STV Appeal cash for Changeworks

Changeworks receives £2,000 from the STV Appeal

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Newhaven Road-based environmental charity Changeworks has been awarded £2000 from the STV Appeal Awards 2014. The money will be used to provide reflective radiator panels and emergency radiators to those most in need – perfect timing as temperatures continue to plummet.

Changeworks is a local environmental charity and thriving social enterprise which provides practical ways for people and organisations to live and work more sustainably. The service supports individuals, communities and organisations to deliver practical solutions that reduce carbon emissions, fuel poverty and waste by managing resources more efficiently.

Changeworks helps householders to lower energy bills; reduce, reuse and recycle; install renewable energy and heating systems; offers waste education for pupils, teachers and Early Years practitioners; and provides consultancy advice, project management and training to support the efficient management of resources and behaviour change for organisations.

The STV Appeal is committed to making a difference in the lives of children and young people living in poverty in Scotland.  Across the country, 220,000 children live in poverty and figures from the Campaign to End Child Poverty show that in Edinburgh it’s actually 21.1% of children – more than one in five.  Changeworks is one of the projects the STV Appeal is supporting in Edinburgh.

Since launch in 2011, the STV Appeal has raised over £8.2 million with 297 big and small grants distributed to projects across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, providing much needed support to over 37,000 children. The money raised is distributed to provide practical help like food and warm clothes; create opportunities for training and employability; and enable social and emotional support for those who need it most.

Sam Mills, Head of Projects at Changeworks, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this money to support our work helping families to better afford being warm at home. We will use the award to provide reflective radiator panels and emergency radiators to those people most in need. This practical support will be much welcomed at a time when the wintry weather continues, energy costs are rising, people’s incomes are increasingly stretched and families are struggling to keep homes warm.”

Rob Woodward, STV CEO and trustee of the STV Appeal, said: “The money donated to the STV Appeal remains in Scotland and will help bring about a positive change to the lives of vulnerable children and young people on our doorstep.  With the help of the extraordinary fundraising efforts taking place in communities across the country we have raised an incredible £2.6m in 2014 allowing us to make grants to 297 projects.  We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported this year’s Appeal.”

Sir Tom Hunter, trustee of the STV Appeal, said: “Yet again the people of Scotland have cast their vote – end child poverty.  Through the STV Appeal we are attempting to deliver sustainable solutions to do just that.  It is simply unacceptable in modern Scotland to still have young people debilitated by poverty, through this project and many more the people of Scotland are doing their level best to combat poverty.”

Sir Ian Wood, trustee of the STV Appeal, said: “The generosity of the people in Scotland who provide such great support to the STV Appeal is incredibly encouraging and heart-warming. However, it is deeply concerning that there continues to be a significant requirement across Scotland for financial support for child poverty.

“Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, a commission I chaired recently, has the overarching aim to enable Scotland’s young people to move into sustainable employment upon leaving education. But how can they achieve positive destinations if they have a less than adequate start in life?

“I sincerely believe that the grants donated by the STV Appeal can have a significant impact on the lives of Scotland’s young people and make a real contribution to eradicating child poverty in Scotland.”

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The STV Appeal 2015 is now well underway with an exciting line-up of fundraising activities planned for the year ahead. 

Fun on the Run in 2015

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It’s never too late to start your New Year resolutions and this year’s Big Fun Run series gives people of all abilities the chance to kick start a new, active 2015.

Set in 18 of the UK’s most iconic parks from Edinburgh to Brighton, the 5k events are aimed at all members of the family, with entry free for children under 5.

Edinburgh’s 5k Big Fun Run event takes place on

Sunday 11 October in Holyrood Park.

The emphasis is on fun at the charitable events, where over £200,000 was raised for good causes last year. Organiser GSi Events, who also host the Edinburgh Marathon and Bournemouth Marathon say: “Each run has a friendly atmosphere whilst offering an achievable challenge “

Big Fun Run Event Director, Neil Kilgour said: “Tens of thousands of people take part in Big Fun Run every year, it attracts people of all shapes, sizes and ages. No event is timed, it is all about having fun and raising funds for a charity close to your heart.

“It is a great event for all the family and it is not unusual to see grandma, mum and daughter all lining up together at the startline. We also have many people taking part in fancy dress to add to the feel good atmosphere.”

Among those set to enter is Karen Marshall who intends to take part in the Victoria Park event in London on Sunday 1 November. “We are running as a family group for our Mum Annie, who has stage 6 Alzheimer’s, giving the money we raise to the Alzheimer Society.” Karen said.

“We are thinking of bringing her on the run with us in her wheelchair and we’ll all, including Mum be wearing our ‘Running for Annie’ T-shirts.” They also took part in last year’s event at the East London venue.

“We had a fabulous day out,” Karen recalls. “We wanted to try to raise some money for the Alzheimer’s Society – Mum loves being outside so we decided to run 5k with the Big Fun Run as a family group.

“We ran with Mum in her wheelchair and she managed to walk over the finish line herself at about the 40 minute mark to huge cheers from the crowds. Everyone was so helpful and supportive. We couldn’t have wished for a better fund raising day and overall a lovely family day out.”

The Big Fun Run events run from July to November, to see all the venues and to find out how to enter, visit www.bigfunrun.com

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Sign up for Macmillan’s Mammoth Quiz

Thinking caps on for 27 February

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The Macmillan Mammoth Quiz is back, now in its 7th year with a brand new, brain-teasing quiz for 2015!

The Mammoth Quiz organised by the Oundle Macmillan Committee is Macmillan’s nationwide quiz. Simply put, it is the same quiz, being held on the same day, at the same time, throughout the country.

The mammoth quiz even holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest simultaneous quiz. We need you to help make the 2015 Macmillan Quiz the biggest and best yet and help us to reach our target of over £200,000.

Macmillan are looking for local groups and businesses across the UK to host a quiz on 27 February 2015 to raise vital funds for people affected by cancer.

It’s a really fun and easy way to raise money for Macmillan, and you can hold your quiz anywhere from the local pub or bowling club to the office or school. Previous participants have commented “It was a great Quiz and everyone enjoyed it tremendously” and that “the questions are so interesting and catch the imagination”.

It costs £10 to sign up to host a Mammoth Quiz. You will then be sent a welcome pack with a 2015 quiz and fundraising materials. Brand new this year is the Macmillan Mammoth Quiz website

www.macmillanmammothquiz.co.uk

On here you will find tips for organising your quiz, posters and tickets, a bit of information about Macmillan and even some sneaky sample.

To register for your 2015 quiz pack, find out more about the Mammoth Quiz and start downloading sample questions and fundraising materials, log on to:

www.macmillanmammothquiz.co.uk

or email mammoth.quiz.uk@gmail.com

Charity appeals for daffodil volunteers

Marie Curie is appealing for people in Edinburgh and Lothians to donate their time to collect for the charity’s annual Great Daffodil Appeal this March.

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The appeal is Marie Curie’s biggest fundraiser and the charity needs volunteers to encourage people in the local community to give a donation and wear a daffodil pin. The money raised from the Great Daffodil Appeal will help Marie Curie Nurses care for people with a terminal illness in their own home or at the Marie Curie Hospice in Edinburgh so they can spend more time with the people they love.

Fiona Beaton, Marie Curie Community Fundraiser for Edinburgh and Lothians, said: “We need over 500 people from Edinburgh and Lothians to help with our collections this February and March. Donating just one or two hours of your time to the appeal will allow Marie Curie Nurses to provide more free care to terminally ill people and their families at the time when they most need support, both through care in their own homes and in the Marie Curie Hospice Edinburgh.”

Di Shakspeare, Volunteer Collector from East Lothian said: “I was previously a Marie Curie Registered Nurse for twenty nine years so I know the difference that Marie Curie can make to local families, allowing them to rest knowing that their loved ones are in safe hands. On my retirement, I decided I wanted to help with the charity as a volunteer. In my experience, being a collector is a lot of fun and a great way to meet new folk, some with their stories to tell, while also raising funds and awareness for this wonderful cause.”

To volunteer to collect for Marie Curie and support the Great Daffodil Appeal call Fiona on 0131 470 2291, email fiona.beaton@mariecurie.org.uk or visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil.

Jam tomorrow? Support Marie Curie’s marmalade mission

maramEntries are now open for the 10th World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival – and this year any amateur entrant entering from Scotland can put their entry fee towards Marie Curie in Scotland.

For centuries Scotland has been the home of marmalade: it’s said that Mary Queen of Scots brought some over with her from France in the sixteenth century. It’s also claimed that the first real marmalade was made here in Scotland, by Janet Keiller in Dundee. Now the nation’s modern day cooks are being challenged to prove their own homemade preserves are as good as their ancestors and enter a jar into the Marmalade Awards.

There are new categories as well as old favourites to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the awards and 15 categories in total including a special Scottish category. It’s called the ‘Gathering of the Clans’, with Scottish clan chiefs and clansmen and women being urged to put their preserve-making skills to the test. If the recipe goes back generations, the festival organisers want to hear the story.

Entries are now open for the 10th World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival, sponsored by Scottish marmalade maker Mackays, which hails the preserve in all its sticky glory!

The closing date for entries is 15 February 2015.

Everyone who enters a jar gets their preserve tasted and judged by experts, and then gets sent a personalised mark card with feedback on how the marmalade can be improved – or if they are lucky, a gold, silver or bronze award. Last year over 2,200 jars were entered. The double gold star winner gets their marmalade made by a commercial kitchen and then stocked at Fortnum & Mason – and 50p from every jar sold goes to charity.

There are categories for artisan, B&B/hotel & restaurant owners as well as homemade marmalade makers to enter and this year any amateur entrant entering from Scotland can put their entry fee towards Marie Curie in Scotland.

Good quality Seville oranges are now easier to source as supermarkets react to customer demand and preserves makers – homemade, artisan and commercial – continue to push the culinary boundaries by exploring unusual marmalade trends and tastes.

Jane Hasell-McCosh, founder of the Awards, said: “We’re seeing fruity, spicy, alcoholic and downright original ingredients, such as seaweed and beer, being combined with citrus to make modern marmalades. Of course people still adore spreading the traditional thick-cut Seville on their toast but our awards celebrate marmalade in all its sticky and diverse, delicious glory!

“Ten years ago I started this event as I was worried that our wonderful tradition of marmalade making and eating was becoming less popular. I’m delighted over the last decade there’s been a renaissance in marmalade making and am looking forward to tasting entries to our 2015 awards.”

2015 is set to be a golden year for marmalade with a growing interest in not only making preserves at home but also a steep rise in exports of British marmalade abroad.

Marmalade maker Mackays, based in the Dundee area of Scotland, has seen a significant increase in exports to countries such as Japan, Germany, Denmark, USA and the Czech Republic.

Martin Grant, Managing Director of Mackays, said: “We are finding an ever increasing demand for marmalade around the world and now export to over 60 countries. We are the last remaining producer of Dundee Orange Marmalade in the area and I think our heritage, coupled with the fact we still make our preserves using traditional copper pans, is the key.”

Paddington Bear, the most famous marmalade lover of them all, presides over the Festival itself making guest appearances and readings from his adventures. Visitors to the Marmalade Festival (28 Feb & 1 March 2015), held at Dalemain Mansion, near Penrith in the Lake District, get the chance to view the entries, taste over 200 different marmalades, attend workshops, lectures, lots of activities for children and the whole event will be well rooted in the Spanish Seville.

The event kicks off National Marmalade Week (28 February – 7 March 2015), overseen by the awards’ organisers, which encourages people to try, buy or make marmalade.

Collection points are available in Scotland for people to drop their entries off, including Mackays (who are offering a marmalade exchange), Hopetoun, Herbie of Edinburgh and more: please see website for full details.

Closing date for entries is 15 February 2014. Further entry details including an entry form, category criteria, submission details, entry fees and entry drop-off points can be found at www.marmaladeawards.com.

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Students’ photshoots help families smile

Jessica CCLASP

Two Edinburgh College photography students have teamed up with Leith-based charity CCLASP​ (Children with Cancer and Leukaemia, Advice and Support for Parents) to give children affected by cancer a reason to smile by offering free family photoshoots to provide lasting memories.

The chance to carry out the shoots started after student Derek got chatting to his neighbour and founder of CCLASP, Valerie Simpson. As a way of helping the charity as well as furthering his photography skills, Derek offered to take pictures for the families that the charity supported. He then started carrying out photo sessions with his friend and fellow photography student, David Anderson.

One woman who is forever grateful to Derek and David is Claire Tasker from Kirkcaldy in Fife.  After her little girl Jessica was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), Claire says that CCLASP was a ‘godsend’.

While Jessica, now 6, has been in remission for the last two years Claire’s mum Kay was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer last February. With the family knowing that her mum didn’t have long after her diagnosis, Claire called on Derek and David to bring the family together for a shoot they would always remember.

Claire says that David and Derek were extremely good at making everyone feel relaxed and the pictures now decorate her house and have been given out as gifts to provide lasting memories of her mum, who sadly passed away in April at the age of 53.

Claire said: “It’s the last photos that we got of us all as a family. I was pregnant at the time so to be able to share that as a family just meant the world. It’s amazing to be able to look back and have those photos with my mum and with my daughter.”

While studies for their BA in Photography continue, David and Derek remain committed to working with CCLASP, photographing events and days out put on by the charity for children who are undergoing treatment or whose condition may be terminal. For the photographers, the family photo-shoots were a moving experience.

“It was a great opportunity to meet all the families, who are fantastically strong considering what they’re going through,” said David, 40, from East Lothian.
Derek, 35, from Leith, said: “We’ve met families from different areas, different walks of life. Their experience is very inspiring.”

CCLASP was set up by Valerie and Bill Simpson after their son Robert was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of six. They started up the Edinburgh based children’s charity in 1994 to help support children and groups of families, to express and share the feelings, anxieties and the horror of having a child with a life threatening illness.

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New Year resolutions – and how to keep them

staerIt’s a tradition on New Year’s Eve that you make a resolution for the year ahead. Some people pledge to lose weight, others decide to stop smoking and lots more say they are going to get fit and more active – but all too often you break that resolution just a few weeks into the New Year.

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution – and you’re really, really determined to stick to it this time! – here’s some help and advice to assist you on your journey.

Maybe this time …

1. LOSE WEIGHT and/or GET FIT

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One of the most common New Year resolutions is to eat better, exercise more and lose weight. After all of the rich and indulgent feasts you’ve had this holiday season, it might seem easy to stick to a diet of leafy greens at first. But when those cravings set in, it can be hard to stay on track with your diet. Plus, cold weather makes it harder for some people to get motivated and hit the gym.

If you’re looking to eat more healthily, ignore faddy diets – portion control will play a big part in your success. One good way to be more aware of what you’re eating is to use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients or weigh out portion sizes. A solid kitchen scale shouldn’t cost the earth and it’s an investment worth making.

Check out the library for books on good food and healthy eating, and Pilton Community Health Project’s website is a mine of useful information too www.pchp.org.uk

Many people sign up for a gym membership at this time of year but for a considerable number that’s as far as it goes – it can be hard to get motivated to leave the house on cold January days and evenings; it’s so much easier to put it off to another day! Gym memberships can also be very expensive – again, Pilton Community Health should be your first port of call for local exercise and healthy activities.

With Ainslie Park Leisure Centre on your doorstep (551 2400) it’s worth checking out Edinburgh Leisure to see what’s on offer both locally and across the city: telephone 458 2100 or visit www.edinburghleisure.co.uk 

If you need a little reminder to be active, a fitness tracker like the Fitbit Flex can be a big help, but starting at around £50 they are quite an expensive reminder! I find trying to tie my shoelaces is enough of a reminder for me …

2. QUIT SMOKING

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You know smoking is a bad habit that hits both your health and your wallet, but stopping is tough – it can take some people years and many, many failed attempts before they kick the habit. If you want 2015 to be the year you finally quit smoking, there are all kinds of products that can help wean you off the fags: there’s gum, patches and nasal spray inhalers – all of which help give you a boost of nicotine without having to inhale all that nasty smoke.

Many are turning to e-smoking as an aid to kicking the tobacco habit. If you’re looking to try out e-cigs as a way to cut back on actual cigarettes, you can now get a starter kit, charger, and carrying case set at increasingly competitive prices.

People who are trying to quit smoking the traditional way also appreciate having additional support options, and Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking book is still the most popular on the market.

NHS Lothian offers a range of stopping cessation sessions and Smokeline Scotland is also a great place to go for support, advice and tips.

http://www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/HealthInformation/HealthAwareness/Smoking/Pages/default.aspx

Smokeline 0800 848484 www.canstopsmoking.com

3. SAVE MONEY AND REDUCE DEBT

money countingWhether you want to get out of debt or just start saving for a big ticket item, there are lots of people who will be trying to spend their money more wisely in 2015. Setting up a personal budget can help you monitor your spending.

One tactic you can try to help you stay on budget is doing all your shopping in cash when you can, rather than using a debit card, cheque or credit card to pay for items – it’s estimated that people who pay for things with a card can spend almost 20% more on a transaction than those who are paying with cash.

If you’ve racked up a lot of debt on a credit card and you’re paying a hefty rate of interest, you should look around to see what deals are on offer and transfer that debt over to a 0% balance transfer credit card. By doing so, you’ll be able to avoid paying interest on that debt for a set period – some up to 35 months – and this will give you plenty of time to start tackling your debt without worrying about the interest accumulating.

The Money Advice Service has a good website for money saving advice, but if you are already in debt – get help, don’t let your problems escalate. Pilton CAB and Granton Information Centre are two local agencies that can help.

Don’t be tempted by payday loans or worse – the interest is astronomical. Check out Credit Unions which are a much cheaper and ethical way of helping you to manage your money.

Remember, if you spent too much over Christmas those bills will be arriving soon, so ACT NOW.

www.moneyadviceservice.org

www.moneysavingexpert.com

www.capitalcreditunion.com

North Edinburgh Credit Union, Wardieburn Drive 466 5006

Granton Information Centre, West Granton Road www.gic.org.uk  551 2459

Pilton CAB, Drylaw Shopping Centre on Ferry Road 202 1153  www.citizensadviceedinburgh.co.uk/

The Scottish Government has also just launched a new website to help guide you to the support and advice you need. Visit:

 http://www.lightentheloadscotland.gov.uk/

 

4. LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE or SKILL

painterIt’s never too late to learn something new and the New Year is the perfect time to try something different, whether for leisure or to open up new employment opportunities.

Locally, check out Edinburgh College – new courses start this month – and Craigroyston Community High School is running a wide variety of adult day and evening classes.

www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20070/adult_and_community_learning

5. GO GREEN

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Thinking about going green this year? There are lots of small changes you can make to your lifestyle to reduce your energy bill, recycle materials in innovative ways and help do your part to make the planet healthier. www.greenerscotland.org is a good place to start for ideas.

6. VOLUNTEER and/or GIVE TO CHARITY

giveMany people plan to be more generous with both their time and any disposable income they may have in 2015 (some chance, I hear you say!)

Looking to donate time, not money, then? There are lots of ways you can donate your time – local and national charities and voluntary organisations are crying out for willing volunteers in all sorts of roles. There’s bound to be something to suit you – a good place to start is Volunteer Centre Edinburgh – go to  www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk to see what you can do.

Time Banks are another great way to donate your time, energy and skills and get the same back in return – visit  www.edinburghtimebank.org.uk for more information.

So, you’ve decided on your resolution? Here are some tips to help you stay on track when times get tough:

  • Set yourself realistic goals, not impossible targets. Don’t think about losing two stone in a month, or running a marathon after a fortnight’s exercise!
  • Don’t be all-or-nothing – you’re likely to have the odd slip along the way but don’t allow that to make you give up
  • Remove temptation – no point in making things even more difficult for yourself
  • Reward yourself along the way
  • Thing positively and keep your eye on the prize – there may be tough times but the end result will be worth it!

GOOD LUCK!

Good Lord – Provost to join Loony Dookers!

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Councillor Donald Wilson is preparing to plunge into the Forth’s icy waters for charity when he takes on the New Year’s Day Loony Dook challenge in South Queensferry.

LoonyDookPart of the three day festival for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, the event will see over 1,000 ‘Dookers’ cheered on by 4,000 spectators start 2015 with a dip in the River Forth in the shadow of the world-famous Forth Bridges.

The Lord Provost has signed up to take part to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution RNLI, which provides a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service across the UK.

He commented: “The event is great fun and will be raising money for a fantastic charity. The South Queensferrry branch of the RNLI will receive a 10 per cent donation from each registration fee for the event this year. I’m either brave or barmy to sign up, but I’m very glad to lend my support. I wish everyone taking part the best of luck and a happy – albeit chilly – start to the New Year!”

The Loony Dook is organised by Unique Events, who produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. Earlier this month, organisers confirmed that M&D’s, who operate Scotland’s Theme Park in Strathclyde Country Park and also run the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay carnival, will be supporting the event. It is also funded by EventScotland and Scotland’s Winter Festivals.

This year’s event has been a sell out and no more spaces are available. It will start with a Dookers’ Parade, led by the Beastie Drummers, at 1.20pm followed by the Dook itself at 1.30pm on Thursday 1st January. Spectators are welcome to cheer on the Dookers from various vantage points along the route.

Find out more at the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay website

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay programme

Bowled over by a community’s Christmas spirit

bowlsVolunteers at Muirhouse Community Shop have illustrated the season of goodwill by creating hand-crafted Christmas gifts for people in need.

Muirhouse Community Shop was asked by Fiona Henderson, Community Access to Schools worker at Craigroyston Community High School, to hold a painting session to support the ‘Empty Bowls’ initiative.

bowls 0Empty Bowls, an international grassroots effort to fight hunger, was founded in the USA. The basic premise is simple: potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity – Empty Bowls has raised millions of dollars to donate to hunger-fighting organizations.

bowls 4Volunteers at Muirhouse Community Shop were delighted to support the cause and local people enthusiastically got to work to decorate bowls which were later displayed in both the Community Shop and the High School.

The Muirhouse bowls were then filled with goodies donated by the local community and they’ve now being wrapped and will be donated to people in need.

Christmas can be a very tough time when you don’t have much, so these heartwarming little gifts will bring some welcome seasonal cheer into some local homes this Christmas.

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For further information on Empty Bowls visit

www.emptybowls.net

Pictures by TRIM


 

 

 

Caledonia Youth to close in Spring

Charity to close after 46 years – eleven staff face redundancy

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Castle Terrace based charity Caledonia Youth Services is to close in the New Year due to ongoing funding difficulties.

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees, a spokesperson said:

“It is with great regret that we must announce the forthcoming closure of Caledonia Youth.  Our Edinburgh-based charity provides a variety of specialist preventative interventions to support young people under 25 in Scotland through challenges associated with their transition to adulthood, helping them develop their social and emotional capabilities and reduce negative risk taking behaviour.

“Now, after 46 years, we find ourselves unable to sustain our charity following an erosion of funding in recent years.  While the team have worked hard to secure new sources of income and been successful in doing so for many years, like other colleagues in the third sector we have faced a constant reduction in statutory funding.  For us, this culminated in the termination of our contract with NHS Lothian earlier this year to deliver a specialist clinic in Edinburgh, which had served young people in the region since 1968, along with our school-based programme to help increase knowledge.

“Having exhausted alternative funding avenues vital to the sustainability of our charity, the Board of Trustees have made the difficult decision to wind up Caledonia Youth.  We are in the process of applying to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) to formally do so and the last day of operation will be 31 March 2015.  Obviously we are hugely disappointed to be faced with what is the only option left open to us, which will bring redundancy for 11 highly skilled people.

“We would like to take this opportunity to say how very proud we are of our extremely dedicated team here at Caledonia Youth who have developed and delivered many ground breaking programmes.  They have proved great advocates for tens of thousands of young people, particularly the more vulnerable, disadvantaged and disengaged in our society today.

“Caledonia Youth’s enterprising and adaptable approach has impacted upon our young clients by helping to change long term behaviour, giving rise to both direct and indirect positive outcomes including their enhanced employability and opportunities to enjoy full and rewarding lives.

“While we wish we could do more, the focus now is on ensuring our young clients are supported through the closure, as there is a dearth of service provision.  We too experience waiting lists for our services.  We will do our utmost to ensure they are connected with an appropriate organisation, although that will possibly mean a different level of assistance.

“On top of this, we will be doing everything in our power to help our team secure alternative employment as quickly as possible.

“Our thanks go to those who have helped us sustain Caledonia Youth – funders, partner organisations and those who make referrals to us – and to all the young people we have connected with and supported over the years.”

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