For the first time, 10 UK charities are uniting to respond against the impact that COVID-19 is having on the charity sector by staging The Massive Get Together – an online charity event comprising of celebrity entertainment, performance, prize draws and lots of laughs, in a bid to raise £500,000!
This special collaborative, relaxed, and fun variety event, the brainchild of one of the UK’s leading charities Volunteering Matters, will be hosted live from London by TV and radio presenters Gaby Roslin and Amanda Byram.
Streaming live and online on Thursday 17th September at 20:00 to an anticipated audience of more than 20,000, these 10 incredible charities are inviting us to ‘take the night off’ and relax with them to enjoy their fun online event which promises to have ‘something for everyone’ – including no 1 hits, comedy, and surprise special guest appearances.
UK charities are facing over £12bn1 loss in income due to the COVID-19 restrictions as critical funding and crucial fundraising events ceased overnight. This means that the UK voluntary sector is expected to face a colossal funding shortfall by the end of the year.
Chief Executive of Volunteering Matters and Founder of the Massive Get Together Paul Reddish said: “This year the nations’ charities have been critical to so many. They’ve been at the heart of much of the COVID-19 response – from delivering food to supporting those most isolated in every community throughout the UK.
“Their staff and volunteers continue to provide these vital services, such as end of life care and key support for the vulnerable, despite of the ongoing conditions created by this pandemic.”
Charities have seen demand rise, and the sector is expecting to see over £12bn loss over the course of 2020. One in 10 charities2 are at risk of closure if things continue as they are. Charities and organisations that do manage to survive will face major constrictions and capabilities to operate the way they once did. Even with the gentle easing of restrictions, large scale fundraising events will not be able to function for many months to come.”
The unique aspect of this campaign is the cooperation and unity of all 10 charities who have seamlessly united together for a common goal of responding to the ongoing challenges and impact COVID-19 is having on their sector.
In the face of coronavirus, charities are #NeverMoreNeeded for the essential support they provide in crisis and beyond, and how they shape our society for the better.
Paul continued: “We thought if leading members of the charity sector could come together and join forces, then collectively we could unite and help each other respond on mass to the impact of COVID-19. That’s the thinking behind the Massive Get Together – When charities unite, to entertain us all.”
The Massive Get Together will provide an evening of entertainment and variety, surprise and intrigue, whilst fundamentally facilitating valuable fundraising for the 10 amazing charities involved – Marie Curie, The Children’s Trust, FareShare, St John Ambulance, Royal Voluntary Service, Love Your Neighbour, Crisis , The Conservation Volunteers, Thames Hospice and Volunteering Matters.
For just £10 audiences will be supporting all 10 incredible UK charities, making a positive difference within action against homelessness and hunger, protecting the vulnerable, connecting communities, supporting end of life care and volunteer provision, as well as helping emergency and crisis response services.
Tickets for The Massive Get Together go live today – people can access the event by donating just £10 to help 10 charities at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-massive-get-together.
The Massive Get Together online event will be hosted live from London by TV & radio broadcasters Gaby Roslin and Amanda Byram.
Gaby Roslin said “The Massive Get Together is a really unique online event, with charities coming together to put on a fabulous variety show. The past few months have been challenging for everyone, and this evening will offer entertainment that people can enjoy from the comfort of their own home, whilst raising much-needed money for 10 vital charities.
“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to present The Massive Get Together with Amanda, and do my bit to help these charities, who have all been affected by the impact of COVID-19.”
Amanda Byram said “We find ourselves living in extraordinary times and I think it’s incredible that charities are coming together in this way to support each other. It is such a feel-good event and I am so honoured to be a part of it and also over the moon to be working with the wonderful Gaby for this very special online evening.”
Undeterred by lockdown, the Edinburgh Kiltwalk is happening in virtual form this year, and still inviting people to raise funds for their favourite charity, money that will be topped up by a further 50 percent from Sir Tom Hunter’s Foundation.
Clearly, tartan-clad hordes can’t descend on the streets of the capital as in previous years. Instead, this September the Virtual Kiltwalk can be completed in your local area, keeping within social distancing guidelines. Over the weekend September 11-13th you simply don some tartan, go for a walk of any length, and raise funds for your chosen cause.
But if walking isn’t your thing the organisers invite you to create your own Kiltwalk challenge. You can skip a mile in tartan, do a kilted ‘trampoline-a-thon’, or even an all-day Highland fling!
Annette West is both walking and talking the walk. She will be raising much needed funds for sight loss charity RNIB Scotland, which is based in Edinburgh.
“I have experienced sight loss for over 30 years but have always been helped and supported by RNIB Scotland,” says Annette (60). “Since having two successful eye operations to restore my sight four years ago my life has changed again. I now feel that I want to give back something to RNIB Scotland by taking part in the Virtual Kiltwalk.”
Annette aims to walk the Water of Leith on Sunday, September 13th, starting from Cannon Mills and finishing at Colinton, a distance of six miles.
“People can either join me at the start and do the whole walk to the finish, or join me anywhere along the route,” she says. “I was inspired by listening to Kings Church Sunday service on YouTube and they talked about walking along the Water of Leith. It was a light-bulb moment as I live in Leith and can invite a few of my friends to join me along different sections and make my way back home.
“The Water of Leith is beautiful and local so, taking into account social distancing and restrictions which may still be in place, I can do a mini walk.
“I decided to do the Virtual Kiltwalk after a conversation with a friend, Irene, who I have known and have worked with for many years but who is terminally ill with cancer. She suggested to me that I could get a piece of paper and write whatever came into my head relating to why I might want to do the virtual Kiltwalk.
“So I thought, firstly, this is my way of saying thank you to the RNIB Scotland for all the years that they have helped me on my sight loss journey. I want to help other people with sight loss by sharing my story, knowledge and experience. I want to help them feel confident about themselves in order to live happy, meaningful and purposeful daily lives.
“I also believe that staying mentally healthy is essential. During this period of lockdown we all have to take responsibility for our own mental state and this has given me something to focus on. I feel that a healthy mind and body go hand in hand. During lockdown, I have found it very difficult to take exercise and stay motivated. But since hearing about the Virtual Kiltwalk, I have become re-energised and it has rekindled my passion for walking.
“And as a radio presenter with the Heart Song Live station, I can appreciate the value of sharing my story and hope that it can help to inspire, encourage and help others to fully live their lives.”
TV electrician helps to share SP Energy Networks’ electrifying safety advice
Popular TV electrician Billy Byrne is helping people in Edinburgh stay safe with a series of videos sharing his top tips for people turning to DIY at home and in the garden.
The 65-year-old, famous for his role on BBC television show DIY SOS, is working with SP Energy Networks to promote good practice when it comes to working near electricity.
The number of safety incidents involving electricity around homes and gardens has risen steeply since last year, with more people digging out the toolbox or paintbrush during lockdown.
Figures from SP Energy Networks show a surge in DIY garden projects led to a 24% increase in reported incidents across the UK – rising from 126 incidents from January to June 2019 to 161 incidents in the same period this year. This spike in domestic incidents involved activities such as digging up trees, cutting high hedges, hammering in fences and painting over electricity service positions.
Billy, who has witnessed his fair share of electrical disasters over the years, has worked with SP Energy Networks to develop straight talking advice to ensure people stay safe while working in the garden, in the home and near overhead power lines, which people can often forget about when they take on DIY.
Billy, who has starred on DIY SOS since 1999, said:“Most of us have spent more time at home over the last six months than we have in the last six years. For me, it was a chance to tackle the odd jobs I’ve been putting off. But before you get cracking, you need to stop and think about the risks.
“The guys at SP Energy Networks really are a go-to source for easy to understand advice that anyone thinking of undertaking DIY should check out before they get started. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Billy’s top tips are:
Electricity cables and power lines should always be treated as live. Check for overhead power lines when working with ladders, scaffold or when pruning and cutting trees in your garden.
Shut off the power. If you’re doing any work near electrical wiring or power supplies, where possible, shut off the power in your fuse box and use battery powered tools.
Use a cable detector to locate cables in your walls. A common DIY mistake is accidentally drilling, nailing or screwing things into cables hidden inside your walls.
Don’t assume that overhead lines on wooden poles are telephone wires – look for the “Danger of Death” sign as this tells you it’s an electricity pole. Touching anything with power lines can be deadly so remember you don’t have to make direct contact with an overhead line to receive a shock as electricity can jump gaps.
Underground cables don’t run in straight lines, they can change direction and depth. If your electricity is supplied by an underground cable and you’re planning digging work in your garden, please proceed with caution. If you are planning deep excavations, network plans are available from SP Energy Networks by calling 0141 614 0085.
In an emergency, dial 999 and let the emergency services know your location and that live electricity is involved. This can save lives.
SP Energy Networks’ safety campaign is designed to get people thinking about the dangers of electricity before attempting DIY.
Guy Jefferson, Customer Service Director at SP Energy Networks, said: “Since the start of the year, there has been a sharp rise in safety incidents as people do more DIY around their homes and gardens where there are lots of hidden electrical hazards.
“It’s important to consider these risks and make sure you follow the advice Billy outlines in the videos to ensure you can carry out projects as safely as possible. We want to help people plan ahead so we’ve put together some top tips to avoid some of the mishaps Billy has witnessed over the years.”
SP Energy Networks provides free safety advice on its website for those who are planning to do work near powerlines and underground cables.
Edinburgh’s City Art Centre is to re-open its doors to the public on Saturday 12th September 2020 with a full range of new safety measures in place to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.
The gallery reopens with two new exhibitions, City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s Art Collection marking the City Art Centre’s 40th anniversary and Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s.
Having first opened its doors on 15th August 1980, heralded as combining; ‘Scotland’s largest air-conditioned fine art exhibition space, with specialist environmental and security facilities … a must for the display of world masterpieces’ – the City Art Centre celebrated its 40th anniversary last month (15th August).
As the gallery doors reopen and to mark the anniversary, the City Art Centre is mounting a special ‘highlights’ exhibition, City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s art collection from the City’s collection of Scottish art.
Widely recognized as being one of the finest in the country, the City’s collection numbers over 5,000 artworks ranging from some of the earliest views of Edinburgh to works by many of Scotland’s leading contemporary artists. Visitors will be able to see artworks by major historical figures such as Allan Ramsay, the pioneer photographers Hill and Adamson, and the Scottish Colourists, as well as contemporaries such as John Byrne, Alison Watt and Adrian Wiszniewski.
Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s a new exhibition exploring the work of Scottish artists during the 1920s – an evocative period of social, political and economic change also opens on the 12th September as visitors are welcomed back to the gallery as it reopens.
The forthcoming exhibitions mark the public re-opening of the venue on 12th September. In keeping with Government advice in order to protect and maintain the safety of our visitors and staff, the City Art Centre has introduced a range of new safety measures and procedures throughout the venue, including a one way system, installation of screens at reception, hand sanitiser stations, extra barriers and signage and staff will of course be wearing masks while offering visitors a very warm, socially distanced welcome.
Visitors are asked wear face coverings and to pre-book free tickets for allocated time slots in advance via edinburghmuseums.org.uk
City Art Centre at 40
Over the past 40 years the City Art Centre has housed over 500 exhibitions, shown priceless treasures from across the world to priceless paintings made by Edinburgh children and welcomed 100,000’s of visitors through its doors and is now a well-established, respected and cherished Scottish cultural resource.
Other activities marking the 40th anniversary in the coming weeks include; The City Art Centre is 40!, a curated a digital exhibition of much-loved and favourite paintings chosen by past members of staff, artists and people closely involved with the City Art Centre over the years presented via Art UK’s ‘Curations’ series.
Tessa Asquith-Lamb, one our best-loved local artists, has created two special videos with the City Art Centre’s Public Programmes section to celebrate the milestone, featuring the artist’s favourite painting, ‘Tristan and Isolde’ by John Duncan. Asquith-Lamb tells us why Tristan and Isolde is so special, and demonstrates a special art activity everyone can do at home while we are not able to visit the gallery in person.
Having moved from its original home at The Royal High School on Regent Road to make way for the intended Scottish Assembly following Scottish Devolution, the City Art Centre found a new home in a purposefully refurbished five storey warehouse dating back to 1899 on Market Street, which was designed as an extension to The Scotsman building on North Bridge, having once housed the city’s fruit markets.
The building was selected not only because of its architectural significance but also for its wrought iron framed structure which made it suitable to carrying the heavy floor loads required to house large volumes of visitors.
As part of the significant renovation project, the building’s original stonework and metal frame windows were preserved, while the interior was repurposed to create four new gallery spaces, artist studios and a licenced café, designed to reflect the building’s late Victorian origins alongside minimal natural décor, complimented by a state of the art lighting system to protect the delicate works on show.
The City Art Centre was designed to be ‘more than just a gallery’, providing studio and meeting spaces for artists, ‘craftsmen’ and for the people of Edinburgh.
The City Art Centre first opened its doors on 15th August 1980 with two major exhibitions as part of the Edinburgh International Festival – The Legacy presenting historic and contemporary Canadian/Indian art from the Provincial Museum in British Columbia and an exhibition by the Prescote Gallery near Oxford, showing outstanding examples of British Craft.
Robert Blomfield: Edinburgh Street Photography An Unseen Archive Pictured Robert Blomfield, Girl on a Swing,Edinburgh, Black and White Photograph,1966.
Since that day, the City Art Centre has housed many hundreds of exhibitions and has continued to work with the city’s festivals; including The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, International Festival, Edinburgh Art Festival, The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and Edinburgh Science Festival.
From blockbuster exhibitions in the 1980’s and 1990’s which many residents in the city will remember, including The Emperor’s Warriors (1985), Thunderbirds are Go! (1986), Gold of the Pharaohs (1988), Dinosaurs Alive! (1990) and Star Trek: The Exhibition (1995), to hugely significant international art shows including; Abstract Expressionist Paintings from MOMA New York (1981), Michelangelo Drawings (1994) and Alphonse Mucha (2000) as well as a huge array of solo shows from Scottish artists and craft makers, such as James Cowie (1981), Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1987), Peter Howson (2007) and Victoria Crowe (2019).
From 1985 onwards, the City Art Centre’s programming expanded to reflect many new threads and artistic disciplines, ranging from photography; Cecil Beaton (2004) Ansel Adams; Snowdon; Albert Watson (2006) and Coming into Fashion (2013) alongside major survey and group shows championing Scottish art and craft; Hand, Heart and Soul (2007), Window to the West: The Rediscovery of Highland Art (2011) and A-Z: An alphabetical Tour of Scottish Art (2014).
As the City Art Centre’s exhibition programme and audiences grew, remaining rooted in the city and its people was key, with exhibitions and works often reflecting Edinburgh’s history as well as local and global social issues such as; Anne Frank in the World (1987), Chernobyl – The Legacy (1993), Rainbow City (2006), Leith – The Turning Tide (1987), Edinburgh Re-discovered: Thomas Begbie (1990) and Robert Blomfield (2018).
The City Art Centre’s now well-established reputation as a key cultural Scottish institution is evidenced in its 40-year exhibitions history and audience loyalty. As well as an ambitious and ever-changing exhibitions programme, an additional vital aspect of the City Art Centre is its role in housing the City’s Collection of Scottish Art – one of the finest in Scotland.
The collection, which supported through donations, bequests and gifts as well as purchases, features works from many of ‘The Glasgow Boys’ as well as the Scottish Colourists – John Duncan Fergusson, Samuel Peploe, Francis Cadell and Leslie Hunter.
Some of the best-known artists of the Edinburgh School, including William Gillies, John Maxwell and Anne Redpath, all have several works in the collection, and featured post-war artists include Alan Davie, Eduardo Paolozzi, Elizabeth Blackadder and John Bellany. The contemporary collection includes artists such as Christine Borland, Callum Innes, Rosalind Nashashibi and Toby Paterson.
When the City Art Centre reopens and looks forward to the next 40 years, the continued focus will be to champion historic and contemporary Scottish visual art and craft.
The City’s art collection continues to grow, and going forward the curatorial team will actively seek to diversify the collection in the coming years to better reflect the range of artists and work being produced in Scotland today. Visitors will be able to see the fruit of this with a new exhibition of recent acquisitions next year.
David Patterson, Curatorial and Conservation Manager, City Art Centre said;“Since we opened in 1980, staff at the gallery have worked with artists who live in some of the most densely populated cities on the planet as well as others who live in some of the remotest places on earth.
“We’ve tackled global tragedies and local issues, and shown paintings, drawings, watercolours, sculpture, tapestry, photography, silver, glass, interior design, film and installations among many other media. We’ve displayed works made from ice, oil, wood, metal, matchsticks, coat hangers, parachute fabric, nylon, gold, even old welly boots!
“We are thrilled to be reopening on the 12th September, and fittingly with two exhibitions drawn from our Scottish art collection. In the months and years to come, we’ll continue to shine the spotlight on Scottish artists of the past who have been overlooked in the story of Scottish art as well as curate major displays by some of the country’s leading artists past and present.
“The topography and people of Edinburgh will remain a consistent strand in our programming, as will the display of the finest contemporary and historic applied art and craft. We’ll continue to work with our partners Edinburgh Science Festival to bring some of the best Science and Art to a family audience, and our wonderful collection will continue to be shown throughout the year in a series of temporary exhibitions.”
Herbert Coutts, City Art Centre Curator (1971-1999) said:“Having been in at the birth of the City Art Centre, I am immensely proud of the myriad exhibitions it has sourced from all parts of the globe, and from its own important fine art collection.
“This remarkable achievement has been due to the creativity, commitment and hard work of its staff, past and present, which I hope will continue long into the future.”
**Pics free to use**
Pictured Curator Dr Helen Scott
New exhibition places Edinburgh-born female artist back in the spotlight over 150 years after her birth
Mary Cameron: Life in Paint
Saturday 2 November 2019 – Sunday 15 March 2020
City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
Free admission
Images available to download here
Opening this Saturday (2nd November) Edinburgh’s City Art Centre brings the Edinburgh-born artist Mary Cameron (1865-1921) back into the spotlight, displaying over forty rarely-seen artworks from public and private collections.
Mary Cameron: Life in Paint explores the life and career of a woman who was truly ahead of her time, charting her creative journey from elegant family portraits to breath-taking Spanish scenes.
Born in Portobello, Edinburgh, Cameron began her artistic career as a portraitist and genre painter in her native city, before venturing abroad to study in Paris. Foreign travel proved to be a life-long source of inspiration. In 1900 she visited Madrid for the first time, where she became captivated by the Spanish culture, people and scenery. Establishing studios in Madrid and Seville, she painted large-scale compositions of traditional peasant life, dramatic bullfights and rural landscapes.
A thoroughly modern and adventurous woman, Cameron exhibited widely during her lifetime, with her talents being admired by contemporaries such as John Lavery and Alexander Roche. However, like so many female artists of her generation, her name is little-known today. This exhibition aims to change that, with examples of her impressive work complemented by historic photographs and archival material.
The display is the first dedicated exhibition of Cameron’s paintings since her death in 1921. It is accompanied by the forthcoming illustrated catalogue Mary Cameron: Life in Paint, written by Helen E. Scott and published by Sansom & Co.
Councillor Donald Wilson, Edinburgh’s Convener of Culture and Communities said: “I’m delighted that the City Art Centre is able to showcase this fantastic exhibition of the rarely seen works of Mary Cameron. It’s incredible to think this is the first exhibition dedicated to her since her passing in 1921. Life in Paint will take visitors through her creative journey from starting out in Portobello to international travel. Not only will it be an opportunity to celebrate her work, it is also a chance for people to learn about the artist herself and the important role she played in Scottish artworld history and the positive strides she made for women.”
Curator Dr Helen Scott said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to showcase a female Scottish artist whose work will be new to most people. During Mary Cameron’s lifetime she was fairly well-known. She won prizes for her work, staged prestigious solo exhibitions in Edinburgh, London and Paris, and was well-respected by other artists, including prominent members of the Glasgow Boys. Today, however, her name is scarcely recognised, let alone celebrated.
Most of Cameron’s surviving paintings are held in private collections, so there have been very few chances for audiences to view them since her death in 1921. In fact, many of the artworks that feature in the exhibition have not been seen in public for over a century – so it should be a real eye-opener.
As a female painter practicing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Cameron faced many obstacles in pursuing her ambition to become a professional artist. Women of her generation had far fewer training opportunities than their male peers, and they often encountered discrimination when exhibiting, selling and promoting their art. They had to work doubly hard to succeed as artists and gain recognition. Even when they managed to establish themselves, their posthumous legacies were often eclipsed by the reputations of their more famous male counterparts. Over the years, many of these women have slipped into obscurity and been virtually forgotten.
Now, however, the situation is beginning to change, with increasing numbers of historic female artists being brought to public attention. And there’s a very real, growing appetite among audiences to find out more about these pioneering women. Mary Cameron was one of those who helped to lay the foundations for greater gender equality in the Scottish art world, and I think it’s so important that we celebrate her contribution.”
ENDS
For more information, image and interview requests please contact Kate Bouchier-Hayes – kate@thecornershoppr.com / 07825 335 489
Images can be downloaded here
Venue Details:
Address: City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
Telephone: 0131 529 3993
Website: edinburghmuseums.org.uk
Twitter: @EdinCulture
Facebook: Facebook.com/City.Art.Centre.CAC
Instagram: instagram.com/museumsgalleriesedinburgh
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 10am – 5pm
NOTES TO EDITORS
City Art Centre
The City Art Centre is one of Edinburgh’s main public art galleries. It is owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council. It is home to the City’s collection of historic and contemporary Scottish art, one of the best in the country. The gallery hosts a vibrant programme of exhibitions from its collection and by contemporary local, national and international artists and makers.
Ian O’Riordan, City Art Centre Curator (1984-2015) said;“I can’t be dispassionate about the City Art Centre. I started working there on Monday 5th November 1984, my 31st birthday, and stayed for 30 years!
“We put on the most fantastic exhibitions and built up the most brilliant collection of Scottish art. In retrospect, it all feels truly amazing – what we managed to do and how hard we all worked. People came and loved it and kept coming back. It remains a fabulous place, still with loads of potential. In these challenging times, Edinburgh is truly lucky to have it. Here’s to the next 40 years!”
Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener said: “Over the last 40 years our City Art Centre has hosted more than 500 exhibitions, housed works from across the globe and welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors.
“As we celebrate this milestone it’s a great opportunity to look back at our favourites over the years as well as look ahead to reopening our doors on September 12th.
“Our collection of Scottish art is one of the finest in the country and this special ‘highlights’ exhibition is a fantastic way to celebrate the past 40 years as well as welcome our community back. We wanted to mark this significant anniversary of a very special place and celebrate the city’s artistic collections in a safe way when we open our doors and gather together again.
“When it opened in 1980 the City Art Centre was designed to be more than a gallery, providing studio and meeting spaces for artists, craftspeople and art lovers. I’m very much looking forward to the exhibition and to welcoming visitors back when we reopen next week.”
City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s art collection runs from 12th September – 18th October 2020.
Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s runs from 12th September – 6th June 2021.
More than £1.2m in funding has been awarded to local authorities in the south east of Scotland for emergency measures to prioritise public transport.
Transport Scotland has allocated the funding from its £10m Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund, which will support temporary changes to improve bus journey times and reliability on some of the region’s most congested routes.
A package of interventions has been developed by the South East Scotland Transport Transition Group, which involves Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian, Fife, Scottish Borders, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire councils.
These aim to encourage and incentivise bus travel as an attractive, sustainable mode of transport as lockdown restrictions are lifted and traffic begins to return to previous levels.
Amongst proposals are the introduction or extension of bus lanes including on the A90 citybound between Cramond Brig and Barnton and on the A89 eastbound approach to Newbridge, various signalling improvements for smoother flow of traffic and enhanced bus stops at key locations.
Led by the City of Edinburgh Council, the South East Scotland Transport Transition Group has worked with bus operators and SEStran to develop the measures, which it is estimated could reduce journey times by up to 12 minutes in some areas.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “This funding award is extremely welcome and demonstrates the value of months of close partnership working between neighbouring local authorities, bus operators and SEStran.
“The way we travel has significantly changed over recent months and it’s clear commuting patterns won’t be returning to ‘normal’ anytime soon. This funding allows us to quickly prioritise public transport into and around the region, improving bus journey times and making bus travel a reliable, attractive mode of transport as restrictions are eased.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said: “I’m pleased that passengers across the south east of Scotland will soon experience the benefits of these temporary bus priority infrastructure measures. These measures will remove pinch points and keep buses moving, resulting in faster end to end journeys.
“We know that in some cases, bus passengers have fewer alternative travel options, and so it’s right that buses are prioritised to help improve journey times and reliability across congested routes.
“While these measures will help make bus journey times faster on pinch points and undoubtedly makes bus travel more attractive, let’s continue to leave public transport for those that need it most.
“Walk, wheel or cycle where possible and use temporary active travel infrastructure which helps with physical distancing. Plan ahead if using public transport to help manage demand.
“By thinking about how and when we travel – collectively, we can keep Scotland moving during the COVID-19 crisis.”
Changes will be implemented using Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders and engagement with local stakeholders will be carried out before any proposals are put in place.
Detailed designs and additional traffic modelling work are ongoing, with further information on the next steps for each of the schemes to be made available in the coming weeks.
The Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund was announced by Transport Scotland in July and aims to provide immediate relief to some of the most congested bus routes in line with the Scottish Government’s route map through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full list of proposed measures:
Citybound A90 bus lane from Cramond Brig to Barnton
Extension of westbound bus lane on Hillhouse Road towards Blackhall
Optimisation of Blackhall bus priority scheme
Temporary bus lane on A89 eastbound approach to Newbridge
Temporary bus lane on A8 westbound approach to Newbridge from airport on-slip
Short temporary bus lane on citybound approach to Maybury
Temporarily lengthen bus stop at Drum Brae Roundabout and increase waiting bays
Full/part signalisation of Riccarton Mains Road roundabout at Hermiston to aid bus access and egress from Park & Ride
Temporary kerb build out in bus stops e.g. North Bridge and South Bridge, Bathgate and in Uphall and Broxburn
Use layby areas as passenger waiting areas and temporary kerbs in Mid Calder on Bank Street
Extended bus lane operating hours on A71 heading towards Hermiston Park & Ride site
A70 westbound bus lane on approach to Gillespie Crossroads
Introduction of temporary traffic signals at Melville Dykes Rd/B704 Hillhead junction (Lasswade) give more priority to A7 and A6106 approaches
Gilmerton crossroads – parking restrictions on approaches to junction
Changed signal timings and yellow box markings at Straiton junction to aid entry of traffic to the junction from B702 Loanhead Road
Introduction of continuous bus lane on A701 southbound approach to Kaimes Crossroads
Introduction of bus lane on Captain’s Road westbound approach to Kaimes Crossroads
Extension of northbound bus lane on Duddingston Park (A6106) northbound approach to Milton Road (A1)
Bus lane on Linkfield Road between racecourse and Musselburgh High Street
Parking/waiting restrictions on Prestonpans and/or Tranent High Streets to ease congestion and reduce delays to buses
Split bus stop outside Musselburgh Police Station into two stops.
Amazon to Create 10,000 New Permanent Jobs Across the UK in 2020
Amazon today announced that 10,000 new permanent roles are being created across the UK in 2020, taking the company’s total permanent UK workforce to more than 40,000.
Amazon has already added 3,000 new permanent roles to its workforce across its UK network of fulfilment centres, sort centres and delivery stations – including at a new hi-tech fulfilment centre in the North East of England which opened in May.
The company will add a further 7,000 new permanent roles by the end of 2020 across more than 50 sites, including Corporate offices and two new fulfilment centres launching in the autumn in the North East and in the Midlands.
The new roles, including engineers, graduates, HR and IT professionals, health and safety and finance specialists, as well as the teams who will pick, pack and ship customer orders, will help Amazon meet growing customer demand and enable small and medium sized enterprises selling on Amazon to scale their businesses.
Amazon has already offered temporary roles to thousands of people whose job was impacted at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of whom will now be able to transition into a permanent role with the potential for a career within Amazon.
In addition, Amazon is creating more than 20,000 seasonal positions across the UK ahead of the festive period at its sites across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and at three pop-up fulfilment centres.
At the centre of the job creation programme are three new, state-of-the-art fulfilment centres in Darlington, Durham and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, each fitted out with advanced Amazon Robotics technology and each creating more than 1,000 new permanent roles. Construction of these new fulfilment centres began last year. Darlington started operations in May and the sites in Durham and Sutton-in-Ashfield will launch later this autumn.
In addition, Amazon has recruited more than 700 apprentices during 2020, helping young people begin their careers in fields ranging from automation engineering and IT to digital marketing and fashion buyers, with pay of up to £30,000 a year for degree-level apprenticeships. A typical apprenticeship combines theoretical learning with hands-on training, enabling participants to obtain qualifications and degrees and earn money in the process.
Amazon provides some of the most advanced workplaces of their kind in the world, with industry-leading pay, processes and systems to ensure the wellbeing and safety of all employees.
Pay starts at a minimum of £10.50 p/h in the London area and £9.50 p/h in other parts of the UK for all full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal roles in Amazon’s fulfilment centres, sort centres and delivery stations.
Employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, subsidised meals and an employee discount – which combined are worth more than £700 annually – as well as a company pension plan.
Amazon also offers employees an innovative programme called Career Choice that provides funding for skills development through nationally recognised courses of up to £8,000 over four years.
Business Secretary, Alok Sharma said: “While this has been a challenging time for many businesses, it is hugely encouraging to see Amazon creating 10,000 jobs in the UK this year.
“This is not only great news for those looking for a new job, but also a clear vote of confidence in the UK economy as we build back better from the pandemic. The government remains deeply committed to supporting retailers of all sizes and we continue to work closely with the industry as we embark on the road to economic recovery.”
Stefano Perego, Amazon’s Vice President of European Customer Fulfilment, said: “We’re proud to be creating 10,000 new permanent roles across our UK network of fulfilment centres, sort centres and delivery stations offering competitive wages and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.
“Our people have played a critical role in serving customers in these unprecedented times and the new roles will help us continue to meet customer demand and support small and medium sized businesses selling on Amazon.
“The new state-of-the-art robotics fulfilment centres in the North East and the Midlands, as well as the thousands of additional roles at sites across the country, underline our commitment to the people and communities in which we operate. We are employing thousands of talented individuals in a diverse range of good jobs from operations managers and tech professionals through to people to handle customer orders.”
He added: “We prepare year-round for the festive season and we’re also excited to have over 20,000 seasonal positions available this year to help delight our customers. We look forward to welcoming back seasonal workers who return year-after-year to work at Amazon and welcome new faces to the seasonal team.”
Amazon’s workforce will increase from more than 30,000 people in the UK at the beginning of the year to more than 40,000 people by the end of 2020. Amazon has invested over £18 billion in its UK operations since 2010 to provide convenience, selection and value to UK consumers, while helping to digitally empower more than 373,000 small businesses and content creators.
People interested in applying for both permanent and seasonal roles at Amazon should visit www.amazonjobs.co.uk
Detectives are appealing for information and witnesses following a serious assault which took place in Lothian Road onTuesday.
The incident happened outside the Salvation Army shop at around 7.55pm on Tuesday, 1 September.
The victim, a 52-year-old man, was attacked by another man who then ran south along Earl Grey Street in the company of a woman.
The victim was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment.
Detective Sergeant John Dunn, from Edinburgh CID, said: “We understand that there may have been several people nearby who witnessed the assault take place and are appealing for them to come forward.
“At least one of these people helped treat the victim prior to the ambulance’s arrival.
“Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident 3304 of 1 September. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
New measures to help with housing costs during the pandemic
Emergency legislation extended to ensure no evictions until March 2021
.
A new £10 million fund will be part of a package to support people struggling to pay their rent due to financial difficulty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund will open later in the Autumn and offer interest-free loans to those unable to access other forms of support for their housing costs.
The Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) fund which helps tenants in receipt of benefits will increase by £3 million, bringing the total to £19 million. This is in addition to the £60 million DHP budget already being used to fully mitigate the bedroom tax.
Emergency legislation put in place to protect private and social tenants from eviction during the coronavirus pandemic will be extended by six months, pending approval from the Scottish Parliament.
Ministers will also introduce new regulations to allow for the notice period for eviction for anti-social or criminal behaviour to return to one month to protect other neighbours.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Tackling inequality and supporting people is a central theme of this year’s Programme for Government and this package of support for tenants is part of that.
“We already know that the pandemic has hit the lowest earners hardest and the Scottish Government has already put in place a range of actions in place to support tenants.
“This new £10 million fund, along with a further increase in our Discretionary Housing Payment funds, will mean that no one should be left in a position where they cannot access support to pay their rent. The intention is that this fund will open in November for those unable to access other forms of support to help meet their housing costs.
“We have been clear that no landlord should evict a tenant because they have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic.
I fully expect landlords to be flexible with anyone facing such challenges, signposting them to the sources of financial support available, and tenants in difficulty should engage with their landlord and seek advice on the options open to them.
“I can confirm today that emergency legislation will be extended to ensure no evictions can take place until March 2021. However, since the initial legislation was introduced we have listened carefully to tenants and housing authorities concerned that a three month notice period is too long where tenants have behaved in an anti-social or criminal way. We are therefore reverting back to a one month period for repossession for such cases to ensure we can protect other tenants, neighbours and landlords who should not have to tolerate such behaviour.”
The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act ensures evictions cannot take place before end of September and this will now be extended for a further six months to March 2021.
The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund will open later in the autumn and further details of how to apply will be announced in due course.
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has revealed today the shortlist for the 2021 Scottish Teenage Book Prize.
The three titles chosen by the panel are Evernight by Ross MacKenzie, The Gifted, The Talented and Me by William Sutcliffe and White Eagles by Elizabeth Wein.
Scottish Book Trust encourages teenagers of all ages to join the biggest book club in the country: by reading the three shortlisted books and voting as part of their class, book group or individually by Friday 5 March 2021. Those who participate in voting will also receive Young Scot points.
The Scottish Teenage Book Prize, now in its fifth year, was set up to celebrate the most popular teen books by authors in Scotland. It is run by Scottish Book Trust with support from Creative Scotland. Shortlisted authors receive £500 and the winner receives £3,000.
To find out more about the shortlisted titles, readers can use Bookzilla, a free app for early secondary school students in Scotland. Young people can receive tailored book recommendations, see what is popular among their classmates and challenge themselves to try something new with a reading dare. The app promotes different featured collections every month and is available to download on the app store or Google Play.
The panel for the Scottish Teenage Book Prize included Shelagh Toonen, librarian at Elgin Academy, Moray and Stephen Shiels, librarian at The Royal High School, Edinburgh, along with staff from Scottish Book Trust.
The winning title will be announced on Wednesday 31 March 2021, in an exclusive video available to classes who are registered to vote. Young people can register to vote online via Scottish Book Trust’s website: scottishbooktrust.com/stbp.
THE SCOTTISH TEENAGE BOOK PRIZE 2020 SHORTLIST IS:
Evernight by Ross MacKenzie (Andersen)
The Gifted, The Talented and Me by William Sutcliffe (Bloomsbury)
White Eagles by Elizabeth Wein (Barrington Stoke)
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“Many congratulations to all the authors on the Scottish Teenage Book Prize shortlist.
“We look forward to seeing teenagers and schools getting involved with the prize as they do every year. This is the first year young people can vote individually, so we hope many will take the opportunity to vote for their favourite shortlisted book.”
Alan Bett, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland, said:“Congratulations to the three authors shortlisted for the 2021 Scottish Teenage Book Prize.
“As well as recognising talented young writers and bringing their work to new readers, the spirit in which these awards are made through peer voting, is so important. We’re delighted to support an award that is a positive step for both authors and the reading public.”
Quotes and information on the shortlisted titles:
Ross MacKenzie lives in Renfrew, where he grew up.He is multi award-winning author of books for children, including The Nowhere Emporium, which won both the Blue Peter Book Award and Scottish Children’s Book Award.
Ross regularly visits primary schools, libraries and literary festivals where he discusses the power of stories and imagination, and holds Q&A sessions and writing workshops.
Ross said:“I’m equal parts surprised and thrilled that Evernight is on the shortlist for this year’s Scottish Teenage Book Prize!
“It’s wonderful to know that readers all over the country will soon be venturing into the dangerous dark places of the Silver Kingdom. I wish you all a good journey.”
William Sutcliffe is based in Edinburgh and has published 12 novels, including five for young adults.
Over the years he has done many events, including talks, readings and workshops for all ages. His novel The Wall was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal) and Concentr8 was shortlisted for the YA book prize.
William said:“I am thrilled to be on the shortlist for the Scottish Teenage Book Prize again.
“My visits to schools around Scotland are an endless source of inspiration for me as a writer. Meeting the teenage readers of this country and talking about politics and fiction is always fascinating, and I never fail to travel home with fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm for my job.
“I’m delighted to be part of this prize, and am looking forward to meeting some of the new readers it will bring to my books.”
Elizabeth Weinwas born in New York, and grew up in England, Jamaica and Pennsylvania. She now lives in Perth, Scotland.
Elizabeth is a member of the Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots. She was awarded the Scottish Aero Club’s Watson Cup for best student pilot in 2003 and it was her love of flying that partly inspired the idea for Code Name Verity.
Elizabeth said:“I’m grateful, honoured, and delighted to have White Eagles represent Barrington Stoke on the Scottish Teenage Book Prize shortlist!
“In this time of uncertainty and isolation, it means the world to me to be able to share this story of solidarity and flight with young readers across Scotland.”
Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has set out more details of how Scotland’s Youth Guarantee will give young people the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The guarantee will ensure everyone aged between 16 and 24 has the opportunity of work, education or training. The Scottish Government is funding it with £60 million which will be broken down as follows:
£30 million through local authorities to help local partnerships to deliver employability support for young people
£10 million to create additional opportunities in colleges
£10 million additional funding for Developing the Young Workforce, the Scottish Government’s internationally recognised Youth Employment Strategy
£10 million to support pathways to apprenticeships
Sandy Begbie, who led the Developing the Young Workforce Group that played a pivotal role in the delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee to young people, was asked to write an implementation plan which has been published yesterday.
The report’s recommendations include:
early work to identify youth employment opportunities with employers in some of the least-impacted sectors, including financial services, utilities and life sciences
working to introduce an incentive model where government pays 50% of wages for young people who need the most help
a call for the public sector to create more opportunities for young people
a call for businesses who would not normally have taken an apprentice full-time to consider sharing an apprentice with other employers
providing support to encourage SMEs to take on a young person if they are able to do so
Ms Hyslop said: “I would like to thank Sandy Begbie for the significant work he has put into developing this proposal in such a short period of time. He has engaged widely and set out ambitious recommendations for which I am grateful, and I look forward to working with him to implement them.
“The guarantee will be crucial to improving the opportunities of young people in light of the pandemic, and I was delighted to be able to speak to some of them earlier today about how the Edinburgh Guarantee has benefitted them.
“The scale of this task will be significant, and that is why we have set ourselves the challenge of this ambitious guarantee. I would urge all employers who are able, to work with us to create more opportunities that recognise the valuable contribution our young people have to make in growing our economy.
“Progress will only be possible through collaboration and a collective determination to succeed. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has become one of the early adopters of the Youth Guarantee.
“My message to Scotland’s young people is simple: we are right behind you, we want you to be successful and we will do everything we can to give you the opportunities you need.”
Mr Begbie said: “While very ambitious, in many ways this guarantee is quite simple. It is an unconditional commitment to all our 16-24 year olds, whose lives and prospects could be irreparably damaged by COVID-19.
“It is a guarantee of education, an apprenticeship, training, employment, volunteering or supported activity. Keeping young people connected in a way they feel valued and productive is at the heart of this guarantee.
“To deliver this we need a call to action across the private, public, third and education sectors with everyone doing all they can to create opportunities for our young people.
“The guarantee, if delivered effectively, will also go a long way to help address the inequalities we know exist, and every young person regardless of background will have the same opportunity.”
