Tag: Children and Families

Edinburgh Women’s Aid launches art competition to mark 50th anniversary

Edinburgh Women’s Aid, which opened its first refuge in 1973 has unveiled plans for a series of year-long events in 2023 to mark 50 years of providing support for tens of thousands of women and their children who have experienced domestic abuse, which includes a competition to design a commemorative artwork to be unveiled at an exhibition in January.

Events planned throughout the year will highlight and pay tribute to those who have provided support for women and their families over the past five decades, with everything from giving them a safe place to stay in a refuge, specialist housing support, legal advice and help securing employment.

The aim of the commemorative artwork is to showcase how the charity has evolved over the years, the ongoing support available to help keep victims of domestic abuse safe and forthcoming plans.

In addition to being launched at the 50th anniversary exhibition, the artwork will also feature on the cover of the charity’s printed and digital Impact Report and various other marketing materials, including pull-up banners, leaflets, website and social media. The winning artist will also receive a prize of £500.

Entries can be created in any medium and should be submitted with the entry form available on EWA’s website, www.edinwomensaid.co.uk, by the 1st of November 2022.

Linda Rodgers, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, said: “2023 is such an important milestone for us, it gives us pause to remember the amazing women who came before us – who fought against the odds to get our first refuge in 1973, who provided support and sanctuary to countless women over the many years and those survivors who went on to their full potential after escaping abuse. 

“We’ll also be taking the time to think about ‘what next’ so that we continue to provide innovative and necessary services to women and children in Edinburgh.”

Women and children’s rights campaigner Lydia Okroj, who has worked with Edinburgh Women’s Aid and Scottish Women’s Aid for over 40 years and recently received an honorary doctorate from Stirling University in recognition of her outstanding work, said: “EWA, which has been at forefront of shaping support services, policy responses and legislation in the city, which has been informed by the women they have supported, have so much to be proud of as they reach their 50th anniversary.

“Although awareness of domestic abuse has come a long way since 1973, when EWA began to provide refuge and support to ‘battered wives’, the need for the charity to continue supporting women, children and young people remains the same today as it did then, which is why it is important to highlight this milestone.

“It’s been a privilege to work alongside so many committed women over the past four decades and to have played a part in supporting survivors of domestic abuse and also to be involved in so many significant changes in legislation over the years, which will be showcased in some of the events planned throughout 2023.”

Children’s Hearings Scotland launches autumn recruitment campaign

Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) has launched its’ autumn campaign to recruit new Panel Members to support infants, children and young people in their local communities.

Across Scotland, the organisation are looking to recruit volunteers from a diverse range of backgrounds aged 18 and over who can listen, show empathy, build trust and show compassion to support this group of young people.

Panel Members are volunteers from local communities who take part in children’s hearings. Their role is to listen and make legal decisions with and for infants, children and young people. They are there to ensure that the young person is at the heart of every decision made – because every decision, no matter how big or small, has an impact on the life of the child or young person in the hearing.

All Panel Members, once selected, all take part in the CHS dedicated Learning Academy, in partnership with West Lothian College.  In addition to the training the Panel Member will also gain a Professional Development Award for ‘Children’s Hearings in Scotland: Panel Members’, a verified award by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Children’s Hearings Scotland National Convener and Chief Executive, Elliot Jackson, says:  “Scotland has an ambition to be the best place in the world to grow up, to make sure all children are loved, safe, respected and able to fulfil their full potential.

“For some children and families,  the Children’s Hearings System has a significant role to play in this ambition. Children’s Hearings couldn’t operate without volunteer Panel Members making decisions with and for children and young people.

“To do this, we are committed to having children at the heart of everything we do – including recruitment.

“This campaign comes at an exciting time of growth and change at CHS and is totally centred on what young people who have experience of children’s hearings, are telling us they want to see in their Panel Members.

“Qualities like being caring, compassionate, open minded, empathetic and a good listener. If you want to make a difference in your local community, I encourage you to take the opportunity this year to apply to join our unique volunteer community.”

Clare Haughey MSP, Minister for Children and Young People, said: “Panel Members play a critical role in ensuring children and young people’s views are heard by placing them at the heart of their hearing and, in the current challenging climate, it is vital now more than ever that we recruit new volunteers to continue this.

“This is a unique opportunity to join a diverse, empathetic, caring panel who will listen to children and young people.”

Children’s Hearings Scotland is the organisation responsible for recruiting, training and supporting volunteer Panel Members.

There are 2,500 volunteer Panel Members across Scotland who take part in children’s hearings and make decisions with and for infants, children and young people in their local community.

In 2020/21 16,2481 children’s hearings were held across Scotland supporting 8,9771 children and young people. The majority of hearings during the pandemic have been held virtually which was a massive undertaking for our volunteers who managed to continue providing their support throughout.

There are a range of reasons that a child or young person may be referred to attend a children’s hearing; in the last year, approximately 85%¹ of all referrals were on care and protection grounds.

Applications for new Panel Members open on 01 September to midnight 6th October 2022 and you can apply by going online to:  https://chscotland.gov.uk/

Leading Dance School expands with new East Lothian branch

Edinburgh Dance Academy (EDA), one of the UK’s top-rated dance schools, is launching a new East Lothian franchise in Haddington.

The school – whose former pupils include Ellie Fergusson, winner of the 2019 BBC programme The Greatest Dancer – currently provides a comprehensive range of traditional and contemporary dance classes for more than 500 pupils from its headquarters and other studios across Edinburgh. 

Its new programme of junior school classes will be held at Haddington’s Bridge Centre from mid-September. Classes will include preschool dance, Royal Academy of Dance certified pre-primary ballet, jazz, tap, commercial, contemporary and acro. 

The new East Lothian franchise will be led by Millie Thomas, who joined EDA in 2018 after completing training at Northern Ballet Academy and then Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London. 

Millie is a highly experienced and respected dance teacher who has taught on many outreach programmes and led classes in creative movement and beginners ballet for children aged 3-15.  

Helping to guide Millie in her new role is East Lothian resident Julie Mitchell, EDA’s founder and the school’s Principal and Artistic Director. An internationally-renowned figure in the ballet world, Julie also serves as an examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance 

Since launching in 1996, EDA has gone on to secure a number of accolades including becoming World Champions at the Dance World Cup along with being voted as the highest ranked dance school in UK and Ireland by VAD Productions, an independent, innovative dance production company.

The school also secured a number of awards at the prestigious British Isles Dance Inspirations event in Blackpool earlier this year where EDA’s Senior Competition team was named as the event’s overall champion.

Along with the outstanding results achieved by those wishing to take a more structured route, EDA alumni have also gone on to dance with some of the most prestigious companies including the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Scottish Ballet and the Portuguese National Ballet. 

EDA’s Julie Mitchell said: “As a local resident of the area, I’m especially delighted to announce our expansion into East Lothian with our new Haddington branch.

“Since setting up the school 26years ago, we have worked with thousands of young people helping them discover the joy of dancing and maximising their potential, not only in dance but also in confidence, self-expression, fitness, and supporting others. We now look forward to bringing all of this to East Lothian. A limited number of scholarships will also be offered where circumstances are appropriate.” 

Millie Thomas, head of the new EDA East Lothian franchise, said: “It’s exciting to be leading this new branch of our school in Haddington.

“I look forward to working with young children across East Lothian, introducing them to dance and developing their skills to the highest possible level for their individual abilities and aspirations.

“We can achieve this in a happy, structured, inclusive and supportive way.”

McDonald’s brings free family fun to Edinburgh this weekend

Festival Square on Lothian Road will host the McDonald’s Fun Football Festival AND the Happy Readers Book Tour from Saturday 3rd September

McDonald’s is committed to supporting families across the UK and regularly provides community activities in the areas surrounding its restaurants. This weekend is no different with two free activities specifically for local children, arriving at Festival Square in Edinburgh.

In a bid to provide more children across the UK with access to the joy of reading, McDonald’s has launched the Happy Readers Book Tour, which will help distribute free books to children at 16 locations across the UK and Ireland.

The tour will arrive at Festival Square in Edinburgh on Saturday 3rd September.

Inside the bus, free books will be handed out, with different titles catering to children from age 4-11. As well as the books, there will be activity sheets, digital animation screens, ‘read-a-longs’, bubble machines and free Happy Readers bookmarks designed specifically to help children with dyslexia.

The second free event is the Fun Football Festival, which will celebrate the summer of sport in style, with more kids than ever feeling inspired to take up football after watching the Home Nations compete on the European stage.

The Fun Football Festival will be open on Saturday 3rd September and Sunday 4th September, between 11.30am and 6pm, giving hundreds of 5–11-year-olds the opportunity to enjoy football for free!

Families will be able to take part in the introductory coaching sessions under the guidance of top football coaches and a series of inflatable* Fun Football experiences, including a Dribble Tunnel and Speed of Shot, aimed at inspiring children of all backgrounds and abilities to give football a go.

The festivals are just one part of the McDonald’s Fun Football programme that will deliver over 10.5 million hours of Fun Football over the course of the next four years making it the largest grassroots participation programme in the UK.

The programme will be delivered in collaboration with the Irish FA, Scottish FA, The Football Association of Wales and a network of national coaching providers with regular sessions taking place throughout the year across the UK.

For further information on McDonald’s involvement in grassroots football and to find out how your club could benefit, visit the website, or follow @FunFootballUK on Twitter and Instagram.

For parents looking for free ways to keep their kids active and entertained over the weekend, look no further than the Happy Readers Book Tour and Fun Football Festivals, providing free fun for the whole family to get involved with.

Scottish Child Payment pays out £84 million

Child poverty benefit helping 104,000 children

A total of £84 million has been paid to families since it was introduced less than 18 months ago.

The payment of £20 per week, unique to Scotland in the UK, began in February 2021 as a direct measure to tackle child poverty. It provides regular, additional financial support to parents and carers to help with the costs of caring for a child.

As of 30 June 2022, it is estimated that 104,000 children were actively in receipt of Scottish Child Payment and 1.4 million payments have now been made.

By the end of this year the payment will increase to £25 per week and extend to include all eligible children under the age of 16 when it is expected that over 400,000 children will potentially be eligible.

Responding to the latest official statistics on Scottish Child Payment published today Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We are taking a number of urgent actions to address the current cost crisis.

“This includes efforts to maximise financial support to those most in need so that they get all the money they are entitled to. The ongoing work to extend eligibility for and increase the value of the Scottish Child Payment is a vital part of these efforts.

“We created our game changing Scottish Child Payment to provide direct financial support to tackle child poverty. Every penny of support is absolutely vital at the moment, which is why we are using our devolved powers and resources to make a difference for as many households as we can.

“We doubled the payment to £20 in April and will increase it to £25 when we extend it to under 16s by the end of the year – a 150% rise in this important benefit which is one of five family benefits we are now delivering.

“The Scottish Government want to support families during these difficult times.”

Scottish Child Payment is part of a wider package of five family payments including: Best Start Grant Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment, Best Start Grant School Age Payment and Best Start Foods

Super Starbank!

STARBANK PARK VOTED ONE OF SCOTLAND’s LOCAL FAVOURITES

Earlier this summer you nominated 364 local parks and green spaces for UK’s Favourite Parks. You then voted in your tens of thousands, demonstrating the immense love that we all have for our local parks, and Fields in Trust is delighted to announce that the UK’s Favourite Park 2022 is Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead, Wales.

Over 30,000 votes were cast for parks across the UK which represented the wide diversity of green spaces we all use and enjoy, from large country parks to major city parks to small neighbourhood pockets of green. Penrhos Coastal Park emerged as the overall UK winner having attracted the most votes from the public.

Across the Home Nations, Blackpool’s art deco Stanley Park has been named England’s Favourite Park 2022, attaining prestigious ‘National Treasure’ status having now been named as the public’s favourite park in England three times.

In Scotland the national title went to Seaton Park in Aberdeen, whilst Craigavon City Park in County Armagh took the title in Northern Ireland, the second time it has scooped its national accolade.

Fields in Trust are also delighted to announce the parks to have achieved ‘Local Favourite’ status, having placed in the top 20% of the public vote, demonstrating the love that their local communities have for them.

The full list of local favourite recipients can be found here and each will receive a special certificate to denote its success.

LOCAL FAVOURITES

Edinburgh’s STARBANK PARK features proudly on the list of Scotland’s Local Favourite parks. Also commended are Aden Country Park in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire; Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline; Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick and Grangemouth’s Zetland Park.

This is the first time that the overall winner of UK’s Favourite Parks has emerged from Wales, with Cyfarthfa Park in Merthyr Tydfil, Roath Park in Cardiff and Pontypool Park in Torfaen having taken the national title in recent years but not the overall honours.

Attracting close to 100,000 visitors each year, Penrhos Coastal Park is near Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey in north Wales.

The 200-acre park has everything from beaches to woodland walks and is extremely popular with both locals and tourists alike. With a rich history dating back to 1553, the green space is also home to several features of historical interest, including original Tudor-era buildings.

Commenting on the announcement of Penrhos Coastal Park as the UK’s Favourite Park 2022, Fields in Trust Chief Executive, Helen Griffiths, shared: “We’re incredibly excited to announce that Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead has been voted as the UK’s Favourite Park 2022 by those who use and love it.

“It is clear that this park is a very special place to a lot of people, and we are thrilled to officially crown it the UK’s favourite. We’ve had a fantastic response to the competition from all across the UK and I’d like to thank everyone who nominated and voted for parks over the past few weeks.

“The UK is home to such a diverse range of green spaces, and we hope that this award has encouraged people to truly appreciate their local parks. Our work to legally protect green spaces for good means we’re well aware of the threats they face and how important it is value and celebrate them.”

The campaign has illustrated how appreciation of our local parks has grown since the pandemic. As concerns mount over the climate crisis, green spaces have been proven to improve air quality and significantly limit the impact of heatwaves, by lowering urban temperatures.

With the annual Green Space Index revealing that 2.8 million people are not living within a ten-minute walk of a local park and that only 6% of green space provision in Britain is legally protected, the campaign has also highlighted the financial and developmental threats to green spaces.

By demonstrating our love for local parks, we can champion what they mean to communities and in turn help make the case for their long-term protection. Without legal protection our local parks can so easily be lost. And once lost, a green space is lost forever.

You can play your part in this protection of treasured local parks by making a donation to support Fields in Trust’s work.

FetLor clubs to restart next week

We are nearing the day when young people can come and enjoy FetLor once again! Our clubs start back one week today – on September 5th. There has been a couple of small changes in our timetable from last year. See the flyer for all clubs and times.

As always clubs require registration. This needs to be completed by everyone.

To register simply click the link to take you through our digital form:  

https://forms.gle/6vVQkj6zzriNCdx57

If you have any questions drop us a message. See you soon 😀

#Fettiethefox

#Youthwork

#Northedinburgh

School pupils support local charities through Youth Philantrophy Initiative

Young people secure £756,000 for Scotland’s charities

Aberdeen , Scotland, Thursday, 16 June 2022 YPI Annual Event 2022 Picture by Michal Wachucik/Abermedia

More than 35,000 young people have been empowered to be advocates for their communities, securing more than three quarters of a million pounds for charities the length and breadth of the country.

The Wood Foundation’s Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), which took place in more than 250 secondary schools, saw young people research and represent causes including mental health, poverty, abuse, and support for those with health and disability conditions.

YPI is the biggest independent initiative being delivered in Scottish education. The active citizenship programme engages a full year-group at each school who learn about the needs of their communities and the work of local charities. The students work in teams to do in-depth research and develop a creative and convincing presentation in a bid to secure their school’s YPI grant of £3000.

Presentations at schools’ YPI Final Showcases this year have included a poignant poem about the impact of dementia and losing a loved one; a song about seeking support for mental health; a cartoon animation depicting poverty; and an acting performance focusing on domestic abuse.

Each of the successful teams brought to life their social issue, the difference the charity makes, and the business case for the impact of the £3000 grant locally.

In Edinburgh, each of the following schools secured £3000 for the charities listed by their names:

Scran AcademyBalerno Community High School
Edinburgh Women’s AidBoroughmuir High School
Kids in the StreetCastlebrae High School
Vintage VibesCraigmount High School
Muirhouse Youth Development GroupCraigroyston Community High School
Give Blood 4 GoodCurrie Community High School
About YouthFettes College
Edinburgh Rape Crisis CentreFirhill High School
Edinburgh Children’s HospitalForrester High School
Thistle FoundationGeorge Watson’s College
Edinburgh Children’s HospitalGracemount High School
Edinburgh Young CarersHoly Rood RC High School
SaheliyaJames Gillespie’s High School
North Edinburgh Dementia CareLeith Academy
Tailor Ed FoundationLiberton High School
Edinburgh Young CarersMerchiston Castle School
Shakti Women’s AidSt Augustine’s RC High School
Therapet (Caninie Concern Scotland Trust)St George’s School 
Granton Baptist ChurchThe Edinburgh Academy
Held in Our HeartsThe Mary Erskine School
Forget Me Not GardenThe Royal High School
CircleTrinity Academy

Ali MacLachlan, UK Director at The Wood Foundation, said: “We need to give young people the space, time, and opportunities to have their voices heard now, with the resources to act upon what they believe and realise their potential and responsibilities as active citizens.

“YPI is vitally important for young people in terms of their understanding of the world and their role in it, as well as developing their skills. It is also incredibly supportive of schools’ culture, drivers, and curriculum.

“Charities tell us that engaging a new generation of advocates and volunteers, raising awareness of what they do and promoting conversations, is as important as the opportunity to secure funds. Teachers tell us it is improving vital skills for learning, life, and work and making their young people more aware of their communities.

“Most importantly, young people tell us that YPI is giving them opportunities to better understand their communities and feel empowered to be part of change.

“The Wood Foundation is proud to partner with schools in delivering this vital opportunity for our young people and communities.”

Since it was launched in Scotland in 2008, 270,000 young people have taken part in YPI with £6m reaching local charities.

The Wood Foundation, the venture philanthropic organisation established by Sir Ian Wood and his family, is the operational manager and principal funder of YPI in Scotland. The programme is also supported by a range of like-minded funding partners.

WellChild Awards: Dr Pat Carragher rewarded for exceptional work for seriously ill children

Dr Pat Carragher has been named as a winner in the prestigious national 2022 WellChild Awards, in association with GSK, having been nominated by his colleague Emma Craig.

Pat will be off to collect his award in London on September 8th.

The Awards are run by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children, and will be attended by the charity’s Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. The Duke will deliver remarks.

Dr Carragher, who is Medical Director at Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, was picked from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the Legacy category in these Awards which celebrate the resilience of children living with serious illnesses or complex conditions and honour the dedication of those individuals who go the extra mile to help these children and their families. 

In summer of 2022, Dr Pat Carragher will be retiring as Medical Director at CHAS after nearly 39 years of working as a doctor. He has encountered periods of great change in his years as a medic including in Primary Care when he was a GP in Kinross before becoming Rachel House’s first hospice doctor and formally beginning work in Children’s Palliative Care in March 1996.

Dr Carragher has led the changes to CHAS’s medical service provisions through the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges the pandemic brought, alongside the team, he was determined to find ways to continue to reach the thousands of children with life-shortening conditions that rely on CHAS.

He helped establish new and innovative ways of working using technology to provide help to families across Scotland and proved himself to be a strong and resilient leader through immense change. He has reshaped CHAS’s medical services, helping families during what continues to be an isolating and unpredictable time. 

Within three to four weeks from the start of the Coid-19 Pandemic, CHAS completely adapted its service offering to survive and to maintain the very best standards of care for children with palliative care needs, and to support their families.

Dr Carragher also led on virtual work through the “Near me” consultations via the NHS and by the use of Microsoft Teams, to interact with and assess children at home, and to work with their parents.

CHAS’s pioneering virtual children’s hospice was also launched at the beginning of the pandemic and has rapidly developed since proving to be extremely successful.

Dr Carragher has also helped lead the CHAS hospital teams in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh through this period of transformation, providing clinical leadership and support in the planning and delivery of palliative care whilst working closely with the NHS and local authorities.

He was key in launching the first hospital-based Supportive and Palliative Care team in Scotland at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and has continued to provide specialist advice through the pandemic. 

Rami Okasha, the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, who nominated Dr Carragher for the WellChild Award, said: “Dr Pat’s leadership and strength of character has enabled the team to adapt in ways which they never imagined. He’s shown resilience and an unwavering drive for reaching all of those who require CHAS’s help, and he’s inspired not only the medical team but all teams.”

“Dr Pat was continuously able to inspire and encourage teams to ‘keep going’ during the pandemic and to embrace the new and innovate ways to deliver care. He has provided solid leadership throughout this period of immense change.

“Dr Carragher ends many presentations with the following which he feels is vital for us all to understand: ‘The death of a child has serious and lasting effects on parents and other family members, effectively for the rest of their lives. Any attempt to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life in the final days or weeks, must not only be good for a child but, in the fullness of time, be helpful to those left behind‘.”

WellChild Chief Executive, Matt James said: “There are more children and young people than ever before in the UK living with long-term, serious health needs.

“The WellChild Awards 2022, in association with GSK, will be a unique opportunity to recognise and highlight the immense challenges they have faced and to celebrate the remarkable positivity, resilience and spirit they have demonstrated.

“It will also help us to shine a light on the dedication of those around them, from siblings, professionals and volunteers who have gone above and beyond to help them through such challenging times.”