Help us create a vibrant, welcoming, inclusive centre at the Heart of Newhaven, Edinburgh. We have the funds to buy the site, and the City of Edinburgh Council has agreed to sell it to us, and we will have the keys soon but we need your help to make the vision a reality.
The former Victoria Primary School site IS going to be the Heart of Newhaven Community. The Heart of Newhaven (HoN) will be a brand new intergenerational centre for the whole community to enjoy. The Scottish Land Fund (SLF) has awarded us £792,000 and we were given permission to purchase the site. Victoria Primary School has moved to a new building on a different site and we will be taking over the building SOON.
We will have the building soon but now we need YOUR help to refurbish, furnish and heat it and get it properly up and running, while we build sustainable fundraising and other income.
There is more information about how you can donate here:
EVOC is delighted to announce that more than 120 community and voluntary organisations are to benefit from grants totalling £1.32 million from the Scottish Government’s Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in Edinburgh.
This investment will support a wide range of projects and enable people across the City to access additional mental health and wellbeing support in their communities. Programmes being funded include activity-based canal boat trips; befriending services; art therapy sessions; community garden growing workshops; 1 to 1 mentoring with childcare; outdoor programmes for families; local pantries and counselling.
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants is available here.
As a partner in Edinburgh’s Third Sector Interface we have taken the lead in developing a new community commissioning-based funding approach that invests the Scottish Government funding in projects that support the needs of different communities.
The process has taken both a geographical and thematic approach and focused on making sure people get the support they need, when they need it, where they need it.
Ian Brooke, EVOC’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “‘It is fantastic to see this investment going out to grass-roots organisations across Edinburgh and to know this is the result of shared decisions based on evidence of real need in the City’s communities.
“Our ambition to roll out a community commissioning-based approach for this fund, in less than six months, has relied on the hard work, commitment and energy of everyone involved.
“We believe this is the first process of its kind to be delivered in Scotland, if not the UK and have commissioned a research team to make sure that lessons learned and further improvements are made from this experience which can then be used to develop and refine future cross-sector funding models.”
Fresh Startis one of more than a hundred and twenty organisations and partnerships that have received a grant in this the second phase of the Fund – fourteen grants of under £2,500 were awarded earlier this month.
They have been awarded £10,673 to deliver a project that reduces the anxiety and stress that parents and care givers encounter trying to keep food on the table.
Fresh Start will run a variety of food related projects including family Fridays, provide Dish of Day cook bags, deliver community meals and provide additional support to families to tackle holiday hunger.
It is envisaged that they will support over 100 families in North Edinburgh.
Biddy Kelly, Managing Director, Fresh Start said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our application to the Scottish Government Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and are looking forward to getting the services to people at a time when they are most in need.
“I am also delighted that our collective Respond and Recovery Group in North Edinburgh could co-ordinate our applications to ensure maximum impact and reduce duplication, and that we saw a significant amount of essential work being not only funded but recognised by this process of funding in a new way.’
A partnership between Leith Community Growers and Leith Growing has been awarded £17,341.72 to explore views about local community garden development, develop community garden spaces across the North East of Edinburgh and deliver a programme of workshops on gardening, growing, connecting with nature and outdoor play.
Patrick Dunne, Leith Community Growers said: “‘Leith Community Growers aims to support and develop growing and green space initiatives in Leith.
“This funding allows us to run sessions about gardening with local organisations and our own community to the benefit of their wellbeing and mental health, and also supports us to encourage local community members to develop their local spaces in whatever way they can.
“It’s been interesting to be a part of this new model of funding process. While challenging at times it has encouraged us to reach out and collaborate with groups and spaces that are new to us and we are very happy that those new relationships will grow and be of benefit in our community in the next 12 months.
“We are looking forward to growing alongside the people of Leith this year.”
A NEW APPROACH
EVOC has worked alongside key partners in the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Edinburgh’s Thrive Collaborative, Volunteer Edinburgh and others from the voluntary sector to develop a process that prioritises what works at a grass-roots level and what the people and communities of Edinburgh really value.
These efforts will continue and build on the City’s partnership working, developing new ways in which people and local organisations can be supported.
In addition, the work being carried out toward the development of an Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact offers opportunities for organisations to get involved throughout the next year.
Judith Proctor, Chief Officer, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The pandemic has seen rises in health inequalities, mental health challenges, and growth in social isolation.
“Whilst this is a national picture, in Edinburgh we are committed to finding ways to reach people and ensure they have access to the right kind of support at the right time. Everyone’s different.
“Via this funding, we’ve not only been able to accelerate work in this area, but through the engagement led by EVOC and our Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact, we’ve been able to reach a wide range of communities and reach those with lived experiences who are not always heard.
“Without doubt, we are very encouraged by what’s been achieved and are committed to building on this as we move forward.
“We’re incredibly thankful to all who have engaged and taken part in this process, particularly to our partners at EVOC for their hard work throughout.”
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for the City of Edinburgh can be found here.
The Scottish Government announced the £15 million-pound Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in October last year and announced additional investment for this fund on 25 February.
An overview of the community commissioning process devised and delivered for the Edinburgh funding by EVOC and other key partners can be found here.
A BRAND NEW four-bedroom townhouse on the capital’s enviable waterfront has transformed a man hailing from the west of Wales into a Leith local.
John Evans, stumbled across the Waterfront Plaza development by Cala Homes (East) when out on a walk and decided it was the best location for him to start a new chapter.
John moved to Edinburgh more than 25 years ago and has since fallen in love with Leith and everything it has to offer. He made the move to the highly desired Waterfront Plaza from his previous home in Trinity last year.
The Welshman has grown a close affinity to Leith, starting the charity LeithGives during the first lockdown with the aim of providing support to those in need during the pandemic – through local business, charity and community partnerships.
John said: “I love spending every day in the heart of Leith. I have everything I need around me and wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s so sought after for a reason.
“To now live exactly where I want to live and in the perfect home has been absolutely brilliant. I knew about Waterfront Plaza from my work on the board of the Leith Trust, however I never considered it as a potential home until I stumbled across it on a walk one day.”
November 2021 saw John make the switch from a five-bedroom Victorian house in Trinity to one of Waterfront Plaza’s modern four-bedroom townhouses. The townhouses at the development feature an expansive terrace, well designed interiors and Cala’s signature high specification and contemporary style.
One of the bedrooms in the four-bedroom property has been converted by John to a study from where he works from home and he is also in the midst of transforming his garden space into a bee-friendly area.
John says: “The home has been so easy to change and adapt to exactly what I am after. It’s been ideal to have my own study whilst the world gets used to hybrid working. I’m also keen to start my own bee-friendly garden and Cala were very helpful with all of that.
“There have been loads of other nice touches from Cala along the way. The team on site have gone above and beyond to help us transition into our new home.”
John has two sons who have also been enjoying their new home. Rhys, 21 works at the local pub, The Malt and Hops when he’s home from university and Bryn, 17, has been making full use of Leith’s transport routes to school and the city centre.
The family of three have been making the most of having Leith’s vibrant food and drink scene on their doorstep too – regularly visiting the range of local bars, cafes and restaurants.
John added: “I’m surrounded by options which makes daily life so much better. As well as great food spots like Café Domenico’s and everything Leith Shore has to offer, I’ve become a keen local of The Malt and Hops which has great music during the Leith Jazz and Blues Festival.
“It is a great feeling to be part of such a thriving, vibrant community.”
Ranging from £305,000 — £540,000, there are still a host of different home types available at Cala’s Waterfront Plaza development for homebuyers seeking both life by the water and the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
Ranging from stylishly designed two and three-bedroom apartments to penthouses and spacious townhouses, Waterfront Plaza has a number of options available for homebuyers seeking a capital life in Leith.
To watch John talk about his new townhouse, click here.
To watch John talk about life at Waterfront Plaza, click here.
For more information on Waterfront Plaza please visit:
The Edinburgh International Book Festival has teamed up with The Brunton Theatre and North Edinburgh Arts to host a weekend of inspiring creative activities and conversations.
The second Citizen Winter Warmer presents two days of heart-warming, interactive and fun events celebrating local community voices and creating opportunities for new stories to be heard.
Featuring fun-filled afternoons of art and stories for families and an evenings of celebration featuring local residents side-by-side with professional writers, the Citizen Winter Warmer will take place on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 November 2021 and is part of Book Week Scotland.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen project is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery and through the PLACE programme.
Noëlle Cobden, Communities Programme Director at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said “We’re delighted to be working with our partners North Edinburgh Arts and The Brunton on our Citizen Winter Warmer.
“Through our year-round Communities Programme, the Book Festival provides a platform for local people to share their stories, helping to bring us together in challenging times.
“The Winter Warmer all is about celebrating community and connection, spreading a little bit of light in the darkest point of the year, and we hope that everyone, whether or not they’ve been to a Book Festival event before, feels welcome to join us either in Musselburgh or North Edinburgh.”
The Citizen Winter Warmer is all about sharing stories from local communities and, prior to the event itself, writer Luke Winter is joined by Citizen Writer in Residence Eleanor Thom as they park the Story Wagon outside each venue (Tuesday 16 November at The Brunton, Musselburgh and Wednesday 17 November at North Edinburgh Arts, 10.00am to 2.00pm each day).
Local residents are encouraged to drop in, have a chat and tell their stories to Luke and Eleanor.
The Winter Warmer kicks off on Friday 19 November at The Brunton in Musselburgh, moving to North Edinburgh Arts in Muirhouse on Saturday 20 November.
The Great Big Story Show presents two afternoons of family entertainment, with the fun-loving duo Macastory bringing their hilarious songs and stories to the stage.
Writer Luke Winter creates a fresh story live on stage from audience suggestions and much-loved children’s authors Maisie Chan and Elle McNicoll read from their brand-new book The Very Merry Murder Club – packed with Christmassy crimes, festive foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries – perfect for inquisitive kids!
In Musselburgh on Friday author Christopher Lloyd also joins to explain how to stand up for the environment with his beautifully illustrated nature book It’s Up to Us, while at North Edinburgh Arts on Saturday illustrator Eilidh Muldoon creates a beautifully illustrated map of North Edinburgh featuring all the audiences’ favourite places.
Audiences can tuck into two evenings of terrific tales and delicious food as the Book Festival’s Citizen participants share stories of life in Musselburgh and Muirhouse, and writers explore what community means today in the popular Stories and Scran event.
The evening offers a sumptuous three course meal provided by the Scran Academy, a social enterprise catering company supporting vulnerable young people, and brilliant new writing inspired by the surrounding areas from local people who have taken part in Citizen’s creative conversations and workshops.
In Musselburgh the writers from the community will be joined on stage by the award-winning author of Scabby Queen, Kirstin Innes, and poets JL Williams and Andrés Ordorica, who share their own powerful writing and discuss their views on community, identity and home.
At North Edinburgh Arts the evening is hosted by Scran Academy founder, social entrepreneur, youth leader and campaigner John Loughton. The local community writers are joined by the award-winning poet, playwright and author of Luckenbooth Jenni Fagan, as well as poets Courtney Stoddart and Ryan Hay, who share new work and reflect on what community, identity and home mean today.
In 2019, local photographers Karmen Bermudez and David Coxon took to the streets around North Edinburgh Arts to shoot the urban landscape, capturing incredible images which inspired short written responses from visitors to that year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.
As part of the Citizen Winter Warmer celebration in north Edinburgh, a free exhibition titled Who Lives in a Place Like This? showcasesthese photos and the writing inspired by them, returning to the community that birthed them along with words and images created by young people from The Alternative School at Spartans Community Football Club which offer a vital snapshot of their lives and a sense of their world and their community.
Michael Stitt, Chair of Brunton Theatre Trust, said “The Brunton is dedicated to bringing the very best theatre, music, dance, comedy, children’s theatre, film and live screenings to East Lothian for the enjoyment and enrichment of as many people of all ages, as possible.
“Situated within the heart of the vibrant and creative community of Musselburgh, the breadth of our programming is ambitious and takes account of the interests of all communities we serve. We also have an exciting creative participation programme.
“We are delighted to be working in collaboration with our partners Edinburgh International Book Festival to deliver the Citizen Winter Warmer programme that supports creative activities with local communities.”
The Citizen Winter Warmer is part of Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Citizen project– an ongoing programme of events, festivals and residences taking place around Edinburgh and the Lothians throughout the year, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and through the PLACE programme.
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said: “I’m delighted that players are supporting the Citizen programme, helping bring communities together and hearing their stories. The Winter Warmer is an opportunity for us all to learn more about this city and its residents.”
As part of the Winter Warmer, featured children’s authors Christopher Lloyd, Maisie Chan and Elle McNicoll will be visiting local schools. Children will get to explore their fascinating stories through a mix of interactive activities, readings and Q&A sessions led by the authors themselves.
Tickets to all events at The Brunton, Musselburgh are available through http://thebrunton.co.uk or on 0131 653 5245 (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm).
Tickets to all events at North Edinburgh Arts are available through http://northedinburgharts.co.uk or on 0131 315 2151 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm).
A shopkeeper from Edinburgh who raised money for her local community during the Covid-19 pandemic has been chosen by the Presiding Officer as her local hero who will attend Saturday’s opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament.
Linda Williams set up the coronavirus hardship fund at the Premier Broadway Convenience Store in Oxgangs. Having raised over £10,000 to help her local community, it helped hundreds of locals pay for essentials such as utility bills and food.
Linda will join other local heroes, selected by MSPs across the country, at the event on Saturday 2 October. Those selected have made an extraordinary contribution to their communities either locally or nationally.
Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said:“Our local heroes initiative is all about celebrating people from across Scotland for their contributions to their communities throughout the pandemic and beyond.
“The many actions and achievements of those nominated are truly inspiring. So many of our local heroes have put others before themselves, for the good of others.
“I am proud the Scottish Parliament will recognise people like Linda and that our local heroes will play a part in our 2021 opening ceremony.”
Linda Williams said:“I am very happy to have been nominated, although I certainly wasn’t looking for any thanks or recognition.
“It has been such a hard 18 months for everyone, and I think we played a small part in making life a bit easier for our customers and neighbours by setting up a free same day delivery service and starting a hardship fund to help those who slipped through the cracks of the financial help that was available.
“Our community rose to the occasion magnificently; people were incredibly generous with their donations, and the whole experience became a shining light of hope during a hard time.”
Brand new campaign from Soil Association Food for Life
A brand new campaign from the Soil Association aims to tackle food insecurity and loneliness, starting this World Food Day on 16th October.
Anyone can take part in Cook and Share Month and hundreds of events are expected to take place across the UK. From Edinburgh to Inverclyde, people will be cooking and, you guessed it, sharing food in their local communities between 16th October and 16th November 2021.
Preparing and eating food is a great way to bring down barriers, so the organisers are encouraging people from all walks of life to take part.
Community groups, schools, children’s centres, faith groups and more will be getting busy in the kitchen and making food to share with each other, and with their local area, both remotely and in person where it’s safe to do so.
Need funding? Grants of £150 are available to help people get their cooking events off the ground, provided by Food for Life Get Togethers (FFLGT), a Soil Association programme funded by the National Lottery.
More details are below.
So why should we share our food?
Research has revealed that the more often people eat with others the more likely they are to feel happy and satisfied with their lives. Yet this year we have seen loneliness rise, exacerbating social problems that were already there.
The Office of National Statistics has published a report saying that loneliness in adults has increased during the pandemic by almost a third. From October 2020 to February 2021, results from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) showed that 7.2% of the adult population (about 3.7 million adults) felt lonely ‘often’ or ‘always’. This is an increase of 1.1 million people since the first UK lockdown in 2020.
Many people have become more isolated as a result of social distancing measures, which can have negative effects on mental and physical wellbeing. Holding a Food for Life ‘Get Together’ is a tried and tested way for people to connect with others in their local communities, through good food, safely.
In a recent survey of Get Together organisers, nearly 90% either agreed or strongly agreed that their activities created new friendships or developed friendships. More than 90% of Get Together organisers also agreed or strongly agreed that these activities supported people’s health and wellbeing.
Helen Browning, CEO of the Soil Association says:“The month is about using the power of great food to bring us together. At the Soil Association, we know that food has got to be good for us, and good for nature and the climate too.
“It has never been more important to create meaningful connections. We have seen over the past year that feeling connected to others is absolutely essential to good health and wellbeing. Food is one of our best ways to unite across barriers – whether that’s the garden fence, cultural or generational divides.”
Dale Cranshaw, Head of Food for Life Get Togethers adds: “Half of the UK population feel that Britain is more divided than ever before. To build stronger communities that can stand up to some of the urgent health, climate and nature crises of our time we need to get together.
“Cooking and sharing food is one of the best tools you have to bring people from different backgrounds or generations together. If you want to bring your community together you can do something about it this month by cooking, and sharing food that’s good for people and planet with your community.”
There are a range of resources available, helping organisers to cook easy, healthy recipes from scratch. Choose your favourite, from an Eritrean Daal to a simple, home-made bread roll.
An important part of Cook and Share month is helping people to cook from scratch, which has health benefits and often has a lower carbon footprint than alternative ultra-processed foods.
After a year of isolation and worry, it is more important than ever that we connect with the people around us. Whether you’re dishing up daal, sharing a sarnie or passing round the pasta, food is a great way to break down barriers and bring people together.
One of Scotland’s leading housing providers has launched an initiative to celebrate its community for their acts of kindness.
Housing and care provider, Bield, has launched a platform to recognise individuals going above and beyond in the community, naming the award – ‘You are one of a Kind’.
Running until March 2022, customers, owners, service users, staff and members of the local community will have the chance every month to nominate their local heroes or heroines who have gone out of their way to lend a helping hand.
At the end of each month, a board of judges will select a Bield customer along with a Bield staff member or volunteer to receive the One of a Kind Award and a £50 voucher.
This comes as Bield is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is looking to get as many people as possible involved in the milestone.
Chief Executive of Bield, Dr Lynne Douglas said: “Many things can go unnoticed as people go about their day to day life and this award gives us the perfect opportunity to recognise all the little things that make a big difference to individuals and their communities – especially in the current climate.
“The community at Bield has rallied together throughout the pandemic so we are really excited to launch this initiative and give those people a platform to share their amazing efforts.
“Our first series of nominations have started to come through and the stories so far have been incredible – it is wonderful to see individuals supporting each other.
“The Bield community is truly one of a kind and we felt this award will help showcase and celebrate the amazing people we interact with on a daily basis.”
This award further amplifies the importance the provider has put on kindness, last year it was added to its core values, building on the ethos staff and customers live by.
Customers, staff and volunteers can cast vote here:
Bield is a registered charity which grew from humble beginnings, starting out with one housing development in Bo’ness which has gone on to become a major provider of housing and care services for around 20,000 older people across 22 local authority areas.
To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit www.bield.co.uk or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland.
Wester Hailes will feature in a new exhibition called ‘What if…?/Scotland’ opening in V&A Dundee on 22 May which will explore the relationship communities have with their built environment.
The project, commissioned by the Scotland + Venice partnership, is the creation of Edinburgh-based 7N architects together with Architecture and Design Scotland, Scotland’s design agency, and a number of local partners. Initially started in 2019 it paired five local people from Wester Hailes with five architects and designers to discuss how they would improve the spaces where they live and what their hopes, wishes and aspirations for the future are.
The designer responded to the wishes of the people by proposing a way to make the hopes a reality – asking What if…?/. The process was filmed by film maker Basharat Khan.
The exhibition of the wishes, alongside the films, were initially prepared for the Scotland + Venice exhibition for the 17th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2020 – the world’s leading architecture exhibition.
However, with the 2020 exhibition postponed and uncertainty around travel in 2021 due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, the organisers were able to adapt the exhibition to premiere at V&A Dundee.
Connecting Wester Hailes
In Wester Hailes one of the key topics was around connections; connecting communities within the area and providing spaces for human connections.
Emily Stevenson and Eoghan Howard discussed with Katie Hay from 7N how a footbridge across the Union Canal would provide a connection to green spaces which would enhance the lives of locals.
Several groups discussed the derelict garage as a potential location for a community meeting place and how it was once an important part of the community and had the potential to be so again.
Leah Black from WHALE Arts, who hosted the workshops, said: ““It feels like a lifetime ago that Eoghan and I introduced a small group of local residents from Wester Hailes – Eunice, Emily, Bahiya, Ili, Chuks and Louize to the architects working on What If…? Scotland.
“We were delighted at WHALE Arts to play a part in making these introductions, however the success of this project was contingent on the generosity, open-mindedness and creativity of the group of local people who are passionate about improvements to the local area.
“The project was timely for us as we were working with Wester Hailes Community Trust, Ian Gilzean and partners on the beginnings of a Local Place Plan for Wester Hailes.
“This work on the LPP has continued to develop throughout 2020 and 2021 and we are thrilled at the notion of being able to incorporate some of these inspiring ideas into the long-term regeneration of Wester Hailes.”
Wester Hailes is one of five communities taking part in the project alongside Elgin, Annan, Paisley and Lerwick. Dundee will be added in time for the opening at the V&A.
As well as themes individual to the local communities there were many overarching themes of regeneration of lost and iconic buildings, the issues of closed shops in High Streets, community spirit, pride in local areas and how to create a meeting space that’s accessible to everyone.
In addition to the five films there will be an interactive installation called the Cloud of Dreams, where anyone attending the exhibition can submit their wish for their place.
Ewan Anderson of 7N Architects said: “When we first met with these communities in late 2019, who could have foreseen how much our lives would change?
“It’s interesting that even prior to a year in lockdown, community and spaces to gather and meet were of common importance throughout Scotland.
“I’m delighted we have found a home for the exhibition as it is important that these stories are told. And how fitting that this exhibition examining our places and how design affects them will be presented at Scotland’s first Design Museum V&A Dundee.”
Exhibition dates: Sat 22 May – Sun 21 Nov 2021 – Free museum entry.
Scots have revealed that their local communities are growing closer, and have become more important after a year spent closer to home, however the pandemic has left society itself more divided.
The findings are revealed in PwC’s latest Future of Government research, Rethinking Levelling-Up, which also shows that Scots back the UK Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda. Affordable housing, better paying jobs, skills development and vibrant high streets are seen as the key priorities for the recovery.
While 36% of Scots polled for the research said their local community has become more important to them, and 39% agree that the pandemic brought their community together, a greater number (43%) feel that it has increased social divisions.
The survey found that 51% of Scots believe inequality exists between London and other parts of the UK. Additionally, 47% said there was inequality between the four UK nations – though this was lower than reported from those polled in both Wales (50%) and Northern Ireland (58%).
Further to this, 30% of Scots said there was inequality between urban and rural areas and 34% between cities and towns.
The increased sense of community during the pandemic is reflected in where the Scottish public believe the UK Government should prioritise spending.
Better quality and more affordable housing is the top priority among Scots, with 76% of those surveyed saying it should top any Government’s spending agenda.
Behind this, 53% said helping people get access to better paying jobs was a priority, followed by investment in upskilling (47%), investing in high streets and town centres (46%), providing a better safety net for those most in need (40%) and investment in public services (39%).
The findings from Scotland largely reflect the overall picture across the UK, where the top four priorities are the same.
The survey also found that more than half of those surveyed in Scotland (60%) said they would recommend their area as a place to live, with just 11% saying they were unlikely to do so.
A similar number (61%) said their area was a good place to bring up a family, with 13% saying the opposite. The recommendation figure drops sharply however, when asked if Scotland was a good place to start a business – with 28% saying they were unlikely to recommend this.
Stewart Wilson, Government and Public Sector leader, PwC Scotland commented: “The pandemic has made enormous changes to the way we live and with the public spending more time closer to home they are clearly feeling more connected to their neighbours and local communities.
“This makes it clear that the levelling up agenda needs to be reset around local targeted investment and building community resilience to ensure the recovery is delivered fairly across the UK.
“The ‘levelling up’ agenda will need to take into account perceived inequalities across the country, and focus on areas where the public feel their lives can be improved – such as more affordable housing, better jobs and upskilling for the future. Government and private sector must collaborate to ensure society and communities move in the same direction at the same pace.”
Opportunities to build on trust
Over half of respondents nationwide (47%) hold the central government responsible for reducing geographical inequality. However, fewer than one in ten of our respondents trust that central government ‘listens to people like me’ or ‘takes my needs into account when making decisions’.
People feel greater connections with third sector community groups and charities and local government, with 29% and 25% feeling that community groups and charities respectively listen to ‘people like me’.
In Scotland, just 36% of those polled said their local community had been treated fairly by the UK Government during the pandemic, compared to more than half (53%) who said they’d been treated fairly by their employer.
During the pandemic the role of business has been under the spotlight, and business emerges with an opportunity to play a greater role in improving opportunity, social mobility and equality in the places where they operate.
Over half of respondents (55%) feel they have been treated fairly by their employers during the pandemic and 38% see businesses as most responsible for good jobs. Some 43% of respondents trust business to act to deliver a fair recovery, compared to 38% that trust central government and 40% that trust local government.
