Due to the bank holidays, some benefit payments will be made earlier than usual in December and January.
If your expected payment date is between 24 December and 6 January, you will receive a text message closer to the time advising you of when you will receive your payment.
FREE FOOD AND CLOTHING at CORSTORPHINE COMMUNITY CENTRE
10.30am – 3.30pm until Friday
Heart of Midlothian FC are bringing Christmas cheer to those that need it most this year by taking part in the biggest-ever Festive Friends programme during the holiday season.
Festive Friends is a brilliant opportunity for clubs to give back to their local communities.
The SPFL Trust programme is now in its seventh year and, for the first time, all 42 SPFL clubs are taking part in the campaign, including Heart of Midlothian FC through their official charity Big Hearts.
Cowdenbeath will also deliver Festive Friends after being granted a year’s grace following their relegation to the Lowland League.
The campaign has the largest-ever fund this year, a total of £133,000, which means the SPFL Trust will be able to support an extra 1,000 people via clubs and community trusts.
As such, the programme is expected to support over 4,000 people this year across Scotland.
It’s been a difficult year so far for everyone with the cost of living crisis, but, of course, winter is always a particularly tough time for the elderly, who are at higher risk of social isolation.
Festive Friends brings Christmas cheer and companionship to elderly people who are socially isolated and at risk of being alone during the festive season.
Almost 9,000 people have enjoyed Festive Friends in the last six years and that number is expected to reach nearly 15,000.
Hampers usually contain food, snacks, essential toiletries, gifts, games and more. Some clubs even send video messages from managers and players; others have players make personal deliveries.
This year, given the current crisis facing the country, the SPFL Trust has also organised for Age Scotland Friendship Line flyers to be distributed in each hamper featuring helpful information.
This year Big Hearts Community Trust staff and volunteers welcomed over 100 older people to Tynecastle, where they get to enjoy a hot Christmas lunch and receive a festive food hamper to take home.
SPFL Trust CEO Nicky Reid said: “Festive Friends is one of our biggest events at the SPFL Trust and for our colleagues at clubs and community trusts.
“It’s all about coming together to have a real impact in the lives of elderly and isolated people over the festive period – reaching more people than ever this year.
“It’s the Christmas spirit in action as we see the power of football in spades – with clubs spreading cheer in their communities.
“Scottish football is trusted to support, and our recent research shows that almost 83% of people live within ten miles of a SPFL ground – because of this clubs and their associated community trusts are well positioned to effect this type of change in their communities.
“This year 43 SPFL clubs are involved making it our biggest programme yet, supported by a record-breaking fund of £133,000. We look forward to supporting more elderly people than ever before, after all kindness never mattered more.”
Big Hearts Operations Manager Innes Shirreff said: “Big Hearts are delighted to have the support of the SPFL Trust’s Festive Friends programme again this year, which will help us to provide two social gatherings for older people at Tynecastle Park.
“Across the 12th and 13th December, we welcomed over 100 individuals and provided a three-course lunch, as well as gifts and entertainment. These lunches form a key part of our winter engagement for older people and provide an enjoyable afternoon out, in a warm and welcoming environment.
“We are proud to be part of the wider community of football clubs, trusts and foundations across Scotland working to ensure vital support is provided to those who need it during the festive season.”
Big Hearts’ Festive Friends participant Henry Craig, who is 70 years old said:
“Today has been outstanding, the food was excellent, the atmosphere, the friendliness of the staff, the former Hearts players in the room – everyone had a great time. Well done to the people at Big Hearts for organising.
“I’m a Hearts’ supporter and a season ticket holder and I’ve been involved with the charity for almost a year. I love the companionship I get when I come to the stadium. The opportunity to get together for a festive meal was amazing, thank you.”
For more information on Festive Friends visit: www.spfltrust.org.uk/festivefriends
Following feedback from the community on last weeks warm hub evenings we have decided to change the time.
Our main aim is being here for the community, we will do and change what we need to in order to achieve this.
We are a friendly bunch and the door is always open – come say hi!
The poverty-related attainment gaps in literacy and numeracy levels across primary schools have seen the biggest decreases since records began, official statistics show.
The gap between the proportion of primary pupils from the most and least-deprived areas achieving expected levels has narrowed by 3.4 percentage points in literacy and 3.7 percentage points in numeracy, according to the Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) 2021/22. This marks the largest narrowing of the gap in a year since consistent records began in 2016/17.
There has also been a record increase in the proportion of primary school pupils achieving the expected levels of literacy (up 3.7 percentage points to 70.5%) and numeracy (up 3.3 percentage points to 77.9%).
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “These figures demonstrate a real recovery from the pandemic and underline our progress towards tackling the poverty-related attainment gap, and achieving excellence for all of Scotland’s children and young people.
“This record improvement over one year for primary pupils achieving the expected levels in numeracy and literacy also shows more young people are getting the support they need to reach their full potential.
“However, there is no room for complacency. I recognise that attainment levels are still largely below pre-pandemic levels and the publication of local stretch aims by local councils last week sets out clear plans to significantly narrow the poverty-related attainment gap in the years ahead.
“We know that the impact of the pandemic – compounded by the current cost of living crisis – means children and young people need our support now more than ever. We are determined to do all we can to ensure they can reach their full potential, including a record investment of £1billion over this parliamentary term in the Scottish Attainment Challenge.”
The Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) 2021/22 statistics include data at Scotland level and for each local authority.
The Scottish Government must ensure more funding is provided for the justice sector in this year’s budget otherwise the sector could face severe cuts to services and staff numbers, say the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee.
The Committee’s pre-budget scrutiny was primarily focused on the proposed flat-cash settlement for the justice sector set out in the Scottish Government’s Resource Spending Review framework (RSR).
Independent research by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) suggested that if current inflationary pressures persist, this settlement would represent a significant reduction in spending across the justice sector, with resource spending falling in real terms by £102 million, or 3.6%.
The Committee’s report highlights extensive evidence gathered from across the sector outlining deeply concerning scenarios of depleted services and cuts to staff numbers, should the figures outlined in the RSR come to fruition.
The Committee say budgets for capital investment in the emergency services, prisons and courts have invariably been less than requested in recent years and that worryingly, the pressures on public spending and the high rate of inflation, mean budgets for day-to-day running costs are at risk too.
Maintaining current staffing levels in our police and fire services, upgrading the prison estate or investing in efforts to improve the prosecution of sex offences could all be under threat if no further funding is provided.
Criminal Justice Committee Convener, Audrey Nicoll MSP, said: “As a Committee we recognise the huge financial pressure facing government budgets, however the evidence we have taken during this year’s pre-budget scrutiny is stark and deeply concerning.
“We have heard from across the criminal justice sector of potentially severe cuts to services and hefty reductions in police and fire service staff numbers if these funding cuts were to come to fruition,
“Although we welcome the commitment from the Justice Secretary that there will be no cuts to police staff numbers, we want to see this recognised through a suitable budget settlement.
“We understand the difficult decisions facing the Scottish Government in this year’s budget but it is essential that criminal justice services receive appropriate funding and a greater settlement than that proposed in the Resource Spending Review, and that any extra resources do more than simply get swallowed up by increased pay awards.
“Otherwise, there is a substantial risk of services in the justice system being downgraded to unacceptable levels and drastic cuts to staff numbers.”
Whether it’s a river, pond, canal or reservoir – frozen water should be avoided.
While the ice may look solid, it can suddenly crack and cause a person to fall through and potentially become trapped under the ice. The consequences can be fatal as the low temperature of the water can bring on cold-water shock which can lead to a heart attack.
If someone does get into difficulty on the ice, the advice is to dial 999, ask for the fire and rescue service and wait for help to arrive. Do not attempt to rescue them as you could be putting yourself in danger.
Parents, carers and guardians are also asked to ensure children are made aware of the dangers of playing on ice.
Dog owners should also ensure they keep pets on a lead and should avoid throwing objects onto the ice for them to retrieve.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Area Commander for Prevention and Protection, David Dourley, said: “Following the tragic events of the weekend, our thoughts are very much with the families, friends and local communities at this sad time.
“We strongly urge everyone to please be aware of the dangers of frozen water. We know the ice can look inviting but do not be tempted to walk on ice. It can easily crack and cause a person to fall through.
“Don’t wander too near to the edge, icy conditions could cause you to slip and fall in and don’t be tempted to test how solid the water is.
“Adults should set a good example by staying off the ice and we also ask that parents, carers and guardians ensure children are aware of the dangers of frozen water.
“We don’t want your winter walk to end in tragedy so please avoid going near frozen water when you are out with loved ones and pets.”
Advice for anyone who gets into trouble in frozen water is to try to conserve their energy by keeping as still as possible while waiting for help.
And be aware of the dangers of cold-water shock which can be brought about by low temperatures, which can cause breathing difficulties, blood vessels to close, the heart-rate to increase and lead to a heart attack.
For more information on Cold Water Shock please visit:
https://watersafetyscotland.org.uk/information/cold-water-shock/
Thousands of deaf children across Scotland are not getting the support they need in school after a 40% fall in the number of specialist support teachers for deaf children over the last decade, the National Deaf Children’s Society is warning.
A new report published by the Consortium for Research into Deaf Education (CRIDE), also shows that Teachers of the Deaf numbers in Scotland have fallen at twice the rate compared to other parts of the UK. In addition, around 45% of Teachers of the Deaf in Scotland plan to retire over the next 10 years – so unless action is taken urgently things will only get worse.
Teachers of the Deaf play a vital role in supporting the language and communication development of deaf children. They give advice to families of newly identified deaf children, visit deaf children at school or college – to give them any extra help they need – and provide guidance to mainstream teachers and schools on deaf awareness and inclusion.
However, as the number of fully qualified Teachers of the Deaf in Scotland has fallen, increasing numbers of deaf children are missing out on this support.
Families of deaf children have told the National Deaf Children’s Society that in some areas their local Teachers of the Deaf have too big a caseload to work with deaf learners on a one-to-one basis.
The charity is calling on local authorities across Scotland to commit to returning qualified Teacher of the Deaf numbers to 2011 levels over the next decade.
The National Deaf Children’s Society also wants the Scottish Government to develop and deliver a Scotland-wide workforce strategy for Teachers of the Deaf, and to ensure they are properly paid for the extra responsibilities they take on, in recognition that their specialist expertise is valued.
Such a workforce strategy will involve fully funded places being available for teachers wanting to study for the mandatory qualifications, so a new generation of Teachers of the Deaf can be trained to replace those who are leaving.
Without this, the charity warns deaf children will continue to fall behind and the gap between them and their hearing classmates’ risks becoming wider.
Gemma, from Fife, whose 13-year-old daughter Megan is deaf, described her Teacher of the Deaf asan “absolute necessity” who quickly solves any issues.
She said: “We are a hearing family and although my daughter’s hearing needs are not as big as other young people’s, the Teacher of the Deaf has helped validate my daughter’s past experiences, educate myself on my daughter’s needs and empower her to be confident in the school.”
Mark Ballard, Head of Policy and Influencing for Scotland with the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Every deaf child in Scotland should, as a fundamental right, be able to get the support they need from a fully qualified Teacher of the Deaf to help them reach their full potential. We are very concerned that these new figures show a 40% fall in the numbers of qualified Teachers of the Deaf in Scotland, twice the decline in other parts of the UK.
“With the right support in place, deaf children can achieve anything their peers can, but sadly, this simply isn’t happening. The latest Scottish Government statistics show they’re twice as likely to leave school with no qualifications and half as likely to go to university.
“That’s why we want to see a commitment from local authorities and the Scottish Government to work together to return the number of fully qualified Teachers of the Deaf employed across Scotland to the 2011 level, over the next ten years.”
Mr Ballard pointed out that a lack of funding means many teachers in Scotland who want to become a qualified Teacher of the Deaf must often cover the costs themselves.
He added: “There are great courses available to give teachers the extra skills and knowledge they need to become qualified Teachers of the Deaf, but we must make sure the funding and incentives are in place to support teachers to undertake the training.”
Six grassroots organisations in Scotland have written a powerful plea to Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, on Monday (12 December) urging him follow his conscience ahead of the Scottish parliamentary vote on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill on 21 December.
In a strongly-worded letter, the groups – including Women Speak Scotland, Scottish Feminist Network and Women’s Declaration International Scotland – criticised Sarwar and other senior party figures of “not taking seriously the most significant bill on the safety of women and children in Scotland’s devolved history by delegating the issue to a relatively inexperienced MSP who seems to be struggling with or unwilling to hold the Scottish Government to account.”
The letter conveys the women’s frustration and anger as they describe that many of them “are politically homeless having previously been lifelong Labour supporters”, while “others are reevaluating their previously steadfast pro-Indy stance given the significance of the Equality Act (2010)” to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
The women issued a stark warning to the Scottish Labour leader in the event that they continue to avoid the serious concerns surrounding the Bill and hope that the current controversies “will blow over”:
“You cannot hide any longer. We women see you, we are angry, and we won’t wheesht. Women’s hard-won rights are not a political game.
“We will not let voters forget that you personally, as party leader, were knowingly and wilfully complicit in ignoring all the warnings, including from women in the Labour Party. All those who vote in favour of the GRR Bill will be held responsible for all its negative outcomes.”
“If you do not take a principled stance as leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, we will hold you accountable for the suffering of women and children in the years to come.”
A proposal to establish a Commissioner with a remit over wellbeing and sustainable development and to strengthen duties on the public sector has been published in a proposal for a Member’s Bill by Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack, and is now out to public consultation.
Boyack hopes her planned Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill proposal will introduce a duty for public bodies to promote these principles and establish a Commissioner for Sustainable and Wellbeing in order to address the devastating consequences of short-termism at both local and global scale.
The Members Bill proposal comes on the back of calls for a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill during the Scottish Parliament election by a large number of individuals and organisations. The proposal builds on the 14 recommendations for policy makers published by the Scotland’s International Development Alliance in their report Towards a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill and Carnegie UK’s recent Five steps to put wellbeing at the centre of policymaking in Scotland publication.
The proposed Bill seeks to place new definitions of sustainable development and wellbeing into legislation and to bring forward the Scottish equivalent to the Welsh Future Generations Commissioner.
Introducing her consultation, Sarah Boyack said, “The climate emergency demonstrates in real terms the consequences of short-termism. We are now seeing countries that did nothing to aggravate the unfolding environmental catastrophe, bearing the cost for a damage they didn’t cause.
“Future generations in Scotland and across the world will be faced with the results of the actions we take – or not – right here and now. The proposal I am launching today is neither a new nor untested idea. In Wales, the Future Generations Commissioner was established in 2015 and has already made a difference.
“The Scottish Government talks a lot about wellbeing and sustainable development, but it has repeatedly failed to define them, let alone implement them.
“I want to hear from as many people as possible so we can strengthen the legislation currently in place and ensure that Scotland is a country that takes wellbeing and sustainable development seriously both now and for future generation.”
Speaking in support of the proposal; Frances Guy, Chief Executive Officer at Scotland’s International Development Alliance said: “The Alliance is delighted to see the launch of this Members Bill consultation.
“The Bill is an opportunity for Scotland to demonstrate joined-up policymaking, linking global and domestic priorities, alongside human and environmental wellbeing and putting them at the forefront of decision making. It’s clearer than ever before that our systems are not working for people, or for the planet.
This legislation could trigger a step change in the way decisions are made in Scotland, ensuring sustainable development and wellbeing become the main drivers of policy and practice across public life”.
The Members’ Bill is supported by Carnegie UK, a Dunfermline-based charitable foundation that advocates for putting collective wellbeing at the centre of policymaking.
Sarah Davidson, Chief Executive of Carnegie UK, said: “It is time for Scotland to up the pace on putting wellbeing at the centre of big decisions.
“That means a new commissioner to look after everyone’s interests now and in the future, backed with statutory powers. That means policies and spending-decisions which balance the needs of the economy with other social, environmental, and democratic imperatives. It means longer term thinking, after a decade of crisis management at home and abroad.
“That’s why we’re pleased to see Sarah Boyack’s Members’ Bill and would urge forward-thinking organisations and individuals to get involved in this consultation.”
To see the full proposal and to respond to the consultation please visit https://sarahboyack.com/wellbeing-and-sustainable-development-bill/
