One Scot in eleven now living in poverty

Having a job is no guarantee of escape from poverty –  half of children living in extreme poverty were in households where at least one adult was in full time employment

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More than half a million people in Scotland are living in severe or extreme poverty , according to the latest data published today. Scotland’s poorest people lived on less than half the average income in 2012/13, according to a new government report.

Around 510,000 people, including 100,000 children and 80,000 pensioners, are living in severe poverty – households with an income under £11,500. A further 230,000 were classed as living in extreme poverty, which means the household had an income of lower than £9200.

A household is defined as living in relative poverty with an income below 60 per cent of the UK median income. Severe poverty is defined as living with an income lower than £11,500, or 50 per cent of UK median income, while extreme poverty is defined as lower than £9,200, 40 per cent of UK median income.

The scale of the country’s poverty levels has been exposed in the Scottish Government’s Severe Poverty in Scotland report, which shows working age adults and children are more likely to live in severe poverty than pensioners, particularly after housing costs.

Commenting on Severe Poverty in Scotland, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil said: “It’s a disgrace that so many people live in such severe or extreme poverty, but it’s an unfortunate and inevitable result of the UK Government’s failed austerity agenda and welfare cuts that are slashing incomes for some of our poorest households.

“With employment increasing and unemployment down, Scotland is outperforming the rest of the UK, yet the statistics show that a job is no longer any guarantee against severe or extreme poverty.

“That’s why we opposed cutting in-work tax credits and why the Scottish Government and its agencies are paying the living wage, encouraging other employers to follow suit.

“We have put tackling poverty and inequality at the heart of Government, through policies like the council tax freeze, free prescriptions, expanding childcare provision, while we are mitigating the worst of the welfare cuts, by replacing income lost through the bedroom tax or council tax benefits cuts.

“That action is making a real difference and we will continue to make the argument for a fairer welfare system.”

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The statistics also make clear that being in a job is not a guarantee against poverty. Being in employment does significantly reduce the risk of poverty, but 44% of working age adults in extreme poverty lived in households where at least one adult was in employment, as did 60% of children – half of children living in extreme poverty were in households where at least one adult was in full time employment.

In 2012/13, around 10% of working age adults and 10% of children were living in severe poverty, as were 8% of pensioners.

After housing costs, 16% of working age adults, 15% of children and 6% of pensioners in Scotland are living in severe poverty.

Over the last decade, while the rate of relative poverty has fallen, a greater proportion of households in poverty were in severe or extreme low income in 2012/13.

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SCDC asks: is your group as effective as it could be?

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Are citizens and community groups as effective as they could be? This is the question that is being asked by the Fred Edwards Trust and Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC).

We want to find out if activists have access to the information, tools and skills they need, not just to tackle the issues that matter to them, but to challenge and address the root causes as well.

We would like to know to what extent citizens and community groups who are working on issues of social, economic and environmental justice find the space to help them critically analyse the policies, decisions and systems that affect them.

Our aim in doing this is to find out if more needs to be done to support active and effective citizenship in Scotland. We would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to respond to the questions in the link below.

Take the survey here

This survey will close on Friday 20 March 2015 

NEPAF: How is it for you?

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Hello all,

The North Edinburgh Physical Activity Forum (NEPAF) is nearly two years old already! PCHP has been leading NEPAF since it began in June 2013 and we are really keen to evaluate its usefulness. 

It would be very helpful if you could take 10 minutes to answer the following questions and get them back to me by Wednesday 18 March. We will bring the responses together to discuss at the next NEPAF meeting in April.

1. Is  NEPAF helpful, and if so how? 

2. What has the impact of the forum been for you and/or your group/organisation? 

3. Who have made connections with? 

4. Have you done anything differently? 

5. Have you started any new pieces of work as a result? 

6. Do you have more information, access to more resources? 

7. How often would you like to attend? 

8. When is the best times/days for you to attend? 

9. Do you think NEPAF should (Please tick as appropriate) 

–          Respond to consultations from local or national government

–          Hold networking meetings

–          Have meetings with speakers

–          Influence decision makers (have a collective voice locally and nationally)

–          Plan and deliver events together

Thank you very much for your time – we look forward to seeing you at the next meeting,

Lianne Pipskyj

Development Worker – Physical Activity, Pilton Community Health Project

Telephone: 0131 551 1671

liannepipskyj@pchp.org.uk

www.pchp.org.uk

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Adult literacies in Scotland review

In 2010, the Scottish Government set out  plans to improve the literacies capabilities of Scotland’s adults over a 10 year period called ‘Adult Literacies in Scotland 2020: Strategic Guidance’(ALIS 2020).

 

“By 2020 Scotland’s society and economy will be stronger because more of its adults are able to read, write and use numbers effectively in order to handle information, communicate with others, express ideas and opinions, make decisions and solve problems, as family members, workers, citizens and lifelong learners.”

 

On behalf of the ALIS 2020 Strategic Implementation Group, Education Scotland are launching a review of progress in adult literacies over the last five years as well as identifying on-going priorities and challenges for the next five years.  We are keen to seek the views of individuals and organisations.

The online survey can be accessed here, the closing date for responses is Thursday 30th April 2015.  A pdf list of questions contained within the survey is available to support organisations who wish to undertake discussion activities with partners, volunteers or staff.

For more information, please visit the CLD section of the Education Scotland website or contact the CLD team

Dr Owl’s eggstra-special holiday health tips

Eggstra special seasonal health advice (sorry!) …

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Dr Owl – the memorable and wise character from a national health campaign – takes to the skies across Scotland again today urging people to take a few simple steps to look after their health this Easter. 

Dr Owl was joined by five-year-old Freya Cowie from Dunblane and seven-year-old Jack Ozen from South Queensferry at the New Hopetoun Garden Centre to launch this year’s Be Health-Wise This Easter campaign. The campaign, which is run by NHS 24 on behalf of NHS Scotland, is reminding people that by making sure they have a supply of over the counter medicines, knowing when their GP surgery is open and checking their repeat prescriptions, they can ensure they make the most of the Easter holiday weekend.

This year many GP surgeries across Scotland will close for four days from Good Friday (3 April) to Easter Monday (6 April), before re-opening on Tuesday 7 April. 

After winter, Easter is the busiest time of year for Scotland’s health services. NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “Easter falls slightly earlier this year and as such, there are still many common illnesses circulating within communities. The Be Health-Wise This Easter campaign wants to remind people of the small steps they can take to ensure illness doesn’t ruin their Easter.

“Being prepared by having enough repeat medication to cover you and having some simple home remedies available can make all the difference if illness strikes. It is also important to plan ahead for any required repeat prescriptions over the Easter break, so please order and collect in good time. We would also remind people of the wide range of health information available at NHS inform.”

Although many GP surgeries will be closed at Easter, hundreds of GPs and nurses are working throughout this period supporting out of hours services across Scotland to see patients with conditions that need urgent attention over the holiday period and cannot wait until the surgeries reopen on Tuesday.

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this Easter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

Sparta seeks new space

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Sparta Boxing Club is a voluntary organisation working with young people. They are currently based at Baileyfield and are in desperate need of new premises to rent in the Edinburgh area. They need around 100sqm of lockable space that they can access evenings and weekends. Any help / ideas much appreciated.

Please contact George Forsyth on 07734 814 478 or email george.forsyth@castlerockedinvar.co.uk

Scotland will eventually leave UK, research suggests

Political engagement is highest in Scotland – but few people believe they can make a difference

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Most people in the UK now believe Scotland will become an independent country and eventually leave the UK, according to new research from the University of Edinburgh.

The findings are taken from a survey of more than 7000 voters across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland which asked people about a range of constitutional issues.

The majority of people surveyed across the four nations believe that Scotland will eventually leave the UK – 69 per cent in Scotland; 59 per cent in England; 54 per cent in Wales; and 59 per cent in Northern Ireland.

The survey found that 15 per cent of Scots think the country will become independent within five years and 32 per cent believe it will happen within ten. Overall, more than two-thirds of Scots believe the country will eventually vote for independence.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “The Scottish Government continues to believe independence is the best option for Scotland, and the survey finds most Scots think this is where the constitutional journey will take us.

“We also believe strongly that Scotland being taken out of the EU in a referendum in circumstances, where a majority of Scots had voted to stay in, would be massively damaging economically and have major constitutional implications.

“The referendum on independence was a wonderful experience of democratic engagement, bringing people into politics who in some cases had not been involved in decades, if at all.

“I therefore welcome the findings that political engagement in Scotland is higher than in the rest of the UK, particularly among young people and that there remains a strong appetite for debate over the constitution. Scots are significantly more likely to say that they will vote in the 2015 Westminster election.”

Despite the views on constitutional issues, those surveyed do not believe ‘ordinary people’ have a big influence on how the UK is run – politicians, political parties, businesses, trade unions and local councils are seen to hold greater influence on the running of the country.

Dr Jan Eichhorn, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Social and Political Science, said: “People across the UK show an appetite for discussions about how the country should be governed. However, it is worrying to see how little people think they can actually make a difference.”

Dr Daniel Kenealy said: “Despite Nicola Sturgeon’s call for an EU referendum veto by the four nations of the UK, and First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones’s support for the idea, it remains unpopular with people across the UK.”

A Labour spokesman said: “This poll shows that people are frustrated with the way that politics works, and they want to have a bigger say in how our country is run. Making our country work for working people is the best way to bring all parts of it together again.

“That is why Labour has committed to a constitutional convention, made up of people from all parts of the country and all walks of life, to change the way our country works.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said fears about the end of the Union were being heightened by the prospect of a pact at Westminster between Labour and the SNP in the event of a hung parliament.

The spokesman said: “With Labour flirting with the SNP in the hope it gets them into government, and the Lib Dems dead in the water it’s no surprise people fear the constitutional question isn’t yet over.”

Aid on the way to devastated Vanuatu

‘ I term it as a monster, a monster. After all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out. My whole heart is for the people, the nation.’ – Vanuatu President Baldwin Lonsdale

Vanuatu_VHT_090414Britain has sent vital shelter and relief supplies to help people whose lives have been devastated by Cyclone Pam, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has announced.

A Royal Air Force C-17 transport plane departed from RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of this morning (Monday 16 March) and will travel to the Royal Australian Air Force base at Amberley in Australia, where it will join the international relief effort.

The plane is carrying 1,640 shelter kits for use by families of five people and more than 1900 solar lanterns with inbuilt mobile phone chargers. These supplies will help to provide protection to some of the most vulnerable people affected by the cyclone, especially women and children.

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A humanitarian expert from the Department for International Development has also been deployed to advise on distribution of the supplies and assist with field assessments as part of the international relief effort.

The C-17 and its crew will remain in Australia for several days to undertake further support flights between Australia and affected areas as required.

Justine Greening said:

“The terrible effects of Cyclone Pam are now clear and many people are in urgent need of relief.

The Royal Air Force’s swift and invaluable support will ensure victims of the cyclone get the help they need to start putting their lives back together.

Families’ homes have been destroyed and power supplies are down. Our emergency shelter kits and solar lanterns will help meet people’s basic needs and Britain stands ready to assist further.”

All commercial flights in and out of Port Vila have been grounded, with only military planes able to land.

On Saturday 14 March, following a request from the Government of Vanuatu,Britain made up to £1 million available to UN organisations and international aid agencies in the region. The UK will also send an additional £1 million through the UK’s Rapid Response Facility, which provides emergency support via pre-approved organisations in the event of a humanitarian disaster overseas.

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Cyclone Pam, a category five tropical storm, struck Vanuatu, a remote Pacific island nation – and one of the world’s least developed countries – on Saturday local time.

Two hundred mile per hour winds and torrential rain has caused widespread destruction, particularly in Port Vila, Vanuatu’s capital. Communication networks have been severely disrupted by power outages and much of the infrastructure system across the archipelago has been destroyed.

Vanuatu’s President Baldwin Lonsdale said the the impact of the storm has been ‘devastating’. “I term it as a monster, a monster – it’s a setback for the government and for the people of Vanuatu,” he said. “After all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out. My whole heart is for the people, the nation.”

May Days, May Days: VE Day commemoration plans announced

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William Hague, Leader of the House of Commons, has announced three days of commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day 70) this summer.

The plans include events across the UK to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. Events will range from a parade, a service of thanksgiving and a star-studded concert in central London, to street parties around the UK.

Mr Hague, Leader of the House of Commons, said: “I am delighted to announce three days of celebrations, which will pay fitting tribute to those who did so much to defend this country and ensure victory in Europe.

“It is right that we take time to reflect on the sacrifices made, not just by those in the Armed Forces, but by civilians such as Land Girls and those in Reserved Occupations and make sure that the whole country has the chance to take part in commemorating this momentous anniversary and remembering those who gave so much for our freedom.”

The celebrations in London will be echoed by other events across the country to mark VE Day 70 with local authorities and communities encouraged to participate.

They will celebrate with members of their communities who contributed to the war effort throughout the Second World War. The Royal British Legion, as the national custodian of Remembrance, will act as the government’s key partner in leading the nation in marking the commemoration, including hosting a major reception for 2,000 veterans in St James’s Park.

Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB CVO, National President of the Royal British Legion said: “We are honoured to play our part in helping the nation mark 70 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. The Legion has a responsibility to help the memories of those of who have fought and died in our nation’s Armed Forces live on for future generations.

“The commemoration of this conflict, still in living memory, gives us the opportunity to salute the Second World War generation.We hope that all communities will use the VE Day 70 commemorations to thank them and celebrate the role they played in our nation’s history.”

Eric Goldrein, 94, from Hale Village, Liverpool, served with the Royal Artillery during the Second World War and was in Italy when the news came through that the war in Europe was over.

“We celebrated in a field, the Signallers set up speakers playing music and the locals came out and joined in too, happy that the war was finally over. I heard about the street parties back home and I’m looking forward to being part of these 70th Anniversary celebrations.”

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Friday 8 May (VE DAY)

VE Day itself (Friday 8 May) will be a day of remembrance. A service of remembrance will be held at The Cenotaph, including a national two minute silence at 3pm, marking the moment Winston Churchill broadcast his historic speech (below) formally announcing the end of the war.

My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not victory of a party or of any class. It’s a victory of the great British nation as a whole. We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny. After a while we were left all alone against the most tremendous military power that has been seen. We were all alone for a whole year.

There we stood, alone. Did anyone want to give in? [The crowd shouted “No.”] Were we down-hearted? [“No!”] The lights went out and the bombs came down. But every man, woman and child in the country had no thought of quitting the struggle. London can take it. So we came back after long months from the jaws of death, out of the mouth of hell, while all the world wondered. When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of English men and women fail? I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we’ve done and they will say “do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straightforward and die if need be-unconquered.” Now we have emerged from one deadly struggle – a terrible foe has been cast on the ground and awaits our judgment and our mercy.

But there is another foe who occupies large portions of the British Empire, a foe stained with cruelty and greed-the Japanese. I rejoice we can all take a night off today and another day tomorrow. Tomorrow our great Russian allies will also be celebrating victory and after that we must begin the task of rebuilding our hearth and homes, doing our utmost to make this country a land in which all have a chance, in which all have a duty, and we must turn ourselves to fulfill our duty to our own countrymen, and to our gallant allies of the United States who were so foully and treacherously attacked by Japan.

We will go hand and hand with them. Even if it is a hard struggle we will not be the ones who will fail.

The Department for Education will be encouraging schools across the country to observe the 2 minute silence and to celebrate and commemorate in their own way – for example, by reading out Churchill’s historic speech, holding special VE Day-themed assemblies or organising tea parties.

In the evening a chain of over 100 beacons will be lit across the UK. Local communities that have already made plans for the day include Great Yarmouth, Island of Unst, Craig-Y-Dorth, Monmouthshire; Stokesby, Norfolk; and Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Saturday 9 May

Saturday 9 May will be a day of celebration. At around 11am, cathedrals across the country, from Durham to Canterbury, will be invited to ring their bells in celebration.

Festivities will peak with a star-studded 1940s themed concert held on Horse Guards Parade on Saturday night, featuring a line-up of international recording artists, stars and celebrities. The show will be one of the highlights of the year and will be broadcast that evening on BBC One.

Sunday 10 May 

A service of thanksgiving will be held at Westminster Abbey, attended by veterans and their families, members of the Royal Family, representatives of allied nations and Commonwealth countries who fought alongside Britain in the conflict, along with other diplomatic representatives and senior members of government and the armed forces.

Following the service, there will be a parade of current personnel and veterans, supported by bands, from the Abbey along Whitehall, past the balcony of HM Treasury where Winston Churchill made his historic appearance before crowds on VE Day. Veterans who have taken part in the service and parade will then be invited to a reception in St James’s Park hosted by The Royal British Legion.

During the afternoon there will be a flypast of current and historic aircraft from the Royal Air Force – including the Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster of the famous Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which played such a famous role in the European War. The Spitfire, with its unmistakable design, won the admiration of many for its daring role in the Battle of Britain, engaging in dogfights in the sky against enemy aircraft in the defence of the nation. The Avro Lancaster is perhaps the most famous of the aircraft used by Bomber Command during the Second World War, used in many raids on enemy territory, including the famous Dambuster Raids on the Ruhr Valley.

Central London will also be transported back to the 1940s by a display of period vehicles from the 1940s in St James’s Park.

Further details on the commemorations, including event listings, are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/ve-day-70th-anniversary.

Information on how veterans will be able to join in the London celebrations, including how to get involved in the lighting of the VE Day Beacons on 8 May and participating in the parade on 10 May, will be announced shortly.