OneFamily customers across Edinburgh have less than one week left to nominate a local community project for a OneFamily Foundation Community Award – giving them the chance to win up to £25,000. Continue reading Nominate now for OneFamily community awards
Tag: charity
Scottish SPCA thanks faithful volunteer Marilyn
The Scottish SPCA is saying thank-you to volunteer, Marilyn Cole, who has been giving up her time to help Scotland’s abused, abandoned and injured animals for six years. Continue reading Scottish SPCA thanks faithful volunteer Marilyn
Circle receives cash boost from Morrisons Foundation
Local charity Circle has received a £950 donation to develop the outdoor area at their West Pilton base, where high school volunteers team up with primary school children to provide mentoring and support. The donation, awarded by the Morrisons Foundation, will be used to renovate the garden area and purchase equipment, picnic benches and raised beds. Continue reading Circle receives cash boost from Morrisons Foundation
Skanska staff to support Social Bite
Employees from the Skanska’s facilities management business are taking part in a twelve-hour cycling event to raise money for the Edinburgh-based charity the Social Bite Fund today.
The Social Bite Fund helps homeless people, and runs a number of food shops in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. The organisation also offers a range of employment and training opportunities for vulnerable or homeless people.
Twenty people from Skanska will take part on Friday (June 16) between 7.00am and 7.00pm. The idea is that while individuals cycle for smaller periods of time, someone will always be cycling during the marathon 12- hour stretch.
The event will take place at The Fountain spin studio in Eurocentral, Glasgow. A number of employees from the Midlothian and Edinburgh areas are also participating in related activities in those areas.
The event has been organised by Skanska’s Susan Weir, who said: “We hope to raise as much as possible for the Social Bite Fund. It’ll be exhausting, but worth it, in order to help the homeless.”
Joint chief executive role to improve services for rough sleepers in Edinburgh and Glasgow
People sleeping rough on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow should receive greater support following a deal struck between two charities specialising in outreach work. The chief executive of Glasgow-based charity Simon Community Scotland has now also been named chief executive of their Edinburgh-based counterpart, Streetwork.
The dual role now being performed by Lorraine McGrath (above) will see both organisations build on an already existing relationship of sharing expertise in their joint pursuit of providing practical support to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Streetwork has been providing face-to-face support to rough sleepers in the capital for 25 years, while Simon Community Scotland has been doing likewise in Glasgow for just over 50. The bigger of the two, in terms of staff numbers, Simon Community Scotland also provides emergency accommodation services, including in North Lanarkshire and North Ayrshire.
The opportunity for McGrath to take on the twin roles followed a vacancy arising at Streetwork.
Streetwork chair Linda Holden said: “I am delighted that a chief executive of the calibre of Lorraine McGrath has been appointed as our chief executive also.
“To have access to the skills, talents and resources of Simon Community Scotland – with whom we share so many values – will be vital as we try to to support people with complex needs who are sleeping rough on our streets.
“We are specialists in working directly with people sleeping rough on our streets. This collaboration is a really significant step forward for us as we work towards trying to solve this so visible and heart-wrenching situation we all see on the streets of our cities.”
Lorraine McGrath said: “I’ve known and informally worked with Streetwork for over ten years. I feel honoured and privileged to be linking the leadership of the two major homelessness street outreach organisations in Scotland, I believe it offers great opportunity for shared learning.
“This ambitious agreement between our organisations is wholly focused on delivering improvements for people who find themselves on the streets or in crisis in our two cities where we have the greatest homelessness need.
“Streetwork has a strong legacy of delivery in Edinburgh and a highly-skilled and expert team and I am delighted to be joining that team.
“This partnership will bring huge benefits to both organisations as we develop new ways of working, learning from each other about what works best and in developing new approaches together.”
The women presented the new arrangement to key officials at The City of Edinburgh Council, which is the principal funder of Streetwor, on Monday.
Bra- vo as Scotland’s MoonWalkers raise £20 million
Walkers went wild as they celebrated reaching an incredible £20 million fundraising milestone at The MoonWalk Scotland last night. Before the first step was even taken, organisers breast cancer charity Walk the Walk announced that an amazing £430,000 had been raised by people taking part in this year’s event – bringing the fundraising total over the last 12 years of The MoonWalk Scotland to a phenomenal £20 million! Continue reading Bra- vo as Scotland’s MoonWalkers raise £20 million
Happy Hearts run to inspire local lifestyle changes
Heart disease remains one of the biggest health issues in Scotland and more than 1,490 local heroes laced up to raise awareness of the disease – and money for local health projects – by completing the SUBWAY Helping Hearts™ Family 5K Fun Run at Holyrood Park on Sunday. Continue reading Happy Hearts run to inspire local lifestyle changes
Redhall Summer Razzmatazz
Redhall Walled Garden are holding their annual community Open day, called Razzmatazz, on Saturday 8th July (12-5pm). Entry by Donation. Continue reading Redhall Summer Razzmatazz
One million thanks: St Columba’s praises ‘outstanding’ volunteers
National Volunteers’ Week begins today and runs for a week (1 – 7 June) and St Columba’s Hospice has announced new statistics about volunteering at the Trinity-based charity. Continue reading One million thanks: St Columba’s praises ‘outstanding’ volunteers
Calls to Samaritans reach record high
Samaritans volunteers responded to more than 5.7 million calls for help in 2016, an increase of nearly 300,000 on the previous year. Releasing the figures to coincide with the start of Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), the charity says there are a number of reasons for the record high, including making its confidential helpline free to callers. Continue reading Calls to Samaritans reach record high