Tag: charity support

Local charities awarded share of £37,500 fundraising sum 

Leading Scottish law firm, Thorntons’ annual charity wills campaign has raised £37,500 for Cash for Kids, helping to support vulnerable families and children across Falkirk, Edinburgh and the Lothians.  

Every year Thorntons’ offices in Edinburgh, Fife, Dundee, Perth and Angus, don’t charge a fee for Wills written throughout the month of September. Instead, the firm asks clients to make an equivalent donation to Cash for Kids.

The fundraising campaign has raised more than £600,000 for Cash for Kinds since it was established more than 26 years ago.

Among the beneficiaries of the most recent fundraising drive is a local project run by Sight Scotland, which is one of Scotland’s oldest charities. The funding enabled the purchase of a mobile Soundbeam for the Lothian region. A Soundbeam produces noise through movement meaning children with profound physical or learning disabilities can communicate and be expressive with sound and music.

Falkirk-based group, Supporting Young Parents also received funding. The project aims to identify the needs of young parents, help build confidence and improve their overall health and wellbeing while offering development and socialising opportunities for babies and toddlers. This latest funding has been used for catering and sensory learning activities. 

Murray Etherington, Head of Wills, Trusts and Succession planning at Thorntons, said: “We are truly humbled by the work Cash for Kids carries out in helping countless organisations within our local communities.

“It’s a privilege to once again support its achievements through our charity wills campaign and we’d like to thank all of our clients who kindly contributed this year.”

Emma Kemp, Cash for Kids Regional Charity Manager, said: “We are delighted to yet again have partnered with Thorntons on their Charity Wills Month in 2022. To say this campaign has been a success over the years would be an understatement.

“Through Thorntons’ commitment and hard work this campaign continues to support local children in need. We really are so thankful for this wonderful campaign, and we cannot thank Thorntons staff and their clients enough for getting behind it.”

Headquartered in Dundee, the firm now has 13 offices ranging from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Montrose to St Andrews, Arbroath and Perth. 

For more information on Thorntons’ Charity Wills campaign visit https://www.thorntons-law.co.uk/charitywills.

AnywhereWorks donate Christmas gifts as part of Giving Back Initiative

As part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative, AnywhereWorks, the team collaboration and business services provider, has donated a number of Christmas gifts with the fun and happiness charity KidsOut to give gifts to children who would otherwise go without. 

The donations form part of AnywhereWork’s Giving Back programme and the company’s commitment to the triple bottom line – people, planet and purpose. Every child deserves a gift under the tree this festive season, but sadly this isn’t the case for everyone.

KidsOut helps children who have fled domestic abuse. Their mission is to give disadvantaged children positive experiences and support them in becoming future members of society. The team at AnywhereWorks has supported the cause by picking up a Giving Tree gift tag with a child’s name and gift request, with all gifts being delivered by KidsOut.

Website

https://anywhereworks.com/

Socials

Edinburgh and Lothians charities to receive more than £33k to tackle alcohol harm

The Scotch Whisky Action Fund (SWAF) has announced that two projects based in Edinburgh and the Lothians are among funding recipients to be supported over the coming year as part of the industry’s ongoing commitment to promote responsible consumption and tackle harmful drinking.

The organisations chosen this year include LAYC, a charity supporting community-based youth and children’s work in Edinburgh and the Lothians, which is receiving funding for the first time, and Fast Forward Positive Lifestyles, a youth work charity based in Edinburgh but operating throughout Scotland, aimed at enabling young people to make informed choices about their health and wellbeing. Fast Forward is receiving its second year of SWAF support.

LAYC’s funding will be used to engage youth and children’s workers in a programme to increase their skills, knowledge, and confidence to provide a range of alcohol awareness activities, information, and support. LAYC will provide six similarly themed alcohol awareness workshops, with each focusing on the dangers of alcohol use and the impact it can have on young people.

Laurene Edgar, Director at LAYC, said: “LAYC were delighted to receive the funding from the Scotch Whisky Action Fund: this fund will benefit our network of over 2000 youth workers and volunteers, we will be able to provide alcohol awareness sessions focusing on topics such parental alcohol use and impact on children, trends in alcohol use and engaging with young people on alcohol awareness.

“The fund will also provide support and resource for delivery of diversionary activities within local communities and through the LAYC network, offering young people the opportunity for alternative activities away from alcohol use, through local youth work provision with trusted adults in safe spaces with their peers.”

Fast Forward Positive Lifestyles will use their second year of SWAF support to continue their Own It! project, delivering direct training in alcohol related harm, other risk-taking behaviours, and peer education to young people aged 10-24.

Allie Cherry-Byrnes, Chief Executive, said: “Fast Forward is delighted to have received continuation funding for our Own It! programme, which sits with our Going Forward Project. 

“This funding will enable us to further develop the programme, allowing us to inform how we work with young people with additional support needs, through development of an Own It! in partnership with the Donaldson Trust, as well as developing the model with 10–14 year-olds in our newly established going Forward Junior programme in Edinburgh.”

The Scotch Whisky Action Fund was launched in 2013 and is administered by Foundation Scotland. Funding is given to projects taking an innovative approach to addressing the issues around alcohol misuse within a community or section of society. To date the fund has provided £1million of support to over 80 projects throughout Scotland. The SWAF also holds an annual learning event, bringing project representatives together to network, share learnings and identify and discuss common issues.

Dame Joan Stringer, who chaired the awards panel, said: “Tackling harmful alcohol consumption is a key issue for Scotland.  These projects are undertaking important work, and we look forward to supporting them over the coming year.”

British Gas Energy Trust awards six figure grant to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland charity

Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) has been awarded a grant totalling more than £196,000 to support the families of babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions through the cost-of-living crisis.

The funding has been provided by the British Gas Energy Trust – an independent charitable trust that supports families and individuals facing financial hardship and energy debt, directly and through local and national money and energy advice services and charities.

CHAS is the single national provider of hospice care to children in Scotland. CHAS offers support to children with life-shortening conditions and their families through its hospices in Kinross and Balloch, a specialist team in every children’s hospital in Scotland, and in the community.

The funding package will be used to deploy additional Family Income Maximisation Officers to offer money and energy advice in our hospices, in homes, in hospitals and virtually.

Specific skills sessions will focus on the running of household appliances and will provide useful money and energy-saving tips like batch cooking. Eligible families will also be able to apply for emergency fuel vouchers, and necessary appliances like air dryers and hot water bottles – alongside other practical measures like warm bedding will be available.

Rami Okasha, CHAS CEO, said: “We are so thankful to the British Gas Energy Trust for awarding us this grant which will help the families that we support across Scotland and enhance our current money and energy advice service.

“The families we support have a child with a life shortening condition. Many of these families, as well as living with the psychologically devastating knowledge of the impending death of a much loved child, encounter many practical and economic disadvantages.

Many families are also providing round the clock care and don’t have a choice in turning off their heating or equipment that keeps their child alive. At a time where these families should be making happy memories together, they are living with fear and worry.

“This fund will allow us to provide 1-to-1 intensive support for families in emergency situations who may require advice around energy tariffs, cost of running household appliances and saving money when cooking. It will also allow us to provide emergency fuel vouchers helping ease the strain of travelling costs. 

Jessica Taplin, CEO of the British Gas Energy Trust, said: “The rising cost of living means more people are experiencing financial difficulty for the first time, and are struggling to pay their bills.

“ Some of the families CHAS help are facing a devastating time, as a Trust we are committed to working to support those most affected by the terrible impact of poverty, and this new funding partnership will help provide intensive support for families in emergency situations – so hopefully they have one less thing to worry about.”

Since the start of the cost-of-living crisis, Centrica – the parent company of British Gas – has put together a support package for households worth more than £25m, which will continue to grow.

This funding includes 18-month grants paid to more than 20 advice centres and charities across England, Scotland and Wales, including CHAS.

For more information about the British Gas Energy Trust, to find out about the support that’s available, and to apply for a grant, visit:

 https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/.

Amazon boost for community football club

A community football club in Bonnyrigg has received a £5,000 donation from the team at Amazon Development Centre Scotland in Edinburgh.

Bonnyrigg Rose Community Football Club trains teams from ages 5 to 20 years old with the aim of creating social opportunities for children and young people in the community.

The donation from Amazon will be used to allow the club to offer one to one counselling and support for those that reach out for help. 

Oliver Masting, Managing Director at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, said: “Bonnyrigg Rose Community Football Club is a pillar of the community in Midlothian and we are pleased to support the club’s staff, players and volunteers with this donation.”

Trish Sime from Bonnyrigg Rose Community Football Club, added: “I want to say a big thank you to the team at Amazon for choosing us to receive this support. It’s allowed us to offer help to both children and adults.

“People have contacted us to access the support – so in effect it’s been a lifeline for some people.” 

MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie, added: ““I am pleased to see local football club Bonnyrigg Rose receive this donation from Amazon Development Centre Scotland and for the club’s work to be recognised in this way. This funding will go a long way to ensure it can continue its great work.”

Community donations are one of several ways in which Amazon supports the communities in and around its operating locations across the UK.

Amazon provides students, teachers and parents with free computer science and STEM education programmes and has teamed up with charity partner Magic Breakfast to deliver more than six million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in disadvantaged areas of the country.

Aldi announces emergency foodbank fund to support charities in Edinburgh and the Lothians this Christmas

Aldi is supporting local charities, foodbanks, and community groups in Edinburgh and the Lothians through its Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund this Christmas.  

The supermarket’s Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund will see it donate £250,000 to help organisations as they prepare to face heightened demand on their services.  

The fund builds on Aldi’s successful partnership with community engagement platform Neighbourly which enables all of Aldi’s 980 UK stores to donate surplus food seven days a week, all year round.  

Aldi will also be introducing new signage in stores this Christmas to help highlight to customers the most in-demand items at foodbanks, as selected by the organisations themselves.  

From early December, shoppers looking to donate to foodbanks should look out for the logo on shelves by certain items, such as baked beans, teabags and toiletries, which can then be dropped at the food donation points located by Aldi’s checkouts.  

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “We know that Christmas is already a particularly challenging time for many, but this year is understandably going to be even tougher for a lot of households.  

“That’s why we’re more committed than ever to doing what we can to give back. We want to make food accessible for all and hope both our additional funding and donation drive will help to make a real difference in Edinburgh and the Lothians.”  

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added: “The cost-of-living is impacting communities up and down the country and the charities we support are expecting to see demand increase even further over the coming months.  

“Without the support of the public and businesses like Aldi we’d be unable to help those in need. Within our network there are many charities and community groups that will be able to put this funding to good use, to support families that are struggling.” 

Aldi’s latest commitment follows a recent survey of Neighbourly charities which revealed that 72% will need more food items to help with increased demand this Christmas.  

The items that were revealed to be most in-demand, and will be promoted in store to help drive donations this Christmas, included cereal, rice and pasta, tinned food and toiletries.  

Charities and community groups interested in working with Aldi should contact Neighbourly at aldi@neighbourly.com.  

Fort Kinnaird launches Christmas Jumper Exchange

Fort Kinnaird has partnered with one of its independent retailers, the Leith Collective, to launch a free Christmas jumper exchange to support the local community this festive season.

Visitors are being invited to hand in clean, pre-loved festive knitwear of all sizes to the retailer, located next to Boots, from this week up until Christmas. The jumpers will be available for anyone to take home for free.

The initiative follows Leith Collective’s successful winter coat exchange that has seen hundreds of people donating and picking up coats across its Edinburgh stores.

Fort Kinnaird has also committed to give £1 for every donated jumper to its Edinburgh-based charity partner, Thistle Foundation.

The charity provides local and national support to people living with long-term health conditions or challenging life situations. Through one-to-one wellbeing coaching, group-based wellbeing courses and peer-led activities, Thistle Foundation supports people to lead good lives and achieve what matters most to them.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We know many people will have festive jumpers sitting unused in their homes.

By donating them to our appeal they will not only free up some much-needed cupboard space, but they’ll also be directly supporting people in their community at what is likely to be a very difficult time, and helping the environment by not throwing the clothing away.   

“We’re proud to have Thistle as our charity partner and thank the Leith Collective for helping us support them further this Christmas. The team does incredible work, providing vital support to those who need it most in our local community.”

William Oviatt, Head of Fundraising at Thistle Foundation adds: “We are delighted to be Fort Kinnaird’s charity partner.

“At Thistle Foundation we believe in a world of inclusion, free of isolation and loneliness, where a health crisis shouldn’t mean a life crisis. This support will help us to ensure that people who are living with long-term health conditions such as Parkinson’s, arthritis, the effects of COVID-19 and the pandemic, or mental health conditions, have the support they need to live well.”

Fort Kinnaird announced its partnership with Thistle in February and has since been raising money for the Edinburgh charity through the centre’s Giving Box. 

Fort Kinnaird is open 9am – 9pm on weekdays and 9am – 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information about planning a trip to Fort Kinnaird, please visit www.fortkinnaird.com. 

Amazon’s Development Centre in Edinburgh supports community recycling project

A community organisation in Campbeltown has received a £5,000 donation from the team at Amazon Development Centre Scotland in Edinburgh. 

Kintyre Recycling was formed as a response to the need for inclusive employment for those with special needs. The community-led organisation delivers opportunities and support for people who are facing barriers to employment.

The opportunities provided by Kintyre Recycling are funded through the recycling of waste, generating an income for the charity’s community support programmes. 

In addition to creating employment opportunities, Kintyre Recycling also supports the community through a number of programmes, including the charity’s current drive to provide school uniforms for families in need. 

The donation from Amazon was used to enable Kintyre Recycling Limited to work along with Argyll and Bute Council in delivering the School Uniform Project in the Kintyre area.

The aim of this project is to work towards the reduction of waste, whilst helping families with the cost of school uniforms for their children from Nursery up to senior school age.

The company collects, sorts, organises cleaning and presenting used uniform items for collection from the Kintyre Recycling’s’ Hazelburn premises in Campbeltown.

This has created an employment opportunity for a member of staff who was encountering some issues due to learning difficulties in finding suitable work in Campbeltown. This person is now currently employed to work for 2 days each week on this project.

Tricia McNicol-Cook, from Kintyre Recycling, said: “I would like to say thank you to Amazon for supporting us with this donation.

“Gestures like this enable our team to help more people in our community and everyone at Kintyre Recycling appreciates the support of the Amazon team.”

Jenni Minto, MSP for Argyll and Bute, added: “I am so pleased to see that Amazon has recognised the important work that Kintyre Recycling does within the community.

“I have had the pleasure of visiting the team and have seen how much their work means to them all and the benefits it gives the wider community.”

Speaking on the donation, Oliver Masting, Managing Director at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, said: “We are proud to support Kintyre Recycling and we hope that with this donation, the team can continue its great work.”

The charities received the donations as part of Amazon’s programme to support the communities around its operating locations across the UK. 

Amazon is providing disadvantaged students with online STEM courses as well as teaming up with charity partner Magic Breakfast and delivering more than five million healthy meals to families in disadvantaged areas across the country.

Bed Head launches ‘Stay Headstrong’ campaign that encourages individuals to let their creativity rule

A projection by street artist Pegasus appeared across Scottish Cities this week.

Pegasus, who was close friends with Amy Winehouse, is renowned for his distinctive artwork that can be found across the capital.

Speaking on the project he said, “This campaign struck a chord with me as you need to be headstrong as an artist. It’s important to have integrity and honour your true self – by being bold with your personal style or expressing your creativity in other mediums – and not to fear what anyone else says.”

The projections of three headstrong icons – Harry Styles, Mylie Cyrus, and Munroe Bergdorf – could be seen across the city of Edinburgh with the message ‘Let Your Creativity Rule’ which encourages people to be unapologetically themselves in response to research that shows one in five Brits are told they’re not good enough.

Bed Head launches ‘Stay Headstrong’ campaign that encourages individuals to let their creativity rule

  • Two fifths of Brits wish they could have been braver with their hair growing up and believe their hair is the most important part of personal appearance
  • One in 10 look up to Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles and Vivienne Westwood as headstrong role models
  • Over half of Brits think their hair is an extension of their personality
  • The campaign has just launched a new web series fronted by FFSYTHO, Lily Phillips and Lucia Blayke to coincide with its first nationwide consumer retail launch at Boots
  • This year, Bed Head is supporting STONEWALL to drive awareness and help create safe and equal opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community
A wall with posters on it Description automatically generated with low confidence

Posters have appeared across the UK in all major cities 

Original rebel hair brand, Bed Head, has launched ‘Stay Headstrong’, a campaign celebrating fearless self-expression and encouraging experimentation.

The ‘Stay Headstrong’ campaign is a response to new research that shows that one in five (19%) Brits admit they’ve been told they’re not good enough, with one third (30%) being made to feel inadequate at some point in their lives with regards to how they look. Of those surveyed, more than half (60%) rely on their hair to give them confidence, with two fifths (40%) claiming their hair-do is the most important part of their appearance. 

As part of Bed Head’s campaign, the brand has launched ‘Chats from the Chair’, a web content series on its native platform, that features interviews from headstrong queer Grime artist FFSYTHO, cutthroat comedian Lily Phillips, and trans pride activist and creator Lucia Blayke. The interviews shed light on why the ‘stay headstrong’ attitude is so important to each of the stars and illustrates the integral role products play as tools for self-expression, enabling people to be true unapologetic versions of themselves.

When it comes to role models, the consumer research revealed people admire creative challengers Miley Cyrus,Harry Styles and Vivienne Westwood for their bold fearless nature (42%), integrity (47%) and courage to stand up for what they believe in (44%).

The results also showed that half (51%) of Brits think their hair is an extension of their personality, changing their style on average every two or three years (32%).

Of those surveyed, adopting a headstrong attitude has helped people with:

  • Improved confidence – 29%
  • To take more risks in their personal lives – 21%
  • To persevere after rejection – 20%

Katie Westerby, Senior Marketing Manager at Bed Head, said: “At Bed Head, our purpose has always been to champion creativity by equipping artists with elevated professional hair care products and encouraging all consumers to push the boundaries of what they can do.

“Being headstrong is not only something we embody as a brand, but a belief we want to instil in everyone who buys our products. We hope that this campaign will spark conversation and motivate new and existing Bed Head devotees, and we can’t wait to see it.” 

This year, Bed Head is supporting and donating to STONEWALL a charity that stands for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere. In the UK, more than a third of employees don’t believe it’s appropriate for their LGBTQ+ colleagues to be out in the workplace.

In response to this, Bed Head and STONEWALL want to help create more equal opportunities in society so LGBTQ+ people feel safer in our modern society.

For more information about Bed Head’s ‘Stay Headstrong’ campaign, please visit bedhead.com

Dobbies’ Edinburgh store to host festive shopping night in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust

The most magical time of the year is almost here and Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is welcoming the start of the festive season with a special charity shopping night in aid of National Charity Partner, Teenage Cancer Trust.

This is taking place in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store on Thursday 24 November, 5-9pm, with tickets on sale now. 

The Christmas Shopping Night is a perfect opportunity for the whole family to explore great-value festive gifts, decorations and products and get into the Christmas spirit.

There will be a welcome drink on arrival plus the chance to enjoy the exclusive shopping offers available on the night. With the Christmas themes for 2022 displayed throughout the stores there will be decorating inspiration for all, no matter your style or budget. 

Dobbies’ popular Santa’s Grotto will launch in its Edinburgh store for a special preview as well as bookable tables in the restaurant offering a taste of the Christmas menu.

Available on the night will be two courses for £14.95 with the option of traditional roast turkey dinner or vegetarian Christmas dinner with Quorn sausages, followed by Christmas pudding or mince pie cheesecake.

Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager at Dobbies said: “We’ve raised over £1.2m for Teenage Cancer Trust and our Christmas Shopping Night is a great opportunity, not only for customers in Edinburgh to enjoy a festive night out and exclusive offers, but contribute to raising funds for an incredibly worthwhile cause.”

Tickets are priced at £1, available at dobbies.com and in-store, and all proceeds from ticket sales and fundraising on the night will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust. It is also possible to opt in to make a donation to the charity when booking other festive events online.

Donna Bednarek, Senior Relationships Manager for Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “We are delighted to see the return of Dobbies Christmas Shopping Night this year – an event our volunteers love to be part of.

“It’s companies like Dobbies, and their incredible team members and customers taking part in events like this, that allow us to ensure no young person faces cancer alone.”

Attendees in Edinburgh are invited to take a photo in-store for the chance to win a prize.

Customers can share their photos on social media by using #DobbiesChristmasNight and tagging @dobbiesgardencentres to automatically be entered.

For more Christmas inspiration and to browse Dobbies’ new season ranges, visit:

 www.dobbies.com