Tag: awareness raising

Scottish Hockey’s Club Pledge to support Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation

Scottish Hockey has entered into a ground-breaking partnership with Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to raise awareness and funds through the Club Pledge initiative.

It comes off the back of a year of exceptional fundraising and community work delivered by hockey clubs across Scotland through Club Pledge.

Club Pledge was launched at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic where hockey clubs were invited to “make the pledge” to promote togetherness and community while raising money for good causes.

Over 75% of hockey clubs in Scotland made the pledge and delivered tremendous activities that ranged from Zoom quizzes and virtual 10ks, to food drops and mystery trail adventures.

Now Scottish Hockey has partnered with two of the world’s leading charities to take Club Pledge to the next phase, and join the fight against cancer and heart diseases. Clubs can choose to support our charity partners in a range of different ways, and also take up learning opportunities on offer.

Both CRUK and the BHF will deliver learning workshops to Scottish Hockey clubs and members to teach more about fundraising; promote healthy living; offer mind-set and wellbeing sessions; CPR training and the opportunity to learn to train others.

The first of these sessions will take place on:

  • Tuesday 24 August – Let’s take cancer! An introduction to Cancer Research UK and a fundraising masterclass.
  • Wednesday 25 August – Meet the BHF and learn how you can be a lifesaver.

Monthly events and activities will offer clubs and members the chance to fundraise for the charities and promote togetherness and community within clubs. Clubs will be able to participate in campaigns and access materials to maximise their fundraising such as t-shirts; bracelets; banners and balloons etc.

Scottish Hockey staff and board members will also lead from the front by taking part in monthly fundraising activities for both charities, while raising awareness.

As with previous years, anyone buying cup final tickets can choose to donate part of the ticket value to the chosen charity of their choice.

Scottish Hockey Chair Martin Shepherdson, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to partner with two of the most important charities in the country and support the great work they do to raise awareness and research cures and treatments.

“Club Pledge was a phenomenal success and it’s testament to the clubs and members across Scotland who delivered such exceptional activities, that the initiative is seen as something that can really be a trailblazer in how sports can support good causes.

“We’ll work with clubs alongside the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK to take Club Pledge to the next level, and really make a difference to people’s lives and health through hockey.”

The BHF is the biggest independent funder of research into heart and circulatory diseases in Scotland and the UK. This year marks the BHF’s 60th birthday and over the past six decades, the charity has been instrumental in numerous life-saving discoveries.

Its research has contributed to the first UK heart transplant, the development of pacemakers, the use of clot busting drugs to treat heart attacks, and the rollout of genetic testing for inherited heart conditions.

James Jopling, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have the support of Scottish Hockey and its member clubs across the country. Since the BHF was established, our research and campaigning have contributed to the annual number of people dying from heart and circulatory diseases in this country falling by half.

“This is something we can be extremely proud of. But we want to do more. Despite progress, heart and circulatory diseases cause around 3 in ten deaths in Scotland. The support of organisations like Scottish Hockey and the public will help us continue to fund vital research to help save and improve lives.”  

Cancer Research UK is the largest independent funder of cancer research in the world. Cancer Research UK has made enormous progress in the fight against cancer. However, is has only been able to do this thanks to the dedication and commitment of incredible volunteers and supporters without whom it would not be able to fund vital research.

This year 32,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer in Scotland and sadly, only half of them will survive the disease for ten years or more. Researchers, physicians and nurses are working tirelessly to prevent, control and cure all 200 types of cancer and bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Heather Duff from Cancer Research UK, said: “We are delighted to work with Scottish Hockey to tackle cancer. Cancer Research UK is dedicated to find new and improved ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

“All funds raised by Scottish Hockey, and its clubs and members, will go towards life-saving research in Scotland. With the support of Scottish Hockey we are one step closer to giving cancer the red card. We look forward to working with hockey clubs across Scotland and wish them the best of luck with their fundraising.”

‘Stark disconnect’: Charity’s call for better understanding of the far-reaching impacts of epilepsy

42% of people with epilepsy in Scotland want you to know this one thing … (Purple Day, 26 March)

New research shows that public understanding of epilepsy doesn’t always match with the reality faced by those living with the condition. Friday 26 March is Purple Day, the global day for epilepsy, and a chance to redress the balance. There are over 55,000 people living with epilepsy in Scotland.

In Epilepsy Action’s new poll, nearly 1,000 people affected by epilepsy were asked for the one thing they wished the public knew about the condition.

42% of those surveyed in Scotland said they wished people knew that the impact of living with epilepsy goes far beyond seizures. Side-effects of medication, memory problems and impacted mental health are just some of the things that can affect people. 

A quarter (24%) of people said their biggest wish was for better awareness of the many different seizure types. Other hopes included more understanding that not all seizures are triggered by flashing lights and that epilepsy is a fluctuating condition.

However, new figures suggest much of the general public remains unaware of the ripple effect of the condition and are dismissive of how it affects people long-term. 

One in four people (23%) thought that epilepsy has no impact on a person’s life, aside from having seizures. A third said that the condition does not impact on a person’s mental health.

In one revealing statement, two thirds agreed with the suggestion that people ‘just need to be more positive when living with health conditions’. 

Yet, with a similar number of people (68%) saying they would be afraid to even witness someone having a seizure, the charity says this exposes a stark disconnect in understanding and compassion towards people with the condition.  

Louise Cousins, director of external affairs at Epilepsy Action, said: “These new insights are stark but not surprising. The impact of living with epilepsy can take a huge toll on people’s lives, their happiness and wellbeing.

“Everyone’s experience of epilepsy is different, but it can’t be overcome just by ‘being more positive’. This attitude needs to change. Lack of knowledge and empathy feeds into fearful, harmful assumptions and people with epilepsy feeling further misunderstood and dismissed.

“By giving them a voice and encouraging conversations on Purple Day, we can really improve society’s knowledge and compassion and close the gap on this chasm of understanding.”

Yorkshire comedian Maisie Adam was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 14. She is backing the campaign: “It’s totally normal for people to have those misconceptions about epilepsy, because of the information that’s out there at the moment. So much is frustratingly simplified, Hollywood-ified, it’s very bite-sized.

“It’s just the understanding that’s important and I think that comes from both sides. It’s about us being understanding of why people have those misconceptions but just hoping that people don’t assume – that they can hold back on any assumptions until the facts have been given. Epilepsy is so different for every single person.

“Be open to that huge variation. You’ll have your misconceptions, but don’t assume.”

Epilepsy Action has released a new awareness video on YouTube to coincide with Purple Day and to promote understanding of the condition. The charity is also urging supporters to take part in virtual fundraisers and to celebrate #purpleday on social media.

Support and information for anyone affected by epilepsy are available at epilepsy.org.uk or by calling the Epilepsy Action helpline on 0808 800 5050.

To support Epilepsy Action’s Purple Day appeal and help people affected by epilepsy, visit epilepsy.org.uk/purple

Former footballer taking on mammoth challenge in memory of beloved local community leader

A Kilwinning man is taking on a marathon task – running a 10k, every day for 47 days in memory of his mother, a well-known community figure, who passed away suddenly after a heart attack.

Craig Potter, 37, has set himself the challenge to raise money for Heart Research UK’s Heart of Scotland appeal, and to raise awareness of the dangers of undiagnosed heart conditions.

Craig’s mum, Theresa, passed away suddenly after suffering a heart attack at home in July.

“She never displayed what we perceived were normal symptoms of a heart attack,” said Craig.

“She never mentioned about a tight chest or about pains in her arm. She had woken up the night before and said she felt anxious, which was unlike her. The next day, she had been mildly nauseous and had a dry mouth, but was still working from home and was planning to meet up with a friend.

“My dad went downstairs to make himself a quick lunch. When he came back upstairs, 3 minutes later she was dead, it was that sudden.

“It was devastating, we are a small, close family. A huge part of our life was gone.”

With the family grieving, Craig began looking for a charity and a challenge to take on in her memory.

“Two things my mum was really proud of – she was a proud woman, and a proud Scot. When we came across the Heart of Scotland appeal, some of the stats shocked us. The fact that you are more than 50% more likely to die from heart disease in Scotland than in South East England is just unpalatable,” said Craig.

“Since my mum died, people have come to us with their own tragic stories, other mums, wives, sisters, and daughters suddenly dying from heart conditions, and yet somehow it is still not perceived as a women’s health issue. We want to change that.

Another stat the family found form the Heart of Scotland appeal was that currently, 47 people a day die in Scotland from cardiovascular disease.

“We were in the grieving process, and we knew we wanted to do something. Something that would raise money, but crucially, raise awareness. Should we have known these signs? Should people be aware? We weren’t, and certainly other people aren’t.

“This is where the idea came from, to run every day for 47 days, with different groups of people to really spread the word. 47 days means we’re talking about it for longer, more people will hear the message and will hear the stats.”

Craig’s challenge begins on the 24th March 2021, with the final day of his run falling on his mum’s birthday, the 9th of May.

He will be joined each day by different friends, family members and well-wishers across the UK, all keen to pay their respects and help spread the message around heart health in women and Scotland.

A number of Heart Research UK staff will also be joining Craig throughout his challenge

Following Theresa’s passing, the family was overwhelmed with the amount of messages they received from people that had been impacted by Theresa, who had dedicated her life to supporting and developing those in the community.

Theresa had spent many years working in communities, focusing on education, health, campaigns against poverty and, most recently, response to the COVID pandemic.
 
“The impact was overwhelming, we had hundreds of messages from all over the world,” said Dougie Potter, Theresa’s husband.

“More people than we could ever know that Theresa had developed in a positive way. I knew she had an impact on people’s life, but the scope and range of people that sent us messages was breath-taking.

“High level politicians, saying that Theresa had influenced their lives, to young people, community groups, activists and colleagues saying that Theresa was just so impactful in their lives forever. That range took our breath away.”

As well as raising money for research across Scotland, both Craig and Dougie are passionate about raising awareness of heart conditions and their symptoms, especially in women.

“The research we have read seems to show that if women have problems, we often think of other things that could be causing their symptoms. With men, we tend to get to the idea of heart problems quicker and therefore get treatment or medical intervention quicker.” said Craig.

“The reality is, this is killing 2600 women a year in Scotland. That shocked us a family.

“That’s what this is all about, getting people talking, reinforcing these messages. Mum was the last person you’d expect this to happen to. She was upbeat, strong, energetic and lived a healthy life.

Dougie finished by saying “Us talking openly about Theresa has already saved lives, with women asking for treatment where in the past they may have not.

“But we’re not talking about this enough, and it’s affecting so many people. My hope is that by sharing Theresa’s story it creates more conversations, more awareness and we can begin to save lives.”

Craig’s challenge kicks off on the 24th March 2021. and you can support his challenge here –  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/craig-potter12

You can learn more about the Heart of Scotland appeal here:  https://heartresearch.org.uk/heartofscotland/

Umbrella Lane takes the Equally Safe consultation to the public with #TakingBackOurVoice campaign

Sex worker charity Umbrella Lane has been advocating in the media and the community to fight The Equally Safe Consultation put forward by Ash Denham and published by the Scottish Government.

Having worked to build trust and support sex workers in Scotland since 2015, Umbrella Lane has seen the lack of awareness about the realities of Sex Work and the stigma Workers face.

Therefore, taking a holistic approach, Umbrella Lane have decided to take the voices of their community to the streets of Glasgow on the 23rd October and Edinburgh on the 24th October to raise awareness around #TakingBackOurVoice campaign.

The campaign aims to humanise the people affected by the consultation and will highlight the devastating effects the consultation will have on the safety, health and human rights of the Sex Worker community, should it be passed.  

While the Equally Safe Consultation is based on misinformation and over generalisations; Umbrella Lane and Sex Workers have fact on our side, with numerous studies showing the dangerous effects of criminalisation, and the benefits of full decriminalisation as a solution.

Join Umbrella Lane to hear what sex workers have to say about the consultation and how you can support us in submitting a response. 

*We will be wearing face masks and practicing mandatory social distancing, track and trace is recommended for participating in the event.* 


#TakingBackOurVoice Public Awareness Days 

Glasgow 23rd October 

Buchanan Street outside the Apple Store 

11am – 1pm

Edinburgh 24th October 

Princess Street by the Scots Monument 

11am – 1pm 

Dementia Friendly campaign coming to Granton Campus

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Did you see North Edinburgh News’ recent story about the city council’s campaign to make Edinburgh a Dementia Friendly city? Well, representatives from Alzheimer Scotland will be at

Edinburgh College Granton Campus

on Wednesday 11 March between 10am and 4pm

to tell you how you can get involved.

We will be there talking to the students about the work of Alzheimer Scotland and various fundraising and volunteering opportunities within the organisation and will be encouraging people to sign up to become Dementia Friends.

We want to get people talking about dementia and would welcome you to come along on the day to talk to us. We look forward to seeing you and thanking you for helping us make sure that nobody faces dementia alone.

Abbi Parkhouse, Regional Fundraiser 

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Scotland’s charities unite in call to tackle poverty

‘We have a humanitarian crisis on our hands’

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Scottish charities have joined together in an appeal for people across Scotland to join the fight against poverty with the launch today of the Scotland’s Outlook campaign.

Macmillan, Shelter Scotland, Oxfam, Alzheimer Scotland, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS), Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), the Poverty Alliance and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) are behind the campaign which sheds light on the scale and impact of poverty, and warns of a bleak outlook for people living in poverty in Scotland.

The scale of the problem is alarming – and growing – but bare figures and statistics tell only part of the story: the struggle of life blighted by poverty is best told by those who experience and live it, day in, day out. Hazel, a lone parent living in Fife, said: “I did not want to be a single mum on benefits, like you seen on the news. Those mums were portrayed as lazy scroungers and I definitely was not like that. I really wanted to work but every way I turned I was hit with barriers and this made accessing employment so difficult. Childcare was so expensive and not readily available in my area. Buses were irregular and expensive.

“I think there needs to be more support for lone parents accessing employment but from an early stage. Childcare needs to be made a priority in all areas, and it should be more affordable and easily accessible. Employers should think about parents when writing contracts or vacancy ads, shifts could be more flexible to support parents and transport could be less expensive.”

Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO, said: “With nearly a million people in Scotland living in poverty, we have a humanitarian crisis on our hands and we need everyone’s help to tackle it. Thousands of people are turning to food banks, struggling to heat their homes, and to clothe themselves and their children. It’s not right. We want people to wake up to the poverty storm that’s engulfing Scotland and get active in the fight against it.”

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, says: “People across Scotland are being battered by welfare reforms, stagnant wages, rising utility bills, higher living costs and job insecurity. For many, the safety and security of home is under threat like never before. It’s a perfect storm on our doorstep.

“We see and hear the misery poverty causes every day. Not only does it have a devastating impact on home life, it has long-term detrimental effects on people’s health, wellbeing and life chances – especially children.

“Set against the background of 155,100 households on council waiting lists and nearly 40,000 homelessness applications last year, it is clear that much more needs to be done to combat the root causes of poverty if we are to improve the prospects for everyone living in Scotland.”

Jamie Livingstone, Acting Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “Cuts to social safety-nets have gone too far, leading to destitution, hardship and hunger on a large scale.

“Too many Scots don’t even have enough to eat – such glaring inequality simply cannot continue. And poverty isn’t just affecting those out of work, for too many people employment is not a route out of poverty either. We need a society where everyone, whether they are in or out of work, has a decent income that allows them to live with dignity. We should expect nothing less in rich Scotland.”

Peter Hastie, Macmillan’s Campaign, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, said: “Cancer makes a double-pronged attack on people’s finances, often removing their ability to work at the same time as leading to increasing costs such as higher heating bills.It’s vital all cancer patients having money problems find out if they are entitled to benefits or any other financial help by getting in touch with Macmillan.”

Jim Pearson, Deputy Director for Policy at Alzheimer Scotland, said: “The negative perceptions of people living in poverty are compounded by the stigma which too often surrounds dementia. Such perceptions fail to recognise people with dementia, and their carers, as individuals who continue to make a positive contribution to society, preventing them from taking part in society as equal and active citizens. Poverty is more widespread than many people realise, and raising awareness of that is the first step to challenging its damaging effects.”

Jon Heggie, Director of Fundraising and Communications, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, said: “Having a child with a life-shortening condition can place a huge financial burden on a family. All of CHAS services are free which is vital to families who live with the ongoing financial implications of their child’s condition. In particular families often have to fund expensive equipment, home adaptations, high fuel bills and regular trips to hospital.

“Even with financial support, many families often need to find significant sums of money themselves in order to ensure they are providing their child with the best possible care.”

John Dickie, Head of CPAG in Scotland, said: “Independent forecasts predict an explosion in child poverty levels in the coming years as so much of the benefit and tax credit support that millions of families in and out of work rely on is ripped away. But by raising awareness and working together we can, and must, bring about the changes to our economy, social security system and public services that are needed to protect all our citizens from this poverty storm.”

For more information about Scotland’s Outlook visit www.scotlandsoutlook.org

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