Funding to support children and young people experiencing inequality
Corra’s Henry Duncan Grants are open to organisations supporting children and young people (aged 6-26 years) experiencing inequality. Grassroots organisations with an annual income of £500,000 or less can apply for up to £8,000 a year for up to five years.
This year Corra is working alongside children and young people to support the design and decision-making processes for Henry Duncan Grants.
The theme for this year was developed with children and young people, and two key priority areas were identified:
Organisations that are supporting children and young people to shape their own lives.
Organisations that are supporting children and young people to develop skills for the future.
Carolyn Sawers, Corra Acting CEO said: “Our strategy is all about listening to people’s voices, shifting power and getting alongside people to create change. This means grant making needs to be shaped by the people it exists to serve.
“We’re enormously grateful to the children and young people who helped us design this year’s Henry Duncan Grants, and to those who will participate in making the funding decisions.
“One of the things we’ll be looking for is organisations that engage children and young people in their own design and decision-making processes.”
Corra welcomes applications from organisations working to:
Provide advice and advocacy services that are person-centred and led by the child/children or young person/people.
Support safe spaces for children and young people to connect with each other and access support.
At least £300,000 (approximately 30%) of the fund budget will support organisations that are led by Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities. This reflects the historic inequity of funding and Corra’s proactive focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The closing date for applications is 12pm on Tuesday 5 July.
Corra will be holding information sessions for organisations interested in applying to Henry Duncan Grants as well as opportunities to discuss ideas with a Grants Advisor.
Edinburgh College is opening its doors and showcasing its facilities during two open days later this week as it gears to make a full return to campuses in August.
The College, which has four campuses across the capital region, is hosting two open days on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 May.
Midlothian and Milton Road Campuses will be open from 12-3pm on Friday 27 May, and Granton and Sighthill Campuses will be open from 10am-2pm on Saturday 28 May.
Prospective students, parents, guardians, business owners and those in employment are invited to head to College campuses to find out more about course options; find out more about funding options and accommodation; and meet representatives from Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA).
The College offers courses and professional training across a wide range of subjects within the Creative Industries, Engineering and Built Environment, Health Wellbeing and Social Sciences, and Tourism Hospitality and Business.
Perspective students can find out more about beginner-level courses, pathways to university, short courses, as well as continuous professional development courses – something for learners at any stage of their education journey or career.
Guided tours of campus facilities will take place throughout the events, with staff on hand to answer questions and to provide demonstrations along the way. In addition, student showcases and performances will also take place on the day, while free refreshments will also be on offer.
Edinburgh College Principal, Audrey Cumberford, said: “It’s fantastic to be throwing our doors open wide to the public and giving prospective students and visitors a real flavour of what it is like to study at one of Scotland’s largest colleges.
“After disruption to on-campus learning caused by the pandemic, we are delighted to be looking ahead to academic session 2022/23 when most course delivery will return to our campuses which house state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to best prepare students for successful careers in their chosen area of study.
“We look forward to welcoming people from across the region to our May open days – we’ll see you on campus!”
For more information and to register attendance at May Open Days, visit:
More than 10,000 young mothers and their children have been helped by a decade-long programme since it began as a pilot in NHS Lothian.
An analysis report on the Family Nurse Partnership shows positive results for mothers and babies in areas such as breastfeeding rates and stopping smoking, with most children meeting all their milestones, and 95% receiving all their immunisations.
The Family Nurse Partnership supports young, first-time mothers to prepare for motherhood and throughout the first two years of their child’s life.
Women’s Health Minister Maree Todd met mothers and staff who have taken part. She said: “Over 10,000 young women have now received support through this programme since it started, which is a fantastic milestone.
“Family nurses help mothers to think about the future, what kind of parent they want to be and their goals and aspirations for other areas of their lives like education and employment.
“Earlier this year we committed to expanding the programme to all young first time mothers aged 21 and under by the end of 2024. Where possible, we will also target first time mothers under the age of 25 who are care experienced or from the most deprived communities. This expansion will mean we can support up to an additional 500 families per year by 2025.”
Val Alexander, service manager of the Family Nurse Partnership, who has been with the programme since it began, said: “We are so proud of the Family Nurse Partnership and everything our clients have achieved.
“The Family Nurse Partnership programme works to support young, first-time mothers to prepare for motherhood and continues that support for them and their child through the first two years.
“FNP was first delivered in NHS Lothian and to see it extended across Scotland to reach thousands more families is something very special for all of us.
“This 10-year analysis of the delivery of the service across Scotland will help us to see how far we have come and map out our goals and ambitions for the future of the programme and young families.”
DRYLAW/Telford Community Council is to introduced fortnightly litter picks across the area following the success of a recent cleanup on the cycle path near the Red Bridge.
The first one takes place this Sunday – location and meeting time will be confirmed when the community council meets at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre tonight.
To get involved, to suggest clean-up hot spots or for further information check out Drylaw Telford Community Council on Facebook or email CC secretary Pam Higgins at pamhigginsdtcc@gmail.com
SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE
Edinburgh Business School helping support entrepreneurs
Applications are now being accepted for the Edinburgh Business School Incubator
The scheme is designed to provide early stage entrepreneurs with office facilities and expert advice to advance their ideas
Deadline for applicants is Monday 13 June 2022
It has helped entrepreneurs take the next step in their careers and now the Edinburgh Business School (EBS) Incubator at Heriot-Watt University is back for another year!
Applications are being accepted from early-stage entrepreneurs looking to access facilities and a suite of expert support and advice to advance their ideas.
The EBS Incubator, provides specialist, one-to-one mentorship, free desk space as well as dedicated training and workshops to encourage, support and develop entrepreneurship.
And against a backdrop of rising inflation, applicants will be pleased to learn that there are no costs involved. Their only financial obligation is to fund their own Public Liability insurance.
A space in the Incubator is for one year although there may be an option to extend.
Anyone can apply, providing they are not a full-time undergraduate or taught postgraduate.
Professor Laura Galloway is leading the Business Incubator at EBS. She says there has never been a more important time to encourage growth in the sector. “The cost of living crisis and rising inflation has created a perfect storm among small and medium sized enterprises,” she said.
“To access the support needed to help drive forward these ventures, which are vitally important to the UK economy, means there has never been a more important time for dedicated schemes, such as our EBS Incubator, to be made available.”
Since its launch in 2018, the EBS Incubator has assisted more than 50 companies and played a pivotal role in helping participants access grants and other finance and refine their offerings.
Professor Galloway, adds: “The Incubator’s aim is to create a diverse community of new-start firms and provide them with support that would help them take their business ideas and ambitions to the next stage.
“That’s why today I am calling on all fledgling entrepreneurs who would benefit from the dedicated, tailored support, to get in touch.”
Among the current Incubees include the digital communications platform, Tecive, whose Director, Mael Abgrall, spoke of the benefits of the scheme, saying: “The incubator helped us reach the next stage for our start-up, greatly improved our focus and helped us take the steps to grow our business.
“Additionally this was a great opportunity to meet, work and get feedback from like-minded people.”
The deadline for applications is noon on Monday 13 June 2022.
Applications will be considered by a committee who will decide which businesses are shortlisted to give a five-minute pitch explaining their business and how the incubator will benefit them.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is warning tax credits customers to be aware of scams and fraudsters who imitate the department in an attempt to steal their personal information or money.
About 2.1 million tax credits customers are expected to renew their annual claims by 31 July 2022 and could be more susceptible to the tactics used by criminals who mimic government messages to make them appear authentic.
In the 12 months, to April 2022, HMRC responded to nearly 277,000 referrals of suspicious contact received from the public. Fraudsters use phone calls, text messages and emails to try and dupe individuals – often trying to rush them to make decisions. HMRC will not ring anyone out of the blue threatening arrest – only criminals do that.
Typical scam examples include:
· phone calls threatening arrest if people don’t immediately pay fictitious tax owed. Sometimes they claim that the victim’s National Insurance number has been used fraudulently
· emails or texts offering spurious tax rebates, bogus COVID-19 grants or claiming that a direct debit payment has failed
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “We’re urging all of our customers to be really careful if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or bank details.
“There are a lot of scams out there where fraudsters are calling, texting or emailing customers claiming to be from HMRC. If you have any doubts, we suggest you don’t reply directly, and contact us straight away. Search GOV.UK for our ‘scams checklist’ and to find out ‘how to report tax scams’.”
HMRC does not charge tax credits customers to renew their annual claims and is also urging them to be alert to misleading websites or adverts designed to make them pay for government services that should be free, often charging for a connection to HMRC phone helplines.
Renewing online is quick and easy. Customers can log into GOV.UK to check the progress of their renewal, be reassured it is being processed and know when they will hear back from HMRC. Customers choosing to use the HMRC app on their smartphone can:
If there is a change in a customer’s circumstances that could affect their tax credits claims, they must report the changes to HMRC. Circumstances that could affect tax credits payments include changes to:
· living arrangements
· childcare
· working hours, or
· income (increase or decrease)
Tax credits are ending and will be replaced by Universal Credit by the end of 2024. Many customers who move from tax credits to Universal Credit could be financially better off and can use an independent benefits calculator to check.
If customers choose to apply sooner, it is important to get independent advice beforehand as they will not be able to go back to tax credits or any other benefits that Universal Credit replaces.
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has launched an initiative with Edinburgh’s Central Taxis to equip its taxi drivers with the life-saving drug naloxone, which temporarily reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
Central Taxis is the largest taxi operator in Edinburgh, and their drivers have all been approached to carry out the necessary training and to carry naloxone in their cabs. Already, 36 drivers have signed up to complete the training.
Recognising the signs and symptoms of overdoses and the administration of naloxone can mean the difference between life and death. Naloxone is vital in reversing the life threatening effects of opioid overdose and can buy precious time while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
Taxi drivers cover large areas in the region, and serve different communities on a daily basis, and so they are often likely to encounter an overdose before an ambulance is called.
This initiative is part of a wider campaign, Stop the Deaths, launched by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Drugs Forum, which seeks to reduce stigma and raise public awareness of how to recognise and intervene when someone has a drug overdose.
Inspired by the success of Glasgow Taxi’s naloxone campaign, launched in February 2022, Julie McCartney, SAS’s Drug Harm Reduction Lead for the East Region, worked with Central Taxis to encourage a similar campaign in the Lothians.
As part of this initiative, SAS is also working with their partners Edinburgh Alcohol & Drug Partnership (EADP), Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF), and Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs (SFAD).
SDF is providing free access to online naloxone training for drivers, and the naloxone kits are being provided by SFAD, who will use their click and deliver service to distribute them to the drivers who request them.
Julie McCartney, SAS’s Drug Harm Reduction Lead for the East Region said: “The Scottish Ambulance Service Drug Harm Reduction team are delighted to be working with Edinburgh Central Taxis and our local partners, to raise public awareness of the importance of being able to identify an overdose, administer naloxone and call 999 for an ambulance.
“Public knowledge and understanding is key as we seek to address the stigma surrounding drug use and encourage a compassionate approach to those who are vulnerable and need our help. This forms part of a wider catalogue of work by the Scottish Ambulance Service to maximise every opportunity to support those who use drugs to access treatment and support direct from the scene of an emergency.”
Murray Fleming, Company Secretary, at Central Taxis said: “This is a great campaign. Our drivers are out and about 24 hours a day and are very much the eyes and the ears of the city.
“We’ve had a terrific initial response from drivers registering to complete the training, carry Naloxone and play their part in the Stop The Deaths initiative.
“We already provide a back-up service for the NHS and Ambulance service in Edinburgh and see ourselves as very much the fourth emergency service.”
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “I welcome this joint initiative by Scottish Ambulance Service and Edinburgh taxi drivers which will result in more lives being saved through the use of the emergency treatment naloxone.
“The response to the Stop The Deaths campaign by the Scottish Drugs Forum and Scottish Government earlier this year has been very encouraging and in addition to saving lives, we hope it has helped reduce the stigmatisation of people at risk of overdose and those with a problematic drug use more broadly.
“Naloxone is one of a wide range of measures being used to address the public health emergency of drugs deaths, but it plays an important role and I hope people will continue to visit the “Stop The Deaths” website to find out more.”
David Williams, Joint Commissioning Officer from the Edinburgh Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, said: “For someone experiencing a drug overdose, Naloxone can be life-saving. Its ability to temporarily reverse the effects of opioid drugs such as heroin, buprenorphine, and methadone gives a crucial window of time to call an ambulance and get someone the critical medical support needed.
“The Edinburgh Alcohol and Drugs Partnership is therefore delighted to be supporting this initiative with Edinburgh Central Taxis. The more people who carry Naloxone kits in Scotland – and have the right training and awareness to administer it – the more drug related deaths can be prevented.
“We’re grateful to all those in Edinburgh’s taxi community who go on to sign up to this initiative and carry these life-saving kits.
Following 26 wonderful seasons, speedway racing will cease at Armadale Stadium at the end of the 2022 season.
The West Lothian venue, which has hosted the most successful era of the Monarchs, will close later this year as notice has been formally served that the Club must vacate the stadium.
The current stadium owners are ending their tenure as landlords and intend to sell the site this year. They have been supportive landlords and the Club is understanding of their change of circumstances.
Armadale Stadium may not have been the plushest of homes for the Monarchs but the Club has enjoyed much success and many terrific times both on and off track at the stadium.
Chairman Alex Harkess said: “Armadale Stadium has been a happy place for the Club over what has been very many years. We are thankful to have had it as our home and will be sad to see it go, but we must now look to the future and that is exciting. There is life beyond Armadale Stadium for the Monarchs.
“For the remainder of this season, the team has a job to do. It is still early days and a place in the Play Offs is very achievable. With the continued excellent support of our fans, we can get there.”
Officials at the Club have spent much of the Armadale era attempting to bring the Monarchs closer to Edinburgh, with numerous avenues having been explored. However, with a definitive end date to the Armadale era now set, the Club are working hard to secure the future of the Monarchs in a new venue.
West Lothian Council has expressed their support for retaining the Monarchs in the area and discussions are ongoing.
Monarchs’ positive influence in the community has grown significantly in recent years with the launch of Monarchs Speedway Academy creating opportunities for local youngsters, Monarchs Community Initiative offering a free speedway experience for local community groups, alongside Monarchs ongoing support of Armadale Children’s Gala Day.
Monarchs Co-Promoter John Campbell continued: “For many years there has been a threat to the existence of Armadale Stadium. Throughout that time we have been developing plans and casting a wide search over the local area for a new stadium.
“This will be a significant challenge but as a Club, with our wonderful supporters, we are known to rise to challenges again, and again, and succeed. That is what we will do here.
“We are working hard at it and will continue to work even harder still.
“The two critical ingredients for our new stadium are finding the right site and securing the necessary finance. We are putting out a call to anyone who can assist us in these areas to please come forward and contact the Club.”
If you are able to assist the Club in its bid to move to a new stadium, or can support the move financially, please email: future@edinburghmonarchs.co.ukwith details of how you can help.
The Monarchs Fans Trust and Monarchs Grand Draw continue to play a vital role in ensuring the continuation of the Monarchs presently and into the future.
The steadfast support of these initiatives by Monarchs fans will be crucial in delivering a bright future for the Club.
The Club will keep supporters informed of all updates regarding the future where possible over the coming weeks and months.
PM hails £10 billion Qatari ‘vote of confidence’ in the UK
The PM hosted the Amir of Qatar yesterday to develop our historic partnership and agree new joint work on trade, energy and defence
Strategic Investment Partnership will see Qatar invest up to £10 billion in key industries across the UK, creating jobs and growth
UK and Qatar agreed to work together improve the stability of energy supply chains and support security at the 2022 World Cup
It was all smiles when The Prime Minister welcomed the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, to Downing Street yesterday for discussions on driving economic growth and addressing global challenges together.
The meeting was surely a welcome distraction from the latest Partygate revelations and the imminent publication of the Sue Gray report into Downing Street lockdown parties, which is expected to be extremely critical of Boris Johnson’s conduct.
The UK and Qatar signed a new Strategic Investment Partnership (SIP) which will see Qatar invest up to £10 billion over the next five years in key sectors of the UK economy, including fintech, zero emissions vehicles, life sciences and cyber security. The investment is expected to create high-quality jobs in new industries across the country.
The Prime Minister and the Amir also had a wide-ranging discussion on geopolitical issues. They were united in their condemnation of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and discussed issues of regional security, including relations with Iran.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Today’s announcement of up to £10bn in new investment from our Qatari friends is another vote of confidence in the UK’s brilliant businesses and cutting-edge industry.
“The new UK-Qatar Strategic Investment Partnership will create quality job opportunities across the country in key sectors, delivering on our vision of economic growth through trade and investment.
“Qatar is a valued partner for the UK, supported by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad’s leadership. We had a rich discussion on the issues that matter to both of our countries, including boosting the economy, ensuring regional stability and improving energy security following Russia’s appalling invasion of Ukraine.”
UK-Qatar trade was worth £4.8 billion last year and Qatari investment in the UK economy is already estimated to be worth over £40 billion, supporting jobs and growth across the country.
Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone said: “It is excellent news that Qatar is targeting up to £10 billion investment into the UK through our new Strategic Investment Partnership.
“Not only will it boost local economies and support jobs, but it supports our green economy and decarbonisation – crucial in meeting our Net Zero targets. It also strengthens our relationship with Qatar ahead of our UK-Gulf Cooperation Council trade negotiations.”
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng also signed an MoU on energy cooperation with Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs at Downing Street. Qatar is a major energy supplier for the UK, providing 40% of our liquefied natural gas – the new MoU commits us to work together to boost innovation and collaboration, supporting the security of global energy supplies.
UK Secretary of State for Business and Energy, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: “I am delighted to further the UK’s energy cooperation with the State of Qatar as we work to stabilise international energy markets and boost energy security in the context of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“Qatar is already a valued trading partner, recently investing in the future of British low-carbon nuclear technology through the Rolls Royce consortium developing small modular reactors. Today’s meeting will deepen our relationship even further, reinforcing the UK’s energy security and delivering cleaner and affordable energy in the years ahead.”
The Prime Minister and Amir discussed the upcoming 2022 Qatar World Cup this winter, and the UK committed significant new military and counter-terrorism support for the safe running of the event.
A joint UK-Qatar Typhoon Squadron will provide additional air security, and the Ministry of Defence with advanced venue search training and operational planning support.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that the UK will ensure Qatari nationals can access the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation system from early 2023, facilitating easier travel for business visitors and tourists.
