Kind-hearted Kiltwalk heroes are the toast of 780 Scottish charities as it’s been revealed they raised £2.3 million in 2017 – with donations still coming in! And 2018 is set to be even bigger with walkers able to add 40% to the money they raise for the charity of their choice thanks to support from The Hunter Foundation. Continue reading Hunter Foundation boost for Kiltwalk
The Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee are conducting an inquiry into Scotland’s TV and film industry. The Committee wants to look at ways to strengthen and develop the sector using recommendations from the Screen Sector Leadership Group’s report (below).
The Screen Sector Leadership Group (SSLG) was established on the recommendation of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee in a report it published on the economic impact of the film, TV and video games industries in 2015. The Screen Sector Leadership Group brought together senior representatives of the Scottish Screen industry to recommend actions to strengthen and develop the sector.
The SSLG agreed a series of recommendations under the following priorities for the sector:
Joan McAlpine MSP, convener of the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee said: “Scotland’s screen sector has enjoyed a number of notable successes in recent years and we want to ensure the industry reaches its full potential.
“The Screen Sector Leadership Group has made some really helpful recommendations in their report to the Committee that suggests ways to develop a successful and sustainable industry which nurtures domestic talent and has a wider benefit for the Scottish economy.
“The inquiry will focus on how these recommendations can be implemented and will feed into the wider work of the Scottish Government and supporting bodies like Creative Scotland and Scottish Enterprise”.
The Committee’s deputy convener, Lewis Macdonald MSP, said: “Scotland has immense potential to have a world leading screen industry. My hope is that we can build on recent success like Outlander and Hollywood productions like the Avengers to create a more vibrant and sustainable industry which encourages local talent and expertise.”
You can find out more about the call for views and submit written evidence by visiting the Committee’s website.
Almost 900 riders took to the streets and hills of East Lothian yesterday as part of the annual Sportive cycling event and helped to raise tens of thousands of pounds for Scotland’s leading Armed Forces charity. Poppyscotland’s Sportive is one of the most important awareness-raising and fundraising events in the charity’s calendar and has grown steadily in popularity since the first Sportive in 2014. Continue reading Sportive cycling event raises thousands for Poppyscotland
The UK is providing a further £5 million UK aid package for Dominica, the island worst hit by Hurricane Maria, International Development Secretary Priti Patel announced during a visit to the region yesterday.
Hurricane Maria ripped through Dominica last week, leaving 98% of buildings damaged and thousands without power. It was the first category five hurricane to hit the island in living memory, affecting almost the entire 70,000 population.
The UK aid will provide immediate relief, including shelter, hygiene kits and cooking equipment, to the areas left devastated by the tropical storm.
Ms Patel announced the fresh UK government support as she visited HMS Ocean, which on Friday delivered 60 tonnes of UK aid to the Caribbean, almost doubling the amount of aid in the region.
She also visited the British Virgin Islands to see UK aid in action, meeting families whose lives were torn apart by Hurricane Irma, which struck earlier this month. She also visited Anguilla to see UK efforts to get schools and businesses up and running to speed up recovery.
The £5 million pledge brings the British Government’s financial support for islands hit by Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma to £62 million. This has gone to islands including British Overseas Territories: British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos.
The British Government is also doubling UK public donations made to the British Red Cross’ Irma and Maria appeals, a pledge which has so far raised over £2 million.
During the visit Ms Patel said: “The UK has pledged to give £5 million to the people of Dominica, the island worst hit by Hurricane Maria – on top of the £57 million already promised to the region – to strengthen recovery following these relentless disasters.
“I have come to the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla to see first-hand UK aid in action, helping families whose lives have been ripped apart first by Hurricane Irma and then Maria. The UK is leading the way in the relief effort, delivering emergency food, water and shelter to those who need it most. We will continue to clear up after this devastation in the weeks, months and years to come.”
The UK was one of the first to arrive in Dominica following the storm, with DFID field teams immediately bringing urgent medical supplies such as insulin and water purifiers. Much needed shelter has also arrived.
The UK is working with the UN, Red Cross and other partners on the ground to distribute aid, including food, across Dominica. Alongside this, we are supporting the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to provide emergency healthcare, safe water and sanitation, and manage disease outbreaks. UK aid will go directly on restoring health services and increasing access to healthcare in the most affected areas.
This UK aid comes after the Prime Minister of Dominica formally requested international support to address the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria.
40 DFID aid experts are on the ground alongside over 2,000 military and 50 police officers and DFID has chartered a number of flights and vessels which will transport additional relief items when and where they are most needed.
The DFID field team are also looking at long-term recovery on the islands, and rebuilding houses, hospitals and schools. During her visit, Ms Patel will meet Government representatives from the overseas territories to discuss how to build back better to make sure these islands have greater resilience to future storms.
40 tonnes of humanitarian aid has already been distributed across the Caribbean, including over four tonnes of food and water on the British Virgin Islands; 720 litres of water to the Turks and Caicos Islands; and over two tonnes of building materials to Anguilla.
Work to prepare Anguilla for the impact of Hurricane Maria proved hugely successful in preventing further damage to infrastructure. Two tonnes of corrugated iron was provided to bolster hospital and police stations roofs. Food, tarpaulins, hygiene and shelter kits provided by DFID are also being distributed on the island by the Red Cross.
Vital supplies, including food, bottled water and shelters, were also distributed to the Turks and Caicos Islands earlier this week via three RAF flights and DFID field teams are urgently assessing the damage on the island. A DFID barge will soon arrive with supplies to restore power, including building materials, generators and equipment.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Rapid Deployment Team (RDT) has arrived in St Lucia to provide consular assistance to affected British nationals who have left Dominica by ferry. The FCO is also finalising plans for an RDT to travel to Dominica to provide consular assistance to affected British Nationals.
VIDEO: footage of International Development Secretary arriving on Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Hurricanes Irma and Maria have affected large parts of the Caribbean. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has updated travel advice to provide guidance for British nationals who are in countries and overseas territories affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
The hotline for British people affected or concerned about others: +44 (0)20 7008 0000.
Latest travel advice for places affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria:
See also the guidance on what to do if you’re affected by a crisis overseas.
New £10 polymer bank notes from Clydesdale Bank will go under the virtual hammer to raise funds for hospice care this week. A limited number of the new £10 notes with collectable low serial numbers will be sold through auction site eBay from 9pm on Sunday 24th September, closing at 9pm on Sunday 1st October. All proceeds from the auction will go to Hospice UK. Continue reading New Clydesdale Bank notes to raise funds for hospice care
Local photographer Penny Donnelly shared these pictures taken at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre’s recent Fun Day. Thanks, Penny!
Research into how juries reach decisions, including their use of the ‘not proven’ verdict, is to be carried out over the next two years. Continue reading How do juries reach decisions? Study launched
Social Bite’s Sleep in the Park initiative has raised over £500,000 in only three weeks. The social business is on an ambitious mission to work with others to end homelessness in Scotland within five years (see below), and more than 2,000 people have already pledged to sleep out at the Sleep in the Park event in Princes Street Gardens on December 9th.
Fifteen families have also signed up to offer a spare room and 28 companies are offering job opportunities to homeless people.
Up to ten thousand people are expected to ‘sleep rough’at the event, which has been billed ‘Live Aid for Scottish Homelessness’. Attractions include:
Social Bite has set a fundraising target of £4m and is looking to generate 1,000 employment offers and 1,000 ‘spare room’ supported lodging pledges.
To register to participate, go to sleepinthepark.co.uk
Bristo Baptist Church, 1 Queensferry Road (end of Buckingham Terrace)
Monday 25 September, 7.30pm
