This weekend is the Edinburgh Kiltwalk and we are delighted to say that Held In Our Hearts have 55 Kilt Walkers oner the weekend over all three events.
One local team of funeral directors are walking for bereavement charity Held In Our Hearts in the Wee Wander and we can’t thank them enough.
Funeral directors Barclays are going all out to make sure that Held In Our Hearts can continue to make sure that not family go through the trauma of being alone after the death of their precious baby. The charity offer support to bereaved families and have worked closely with Barclays over the years.
This year, Valerie, Andrew, Georgia, Elaine, and Marion will undertake 4 miles and walk from Silverknowes to Murrayfield .
As Valerie shared: “ We are so delighted to have the fantastic opportunity to be able to support in this way”
Barclays report suggests 72% of people living in Scotland will do most or all of their Christmas shopping on Black Friday
34% surge in Black Friday shopping scams last year
72% of people living in Scotland will do most or all of their Christmas shopping on Black Friday
44% of people living in Scotland will do most or all of their Black Friday shopping online
56% of people living in Scotland say they plan to spend between £100 and £400 online shopping this Black Friday
After last year’s Black Friday sales, there was a 34 per cent surge in reported purchase scams, according to new Barclays data.
Victims lost on average £1,072 to purchase scams during the seasonal shopping period.
New data from Barclays suggests that 72% of people living in Scotland are likely to do all or most of their Christmas shopping on Black Friday with 56% saying they will spend between £100 and £400 on the day.
The figures also reveal that 36% of people living in Scotland will be relying on Black Friday sales more than previous years as they are looking to make savings wherever they can and 31% feel pressure to make purchases as quickly as possible to make sure they get the best deals.
A further 44% plan to do most or all of their Black Friday shopping online this year.
However, the number of reported purchase scams after Black Friday and Cyber Monday across the UK last year rose by 34 per cent, with an average of £1,072 lost to scammers.
Barclays data also shows that the proportion of scams taking place on tech platforms, such as purchase/auctions sites, social media, or dating apps, has increased by 71% since the beginning of 2021. Currently 77% of all scams take place on these platforms, but at the beginning of 2021 it was just 45%.
With the average Brit expected to spend over £200 on shopping during Black Friday this year, Barclays is urging shoppers to take extra care when purchasing things online throughout the sales season.
The Bank’s findings reveal that worryingly, many consumers are changing their normal behaviour on Black Friday when searching for the best deals. Almost a third (32%) across the UK feel pressured to make a purchase as quickly as possible to make sure they get the best deal.
One in five (19%) said they were more likely to take note of a “too good to be true” deal, and a further 17% admitted to shopping on sites they haven’t heard of before if they have particularly good deals or sales.
Ross Martin, Head of Digital Safety at Barclays, said: “Whilst Black Friday is a great way for Brits to save money ahead of the Christmas season, it is important to stay vigilant when making purchases.
“This year more than ever, people will be looking for the best bargains, which could lead them right into the hands of scammers, who will be advertising false offers to lure victims in.
“Just remember – ignore any pressure that is being put on you – and if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Barclays is urging buyers to follow these four steps this Black Friday:
Do your due diligence: Research and read reviews to check the site and the seller are genuine.
View the item: If you can, view the item in person first to make sure it exists, especially if it’s a big purchase, like a smartphone or even a car.
Get a second opinion: Always speak to someone you trust for a second opinion, whether it’s a friend, family member, or your bank.
Be wary of unlikely offers: Many purchase scams offer huge discounts that you wouldn’t normally find at retailers you would normally trust. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
For more information, and tips to stay alert from the latest scams, please visit: www.barclays.co.uk/scams/.
“Barclays and HSBC customers will be shocked that their savings are being invested in companies implicated in the destruction of the Amazon and Cerrado”
Barclays and HSBC are in the top three banks in Europe investing in companies at high risk of being linked to the deforestation of the Amazon and Cerrado for cattle and soya production to feed factory farmed animals globally, according to a new report by World Animal Protection. International bank BNP Paribas was ranked number one.
The report, Big Meat. Big Bucks. Bigger Harm,found that Barclays and HSBC have financed and invested US$26.5bn (£19bn) to companies connected to the supply chains of beef and soy for animal feed in Brazil, meaning consumers are unknowingly fueling these unethical and carbon-intensive business practices with their savings and pensions.
For Barclays and HSBC, financial relationships were identified with 25 of the 60 researched high-risk companies. The main recipient is US food company Cargill – its loans total US$4.7bn (£3.3bn) plus underwritings totaling US$634m (£455m). The Brazilian meat processing company JBS follows with loans totaling $US3.3bn (£2.3bn) plus US$920m (£660m) in underwritings and US$3m (£2.1m) in stockholdings.
NatWest, Standard Chartered and Schroders also performed poorly with US$7.3bn (£5.2bn) of investments and relationships with 15 of the 60 researched high-risk companies, the main recipient being Cargill.
Lindsay Duncan, World Animal Protection farming campaign manager said: “Customers of Barclays and HSBC will be devastated to learn that their pensions and savings are being invested in companies implicated in the destruction of the Amazon and Cerrado regions in Brazil.
“With the UK hosting COP26 this year UK banks should stop funding cruel factory farming and its dependence on unsustainable and carbon-intensive animal feed imports. They should do the right thing and support humane and sustainable food systems and help ensure factory farming becomes a thing of the past.”
Alarmingly, these financial institutions may be linked to the clearance of irreplaceable rainforest, which in some cases is even illegal and unregulated.
The Amazon, while being a major producer of the world’s oxygen, is also home to millions of species of sentient animals that suffer when their habitat is lost. An area the size of a football pitch is lost every single minute to agricultural uses.[1]
Soya is planted in huge swathes in destroyed habitats before being exported to feed factory farmed animals around the world, completing the cycle of cruelty. Right now, more than 70 billion animals are globally farmed for food each year – two-thirds on factory farms in conditions that mean they can’t move freely or live naturally.
Cattle kept on deforested land are often taken to slaughter in dire conditions and many are not even guaranteed a humane death. They face overcrowding, extreme heat, a lack of food and water and are often transported miles across rugged terrain to be slaughtered – all contributing to unimaginable cruelty. These animals are treated as mere commodities without even the most basic of needs met.
While this is a major animal welfare and conservation concern, even many of the cattle and soya farmers themselves are exploited – worked hard, paid poorly, granted minimal rights – making this a human rights issue too.
World Animal Protection is calling on financial institutions to right this wrong, ensuring they have policies and systems in place such as:
Traceability to the point of origin within the supply chain, zero tolerance for deforestation, screening and engaging companies, excluding clear offenders and demonstrating transparency
Supporting the transition to a humane and sustainable food system by implementing FARMS farm animal welfare standards as a minimum, halving investments in animal protein by 2040, and phasing out support for monocrops like soya as feed for farm animals.
People can also help by eating higher welfare and less meat and calling on their banks to adopt strong and meaningful policies that protect animals and the environment.
After one of the most challenging years in memory, hard-pressed staff at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have been given a very special gift to round off 2021 … a much-needed spot of R&R!
Banking giant Barclays has donated £250,000 to the health board as part of its efforts to help people and communities most impacted by COVID-19, and the money is to be spent on our network of Staff Rest and Recuperation Hubs.
These much-loved spaces help those who work within NHSGGC to recharge and recover from the stresses of their job. They are places to chat to colleagues, eat, exercise or just out your feet up in peace and quiet.
In addition, each hub provides psychological support to help staff cope with the challenges of their job.
Anne MacPherson, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “We would like to thank Barclays for their generous donation, and we are delighted that it is being put to such good use.
“COVID-19 has touched every one of us in some way and our staff have been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic to support our patients and their loved ones, our colleagues and, ultimately, our local communities, so to be recognised in this way is very welcome.
“This donation will make a real difference to NHSGGC and our workforce, and it is a lovely way to round off such a challenging year.”
The donation came after NHSGGC was named as a charity partner for the bank’s £100 million Community Aid Package – a funding scheme to help those most in need in the UK, the Americans, Asia and Europe. In the UK the money will go towards meeting the needs of low-income families, those facing financial hardship, isolated elderly people, NHS staff and key workers.
Scott Stewart, Head of Barclays Scotland, said: “This crisis has had an unprecedented impact across the UK and we know this is an incredibly challenging time for many across Glasgow and surrounding area. By reaching those most in need of support, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has played a vital role in this crisis to date, and will continue do so.
“As a proud member of our community, and with a growing presence in Glasgow where we are investing in a new home for Barclays in Scotland, we are doing everything we can for our customers, clients and colleagues, and we hope that our partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will allow many others to access the help they need as this crisis develops.”
The Barclays £100m COVID-19 Community Aid Package is supporting charities that are helping vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19, and the associated social and economic hardship caused by the crisis.
Alongside matching colleague donations and fundraising efforts, Barclays is partnering with a number of charities in the UK, Americas, Asia and Europe, delivering help where it is needed most.
You can find the latest list of charity partners here.
