Firestarters!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like getting around central Edinburgh if you were blind, partly sighted, a wheelchair user or have mobility issues? Yesterday, 15 people found out.

A grouping of charities gave them an opportunity to accompany people with a range of complex needs around the congested area beside the Omni Centre on Greenside Row.

The move is part of the ‘Firestarter’ programme of nationwide events that aims to ‘allow people from all aspects of public service to share innovative and creative ways that are making a difference to Scotland’. Those taking part included policymakers, civil servants and other influencers.

Yesterday’s event was hosted by We Walk, We Cycle, We Vote, a collaborative campaign calling for more investment in walking and cycling, with RNIB Scotland, Spinal Injuries Scotland. Guide Dogs Scotland also supported the event.

James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, said: “Letting the people who set the framework for things like planning and urban design experience hear what it’s like trying to get around a city centre will give them a greater appreciation of the potential problems those with sight loss and other disabilities face every day.

“We are campaigning for all of our cities and towns to be made more accessible to people and for any obstacles or impediments to be kept to a minimum.

“That’s why we very much welcomed the recent decision by Edinburgh City Council to make its ban on advertising boards permanent. A bold and progressive move like this will make our capital more welcoming to residents and visitors with disabilities.”

Maureen Morrison, operations manager with Spinal Injuries Scotland , said, “We are committed to supporting spinal cord injured (SCI) people and ensuring that our towns and cities are designed to enable them to undertake life’s daily functions with as much independence as possible.

“For many who require a greater level of accessibility, the prospect of leaving the house can be daunting. We welcome this event as an opportunity to point out the barriers that many people face in the hope that influencers will incorporate more accessible design in our towns and cities in the future, for a more inclusive society.”

Baillie Gifford becomes Edinburgh Science Learning headline sponsor

Edinburgh-based investment management firm Baillie Gifford has become headline sponsor of Edinburgh Science Learning, the education arm of educational charity Edinburgh Science who also produces the world’s first and Europe’s biggest science festival.

To mark the occasion, Samantha Pattman, Sponsorship Manager at Baillie Gifford joined Joan Davidson, Head of Learning at Edinburgh Science at Victoria Primary School in Edinburgh where P2 pupils took part in a special preview of Generation Science workshop Bricks and Blocks: a hands-on introduction to programming.

Using laptops and simple drag-and-drop coding, pupils learn about robotics, coding and problem solving.

Joan Davidson, Head of Learning at Edinburgh Science said: “We are extremely pleased to be continuing to work with Baillie Gifford who now become the headline sponsor of Edinburgh Science Learning.

“Their invaluable support will go towards our flagship education projects, Generation Science and Careers Hive, as well as enabling more primary school children to access the Edinburgh Science Festival at City Art Centre Open Days.

“It will also help us deliver our science education projects in the local community.

“Our vision is a world where the value of STEM is recognised and celebrated, in order to achieve a brighter and more sustainable future. With 30 years of experience delivering high-quality engaging shows and workshops, we are a leader in our field, and we are thrilled to have Baillie Gifford supporting us in this ambition.”

Samantha Pattman, Baillie Gifford’s Sponsorship Manager said: “Baillie Gifford is delighted to be headline sponsor for Edinburgh Science Learning. Headquartered in Edinburgh, the firm is proud to play an active role in its community by supporting a diverse variety of projects across festivals and the arts, education and social inclusion.

“As science, technology, engineering and maths roles struggle to be filled and the breadth of STEM-related prospects grow, inspiring young people in science has never been more important.”

Edinburgh Science Learning is one of the UK’s leading science outreach providers and delivers shows, workshops and interactive activities to schools throughout the year. Generation Science is the largest primary science touring programme and over the past three decades it has reached over 1 million pupils around Scotland.

Baillie Gifford’s support of Edinburgh Science Learning will go towards:

1. Generation Science – a programme that brings unique and inspiring science lessons directly to classrooms all over Scotland with highly interactive shows and hands-on workshops. The tour visits schools across Scotland from February to June each year. This year’s offer includes 10 shows and workshops, e.g. brand-new Creative Coding which sees pupils coding their very own dancing robot or Body Builders where students are taken on a journey through our bodily systems with colourful props and hands-on demonstrations.

The spring tour of Generation Science starts on 17 February and will see trained science communicators create interactive and fun environments in nurseries and P1-P7 classrooms and gym halls all over the country. Generation Science is a vital part of the Scottish Government’s STEM strategy for its support of students’ and teachers’ science education in the local authorities.

2. Careers Hive – an immersive careers education event designed to give students in S1-S3 a new way to think about their futures. It highlights the opportunities available to those who study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) through participatory activities, discussions with early careers STEM professionals and skills workshops. Careers Hive 2020 runs from 24–29 February at the National Museum of Scotland with a public open day on Saturday 29 February.

3. City Art Centre Open Days – on 1 and 2 April, hundreds of pupils from several Edinburgh schools will experience an exclusive preview of the Edinburgh Science Festival’s flagship family venue ahead of its opening to Festival audiences on 4 April.

With five floors to explore, this unique science playground offers several bookable workshops as well as drop-in activities, including ER where children perform a knee, abdomen or brain surgery, Ocean Constructors where they build an exploratory underwater craft or Buzz about bees, teaching all about the importance of bees to the environment and human existence.

Thanks to the support from Baillie Gifford, the Open Days initiative was introduced in 2019 and saw over 400 pupils from 8 Edinburgh schools enjoying the City Art Centre on 3 and 4 April last year.

4. Community Engagement – Edinburgh Science Learning’s projects also include bespoke workshops and activities for various age groups which are developed in close partnership with community partners across Edinburgh.

The return of Hungry Horace!

A cat who went missing from his new home on the day he was adopted has turned up – more than a year later, safe and well!

Horace was adopted from Cats Protection’s Forth Valley Adoption Centre in September 2018 but managed to immediately escape from his new home in Bannockburn.

Volunteers went out to search for him, handing out flyers and putting up posters, but to no avail.

Because he had previously been a stray there was a hope that Horace would be streetwise enough to survive once again.

Then, out of the blue, a Cats Protection lost and found volunteer received a message about a stray who been hanging around a garden for a week, and when she saw a photo she noticed the resemblance to Horace.

He was scanned for a microchip which confirmed that it was indeed escape artist Horace!

The tabby-and-white cat, who is around eight years old, was brought back to the safety of the adoption centre where he could be checked over. The vet said that while he had probably been in a few scrapes and has a broken canine tooth that needs to be removed, he is otherwise in surprisingly good health.

Staff at the adoption centre got in touch with Horace’s adopter, and while they were delighted he had turned up safe and well, they made the difficult decision that it would be best if a new owner was found for him.

Centre manager Roslyn Mackay said: “We are all delighted to see Horace again after so long. We don’t know what adventures he has been on since we last saw him but he certainly hasn’t been wanting for food, as he weighs a hefty 7.8kg!

“He is back in his old pen, and, although he was not particularly impressed, he is thoroughly enjoying all the attention as volunteers drop in to welcome him home.”

It will be several weeks before Horace is ready to be adopted again, and everyone will be keeping their fingers crossed he will find a home where he will be happy to stay put.

For more information about the Forth Valley Adoption Centre visit https://www.cats.org.uk/clackmannanshire

Cash for Kids receives £75,000 donation

A law firm’s annual charity campaign has reached a record milestone as Thorntons raises £75,000 for Cash for Kids through its Charity Wills initiative – a £13,000 increase on the previous year.

Now in its 23rd year, Thorntons’ Charity Wills month takes place across its offices in Fife, Dundee, Perth, Angus and 2019 marked the first year for Edinburgh’s involvement. To date the campaign has raised more than £450,000 for Cash for Kids.

The initiative ran throughout the month of September and for any Wills written during this time, the firm did not charge a fee – instead clients were asked to make an equivalent donation to Cash for Kids.

Morna Coutts, Partner at Thorntons in Edinburgh, said: “Creating and updating a Will should be a consideration for adults in Scotland especially if you own valuable assets such as property or have young children. We’ve been delighted with the generosity of clients who took this opportunity to put their affairs in order and support local causes at the same time.

“Thorntons Charity Wills is a fantastic initiative which has grown in momentum every year, at the Edinburgh office, we were delighted to be involved for the first time. The recent campaign marks a milestone fundraising total for the firm. The beneficiaries linked with Cash for Kids allow us to support groups and individuals within the communities in which our offices are situated.”

The money raised through Thorntons’ Charity Wills Campaign supported several local causes in Edinburgh including the purchase of specialist equipment for children with autism and a hydrotherapy pool for children with cerebral palsy.

Victoria Hendry, Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids Charity Manager, said: “The success of the Charity Wills campaign has been incredible. The impact that the results have from this campaign to children’s lives across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife & Falkirk is just amazing.

“Both of the teams at the Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh offices commitment to the campaign is wonderful and we couldn’t do it without each and every one of the staff members there. The boost from the Edinburgh office involvement this year has raised a phenomenal amount of money that we are now able to grant out to those who need it most, living in our local communities.

“The support of Thorntons clients is overwhelming. The team at Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids would like to extend their thanks to the clients and staff of Thorntons for supporting the charity and making such a difference to children living right on our doorstep.”

£100k Refurbishment for Edinburgh CAMHS Space

An Edinburgh service which supports children and young people impacted by mental health difficulties has been transformed thanks to funding from a local children’s charity.  

Following an £100,000 refurbishment by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) space at the Lauriston Building has been remodelled into a more child-friendly, welcoming environment for visitors.   

The South Edinburgh CAMHS team sees approximately 1200 young patients every year experiencing a range of modern to severe mental health difficulties, so it is vital that the space feels safe, calming and welcoming.  

Children and young people were actively involved in the design and made the decision to have a seaside theme. Colourful pieces of artwork are displayed in the waiting area, corridors and clinic rooms and specialist lighting has been cleverly used to brighten internal treatment rooms. Bespoke, comfortable pieces of furniture feature throughout to ensure visitors are as at ease as possible.  

Tommy Blue, Advanced Practitioner for South Edinburgh CAMHS, said: “Children, young people and their families come to CAMHS at a difficult time in their lives, so it is essential that we provide an environment that is fit for purpose and worthy of those who are referred to us. 

“Thanks to this funding from ECHC, what was previously an unused area has been enhanced to provide our visitors with a much more positive experience. It feels safe, accepting and comfortable and has been universally well received by visitors as well as staff.”  

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said: “Waiting for an appointment can be a very stressful time for children, young people and their families so it was important to ensure that, from the moment they arrive at CAMHS, they know they are in a safe place where they will be supported and valued.  

“To enhance the space, we worked closely with children and young people and asked them what good mental health looks and feels like. The unanimous answer was the seaside.  

“With this theme in mind, the space was designed to be bright and colourful, but also calming – transforming it from bare and clinical to warm, welcoming and child and young person friendly.”   

Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity believes that nothing should get in the way of being a child and works to make sure children and young people’s lives are less interrupted by illness. It distributes around £1.5 million per year to support the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and other children’s healthcare settings across Scotland.  

For more information or to donate, visit www.echcharity.org  

First Minister meets care experience challenge

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has met the challenge of listening to more than 1,000 care experienced young people as they discuss the changes they want to see to the system just days ahead of the publication of the forthcoming Independent Care Review.

The First Minister pledged in 2016 to meet at least 1,000 care experienced young people while the review did its work.

During that time, she also announced:

  • the removal of the upper age limit for the £8,100 per year bursary which care experienced students are entitled to
  • the introduction of the Children’s Bill which will ensure siblings and wider family relationships are protected where it is safe to do so
  • children’s rights will be embedded in law so that anyone in care, or leaving care, can access the support they are entitled to without having to fight for it
  • the introduction of the £33 million Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund to improve educational outcomes for young people with care experience, funding projects ranging from mentoring and counselling to practical skills like driving lessons

The First Minister said: “Thank you to all of the young people who took the time to raise their voice and share their very personal stories with me. You have helped to ensure we can provide a care system which will have love at its heart and give everyone in Scotland the childhood they deserve.

“The first thing I did after my initial conversations with care experienced people was to announce an Independent Care Review and I look forward to receiving the conclusions soon.

“But these conversations also made it clear to me that there were immediate actions we could take to improve the lives of young care experienced people across the country without delay while the Review was looking at the broader transformation required.

“That is why since 2016 we have improved access to funding support for further and higher education, committed to keep families together where it is safe to do so and introduced a fund to provide vital services and support to help improve the attainment of young people with care experience.

“We know there is more to do but this is just the start of the journey. Our work to improve the care system will continue and so will my conversations with young people who have experienced it.”

https://youtu.be/BEeEYU-Kp4k

The 1,000 voices manifesto was created by Who Cares? Scotland and a coalition of charities.

The £33m Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund is part of the wider £750m Attainment Scotland Fund.

Time to Talk Day 2020

Want to get involved in Time to Talk Day 2020?

Join See Me at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh from 11am on Time to Talk Day tomorrow (Thursday 6th Feb) where we’re hosting a day of live music, mental health and art.

This year we are delighted to be joined by Edinburgh’s Harmony Choir and singer Jessica Sharpe, who will both be performing at the Gallery, plus more TBC!

Volunteer Sean will also be holding a mental health art tour around the Gallery, and we’d love to see you get involved.

Mental health and art have always been closely linked. Art is used as a way to express our feelings, whether it is on a canvas, captured in a photo or sung in a song, it helps us relate to our emotions. It’s also used in therapy for people who are struggling with their mental health and can improve wellbeing for all of us.

But it can be much more than that, it can start conversations and tell stories that change the way we think and behave when it comes to mental health. We are all speaking much more about mental health, and hearing more and more how important it is to tackle mental health stigma, and art can do that.

So we are bringing together art and mental health at the National Portrait Gallery, to host the UK’s biggest anti-stigma campaign of the year, Time to Talk Day, and we’d love to see as many people come down as possible.

We jointly run Time to Talk Day with their partner programmes, Time to Change in England, Time to Change Wales and Change Your Mind in Northern Ireland.

Together See Me and National Galleries Scotland will be putting on a day of music, mental health and art, to encourage people from across Scotland to come down and get involved in Time to Talk Day on February 6th.

This year we are delighted to be joined by Edinburgh’s Harmony Choir and singer Jessica Sharpe, who will both be performing at the Gallery. We will be confirming the rest of the performers soon.

Time to Talk Day is a day in the year where everyone in the UK is encouraged to have a conversation on mental health. This year is the third year the campaign has run in Scotland.

Last year over 300 workplaces, schools, universities, football teams, youth clubs (and more) took part all over Scotland. Alongside that, on social media #TimetoTalk was trending at number 1 in Scotland and the UK and number 2 worldwide.

Last year Scottish Games of Thrones actor Daniel Portman helped to promote the day by sharing his experiences of anxiety, depression and OCD, focusing on how talking about mental health has helped him.

Previously we’ve also had involvement from Nicola Sturgeon, Des Clarke and Janey Godley, while across the UK the campaign has been supported by Stephen Fry, Fearne Cotton, Frankie Bridge and many others.

Too many people with mental health problems are still made to feel isolated, worthless and ashamed. Conversations have the power to change lives, wherever they take place. This year conversation is at the heart of the day as we use the popular game ‘Would you rather?’ to encourage more people to talk than ever before.

We’ll be having performances from 11am until 2pm in the Great Hall, and will also have a mental health art tour around the gallery. Come down and join us, because your conversation can make a difference.

Find out more about Time to Talk Day by clicking the button below, and keep an eye on our social media for updates on the art tour and performers.

Learn more and join us: https://bit.ly/2sA4ENF

#TimeToTalk

Campaign to recruit special constables

Want to discover a new side of you in 2020 and make a difference? Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary needs you …

A nationwide campaign to recruit new special constables has been launched by Police Scotland.

The Special Constabulary is a part-time volunteer body consisting of officers with identical powers to that of police officers. The role is diverse, from policing football matches to assisting at road accidents, from patrolling the streets of your local community to investigating crime. No two shifts are the same and volunteers play an integral role in providing an important link between the police service and the public.

Following a steady decrease in the number of special constables since the formation of Police Scotland, with a significant number of recruits using the opportunity as a route to becoming a regular police officer, the campaign focuses on encouraging people to give back to their local community by signing up in their spare time and enhancing local policing with their life experience.

From today, social media posts and campaign posters will feature on numerous channels including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, promoting the role of a special constable and why their skills and talent could be crucial to local policing.

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “There are thousands of people living in Scotland who could bring the skills and talents from their own jobs into the role of a volunteer police officer and in support of their local community.

“Joining the Special Constabulary can also be a fantastic opportunity to consider whether policing is the job for you. It provides excellent experience and training for those who would like to become a full-time police officer.

“Police Scotland undoubtedly benefits from the experience volunteers bring, but it’s also an opportunity unlike any other where you gain confidence, new skills and get the chance to help people in need or make their life better.

“Anyone is eligible to apply to become a special constable as long as they satisfy some basic requirements for the role but ultimately we are looking for people who want to make a real difference to their communities and can bring a fresh perspective to the team they work in. The more varied your background, the more diverse our workforce will be. “Don’t miss the opportunity to do something great.”

For more information on becoming a Special Constable and to find out more about eligibility, visit – https://www.scotland.police.uk/recruitment/special-constables/

I Think We Are Alone at King’s Theatre

Frantic Assembly (movement directors for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) present I Think We Are Alone, a major new play by Sally Abbott (The Coroner, Vera), co-directed by Kathy Burke (Lady Windermere’s Fan, The Retreat) and Scott Graham (Fatherland, Things I Know to be True).

Two sisters are estranged and bicker over text. Their brittle and aggressive language is pushing them further apart when what they really want is to meet, clear the air and talk about the events that happened when they were young girls and haunt them still.

Josie is not allowing grief to get in the way. All of her focus is on what is best for her son, Manny. She desperately wants him to fly but can she let him go?

There is a person shaped hole in Graham’s heart and it is driving him to some dark places. When a stranger returns an act of kindness both find themselves opening up and connecting in a way that might just bring a bit of light in.

I Think We Are Alone is a bittersweet and funny take on our ache to connect with those voices we need to hear again, those arms we need to feel around us and those faces we need to see again. It is about letting go and holding on to what we love the most.

Kings Theatre, Edinburgh from 18 – 22 February.

 

Facebook not safe for kids, says charity poll

  • Poll shows majority of adults believe Facebook is failing in its duty of care to protect children
  •  Three out of four don’t think Facebook is safe for children
  • NSPCC urges Facebook to rethink encryption plans or face tough sanctions from new regulator

The NSPCC has slammed Facebook’s encryption plans after three out of four adults polled in Scotland said they didn’t think the site was safe for children.

Out of 180 adults in Scotland, just one in five (22%) said the tech giant took the safety of children using the site seriously and two thirds (66%) believed the platform was failing in its duty of care to protect children.

The results for Scotland were similar to those of the whole Great Britain sample, which consisted of 2,070 adults.

The claims came in an NSPCC/ Savanta ComRes poll following the tech giant’s announcement that they will encrypt messages on Facebook and Instagram.

The charity previously revealed that one in 25 young people (11 to 17 year olds) who used Facebook or Facebook Messenger had sent, received or been asked to send sexual content to an adult.

It is now warning the tech giant not to create hiding places for abusers by pressing ahead with encryption plans that don’t have strong safeguards in place.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who admitted that his plans would protect the “privacy of people doing bad things”, has failed to give any clear answers in how he intends to stop groomers preying on children on his site.

The NSPCC is calling for supporters to sign an open letter to Facebook demanding they put children first as part of its Wild West Web campaign.

Andy Burrows, NSPCC head of child safety online policy, said: “Facebook has been called out for its abject failure to make their platforms safe, yet their encryption plans will give offenders a free pass to abuse children while they look the other way.

“This cavalier approach risks creating a one stop grooming shop if Facebook don’t include strong safeguards that protect children in their encryption plan.

“Boris Johnson must make it clear that upcoming regulation will force Facebook to guarantee children’s safety on its messaging services or be hit hard in the pocket for failing in its duty of care.”

The NSPCC is calling for:

  • No end-to-end encryption for messages going to or coming from children’s accounts on Facebook apps
  • Adults accounts not to be encrypted until and unless Facebook has solutions to ensure child abuse can be detected and that children safety won’t be compromised
  • The Government to push ahead with introducing an independent Duty of Care regulator to keep children safe online
  • The Government to warn Facebook that encryption breaches the incoming Duty of Care and pressing ahead will mean tough consequences