Tag: Barnardo’s Scotland

Hundreds join Barnardo’s on top of Forth Bridge

It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has brought joy to those seeking adventure and has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Scotland’s leading children’s charity. And now, a precious few were once again able to stand atop the iconic Forth Bridge to help raise money for Barnardo’s Scotland.

The charity’s ‘Your View’ event allows members of the public one of the most sought after and unique experiences in Scotland – namely the chance to ascend 361 feet up the historic bridge and enjoy an uninterrupted 360-degree panoramic view of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline.

Your View is in its sixth year – run in conjunction with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty – and another lucky 900 people travelled from all across the world to take part – including visitors from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, Denmark and Portugal.

More than 6,000 visitors in total have experienced the event and there have been no fewer than ten marriage proposals on the vertiginous viewing platform since 2017. Best of all, though, the event has now raised more than £375,000 to fund the work of Barnardo’s Scotland.

The latest couple to get engaged atop the bridge were Laura Dowds, 34, and Connor Robertson 31, from Armadale, in West Lothian. The couple met in 2020, and Laura admitted that she had no idea that she would be engaged by the time she set foot back on terra firma.

Laura explains: “The proposal was a complete surprise! Connor didn’t even tell me that we were doing the bridge viewing until we arrived in the car park, so the whole day was a pleasant surprise from start to finish.

“I was stunned to say the least; I couldn’t believe my eyes seeing him down on one knee! The amazing photographer managed to capture lots of snaps of our special moment, too, and we are so grateful to have these fantastic memories.

“We don’t have a date for the wedding yet, as I’m going to let Connor recover from all the work he put into the proposal! But it will be local and hopefully in the next year. We’re so excited for this exciting new chapter.”

Along with the proposal, Laura said that the couple thoroughly enjoyed their Your View experience: “Your View was one of the best things we’ve done together – getting to be up on top of the bridge and taking in some of the most amazing sights.

“I’d recommend it to anyone. The volunteers were amazing, too, from getting history about the bridge being built, to the friendly and helpful staff joining you as you make your way up in the hoist.

“It was a day we will never forget. Barnardo’s is an incredible charity and we’re over the moon that all of the money from tickets goes straight towards the great work that they do.” 

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Your View proved once again to be a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience for those lucky enough to secure a ticket. We want to thank all of those who joined us over the weekend as this is a crucial fundraiser for Barnardo’s Scotland as we continue to support children, young people and their families throughout the country.

“Your View would not be possible without the generosity of Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, and I wish to thank both organisations and our wonderful volunteers for making this special weekend happen. And I very much would like to congratulate Laura and Connor for their historic moment.”

Barnardo’s Scotland intends to use the funds raised to continue to deliver employability support in 12 local authority areas across Scotland from five hubs in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee, Edinburgh and Paisley.

Cliff Graham, Head of Operations for employment, training and skills in Scotland at Barnardo’s, said: “Barnardo’s Works provide employability support and training to 1,100 young people a year in Scotland. We provide one-to-one support, informal group work, vocational training and work experience across a range of programmes.

“Our services aim to provided holistic support with a range of pathways that allows young people to move into a positive destination such as employment, apprenticeships college or further training. We are delighted to benefit from this funding as it will help us provide additional support and IT equipment to our service users across Scotland.”

Alan Ross, Director of Engineering and Asset Management at Network Rail Scotland, said: “We’re so proud to once again have hosted the Barnardo’s Your View event at the Forth Bridge. The event continues to be a valuable opportunity to raise vital funds for young people and their families across Scotland.

“Although the sun wasn’t shining, it was still a fantastic weekend for all involved, and the marriage proposal at the top certainly brightened everyone’s day. Enormous thanks goes to the staff and volunteers for making the day another huge success.”

At Barnardo’s, our purpose is clear: Changing childhoods and changing lives, so that children, young people, and families are safe, happy, healthy, and hopeful. Last year, we worked with thousands of children across Scotland through more than 150 services and partnerships.

Across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we provided essential support to 373,200 children, young people, parents and carers through more than 800 services and partnerships across the UK. This included 173 services in Scotland. For more than 150 years, we’ve been here for the children and young people who need us most – bringing love, care and hope into their lives and giving them a place where they feel they belong.

Over the course of the financial year 2023-24, more than 16,000 people volunteered for Barnardo’s across the UK – a total of 1.7 million hours of their time. To donate, volunteer or fundraise, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money.

Gregor Townsend launches Barnardo’s fundraiser

We are more used to seeing him sitting high up in the coach’s box at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on matchday, but Scotland Rugby Head Coach Gregor Townsend yesterday swapped one lofty position for another as he ascended the iconic Forth Bridge to help launch a much-loved Barnardo’s fundraiser.

The charity’s ‘Your View’ event – now in its sixth year – affords members of the public one of the most sought after and unique experiences in Scotland; namely the chance to ascend 361 feet up the historic bridge and enjoy an uninterrupted 360-degree panoramic view of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline.

This once-in-a-lifetime experience has brought joy to thousands and raised vital funds for the work of Barnardo’s Scotland.

Gregor Townsend said: “I have long admired the work that Barnardo’s Scotland undertakes to support thousands of children, young people and their families across the country, so it is a pleasure to be a part of the launch of this year’s Your View event.

“Standing on top of the world-famous Forth Bridge has been a superb experience – the views are amazing – and I would encourage people to take this rare opportunity to climb the bridge. As well as enjoying this bucket-list moment, you will also be contributing to the work of Barnardo’s as it continues to do so much to help young people all over Scotland.”

Your View 2024, which is run in conjunction with Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, will take place from Friday, 20th to Sunday, 22nd September, with tickets going on sale at 10am on Thursday (20th June).

To date, more than 5,200 visitors have experienced the event and there have been no fewer than ten marriage proposals on the vertiginous viewing platform.

Best of all, though, the event has raised more than £325,000 to fund the work of Barnardo’s Scotland. To find out more, or to book tickets for the event, please visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/events/your-view-forth-bridge.

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Your View is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for those lucky enough to secure a ticket. Not only is it a never-to-be-forgotten experience for those atop the iconic bridge, it is also a crucial fundraiser for Barnardo’s Scotland as we continue to support children, young people and their families throughout the country.

“We cannot thank Gregor Townsend enough for his support for the event and the wider work of our charity. I must admit that it was one of the more surreal moments of my career to be alongside the Scotland Rugby Head Coach more than 350 feet above the Firth of Forth!”

Martin Crewe added: “As I am often reminded, tickets for Your View sell out very quickly indeed, so I would urge all of those keen to attend to sign up as quickly as possible. And, who knows, we might even get to enjoy another Your View wedding proposal this year!

“Your View would not be possible without the generosity of Network Rail and Balfour Beatty, and I wish to thank both organisations and our wonderful volunteers for making this special weekend happen.”

Colin Hardie, Construction Superintendent for Balfour Beatty, said: “At Balfour Beatty, we are committed to giving back to the communities we serve. The Your View event is one example of how we do just that, raising valuable funds to support disadvantaged children and families in Scotland.

“It has been an honour to work alongside Barnardo’s Scotland once again, to offer members of the public this memorable experience on one of the most iconic, unique and admired structures in the world – the Forth Bridge.”

Also featuring over the weekend will be the famous ‘Briggers’. The Briggers are a Forth Bridge research and presentation group of volunteers based in South Queensferry. Named after the bridge workers, the group was formed to identify the names of the 73 men and boys who died constructing the Forth Bridge, they provide details on the history of the bridge and the people involved in its construction.

In the past year, Barnardo’s has provided essential support to more than 11,500 children, young people, parents and carers in Scotland through more than 150 specialised community-based services and partnerships across the country.

The charity works to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.

To donate, volunteer or fundraise, please visit www.barnardos.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money.

Love is in the air during Barnardo’s charity fundraising event

A wedding proposal, a 90th birthday and a Golden wedding anniversary were just some of the happy occasions being celebrated at the top of the Forth Bridge at weekend, during an exclusive charity fundraising experience. 

The sell-out ‘Your View’ event, which gave visitors the chance to stand atop the iconic Forth Bridge and enjoy uninterrupted views of the Edinburgh and Fife coastline, took place between Friday 23 and Sunday 25 September, raising funds for Barnardo’s Scotland. 

Around 750 visitors were welcomed to the experience throughout the weekend, with more than 40 volunteers from Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, The Briggers and Barnardo’s Scotland working to run the event behind the scenes. 

Members of the public had the history of the bridge brought to life by The Briggers heritage group, before ascending over 360ft to the top of the Forth Bridge platform on the north cantilever to take in the panoramic views. 

One couple who certainly enjoyed the view, were Meghan Crawford, 38, and her partner Paul Ward, 44, from West Lothian.

Meghan had treated Paul to tickets for the event on the Sunday evening, but Paul surprised her by proposing at the top! 

Meghan said: “We had our first date in south Queensferry, and I thought the Forth Bridge visit would be a nice trip to do together. When we got to the top, Paul handed his phone to a volunteer and asked them to take some photos of us admiring the view, and when I turned around, he was on one knee!

“There was a professional photographer who did some great photos for us and as we came back down and out of the lift, the volunteers all did a guard of honour and were clapping and cheering. It was absolutely lovely, and we can’t thank all the people from Barnardo’s, Network Rail, Balfour Beatty and the rest of the crew enough, as they made everything so special for us.” 

To continue the celebrations that evening, Paul had the champagne waiting on ice and had booked a special dinner and stay at a hotel in south Queensferry, where their room had, of course, a perfect view of the bridge.  

This is the fourth year that Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, The Briggers and Barnardo’s Scotland have joined forces to run the Your View event, and Meghan and Paul’s wedding proposal is the fourth to take place during this time. 

Final totals raised from the Your View event are still being calculated, but the weekend’s activities are believed to have raised in excess of £50k for Barnardo’s Scotland, with three previous events run since 2017 already raising more than £223,000 to support the charity’s work.     

Martin Crewe, Director for Barnardo’s Scotland said: “We simply could not be more grateful to Network Rail, Balfour Beatty and The Briggers for all their support in making this event happen, and for the many volunteers from these organisations, Barnardo’s and others, working tirelessly behind the scenes all weekend to keep everything running. 

“They helped to create such a memorable experience for members of the public, including for Meghan and Paul, and we wish this couple every happiness for the future. 

“We would also like to say a huge thank you to everyone that purchased tickets to come and take part in this event – we have received some great feedback and hope that a fantastic time was had by all.

“The valuable funds raised will go towards Barnardo’s hardship fund, which will be providing direct support to struggling families across Scotland this winter to help with food and energy bills.” 

Stewart Lothian, Network Rail’s structures asset manager for Scotland, said: “As custodians of this iconic structure, we were delighted once again to work with Barnardo’s and Balfour Beatty to open up the Forth Bridge to the public and raise such a fantastic sum for the charity, supporting the charity’s drive to raise funds for vulnerable children, young people and families across the local communities.

“I’d like to thank all those colleagues from Network Rail and Balfour Beatty who volunteered their time to make the event happen.”    

Colin Hardie, Regional Construction Superintendent for Balfour Beatty’s Regional Scotland business, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Network Rail on this year’s volunteering event at Forth Bridge, which saw a staggering 750 people reach the peak of the impressive structure across the weekend, raising important funds for Barnardo’s.

“I’d like to send my thanks to Barnardo’s, Network Rail and all those involved for making the event such a success.” 

The Forth Rail Bridge took eight years to build and was finished in 1890. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015. 

A video of a previous Your View event can be found at:

https://www.barnardos.org.uk/events/your-view-forth-bridge  

Barnardo’s resources to help teachers talk to pupils about grief

At the start of Children’s Grief Awareness Week, Barnardo’s is releasing resources for teachers to help children cope with bereavement. 

Before Covid-19, official stats showed one in 29 five-16 year olds had been bereaved of a parent or sibling – that’s at least one child in every average class. 

With more than 165,000 deaths from Covid-19 in the UK (deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate), Barnardo’s says many more children and young people will be experiencing bereavement. 

Black people and men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage are almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as White people, meaning children from these communities are more likely to experience loss. 

The free resources about grief are available on the Barnardo’s Education Community (BEC) website (https://www.educators-barnardos.org.uk/). 

They include an introductory worksheet which explores what grief is and a volcano-making activity that focuses on how grief impacts us. 

They also include some suggestions and advice about how to cope and who children can talk to when going back to school after someone special has died. 

Also in the resources are some coping techniques teachers can tell children about to use when times are difficult, exercises to help ground children and regulate their breathing. 

The resources will also be posted throughout Children’s Grief Awareness Week (November 18 to 24) on the Barnardo’s Education Community Twitter page (@BarnardosEduCom). 

Barnardo’s Interim Co-CEO Michelle Lee-Izu said: “Sadly the raw feelings of grief and loss will be familiar to thousands of children and families across the UK, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“Children have suffered a huge amount of loss in the last year. For most this has meant missing out on school and playing with their friends, but for too many children it has meant the loss of parents, grandparents and members of their family or community. 

“I hope that teachers who are discussing the issue of grief with their pupils during Children’s Grief Awareness Week will find our tips and resources useful – and that they will be used to assist schools and colleges to support children who are struggling in the future.” 

Barnardo’s Scotland appeals for more foster carers with focus on keeping siblings in care together

Barnardo’s Scotland is appealing for more people to consider becoming foster carers and in particular, for people who would consider caring for siblings.

A new YouGov survey for Barnardo’s encouragingly shows that 15% of adults in Scotland would consider fostering a child aged 18 or under in the next five years. However, that figure drops to just 8% when asked the same question about fostering siblings. 

The survey also shows respondents feelings on how vital they believe it is for siblings to remain together – 66% of adults said it was important that they and their sibling/s were together in the same household when they grew up, with 55% of respondents who had a sibling saying it would have had a negative personal impact on them if they had been separated while growing up. 

Barnardo’s Scotland is looking for more foster carers to ensure that when a child needs a loving, stable and safe family, there are local carers available. 

The appeal comes as part of Barnardo’s Fostering Focus Month, and the charity hopes to hear from people from all backgrounds across Scotland, including BAME and LGBT communities. It is vital to increase the numbers of foster carers to ensure that when a child needs a family, the right carer is available to meet their needs and give them the care, stability and happiness they deserve. 

The charity particularly hopes to hear from people willing to foster siblings, to enable Barnardo’s to continue supporting The Promise Scotland’s commitment to stop the practice of separating brothers and sisters in care, unless for reasons of safety.

Sue Brunton, Assistant Director for Barnardo’s Scotland Family Placement Services said: “We are asking for people to please give serious consideration as to whether they could give a home to a child when they need it most. Your love and support can allow brothers and sisters to stay together and make a huge difference to their life – and to yours. 

“Research into outcomes for children has found that when we separate siblings it is much harder for them to settle, and they have poorer wellbeing. Our survey shows that many people would consider fostering and we urge people to come forward to find out more about what being a foster carer involves – there’s no obligation.  

“We welcome passionate individuals from all walks of life. If you are over 21, have a spare room, are a UK resident and most importantly have the time and commitment to support a child – you could be the special person they need.” 

Barnardo’s has 100 years of experience in fostering. Experts provide all the training needed, which is ongoing, and offer support 24/7. Foster carers will also get financial support, including a carer’s allowance to help make a positive difference to a child’s life. 

For further information about fostering with Barnardo’s Scotland, please contact your local fostering team:

Barnardo’s Fostering Edinburgh and South East Scotland / Tel: 07717 807403.

Years of austerity have had a harrowing impact on vulnerable families in Scotland

  • Families’ needs are escalating while support services are diminishing, new research reveals
  • Children’s charities call on Scottish Government to invest in family support without delay

Years of austerity have had a harrowing impact on vulnerable families in Scotland with some now facing destitution, reveals NSPCC Scotland and Barnardo’s Scotland research published today.

The report, Challenges from the Frontline – Revisited, highlights the devastating impact of the rollout of welfare reform on children and their families and the effects of local government funding cuts on the support available to them.

The research, a snapshot of life before Covid-19, describes rising need in the face of lessening resource, with some families struggling to obtain adequate food, secure housing and basic necessities. Despite long-standing commitment by the Scottish Government to early intervention and parenting support, the research found that too many families were coming to services already at crisis point.

Service managers told researchers that welfare reform had financially punished a whole section of the population.

One said: “…because so many of our families are on universal credit, that does not allow them to have a standard of living that meets the needs of those adults and children within the household. It simply does not.”

Another said: “It’s the poverty and disadvantage that we see now. It was always there, but it’s certainly exacerbated by the welfare reform over the past few years. The rise of foodbanks here is massive. Families use them on a regular basis and you can see that, families who come to us and are really struggling.”

NSPCC Scotland and Barnardo’s Scotland are now calling on the Scottish Government to press ahead, as a matter of urgency, with the Independent Care Review’s vision of making intensive family support available to all who need it.

The review’s Promise report sets out a blueprint of how this should be done.

The children’s charities also say the Scottish Government must articulate a clear vision for family income in Scotland, and set out how – within the current levers available – it will ensure that all families have enough money to live with dignity.

Today’s report compares findings from research carried out with family support services in Scotland in 2013 and 2019. It concludes that in the intervening period severe hardship has affected parents’ mental health and family relationships, so that those now being referred have more complex difficulties and greater needs.

This is amid a landscape of local authorities and other public bodies continuing to face financial challenges. The research found evidence of family support services closing or being offered on a far more limited basis than had been the case in 2013.

Matt Forde, NSPCC Scotland head of service, said: “Our research reveals that families were facing destitution, isolation and mental health struggles before the Covid-19 pandemic began.

“We found that against a backdrop of years of austerity there was escalating need for help from families who were struggling with more complex problems, being met with less support than before.

“We know that adverse and traumatic experiences in childhood can have a profound impact on a person’s life.

“And it is crucial this unacceptable situation, now compounded by the Covid-19 crisis, is addressed with a matter of urgency.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Supporting vulnerable families mitigates social inequality and improves children’s life opportunities.

“The Coronavirus crisis provides a huge opportunity to make meaningful, sustainable, transformative change. We need to harness the desire to do things differently, to reach out to families with a strengthened social safety net to prevent longer term difficulties developing in young people’s lives.

“The Independent Care Review’s Promise has given us a blueprint for family support and    we must deliver on this without delay.”

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Edinburgh’s young people give advice on improvements needed to Mental Health and Wellbeing services

As part of Children’s Mental Health Week (4 – 10 February) children and young people from Edinburgh have been sharing their experiences of mental health services and giving their advice to The Youth Commission on Mental Health on what changes are needed to improve them.  Continue reading Edinburgh’s young people give advice on improvements needed to Mental Health and Wellbeing services

Let your unsuitable gifts help a child this Christmas

If Santa didn’t quite get it right this year, delivering the wrong size jumper or multiple copies of the same DVD boxset, don’t hoard your unsuitable presents – deliver them to Barnardo’s Scotland’s gift at your nearest Barnardo’s Scotland shop. Continue reading Let your unsuitable gifts help a child this Christmas