BASIC Income Network Scotland are launching a campaign centring Basic Income within discussions for Scotland’s future, starting with an event on Tuesday 29th November.
Join us at the Wee Red Bar in Edinburgh for an evening of speakers, dynamic discussion, and live music.
A group of animal charities led by Cats Protection is advocating cats be neutered from the age of four months old to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
The Cat-Kind umbrella group recommends neutering at four months of age as that is when puberty hits. Neutering cats at four months (rather than the traditional six months of age), is an effective way to reduce the number of accidental litters, as well as having many recognised benefits to cat health and behaviour including marking of territory by spraying, fighting, wailing and roaming/getting lost.
Research has shown that neutering at four months has no increased risk and so there is no reason why neutering should be delayed until six months, by which time cats can already get pregnant.
Cats Protection estimates there are 1.3m unneutered pet cats in the UK and over 150,000 cats already enter shelters each year. This year has seen a 46 per cent increase in cats on the waiting list to enter the charity’s adoption centres, as owners seek to relinquish their pets due to the cost-of-living crisis.
A reduction in surprise pregnancies will stop the stress and risks to young cats who get pregnant, while reducing the number of unwanted kittens that may require rehoming in the future.
Further information on the benefits of neutering, as well as our Kitten Neutering Database listing vets undertaking the procedure at four months, can be found at www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/neutering/kitten-neutering
Cats Protection provides discounted neutering for owners on low incomes.
To find out more call our dedicated neutering helpline on 03000 1212112 Mon – Fri 9.30 – 1pm or go to www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/neutering/financial-assistance
Yours faithfully,
JANE CLEMENTS
Head of Neutering
A Portobello woman who has been visually impaired since childhood is backing a nationwide campaign by charity RNIB to challenge outdated perceptions and give a voice to some of the hopes and frustrations of blind and partially sighted people.
Sue Marshall (78) was partially sighted in childhood due to the condition Keritecious and became totally blind at 17.
“The strangest thing I’ve found is that when you tell sighted people that can’t see at all they still think you must be able to see something,” she says. “And friends have told me a similar stories. One even took her glass-eyes out and said right, do you understand now!
“I think, in general though, the public are very helpful and kind to the visually impaired. Where I think things haven’t improved is in the workplace. If you’re higher up the chain it seems to be okay, but getting on the first rung of the employment ladder is still difficult.”
RNIB’s ‘See the Person, Not the Sight Loss’ campaign is being launched on World Sight Day today with an emotive short film about Ava, a fictional teenage girl who is coming to terms with losing her sight.
We see the impact this has on many areas of her life, from education to relationships. Most crucially, the film demonstrates how sight loss can impact on mental as well as physical health. With the help of RNIB, Ava’s friends, family and teachers offer their support, while a RNIB Eye Care Liaison Officer counsels her post-diagnosis. Ava starts to find her feet again, accepting her condition and regaining confidence.
David Aldwinckle, director of insight that will run in cinemas, television and online customer voice at RNIB, said: “As someone who’s lived with sight loss for forty years, these findings really resonated with me emotionally.
“When people are diagnosed with sight loss, we know that they often experience a range of emotions including shock, anger and anxiety, and that these can be particularly acute for a young person.
“That’s one of the reasons why we’ve made it a core part of our mission to improve understanding of sight loss. At RNIB, blind and partially sighted people often tell us that they wish other people had a better understanding of what it means to be living with a vision impairment, and we know that by making sometimes small changes to their behaviour, people can help to create a more equitable world for anyone affected by sight loss.
“I’m excited by the launch of our important campaign and with the authenticity of our film, which captures the range of feelings that people go through – the fear, the sense of anxiety, the anger and denial. But really importantly it captures the fact that we also have desire, passion, ambition, skills, abilities, to live full lives and contribute to the world around us just like everybody else.”
In portraying the character of Ava, lead actor Eli London drew upon personal experiences of sight loss, having had retinoblastoma in childhood resulting in monocular vision.
Eli said: “This short film is going to have a tangible, deep impact for a lot of people. Following a young woman, a student, a gamer, through a sight loss journey is overtly a different approach to media that has covered this story before, but it’s important, and necessary. We exist, and it’s been a pleasure to bring her story to screen, to give someone out there their truest representation.”
The two-minute ‘See the Person, Not the Sight Loss’ film is online and in cinemas, along with a 60-second version which has aired on prime-time television, with a 30-second version running throughout the rest of the four-week campaign period. The full three-and-a-half-minute film is available to view online also.
During tomorrow night’s episode of ‘Gogglebox’ on Channel 4 the cast will watch the campaign film, opening up the conversation about sight loss to the whole nation.
The campaign has been supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust and other partners.
You can watch the full film here and the 60 second version here.
For more information visit www.rnib.org.uk/our-campaigns/see-the-person
Being asked whether their guide-dog can read bus-numbers, how they look after their children, know whether their house is clean and tidy, or even when they have their period, are some of the questions blind and partially sighted people have put to them.
RNIB asked what they wished sighted people would stop doing:
What do you wish sighted people knew about sight loss?
Cats Protection has urged Scottish pet lovers to join its campaign for compulsory microchipping of pet cats – a measure which is already in place for dogs.
The charity says compulsory microchipping would be a major step forward in feline welfare in Scotland, yet there are currently no plans for it to be introduced. This is in contrast with England, where the measure is due to become law.
Scottish animal lovers are now being asked to join the charity’s campaign by using an online form on its website to contact their MSP to ask they support the move.
Cats Protection’s Advocacy & Government Relations Officer for Scotland Alice Palombo said: “Microchipping is an important part of responsible pet ownership and is already compulsory for dogs in Scotland. It is also due to become compulsory for pet cats in England, so we’re keen to make sure cats in Scotland are not left behind.
“Compulsory microchipping of pet cats would ensure more cats can be reunited with their owners if they are lost or missing. It also helps to identify cats which have sadly died in road accidents, and helps to reduce the pressure on animal charities which may find it impossible to trace the owner of an un-microchipped stray or lost cat, despite their best efforts.
“We’re asking for the help of cat lovers in Scotland to send a message to MSPs that cats deserve the same level of protection as their canine counterparts.”
Animal lovers can fill in a simple form on Cats Protection’s website which will send an email to their local MSP telling them to support compulsory microchipping of pet cats.
To find out more, please visit: www.cats.org.uk/scot-chipping
Make 2nds Count has confirmed that 23 landmarks from across the UK will join the newly launched ‘Shine a Light on Secondaries’ campaign, which has been coordinated to highlight the lack of awareness and support available across the UK for patients and their loved ones living with the incurable cancer.
On 13th October 2022, venues including Camera Obscura, Granton Gas Tower, The Balmoral, Caird Hall and Blackpool Tower will shine brightly in the charity’s colours, pink, purple and teal, as part of the national campaign designed to “Shine a Light” on Secondary Breast Cancer Day, which is often overlooked amidst the wider narrative around Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October).
A YouGov survey commissioned this year by Make 2nds Count revealed that 29% of UK adults who are either diagnosed or know a friend or family member with secondary breast cancer felt that research and support were insufficient and not readily available for patients or loved ones.
It also confirmed that only 23% of these UK respondents asked would look to the mainstream media as a source of information and support when dealing with secondary breast cancer, whilst a staggering 59% refer to charities offering one-to-one advice and personal experience.
Heather Moffitt, a trustee of Make 2nds Count who is living with Stage 4 (metastatic) breast cancer, comments: “We desperately need people to be aware of this forgotten form of breast cancer. We need to change the narrative and raise so much more awareness around the signs and symptoms of this disease.
“Secondary breast cancer is incurable and without further research and education, this disease will continue to destroy the lives of so many. That’s why we’ve joined forces with venues across the UK to mark a moment and Shine a Light on this disease and the important work that needs to be done.”
The disease, also known as metastatic, advanced or stage IV breast cancer, is a cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body and is incurable. On average there are around 35,000 patients in the UK currently living with this form of the disease.
Make 2nds Count is a patient and family-focused charity dedicated to giving hope to women and men living with secondary breast cancer.
Their mission is to fund secondary breast cancer research that contributes to advancing an increased quality of life for patients; establish a community that supports and educates patients and families affected by secondary breast cancer; inform and facilitate access to patient trials and to increase overall awareness of secondary breast cancer.
For more information or support visit www.make2ndscount.co.uk/
We’ve been working for months to save the Pride Bridge and now we are formalising ourselves as a group.
The first meeting of the Save The Pride Bridge group will be at 6pm tonight (Monday 3rd October) at Dreadnought pub next to the bridge.
All are welcome to attend.
The NSPCC launch this sports safety campaign, backed by Scottish sporting bodies and Children1st, as new poll reveals almost a fifth of parents (15%) surveyed in Scotland are not confident they could spot the signs if their child was suffering sexual, physical or emotional abuse at their local sports club.
The research carried out by YouGov on behalf of the children’s charity also found that one in eight parents in Scotland were not confident they knew how to raise concerns with their child’s sports club about their child’s safety. The NSPCC wants to ensure that all parents have the knowledge and confidence to raise safeguarding concerns. The figures are based on 92 parents of children aged 3 to 16 years old who attend sports clubs across Scotland.
Furthermore, new data has revealed the number of contacts to the NSPCC Helpline from adults from across the UK with safeguarding questions or concerns about children in a sports setting has almost doubled in the last five years.
The campaign, backed by the Scottish Football Association (SFA), Netball Scotland and the Strathclyde Sirens, as well as abuse survivors Sir Bradley Wiggins and Paul Stewart, runs until Sunday, October 9. It offers advice and information to empower parents to play a key role in helping to keep their children safe in sport.
The campaign aims to provide parents and carers with the right knowledge and resources so they can make confident informed decisions when raising concerns with their child’s sport club. Advice tools and supporting information are available from the NSPCC and its Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU). Children 1st also provides a helpful guide for parents on finding a safe sports club for their child.
Ross McGowan, Wellbeing and Protection Co-ordinator at the Scottish FA, said: “We are pleased to support this campaign which aims to keep children safe from all forms of abuse in sport settings.
“We will work with our clubs and members to promote the campaign toolkit and encourage as many parents and carers as possible to understand the important role they play in the bigger safeguarding picture of sport.
“We hope that by promoting this campaign, more parents will ask those important questions around safeguarding when their child takes part in sports in Scotland, helping us to ensure our clubs are offering a safe, fun, and engaging environment.”
Claire Nelson, CEO of Netball Scotland and Strathclyde Sirens, said: “We are proud to once again be supporting NSPCC Scotland’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week. It’s vital that children get the opportunity to take part in sport safely and this campaign will equip parents with the knowledge they need to feel confident that their child is safe in a sport’s setting.
“As children begin to get out and about again after the pandemic, many parents and children will be feeling anxious about joining clubs and activities for the first time or resuming them. This campaign provides all the resources, tools and information parents need to empower families to get back to doing what they love – in a safe environment.”
Paul Stewart, a former Premiership and International footballer who played for Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, was sexually abused by a football coach as a child and now works to promote safety in sport, including advising the Scottish FA on safeguarding children in football.
He said: “It is absolutely vital that safeguarding is a top priority in children’s sport. And the importance of campaigns such as the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week, which raises awareness of the issue and empowers parents to play their part, cannot be understated.
“Strong safeguarding policies in sport clubs and good parental awareness of them make it much harder for abusers to target children in these environments. That is why it is so important that parents and carers know how to access safeguarding information for their child’s club, are able to identify signs of abuse and have the confidence to speak out about any issues.
“Every child should be able to enjoy sport without the risk of abuse.”
A free dedicated NSPCC helpline commissioned by British Cycling has been set up in response to a number of individuals speaking out about non-recent abuse, including former professional cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins CBE, who revealed earlier this year he had been groomed by a former coach.
Sir Bradley said: “I back the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign which strives to prevent abuse of any kind happening to children in sport. We must make sport safe for children, and make it easier for parents, and indeed all people in sport, to recognise and understand how they themselves can support a safer sports environment.”
As well as social media support from sporting clubs and figures across the country, virtual webinars for parents to promote safeguarding in youth sport will run throughout the week, including by the Premier League and another by The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM).
Michelle North, Director of the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit, said: “For many of us, it was playing at our local grassroots sports clubs as children where we first encountered a deep lifelong love and passion for sport.
“Every child and young person deserves to enjoy sport in an environment that is safe from abuse and harm and where they can play within a culture that advocates for their care and wellbeing.
“Parents and carers play a key role in keeping children safe in sport. This is why during the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign, we want to empower parents and carers with the knowledge, information and confidence needed to uphold child safeguarding.”
For the latest news from the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit, please follow @theCPSU on Twitter.
To support the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week on social media, follow the campaign using #SafeInSport
For more information about the campaign and to gain access to the supporting resources please visit: www.nspcc.org.uk/safeinsport
Almost 300 carers and professionals in the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland have been trained to communicate important messages to parents and children that will help prevent sexual abuse.
They have been trained as part of the Inter Islands Talk PANTS! campaign, which was launched almost a year ago by the NSPCC and the islands’ protection committees.
The NSPCC’s Talk PANTS! resources give parents, carers and professionals advice on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children about sexual abuse. With the help of a colourful animated character, a friendly dinosaur called Pantosaurus, it helps children understand that their body belongs to them and to recognise when something is not okay, and how to tell someone if they are upset or worried.
As part of this campaign, the resources were translated into Scottish Gaelic and Pantosaurus toured the islands, visiting the HebCelt Festival in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, the Cunningsburgh Show in Shetland and the Orkney Agricultural Show. In Orkney, 200 children coloured in Pantosaurus’ pants on the show day alone, and NSPCC staff and volunteers distributed thousands of parents guides and talked to families about the Talk PANTS! resources.
During the past year, campaign activities and events have included soft play sessions in the Western Isles run by the Rape Crisis team and the colourful and entertaining Pantosaurus music video being shown at cinemas on Orkney and in Stornoway.
Over a thousand Pantosaurus and the Power of PANTS books have been delivered to local libraries, and health visitors have handed out the paperback version to families, childminders and teachers to encourage them to read the book to as many children as possible.
The NSPCC also recently created Talk PANTS! resources in partnership with the Makaton Charity, which use symbols and signs to help communicate the messages to people with communications difficulties.
These resources will enable parents and teachers of children with a range of educational needs to share the Talk PANTS! message so they can understand the PANTS rules. Talk PANTS! resources are also available in British Sign Language and can be downloaded for free on the NSPCC website.
Many members of the islands Protection Committees have been instrumental in the campaign’s success including Police Scotland, Rape Crisis, Early Learning and Childcare in Orkney and the army cadets in Shetland to name just a few.
To thank everyone involved and celebrate the campaign’s achievements to date and its legacy, the NSPCC is hosting a virtual event on Wednesday, September 14, with fellow members of its steering group and protection committees.
Guest speaker Rachel Wallace, NSPCC Local Campaigns manager for the Midlands, in England, will explain more about the Talk PANTS! Makaton resources and participants will be shown a selection of stunning photos from NSPCC Scotland’s tour of the islands on the day, which also falls on Pantosaurus’ birthday.
Tam Baillie, Chair of Public Protection Committees in Orkney and Shetland and the Western Isles, said: “It has been great to see how each of the islands has embraced the PANTS campaign, working in partnership with the NSPCC.
“The enthusiasm and inventiveness of different island approaches has brought a wide range of activities all targeted at getting simple messages across in a fun way to young children about the importance of keeping themselves safe.
“The use of cartoons, dance and song has made it engaging with children, parents and professionals, and it has been an inspiration to be part of the joint efforts. We are all looking forward to celebrating the work done and hearing about how it will endure through ongoing legacy work.”
Mubashar Khaliq, Local Campaigns Manager at the NSPCC, said: “Each year in Scotland, Police record more than 5,000 sexual offences committed against children. We started this campaign because it’s crucial that we do all we can to help prevent abuse from happening in the first place.
“Talk PANTS is about helping start difficult, but vital, conversations with children from a young age about sexual abuse and their right to be safe. We don’t talk about sex or use scary words but focus on keeping safe and rules that help children understand important messages, like their body belongs to them and they should tell an adult if they’re upset or worried.”
Gail Sayles, Local Campaigns Manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “It has been so wonderful to see our Talk PANTS messaging reaching people in some of the most remote parts of the UK. It was great to chat with families at the events who already knew about our campaign, either from school or their local nursery. Many of the children would sing the song at us and give Pantosaurus a high five!
“The Power of Pants book is already a firm bedtime favourite with many families, and parents told us they were so pleased to be given a copy. Everyone also valued the Gaelic resources and I felt so proud that we had been able to deliver on a need that was prized so highly.
“This campaign has made a real difference and we hope that continues in the future too. It feels like we have lit a spark on the islands, for sure.”
Professionals and volunteers working with children and families who would like to attend this free event on Wednesday, September 14 from 3-5pm can book a place, visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inter-island-pants-campaign-celebration-legacy-event-tickets-388530684737
To find out more about Talk PANTS and access resources and tools to help keep children safe from abuse, visit www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/pants-underwear-rule/
To watch the Pantosaurus video visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lL07JOGU5o
Anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice.
Our next ride is on Saturday 30th July, starting at 2pm on Middle Meadow Walk!
Join us for a spin around the city centre, followed by a unique performance from @FolliesFuture.
Anonymity guaranteed to those who pass on information to Crimestoppers
The charity Crimestoppers – in partnership with Network Rail – is today launching a new campaign encouraging people to speak up about those causing harm and damage to Scotland’s countryside and their vital communities.
The initiative comes as the international tourist season returns following years of pandemic restriction.
Crimestoppers is independent of the police and gives the public an alternative option, namely, to pass on what they know about crime whilst never giving any personal details.
With many people planning trips to the countryside, the anticipated impact of large visitor numbers and effects of rural crime can be devastating to the environment.
Over 95% of Scotland is classed as rural and NFU Mutual estimate that rural crime costs Scotland around £1.8 million annually, with levels reportedly increasing.
Whilst the volume of crime in rural areas is lower than in urban locations, the consequences within a rural community or environment often has a much deeper and far-reaching impact, both on the victim and community as a whole.
Crimestoppers, together with Police Scotland and wider rural and environmental organisations, are asking the public to spot the signs of rural crime and give information 100% anonymously.
The key crimes that Scotland’s rural areas experience are:
• House-breaking
• Theft of farm equipment, vehicles and machinery
• Livestock-related crimes: theft and dog attacks
• Fly-tipping and industrial waste dumping
• Hare coursing and badger baiting
• Fuel theft – domestic and commercial
• Heritage & cultural property crime including illegal metal detecting
• Wildlife crime
• Wilful fire-raising
Angela Parker, National Manager for Crimestoppers Scotland, said: “‘Many of us will be enjoying the stunning scenery, events and activities Scotland has to offer.
“Our campaign is encouraging the public to be aware of the harm rural crime and anti-social behaviour can inflict on the environment and the economy, from heritage crime, to wilful fire-raising and theft, these crimes often go unreported and can ruin lives, livelihoods and the rural environment.”
Allan Brooking, Community Safety Manager for Network Rail Scotland, said: ““Scotland’s Railway plays a vital role in connecting people with communities and attractions across the country, so it’s hugely important to us to help our partners protect rural areas from crime.
“We will be sharing the campaign’s message with passengers and railway staff will also be equipped with information on what to look out for.”
Inspector Alan Dron, Rural & Acquisitive Crime Coordinator for Police Scotland, added: “The majority of individuals wanting to experience Scotland’s stunning cultural, historic and natural environments have a desire to do so responsibly and in accordance with the law.
“Unfortunately, the consequences of a rural incident or crime often has a deeper and far-reaching impact plus access rights are not an excuse for anti-social or illegal behaviour. Please respect our rural communities and countryside, leave no trace of your visit and don’t let any individuals spoil your experience.”
Postcards and posters will be shared across Scotland, coupled with a social media campaign highlighting the key crimes affecting rural areas.
