Tag: charity

Paws for applause: PDSA awarded £500,000

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Inverleith Park was alive with animal-loving celebs yesterday. Why? The local park is very popular with dog-walkers so it was the ideal place to announce some great news for our four-legged friends. Thousands of pets now face a brighter future as PDSA has just been awarded £500,000 from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The cash boost will be used by the charity’s vets and nurses to extend vital treatment and education programmes across the UK.

Last year alone, over 470,000 pet owners turned to PDSA for help to care for their pets – a figure that has risen by more than 50% in recent years. Annually, it costs over £60 million to run PDSA’s charitable service – all of which is funded entirely by public support and reinforces the fact that the UK is a nation of animal lovers.

PDSA Director General, Jan McLoughlin, said: “We’re delighted to receive this support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery which will make a massive difference to pets’ lives.

“Through our network of 50 pet hospitals and our education work in schools and in communities we’re able to touch the lives of more pets than any other UK animal charity.

“Every single day our amazing team of vets and nurses work flat out to deliver not just life saving treatment but also vital advice and preventive care that gives all pets the chance of healthy, happy lives.”

The funding, made possible by players of People’s Postcode Lottery will be used by PDSA to help support thousands of pets nationwide through education, prevention and treatment.

The charity was joined at yesterday’s cheque presentation – which thankfully took place before the thunder and lightning! – by a number of animal-loving celebrities including members of Britain’s Olympic silver-medal winning Curling squad, skippered by David Murdoch, and People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador, singer Danyl Johnson, at Inverleith.

David Murdoch, Scottish curler and animal lover, said: “As the proud owner of a dog myself I know only too well the joy pets can bring to our lives. I think PDSA is an amazing charity and this funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery will safeguard the lives of thousands of adored pets.”

Singer Danyl Johnson, who owns a spaniel called Darcie, said he was delighted for PDSA. He said: “I have first-hand experience of PDSA’s lifesaving work having visited one of their hospitals last year. The vets and nurses really are unsung heroes, helping all those sick and injured pets that have nowhere else to turn. I’m thrilled that this money is going to such a worthy cause.”

Hazel Johnstone, Trusts Manager at People’s Postcode Lottery added: “People’s Postcode Lottery is a charity lottery raising funds for, and increasing awareness of, charities and good causes. Pets are a huge part of people’s lives and PDSA’s work is a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of pets and their owners in the city and communities nationwide.

“We are delighted that our players are able to provide this support to PDSA, the UK’s leading veterinary charity, to help its vital work.”

 

Step out for Fresh Start

Take strides for homelessness in Fresh Start charity fundraiser

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Brush off your walking boots and take strides to raise money to help people who have been homeless in Edinburgh settle into their new homes.

Fresh Start, the Ferry Road Drive-based charity supporting people to make a home their own after a period of homelessness, is holding its annual sponsored walk on May 30.

The charity hopes to raise more than last year’s total – £7,200 – when its band of fundraisers walk eight miles through some of the most picturesque parts of Edinburgh.

And there is still time to dust off your walking boots and sign up to take part in the fundraiser.

The walk will start from the Jubilee Gardens in Stockbridge at 10am and finish at the charity’s base at Harrison Place where lunch will be served for the hungry walkers. On the way, participants will take in the sights of the Water of Leith, Union Canal and Harrison Park.

Keith Robertson, Fresh Start’s Managing Director, said: “Each year we manage to smash our previous years fundraising target and we hope that 2014’s sponsored walk will be no different. You don’t need to be an expert walker and you can take your time on what will hopefully be a lovely sunny day.”

He added: “All the money raised will help us to continue our vital work in supporting families and individuals who have been homeless to make their new house into a home.”

Fresh Start supports people in their new homes after a period of homelessness. The charity provides goods through its Starter Packs, which include basics to survive (bedding, curtains, crockery, etc). and practical support through its ‘Hit Squad’ service, where volunteers help people to decorate their new houses, tackling vulnerability and isolation.

Most recently, Fresh Start opened the doors to its ‘Food Station’ which is tackling health inequalities by giving access to refurbished cookers, running cooking classes, and distributing food packs and budgeting advice.

To register for the walk, call Fresh Start on 0131 476 7741 or email reception@freshstartweb.co.uk

Anna entertains at OneCity birthday event

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Broughton High School pupil Anna McLuckie was the star attraction at a charity event held to support the OneCity Trust at the City Chambers last week.

The fundraising dinner, hosted by the Honorary President Lord Provost Donald Wilson, celebrates 10 years since the Trust’s inception and was attended and supported by key businesses in Edinburgh including Qatar Airways and Petroleum Experts.

Guests were entertained by compere Grant Stott, and teenage  harpist Anna McLuckie. Anna, who’s from Stockbridge, made her public debut at the Lord Provost’s annual garden party and made a huge impression across the country when she appeared on BBC One’s The Voice earlier this year.

The mission of the OneCity Trust is to promote equality of opportunity and a sense of community throughout the capital. The OneCity Trust funds and manages projects that help advance, facilitate and promote social inclusion and the tackling of poverty in Edinburgh communities.

As part of the Trust, the Lord Provost’s Rapid Acton Fund supports smaller community group projects that require urgent help through grants.

The Trust places great emphasis on bringing together different groups to work together in innovative and creative ways to tackle the problems of social exclusion, and is this year funding initiatives for the allotment group Piershill Plotters, Edinburgh’s Northwest Foodbank Warehouse, and the Edinburgh Garden Partners SOS Programme which helps disabled and older people care for their gardens*.

The Lord Provost, Donald Wilson, said: “On becoming Lord Provost it was clear to me that the role had great fundraising potential and my objectives chime identically with the OneCity Trust. As the Honorary President, I am delighted the fundraiser has received so much support from Edinburgh based businesses.”

“The money raised will go directly the Trust’s continued promotion of community initiatives in the city, and will enable us to support even more worthy projects that tackle poverty and inequality in Edinburgh. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has shown support for the OneCity Trust and all of those who have worked so hard make this fundraiser such a success.”

Matthew Haggis, Chair of the OneCity Trust, said: “Edinburgh is a divided city, and perhaps always has been, with wealth and privilege rubbing up alongside poverty and deprivation. The OneCity Trust attempts to bridge those divides, bringing many parts together for the benefit of all.

I hope that the dinner has not only raised money, but raised awareness. And that some of the companies who supported us will seek ways to tackle social exclusion in the city themselves, with or without the help of the Trust.”

The OneCity Trust also sponsors the prestigious Edinburgh Lectures Series 2014 which is running throughout May and June. For details and tickets, please visit

The Edinburgh Lecture 2017

If you have an interest in applying for funding or supporting the Trust, please visit www.onecity.org.uk

CityChambers

Athletics club in the running for Sainsbury charity cash

Local hero award

Sainsbury’s staff – or ‘colleagues’ – are encouraged to help in the community and are rewarded for their services.

The Blackhall store’s  Gail Wilson volunteers at Edinburgh Athletics Club, where she is a volunteer official at athletics meetings and also helps with fundraising – and Sainburys has awarded her charity £200.

LOCAL HEROES: Pictured above are Edinburgh A.C. sprinters Craig Knowles, Gabriella Vita, Salvano Marcantonio, Gail Wilson, Michael Fernie, Chris Kelly and Sam Revie.

Support a local food bank at Sainsbury’s

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Sainsbury’s Blackhall are collecting in-store for the food bank at
Granton Baptist Church (pictured above).

Customers can buy an extra grocery item and add to a trolley at the front of the store. Goods are delivered to the food bank three times a week.

Sainsbury’s Blackhall would like to thank all their customers for their
continued support.

Michelle joins Crewe Toll firefighters for Big Lunch launch

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Music and TV personality Michelle McManus visited Crewe Toll fire station yesterday to hear about how The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) are supporting The Big Lunch in Scotland in 2014.

Michelle, who backed The Big Lunch in Scotland last year, met with SFRS Group Manager and Station Commander for Crewe Toll, Steve Harkins and heard how station staff across Scotland are keen to lend a hand at Big Lunches happening locally and take the chance get to know neighbouring communities better.

The Big Lunch – the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours – is funded by The Big Lottery Fund and partnered by Halifax, ASDA and StreetClub by B&Q. Now in its sixth year, the simple idea from the Eden Project aims to provide neighbours with an opportunity to get to know one another better. The Big Lunch happens on the first Sunday in June each year – this year Sunday 1 June.

SFRS Assistant Chief Fire Officer Lewis Ramsay, the Director of Prevention and Protection in Scotland, said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is delighted to team up with The Big Lunch Scotland, and as part of our support for local communities, we would encourage community fire stations throughout Scotland to actively participate in local neighbourhood Big Lunch events and activities. Community groups and neighbours planning events should not hesitate to seek support and assistance from their local fire crews.”

In 2013 over 3.65 million people took part in Big Lunches across the UK, including thousands from Scotland, like Michelle, who held street parties, picnics in the park and community hall gatherings.

Local Group Manager Steve Harkins, said: “The Big Lunch is an extremely worthwhile initiative which encourages neighbours to build upon community ties. We’re very pleased to have teamed up this year as it’s a fantastic opportunity for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to engage with members of the public in a positive, meaningful way.”

Communities further afield in the Lothians and across Scotland are being encouraged to host their own Big Lunch events with their neighbours to help build community bonds and enjoy a simple day of food, friendship and fun.

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Michelle said her own community is particularly friendly. She said: “I’m lucky to have so many good friends on my doorstep and I have the best neighbour anyone could wish for – he’s one of the reasons that I haven’t moved!

“We pop in to see each other for a cuppa and a catch up every few weeks or so, he’s a fantastic friend and we help each other out. That feeling of community is invaluable to me, it means you’re never lonely and you always feel safe.”

Anyone interested in taking part this year can get started by requesting a free Big Lunch pack from www.thebiglunch.com to get events off the ground. Packs contain invitations and posters to adapt for your community, as well as seeds, a bunting template and an inspiration booklet with lots of ideas and information.

All pack materials are undated so communities can have Big Lunches when best suits them if they can’t join in on Sunday 1 June.

For more information, email Emma at The Big Lunch in Scotland on emma.smith@thebiglunch.com

or telephone 0141 559 5066.

Spartans in the running for national award

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One of North Edinburgh’s best known and most respected community organisations has been short-listed for a national award. The Spartans Community Football Academy is one of thirty projects from across the country in the running in this year’s Scottish Charity Awards – and you can vote for your favourite in the People’s Award.

Organised and staged by the Scottish Community and Voluntary Organisation (SCVO), the awards celebrate all that is best in Scotland’s third sector, recognising our country’s most innovative and effective people and organisations

Spartans is one of thirty organisations to have progressed to the final round of the Scottish Charity Awards, and an impressive ‘not so shortlist’ includes major national organisations, community groups, partnership projects and individuals who have channelled their energies into supporting their communities and making Scotland a better place to live.

spartans

The Spartans Community Football Academy (above) has become a key part of the fabric of north Edinburgh, offering sport, education and leisure opportunities to thousands of children and young people from North Edinburgh and beyond. Based at Ainslie Park, SCFA is succinctly summed up by Alastair Davis, the chief executive of Social Investment Scotland: “we never fail to be impressed, inspired and overwhelmed by the impact of Spartans. Their quality, dedication and passion sets them apart”. SCFA has been nominated in the Sporting Chance category.

Joining Spartans on the shortlist is another great local project, Leith-based The Junction (below). The Junction youth group and Port of Leith Housing Association got together to create purpose-built – and very popular – new premises for young people aged 12-21, offering counselling, health advice and support to young people.

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For a full list of nominees and to vote for your favourite project in The People’s Award visit  www.scvo.org.uk/charity-awards 

Twitter user? It’s #ScotCharityAwards 

The glittering awards ceremony, hosted by Kaye Adams, takes place at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on 5 June. Good luck to all the candidates – but really, you’re all winners already.

 

Volunteering opportunities at Fresh Start

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A local resettlement charity is looking for enthusiastic people to join its band of volunteers. Ferry Road Drive-based Fresh Start, which helps people previously homeless make a home for themselves, urgently needs people to join its Hit Squad and Gardening teams.

Keith Robertson, Managing Director at Fresh Start (pictured above with volunteer Caroline) said: “You don’t need to be an expert gardener or decorator – we are just looking for people with some basic skills who can work as part of a team and support vulnerable people to get back on their feet.”

Hit Squads work alongside new tenants to help them decorate their new house. Volunteers help prepare the rooms for decorating including cleaning, sanding, lining walls and painting the whole room. Last year 120 clients received support to decorate their new home through the Hit Squad service.

But while Hit Squads work alongside new tenants to help them decorate their new house, it is more than just a decorating service. Not only does it improve a client’s living space but also teaches new skills to help them establish and maintain a home and it also benefits people through positive social contact, helping to combat vulnerability and isolation

The charity is also looking for people to volunteer in its allotment where food grown such as vegetables, herbs and potatoes will be used in cookery classes at Fresh Start’s Food Station.

The Food Station service aims to tackle health inequalities amongst people who have been homeless by giving access to refurbished cookers, cooking classes, food packs and budgeting advice.

Keith Robertson added: “Both these projects are fundamental to Fresh Start’s work helping to combat vulnerability and isolation often experienced during periods of homelessness. Hit Squads support people to learn new skills that will enable them to maintain their home, while our cookery classes and gardening projects help people to learn basic cooking skills as well as enjoy being outdoors in the garden.”

To find out more about volunteering:

visit http://bit.ly/freshstartvolunteer

call Fresh Start on 0131 476 7741

or email enquiries@freshstartweb.org.uk

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Hats off to MS Therapy fundraisers!

EVERYTHING STOPS FOR TEA: Louise Liddell gets the party started!
EVERYTHING STOPS FOR TEA: Louise Liddell gets the party started!

The MS Therapy Centre’s latest fundraiser – the Mad Hatters’ Tea Party – has raised nearly £4,500.

The Centre, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, called on locals to host a tea party and wear a crazy hat last month to help raise much needed funds and make a difference to all those in the Lothians living with multiple sclerosis.

Nancy Campbell, Operations Manager at the Centre, said: “Hitting nearly £4,500 is a fantastic sum of money and will make such a difference to those attending the Centre. Nearly 2,500 people in the Lothians live with the debilitating condition and our Centre provides a life line for many. We are there for practical and emotional support and only exist because of the generosity of others.”

Nancy added: “I would like to thank local residents, businesses, community groups and schools who took time out of their busy days to bake and host tea parties.”

Liberal Democrat South Scotland MSP Jim Hume joined in the tea party celebrations. He said: “I was delighted to visit Nancy and her team at the MS Therapy Centre Lothian again and to celebrate their 30th anniversary at the mad hatter tea party. The Centre provides a range of therapeutic and peer support to people living with multiple sclerosis, all the while improving the quality of life for its users.”

The Centre is hoping the tea parties become an annual event and will be looking for tea party hosts again in 2015.

tea party

The MS Therapy Centre is a charity providing help and practical therapies such as physiotherapy, complementary therapies and oxygen therapy as well as emotional support and advice. For further information go to www.mstc-lothian.org.uk or call Louise Liddell at MS Therapy Centre on 0131 554 5384.