Charities invited to apply to become Scotmid’s annual Charity Partner

Applications close on 14th April 2023

Leading community retailer, Scotmid, is inviting charities across Edinburgh to become its charity partner of the year for 2023-24, working together on a programme of fundraising and support.

The convenience retailer is looking for an organisation that shares its values and passion for supporting local communities. Together, both will build a creative and fun partnership to encourage participation and fundraising from colleagues, members and customers alike.

Current charity partner, Guide Dogs, will use the donations from Scotmid to support guide dogs in training as well as recruiting and training Habilitation Specialists and Guide Dog Mobility Specialists.

These Specialists play a crucial role with hundreds of children and young people (0-25 years) who have a visual impairment to help them develop a broad range of skills and live a more independent life.

Kyla McVicar, Business Development Manager at Guide Dogs, said: “We’d encourage charities to apply for this exciting opportunity to be Scotmid’s next charity partner.

“You’ll be joining forces with an incredible organisation who really care about making a massive difference in local communities.”

Shirley MacGillivray, Head of Membership & Community at Scotmid, said: “The charity of the year partnership provides both a fantastic platform for us to support worthwhile causes and for our charity partner to have the extended support of our colleagues, members and customers.

“We are seeking an ambitious charity that will make the most of this incredible opportunity and can’t wait to begin working with the cause.”

Scotmid has raised over one million pounds during its last three partnerships with CHAS, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and Scottish SPCA.

Scotmid’s Charities Team will host a live Q&A at 11am on Wednesday 29th March. Joining information available from membership@scotmid.co.uk.

Charities can find more information on how to apply here.

Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 14th April 2023.

Volunteer sessions with Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Did you know that we have regular volunteering sessions?

We have a wonderful community of people from all walks of life who gather in the garden to help us maintain its beauty and help with seasonal gardening tasks.

Whether you’re an avid gardener or a complete beginner we would love to have you!

We have an employed gardener on site if you’d like to learn specific things and advance your skills, or if you just need a helping hand to gain some confidence.

For more information check out of website and email us with your interest to arrange an introductory visit.

#scotlandcommunitygardens

#communitygarden

#growyourown

#vegetablegrowing

#edinburghgardens

#volunteeredinburgh

Coalition concerns as new figures highlight cuts in specialist support for vulnerable children

  • Decline in the number of specialist ASN teachers by 546 since 2012
  • More than doubling in the number of pupils with additional support needs since 2012

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has called for greater resourcing to support those with additional support needs (ASN).

The call comes as new figures from the Scottish Government’s annual teacher census indicate that while the number of specialist ASN teachers has fallen to a new low, the number of those pupils with ASN has soared to a record high.

Between 2012 and 2022 the number of ASN teachers (publicly funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has fallen from 3,389 to 2,843, a decrease of 546 teachers, representing a cut of 16.1 per cent.1

This fall is against the background of an increase of 104.8 per cent increase between 2012 and 2022 in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 118,011 to 241,639, amounting to 123,628 individuals. This includes those with mental health problems, learning disability, autism and dyslexia, and currentlyrepresenting more than a third of all pupils (34.2 per cent).2

In 2012, while each ASN teacher was supporting 35 pupils with ASN, by 2022 this figure had risen to each teacher supporting 85 such pupils.

Against a background of spending cuts and reduction in specialist support, the SCSC has called for greater resourcing from both the Scottish Government and local authorities to ensure that those with ASN, who are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods, are getting the care and support that they need. 

The coalition has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of a presumption of mainstreaming, meaning that all pupils are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, without the necessary support.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need.

“This is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap as we know that those with ASN are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods. With cuts in support, including in the number of specialist teachers, it is going to be extremely challenging to reduce the current inequalities faced by those with ASN.

“While we also support the presumption of mainstreaming, which means that all children and young people are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, it is clearly difficult to see how this is functioning properly given the fall in specialist support and increase in the number of those with ASN.

“The Scottish Government and local authorities need to work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society.”

1 Scottish Government, Teacher census 2022 supplementary statistics, 21st March 2023, table 6.7. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/ (accessed 22nd March 2023).

2 Scottish Government, Pupil census 2022 supplementary statistics, 21st March 2023, table 1.5.

Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/pupil-census-supplementary-statistics/ (accessed 22nd March 2023).

Lauriston Castle: A ‘hidden gem’

Lauriston Castle has been named one of the top 5 hidden gems to visit in Scotland in 2023.

With more and more people embracing staycations, travel experts have identified the best-kept secrets around Britain – for holiday goers who are looking to explore somewhere new.

Their research, which scores various locations based on social and search data, reveals the top off-the-beaten-track gems in Scotland and found that the stunning 400-year-old castle was one of Scotland’s best.

Full story here: ow.ly/RI8q50NpoRi

Royal Bank of Scotland announces £160K fund to support communities affected by cost of living crisis

A £160,000 fund to help local charities and good causes supporting communities affected by the cost of living has been announced by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Royal Bank of Scotland’s frontline colleagues in local branches and offices will be nominating good causes that they have chosen from their communities, to save charities from finding time to nominate themselves, or individuals on their behalf

The fund is part of a £1 million fund announced by the NatWest Group, which will be distributed by the bank’s boards across the UK, and forms part of a wider £5.7 million commitment to provide cost of living support across the country through partner organisations including the Federation of Small Business, the Trussell Trust, and Responsible Finance.

Over the last year, NatWest Group has provided £40 million cost of living support to its personal customers and community partners and this latest fund reaffirms its commitment to help people, families, and businesses with the rising cost of living.

Judith Cruickshank, Scotland Chair, Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “This local funding is a real opportunity for us to tailor the support we provide to Scottish charities and organisations who are delivering vital support to our communities.

“Our colleagues across the country will be shaping how the money is donated, nominating the good causes that are making a difference in their towns and villages.”

Raghu Narula, NatWest Group’s Managing Director of Customer Engagement & Distribution, said: “We are a bank driven by our purpose and values and right now that is to help our colleagues, customers and the communities they live in through the challenges faced with cost of living.

“The funding we are providing directly to our boards across the UK means that we are targeting support on a local level where it can have maximum impact.”

Dying to Talk? Bereavement afternoon tea event at LifeCare

A charity set up to empower people to make informed decisions around funerals and end of life planning, is hosting a free afternoon tea event at 2pm next Wednesday at Life Care in Stockbridge.

Dying to Talk? is an informal and friendly chat about death, dying and loss over afternoon tea.

Caledonia Funeral Aid Funeral and Bereavement Advisor Emma Kelso explains: “Death is a subject that’s never been easy to talk about, and yet it affects people every day.

“Life is finite and death is inevitable, so our aim is to encourage people to bring it out into the open, break the taboo and reduce the fear.

“We will invite people to share experiences, talk about things that they’ve discovered during their own journeys and maybe discuss their own personal end-of-life plans, all over a cuppa.

“By empowering people to talk in a friendly, safe space, we hope to move towards a Scotland where everyone is empowered to make the right choices for themselves and their loved ones. As a result, they will become aware that there are choices and consequently we can realise a Scotland without funeral poverty.”

Although the event is free, people are encouraged to pre-book at Caledonia Funeral Aid’s website www.funerals.scot

Increase in social security benefits from 1st April

Additional support for people who need it most

Twelve Scottish Government benefits including Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Best Start Grants will be increased by 10.1% on 1 April, backed by investment of around £430 million.

The Scottish Child Payment was increased by 150% in 2022 to £25 per eligible child per week.

A total of 13 Scottish Government benefits are now being delivered through Social Security Scotland, seven of which are only available in Scotland.

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “We are committing £5.2 billion for social security benefits in 2023-24, providing support to more than one million people in Scotland. This is £776 million above the level of funding we are forecast to receive from the UK Government for social security through Block Grant Adjustments.

“The choices we have taken in our Budget represent a significant investment in people and are key to our national mission to tackle child poverty. They will help low-income families with their living costs, support people to heat their homes in winter, and enable disabled people to live full and independent lives. This is money that will go directly to people who need it the most.”

12 Scottish Government benefits will be increased by 10.1% on 1 April 2023. These are:

  • Child Winter Hearing Assistance
  • Carer’s Allowance Supplement
  • Young Carer Grant
  • Job Start Payment
  • Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment
  • Best Start Grant School Age Payment
  • Adult Disability Payment
  • Child Disability Payment
  • Best Start Foods
  • Best Start Grant Pregnancy & Baby Payment
  • Funeral Support Payment
  • Winter Heating Payment

Scottish Child Payment was increased to £25 per eligible child per week in November 2022. This represented a 150% increase in eight months.

FERRIES FIASCO

The people of Scotland and island communities have been badly let down by ferries project, says Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee

The people of Scotland and island communities have been badly let down, says Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee in a report published today which exposes a ferry fiasco riddled with failures in governance, transparency, accountability, communication and record-keeping.

The report highlights key failings exposed throughout the Committee’s scrutiny of the Auditor General for Scotland’s Report New Vessels for the Clyde and Hebrides: Arrangements to deliver vessels 801 and 802 (1) and recommends change to ensure that future vessels are delivered on time and on budget.

It highlights, for example, the Committee’s serious concerns around the initial stages of the procurement process and, having now established that FMPG holds FMEL’s financial records, calls on the Auditor General for Scotland to complete a forensic analysis of how £128.25m of public money was spent by FMEL.

The report shines light on the serious failings of Transport Scotland, including the ‘weak and toothless’ Programme Steering Group it led and its’ consistent failure to accurately and timeously reflect CMALs concerns to Scottish Ministers.

It also calls into question the role of various Scottish Ministers. The majority of the Committee considered that both the First Minister’s decision to publicly announce the preferred bidder when considerable negotiations were still required – and the decision to proceed in the absence of a full guarantee, weakened CMAL’s position when the standard of FMEL’s work became an issue (2).

The report acknowledges that the Scottish Government’s ‘Project Neptune’ provides an opportunity for governance reform but says that a formal review of the entire project on completion of the vessels is essential for learning lessons for future projects.

Launching the report, Convener of the Public Audit Committee Richard Leonard MSP, said: “The people of Scotland have been badly let down by this project. There have been collective failures at government and agency level from the start. It has been dogged by a lack of transparency; by ineffective governance arrangements; by poor record keeping within the Government; and by baffling communication failures.

“Throughout our scrutiny, we took a wide range of evidence, navigating our way through many conflicting perspectives to reach the conclusions set out today. We had to battle to get some of the information we needed. Sadly, despite our best efforts, some questions remain unanswered.

“We recognise the efforts by the Scottish Government to protect jobs at Ferguson Marine and commend the workforce for their resilience during what has been and continues to be an extremely challenging time. Their experienced voices should have been listened to from the outset.

“It is vital that lessons are learned. That means much needed reform of governance arrangements for future vessel projects. But it also means a change in the way the Government and its agencies conduct themselves and are accountable to Parliament and the people. That is a challenge for the Permanent Secretary and the new First Minister.”

Further recommendations for improvement put forward by the Committee include:

  • Greater transparency where Scottish Ministers use written authority and shareholder authorisations and recording these occasions as a matter of public record.
  • Scottish Government to now further review and refine its record-keeping and reporting procedures.
  • Scottish Government to ensure its Business Investment Framework is sufficiently robust so there is transparency around the expected public benefit of future interventions in private companies, and greater public reporting.
  • Upon completion of vessels 801 and 802, Transport Scotland and CMAL to undertake a formal project review to learn vital lessons.
  • Parliament to be updated on the investigation into allegations raised about the procurement process.

(1) The remit of the Public Audit Committee’s inquiry was to scrutinise the Auditor General for Scotland’s (AGS) report, New Vessels for the Clyde & Hebrides: Arrangements to deliver vessels 801 and 802 (published 23 March 2022), which focused on events after Scottish Ministers announced Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL) as the preferred bidder on 31 August 2015. 

(2) Committee members Colin Beattie MSP and Willie Coffey MSP did not support these findings. Full details of where there was division can be found in the report at Annex C – Extract from minutes. 

Leith Docks incident: eight people remain in hospital

Officers were called around 8.35am yesterday morning (Wednesday, 22 March, 2023) following a report of a ship becoming dislodged from its dry dock in Leith Docks.

Emergency services attended at the location at Imperial Dock and a multi-agency response was co-ordinated by Police Scotland.

The Scottish Ambulance Service took 15 people to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, four to the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and two to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife. By around 1.20pm, all casualties were confirmed as being removed from the area and everyone accounted for.

Eight people remain in hospital this morning.

Superintendent Mark Rennie said: “I would like to thank partner agencies involved in the response to this incident which involved a complex operation to make sure everyone was safe.

“There is no risk to the wider public and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what has happened. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.

“I would also like to thank the public for their patience while the emergency services undertook a very difficult job aiding casualties. We continue to ask people to avoid the area.”

Citizen Live: Citizen Ticket launches in-house events promotion arm

Scotland-born online ticketing and livestream events platform, Citizen Ticket, has today expanded its UK and European presence through the launch of a new promotion arm, Citizen Live. 

As part of the expansion, the newly formed Citizen Live will host between 80 and 100 events this year in London, further afield in the UK, and Europe. Tickets for Citizen Live will be sold exclusively through Citizen Ticket, with every ticket sold, 5p goes towards planting trees in the UK – making it one of the most sustainable event ticketing platforms on the market. 

The new promotion arm, Citizen Live, will be led by Harpo Scaini & Alesandro Sforza. Between them, Scaini and Sforza have over a decade of industry experience in creating, producing and selling out shows, and have hosted more than 300 events across the UK and Europe. 

To celebrate the launch, Citizen Live will be hosting a launch event at Amazing Grace in London Bridge on Tuesday 28th March. Scaini and Sforza have secured Emma Noble to help mark the monumental night for the brand.

Tickets for the event start at £13.50 and can be purchased via the Citizen Ticket website. 

Harry Boisseau, Co-founder & CEO of Citizen Ticket, said: “We’re delighted to have Harpo and Alesandro on board and look forward to embarking on this next chapter for the business. 

“Through ticketing thousands of events and analysing the data from Citizen Ticket, we can really get a grasp of what ticket purchasers are looking for and what there is demand for. We’re excited to host a wide range of events over the next year.”

Commenting on the launch, Harpo Scaini and Alesandro Sforza, said: “We share a passion for producing live events and we know that every detail matters. We’re excited to launch Citizen Live and continue promoting a strong line-up of events going forward.”

Citizen Live aims to create an established UK-based promoter that can also operate in Europe. It will tailor a live music product, expand a roster of artists, and venues and create the best live shows. The data and marketing reach of the Citizen Ticket platform will help market the shows and feedback data to help understand the type of shows that there is customer appetite for.

In 2023 Citizen Live will host 80-100 events at a mid-capacity range (200 – 600) with plans to focus on a larger scale, higher production and more ambitious live content within the next few years.