confident swimmers.

Euan Lowe, Chief Executive Officer at Scottish Swimming, said: “Duncan and Toni are prime examples of the incredible pathways swimming can take you down. It’s a real benefit to have such fantastic role models inspiring our next generation and promoting water safety.”

For more information on the Learn to Swim programme, visit:

 https://learntoswim.scot/

Tortoise seeks judicial review of election process for new Tory leader

Tortoise Media is seeking judicial review of the Conservative Party’s refusal to provide information about the running of the election to decide Boris Johnson’s successor as Party leader and Prime Minister.

The Tortoise newsroom asked for information about the demographics of the membership voting to elect the next leader and Prime Minister; they asked for the numbers of members and how they have grown over time; asked what the Party does to ensure members are who they say they are; and asked what the Party does to deal with attempts at infiltration and interference.  

The Conservative Party refused to answer any of these questions.  Darren Mott, CEO of the Conservatives, said the election was a “private matter” and that the choice of PM is not ultimately made by the members, but the Queen. 

(The full letter is here.)  

Tortoise believe that this is unlawful.   On the advice of lawyers, they have written to the Conservative Party to inform them that they are seeking judicial review because they believe that the Party’s refusal to disclose information is in breach of common law and human rights law – i.e. the Conservative Party is in breach of the laws safeguarding open government and guaranteeing our right to know information regarding the operation of our government and democracy. 

(The full text of our letter to the Conservative Party is here.)

The full argument for judicial review can be found here but in summary we believe the leadership process to be undemocratic, in its conspicuous lack of transparency, and against the principle of open and fair democracy:

  • – undemocratic because the process by which Conservative Party chooses the next PM is unrepresentative (the membership accounts for little over 0.2 per cent of the population and includes non-UK citizens and under-age voters) and because it’s unsafe (the Party has provided no assurance to us as to how or if it checks voters are who they say they are). 
  • – unlawful because we asked the Conservative Party to provide information about the demographics of the electorate, the efforts taken to validate party members and the process of securing the election from interference.  They refused.  In doing so, we believe they’ve breached the common law principle of open government and human rights enshrined in law guaranteeing information is made available to the public about the operation of our democracy. 
  • – we know more about the membership of the Chinese Communist Party – age, gender, geography, job – than we do about the Conservative Party members choosing our prime minister
  • – Party insiders estimate the membership has grown by 50-70,000 people in the last three years, but no one can say who they are; no one, in fact, can say how many of the members are on the electoral register
  • – if Liz Truss moves into No. 10 next week, she’ll have the weakest mandate of any modern prime minister, not being the choice of the majority of Conservative MPs but carried into office by 80,000 or so people who pay £25 a year to be Conservative Party members. 
  • – when we asked a Party official who oversees the Party’s compliance processes to ensure voters are who they say they are, we were told: “Nobody”.  The former head of one of the UK’s national security agencies said the Conservative Party is not resourced to run an election of this importance. 

James Harding, Editor of Tortoise, said: “After we registered Archie, our pet tortoise, a couple of foreign nationals and the late Lady Thatcher as members of the Conservative Party – and the Party had taken the money, issued them all with new membership numbers and invited them to the leader hustings – we were concerned about how the Conservative Party was running this election. 

“We wrote to the Conservative Party to ask who the voters are and what they do to ensure they are who they say they are.  They have refused to answer.  

“This is no way to choose the person who, from next week, will be Prime Minister of a nuclear-armed G7 nation with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.  

“This election is obviously undemocratic.  The Party’s insistence on secrecy is also unlawful.  We are a newsroom; our job is to inform; if the Conservative Party refuses to disclose information in the public interest, we can’t just shrug, we need to take it to court.  

“The public surely has the right to know who gets to choose who runs the country and what is done to ensure the election is clean and safe. ”