People living in all parts of Scotland will be able to attend places of worship in gatherings of up to 50, where there is space for physical distancing, from Friday 26 March.
Updated guidance publishing on Friday will also allow people to travel between Level 4 areas to attend their usual place of worship following sustained progress suppressing Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Na h-Eileanan Siar moved to Level 3 last night, but all other council areas will remain at their current levels, with restrictions on non-essential travel across local authority boundaries.
The latest easing was announced yesterday, the anniversary of Scotland first entering lockdown. The First Minister reflected on the loss of life over the past 12 months and thanked health and care workers, public service workers, teachers, local authorities, businesses, community groups and volunteers for their efforts to support the nation through the pandemic.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “On this National Day of Reflection, I know that many of us will be thinking about people we have lost during the last year, whatever the cause of their death.
“It is a natural human response when someone dies to gather with others, to mourn our loss and to celebrate their life. The fact that this shared ritual has not been possible has been an additional source of grief for many during this most difficult of years.
“The return of collective worship in greater numbers is an important change that I hope will be especially welcomed as we head towards important religious festivals over the next few weeks. That we are in a position for Na h-Eileanan Siar to move to Level 3 reflects their success in reducing transmission in recent weeks.
“I am grateful to everyone who has shown solidarity, compassion and love to one another by sticking to incredibly tough rules and restrictions. By following the rules, all of us have saved lives – we’ve helped keep the virus under control, and helped to create the situation we are now in, where we can now start to plan our route out of lockdown. We know too that the vaccination programme is now reducing deaths, and recent research also gives us confidence that vaccination will reduce transmission rates.
“To lift restrictions in the future, we still need to suppress the virus just now, so please stay within the rules in the coming weeks – stay at home for now, unless for an allowed reason; do not meet people from other households indoors; and follow the FACTS advice when you are out and about.”
Fund will enable communities to remember in their own way
Communities will be supported by artists to develop projects that help them reflect on the impact of the pandemic, as part of longer term efforts to commemorate those who have lost their lives to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Greenspace Scotland commissioned artists will engage with community groups, faith groups and those hit hardest by the pandemic to shape ideas that benefit communities and reflect local people’s experiences of the pandemic.
The Covid Community Memorial projects, which could include commemorative gardens, memorials or artworks, will be supported with £4.1 million provided by the Scottish Government and administered by Greenspace Scotland.
The First Minister led a minute’s silence at noon today (23 March 2021), marking a year since Scotland first went into lockdown.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “None of us will ever forget this year, which has been like no other. We’ve all made sacrifices which have helped to save lives in the past 12 months, and many of us have lost loved ones – each one a person who can never be replaced and whose loss is greatly mourned.
“Vaccines now offer us hope that we can soon get back to a more normal way of life, and give us confidence that we can start to set dates for when it may begin to return. But as we move forward, and our daily lives begin to return to normal, we will – we must – remember those we have lost, and continue to offer our thoughts, solidarity and support to the bereaved.
“Today, after a year where we’ve been forced to live our lives apart in ways that for many will have been unimaginably difficult, we will come together to mark the first anniversary of lockdown, to pay our respects to those we have lost, and to reflect on everything we have been through as a nation.
“In the years to come, projects supported by this fund will provide spaces that people will visit, and cherish; where people will be able to gather in person to mark the pandemic and to remember those who have died – and to remember the many ways we supported one another as a nation through an extraordinary period.”
Julie Procter, Chief Executive of Greenspace Scotland, said: “The heart-breaking and difficult events of the past year have highlighted more than ever how important it is for us all to have access to greenspace. Somewhere for us to breathe fresh air, meet with friends and family, connect with nature and find solace during challenging times.
“The Covid Community Memorial project will connect with communities across Scotland to create special places where people can come to reflect on this time, remember those who have sadly lost their lives, find healing and hope for a brighter future.”
Greenspace Scotland will issue a call for expressions of interest in April with a view to awarding commissions in June. The aim would be for outputs from the commissions by November 2021 and project design and delivery from November to October 2022.
Almost one year from the announcement of lockdown in March 2020, NHS 24 are taking time to acknowledge the work of their colleagues during what has been their busiest period to date.
Across 2020, the 111 service received 1,699,796 calls, seeing a huge increase in volumes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Steph Phillips, Director of Service Delivery, said: “This year has been tough for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all, NHS staff included.From early 2020 we saw an increase in our call volumes and on our busiest day (Saturday 14th March) we received 13,849 calls in one day.
“Each call to the service represents a patient who needs support or advice, and our amazing staff have continued to work hard throughout this difficult period to provide this support for the people of Scotland. We also hit another remarkable milestone in December, as 111 received its 25 millionth call since the service launched in 2001!
“We’ve also seen a huge increase in the use of our digital service, NHS inform, which has hosted information about COVID-19, testing and vaccination throughout the past year.
‘Vaccination for COVID-19 is well underway which is great news for everyone, however we still advise caution and to follow government guidance in your area.
Tuesday, March 23rd, marks the anniversary of the day the UK was officially plunged into lockdown. We have lived through what is probably the most extraordinary year in most people’s lifetimes.
Blind and partially sighted people have had to adjust like everyone else to the daily challenges this has created. Thankfully, there’s now light at the end of the tunnel. But some ongoing measures could continue to be barriers to their independence and confidence.
People with sight loss can sometimes find it difficult to judge space, so we’re asking everyone to maintain their own distance, be patient and be helpful.
Just getting out and about can be more hazardous for those without sight. The Government’s ‘Spaces for People’ initiative has already transformed many of our streets and thoroughfares. We must take care that this doesn’t inadvertently create new obstacles for those with disabilities.
The covid crisis has given all of us a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability, of what it’s like to depend more on others.
So let’s make one positive legacy of this crisis a resolve to make sure we re-emerge as a society in which no one is left at the margins.
James Adams
Director, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland
A new £30 million fund is being established to support small businesses within the third sector, helping them to grow as Scotland recovers from the impacts of coronavirus.
The fund will be designed to respond to a need for third sector organisations to access loans to help grow and explore new forms of social investment and finance. It will also help support the sector to meet the challenge of the pandemic and to become more sustainable in the long-term.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “We have worked hard to support the third sector throughout the pandemic. This new fund will focus on those organisations with the potential to grow, contributing to jobs and making a positive contribution to our communities and the wellbeing economy.
“It also goes some way towards our commitment to explore other strands of social investment, including capital loans, to build upon Scotland’s world leading position in social enterprise.
“The fund will help this sector to ensure that it not only supports our communities, but is at the very forefront of our recovery, leading our communities and our country through recovery.”
Yvonne Greeves, Board member at Firstport & Chair of Catalyst Fund, said: “The Catalyst Fund is an exciting new addition to the social investment arena in Scotland.
“The patient, revenue-based repayment model is well placed to help certain social enterprises obtain the capital they need to start-up and grow, whilst offering them a more flexible repayment approach to match their ambitions.
“We welcome the support from the Scottish Government in backing this innovative model and we look forward to supporting social enterprises with potential for high-growth to enter new markets and deliver significant social impact.”
The Third Sector Growth Fund will build on more than £1 billion which has been invested in communities since the start of the pandemic, which includes a recent commitment to a further £14 million to allow the Communities and Third Sector Recovery Programme to continue to the end of June.
The Third Sector Growth Fund will have three elements:
The Social Catalyst fund, which totals £15 million, will help growing organisations which are not able to access finance through standard loans, offering investment which can be repaid based on turnover, rather than growing interest rates. This would suit small businesses and start-ups whose income is variable.
The Circular Economy Fund will support activity which builds on sustainability of social enterprises and enables growth through investment loans. Together with The Long Term Third Sector Finance Fund which will offer loans for social enterprises and Third Sector organisations over a period of 18-24 months. a total of £10 million will be available.
The Social Impact Venture Portfolio will offer investments of equity into mission-driven businesses, encouraging organisations to adopt a social enterprise model. This is worth £5 million.
The delivery partners are The Social Impact Venture Portfolio and Social Investment Scotland, a social enterprise and a charity offering loan funding and business support across the sector to make a positive impact on lives, society and the environment.
Social Investment Scotland will manage The Circular Economy Social Enterprise Fund and Long Term Third Sector Finance Fund.
The Impact Investment Partnership Scotland (IIPS), an entity owned equally by Firstport and Social Enterprise Scotland (SES), will manage the Social Catalyst Fund.
Access to the funds will be by application. Further details of the funds and how to apply will be published on the partner organisations websites later this Spring.
Yesterdaymarked the one-year anniversary of the furlough scheme being introduced. TUC’s ALEX COLLISON takes stock
The scheme, a big win for the union movement, guarantees that employees working for businesses that have been closed due to social restrictions, who may have otherwise lost their jobs, receive at least 80 per cent of their wages while they’re unable to work.
Numbers using the scheme
The furlough scheme has undoubtedly protected millions of jobs throughout the pandemic, making it one of the few big successes in the government’s response to the pandemic.
Between the scheme’s introduction and the middle of February 2021, 11.2 million jobs have been furloughed at some point, with 1.3 million employers making use of it.
Use of the furlough scheme peaked in early May 2020, when 8.9 million jobs were furloughed. 4.7 million jobs were still furloughed at the end of January 2021, the latest available day that HMRC figures cover. A business survey from the ONS provides more up-to-date information, showing that 19% of the private sector workforce was furloughed in early March. This has been the same since January, and suggests the number of people furloughed has likely stayed around the same since January.
The number of people furloughed in January 2021 is the highest it’s been since July.
As you’d expect given the sectors most impacted by social restrictions, use of the scheme has been much higher in some industries than others. At the end of January, 44% of all furloughed jobs are within two industries: accommodation and food services (24%) and wholesale and retail (20%).
This equates to 1.1 million jobs in accommodation and food, and 940,000 jobs in wholesale and retail.
While the arts and entertainment sector has less jobs furloughed (315,000), this constitutes a large percentage of its workforce. 55% of the workforce was furloughed at the end of January 2021. This is a similar rate to accommodation and food (56%).
Across all industries, the number of jobs furloughed at the end of January was 47% lower than it was when furlough was at its peak. But, again, this varies by industry.
Construction and manufacturing, for example, both had large numbers of jobs furloughed in May 2020. While there’s still a significant number of jobs furloughed in these industries, the number has fallen by around two-thirds. In contrast, the number of employments furloughed in accommodation and food and arts and entertainment has fallen by 30%.
And it’s worth noting where these jobs may have gone. HMRC data on the number of payrolled employees shows that accommodation and food and arts and entertainment saw the most job losses between April 2020 and January 2021.
It therefore seems likely that some workers in these industries are losing their jobs rather than returning from furlough.
The scheme hasn’t been perfect
While the furlough scheme has undoubtedly saved millions of jobs, it hasn’t been perfect. A key flaw of the scheme is that there’s no protection to ensure no one is paid below the minimum wage while furloughed. While employers can choose to top up the wages of furloughed workers, not all do.
Low-paid workers are more likely to not to have their pay topped up. Because of this, in April 2020, around the peak of the scheme, just over two million employees were not being paid the legal minimum.
This means that the household finances of many low-paid workers, already being paid an insufficient minimum wage, have been hit hard.
Young workers, part-time workers and workers in the hospitality sector have also been more likely to be affected. Shockingly, a third of all accommodation and food workers were not earning the legal minimum wage in April 2020.
As well as this, the government’s attempts to wind down the scheme have often proved premature. The number of jobs furloughed hit its lowest point on October 31st, when it dropped to 2.4 million. The scheme was due to end on this day, but was extended at the last minute.
The number of employments furloughed went up to 3.7 million on November 1st, and then increased further a few days later due to stricter lockdown measures being introduced. This uncertainty around the future of the furlough scheme seems to have led to unnecessary job losses.
And the government has struggled to reach those in non-conventional work, whether self-employed forced to operate through companies, zero-hours workers, and those mixing employment and self-employment.
The government introduced the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) alongside the furlough scheme, but the two didn’t seamlessly interact to cover all workers, and the requirements of the scheme have meant that millions of workers have fallen between the cracks, unable to get support.
What next?
The government has committed to keeping the furlough scheme running until the end of September. The amount the government contributes to the wages of furloughed workers will begin to reduce before then, dropping to 70% in July and 60% in August and September.
The current roadmap out of lockdown provisionally plans for all areas of the economy to be up and running months before the end of furlough. However, the September end date creates a cliff edge, especially as it comes alongside the end of the Universal Credit uplift. The government must ensure it adapts the scheme to any changes of the roadmap. If business closures last longer than expected, so too should the scheme.
It’s also urgent that the government overhauls our broken social safety net so that it properly supports for those who need it. This includes raising both Universal Credit and legacy benefits to at least 80% of the national living wage (£260 per week), ending the five-week wait by converting advance payment loans to grants, and scrapping the two-child limit, benefits cap and no-recourse-to-public-funds rules.
Finally, it’s important that the government begins to look beyond the scheme. Investing now in good, well-paid jobs will help to replace any jobs lost when the scheme ends.
Fast tracking spending on projects such as broadband, green technology, transport and housing, for example, could deliver a 1.24 million jobs boost by 2022, and the TUC has set out plans to fill and create 600,000 jobs in the public sector.
Almost 95% of people aged 60 and over have been vaccinated
Health Secretary hails strength of the Union as UK passes major vaccine milestone
Matt Hancock calls on everyone to accept the jab when it’s offered
Half of all adults in the UK have received their first dose of the (coronavirus) COVID-19 vaccine, the latest figures show.
The UK health services vaccinated a total of 26.8 million people between 8 December and 19 March with first doses, while 2.1 million people have had their second dose so far.
The rollout is continuing at pace and the UK is on track to achieve the Prime Minister’s target of offering the vaccine to all over-50s by 15 April, as well as all adults by the end of July.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Vaccinating over half of all adults is a phenomenal achievement and is testament to the mammoth efforts of the NHS, GPs, volunteers, local authorities and civil servants in every corner of the UK.
“It shows the strength of the Union and what can be achieved when we work together as one United Kingdom to protect those most at risk. But the job is not done yet.
“During April, we will continue to vaccinate those most at risk and around 12 million people will receive their second doses as well. It is absolutely crucial people come forward as soon as they are eligible. When you get the call, get the jab, because the more people who are vaccinated the safer we will all be.”
The pace of the rollout means even more people will soon develop strong protection from serious illness from COVID-19 infection, saving lives and significantly reducing pressure on the NHS, which supports the Prime Minister’s roadmap to ease lockdown restrictions.
Around 4% of the adult population have had their second doses so far and there will be a strong drive over the coming weeks to vaccinate people with the second jabs within 12 weeks, as well as continuing to vaccinate those in the priority groups with first doses.
The UK government’s Vaccine Taskforce secured early access to 457 million doses of the most promising vaccines on behalf of the whole of the UK, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. This allowed a co-ordinated and rapid deployment of vaccines to those most at risk.
Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi (above) said: “I would like to thank everybody involved in this incredible vaccination programme across the whole of the UK for their tireless dedication to protecting the most vulnerable and saving lives.
“This is a momentous occasion and while the vaccines are the best way out of this terrible pandemic, the battle is not yet over.
“We continue to do everything we can to expand the vaccination programme even further and encourage people of all backgrounds and religions to get their jabs when eligible.”
All vaccines being used in the UK have undergone robust clinical trials and have met the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) strict standards of safety, effectiveness and quality.
The Moderna vaccine has also been approved by the MHRA and will be deployed from the spring. Rolling reviews are also underway by the MHRA to assess the Janssen and Novavax vaccines.
Data from Public Health England’s real-world study shows that both the Pfizer and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective in reducing COVID-19 among older people aged 70 years and over. We are already seeing a significant impact of the vaccination programme on reducing hospitalisations and deaths, and it is vital people come forward for their vaccine when invited.
The vaccines are available for free from thousands of vaccine centres, GP practices and pharmacies. Around 98% of people live within 10 miles of a vaccination centre in England, which includes mosques, Westminster Abbey and football stadiums.
Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS England’s primary care director and a GP, said: “Thanks to careful planning and the huge efforts of NHS vaccinators, volunteers and everyone working behind the scenes, the roll-out of the NHS vaccination programme – the biggest in health service history – continues to be a huge success.
“Their efforts meant the NHS had vaccinated half of all adults in England by Thursday, and as a GP and a vaccinator, it is source of great pride that we have now reached that major milestone across the whole of the UK.
“I would encourage anyone who is invited to come forward and book their vaccine. It is safe, quick and effective, and by having your vaccine you will join nearly 23 million people across England who’ve now been protected.”
Royal Pharmaceutical Society President Sandra Gidley said: “Vaccinating half of the UK population in such a short period of time is a huge achievement and I’m immensely proud of the role pharmacy teams have played.
“Pharmacists have been at the forefront of COVID-19 vaccinations, developing new treatments, ensuring a safe supply chain, and supporting vaccination clinics across the health service.
“I want to thank pharmacists working up and down the country in every setting, from large hospitals to those providing vaccinations in village halls, for their amazing efforts and for rising to the challenge during a time of national crisis.
“As we look to build on this success, pharmacists will continue to play a vital role in encouraging uptake of vaccines, particularly in communities where there are significant health challenges.
Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “The hard work of GPs and our teams, along with colleagues across the NHS, to deliver the COVID-19 vaccination programme has been outstanding and ensured that vulnerable patients across the UK are protected from this terrible virus.
“It is excellent news that half the UK adult population – 26.8m people – have now received the first dose of the vaccine, with around 75% of these vaccinations taking place in primary care.
“This is an incredible milestone and the efforts of GPs and our teams have been pivotal to achieving it in such a short space of time, and despite the complexities and challenges of delivering a new vaccination programme on such a large scale.
“However, the hard work is far from over, and as long as there is supply, GPs and our teams will continue to vaccinate. Getting vaccinated is the best protection we have against this virus, and our best hope of getting back to a more normal life.
“We encourage patients to come forward for a vaccination when invited to do so.”
Background information
There are a total of 52.7 million adults in the UK based on ONS data.
PHE’s real-world data shows the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
Through the government’s Vaccines Taskforce, the UK has secured early access to 457 million doses of 8 of the most promising vaccine candidates, including:
BioNTech/Pfizer for 40 million doses
Oxford/AstraZeneca for 100 million doses
Moderna for 17 million doses
GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur for 60 million doses
Novavax for 60 million doses
Janssen for 30 million doses
Valneva for 100 million doses
CureVac for 50 million doses
To date, the government has invested over £300 million into manufacturing a successful vaccine to enable a rapid roll out.
The UK government is committed to supporting equitable access to vaccines worldwide. The UK is the largest donor to the COVAX facility, the global mechanism to help developing countries access a coronavirus vaccine, and has committed £548 million in UK aid to help distribute 1.3 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines to 92 developing countries this year.
New Hopetoun Gardens, a garden centre in Broxburn, was among many retailers who were forced to suddenly close their doors when the pandemic hit in March last year.
The garden centre, which offers Scotland’s largest range of plants for sale, relied heavily on customer visits and face-to-face trading so the forced closure hit the business hard. With an average of 10,000 customers a month during a normal April and May, it missed out on the busiest trading months of the year.
Profits dropped considerably and 28 of its 36 staff were furloughed.
In April 2020, New Hopetoun Gardens approached Bank of Scotland for support and received a £195,000 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) funding package. This allowed the business to ensure it had sufficient cashflow, pay suppliers, care for the plants, and provide reassurance to its staff that operations will continue once restrictions have eased.
New Hopetoun Gardens introduced home delivery services for its customers and launched a new website six weeks ago to facilitate a click and collect service.
These measures have helped over the past few months but the decision after Christmas to give ‘non-essential’ status to the centre has hampered business prospects of opening before its busiest trading period in early spring.
Morag Macrae, joint owner of New Hopetoun Gardens, said: “The past year has been really challenging for us as a business. Most of our trading is done face-to-face and while we’re incredibly grateful to our fantastic customers who have used our click and collect and delivery service, we saw our revenue drop considerably.
“The change that saw us considered as a “non-essential” shop was quite a blow as we hoped to be open to take full benefit of our busy spring trading period.
“Thankfully, the support from Bank of Scotland has been a massive boost. It has allowed us to keep our operations running and keep us out of our overdraft which has been a huge relief.
“While times are still challenging, business has picked up considerably in March and we’re hoping we will be able to re-open soon to make the most out of our key trading period, when it is safe to do so.”
PM’s statement at coronavirus press conference: 18th March 2021
Our roadmap to freedom depends on the continued success of our vaccination programme, and so it is reasonable for people to want to be continually reassured not only that our vaccines are safe and effective but also that we have the supply that we need.
So I want to address both points today especially in the light of concerns you may have heard in some other countries about the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
First, the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has reviewed the evidence, as it does every week.
They have confirmed that the benefits of the vaccine in preventing COVID far outweigh any risks and people should continue to get their vaccine when asked to do so and June will say a little bit more about that in a moment.
It’s also very important for our European friends that today the European Medicines Agency has come to a clear scientific conclusion and I quote – “this is a safe and effective vaccine.”
We also saw yesterday the evidence from Public Health England that a single dose of either vaccine provides 60 per cent protection against getting COVID.
and reduces the chances of hospitalisation by 80 per cent and the risk of death by 85 per cent.
So the Oxford jab is safe; and the Pfizer jab is safe – the thing that isn’t safe is catching Covid – which is why it’s so important that we all get our jabs as soon as our turn comes.
And as it happens, I’m getting mine tomorrow. And the centre where I’m getting jabbed is currently using the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for those receiving their first dose, and that is the one I’ll be having.
And let me also assure you – if you come forwards after receiving your letter, we have the jabs for you.
We’ve always said that in a vaccination programme of this pace and this scale, some interruptions in supply are inevitable and it is true that in the short term we are receiving fewer vaccines than we had planned for a week ago.
That is because of a delay in a shipment from the Serum Institute who are doing a herculean job in producing vaccines in such large quantities – and because of a batch that we currently have in the UK that needs to be retested – as part of our rigorous safety programmes.
So as a result we will receive slightly fewer vaccines in April than in March.
But that is still more than we received in February and the supply we do have will still enable us to hit the targets we have set.
That means that by 15 April we will be able to offer a first dose to all of you who are over 50, as well as those under 50 who are clinically vulnerable.
We will have the second doses that people need within the 12 week window – which means around 12 million people in April.
And we will still offer a first dose to every adult by the end of July.
So there is no change to the next steps of the roadmap.
We’ve now vaccinated over 25 million across our entire United Kingdom – more than the entire population of many countries
and our progress along the road to freedom continues unchecked.
We remain on track to reclaim the things we love, to see our families and friends again, to return to our local pubs, our gyms and sports facilities, and of course our shops, all as long as the data continue to go in the right direction and we meet our four tests.
And the way to ensure this happens is to get that jab when your turn comes.
LifeCare Edinburgh has appointed Beverley Francis as its new chair and welcomes four new trustees to the board as the organisation celebrates its 80th year.
The renowned local charity offers registered care, outreach activities and help at home services for older people living across the North of the city. Established in 1941, the organisation supports over 800 elderly clients a year including those suffering with dementia, mobility issues, those experiencing isolation and loneliness, food poverty, mental health problems and support for carers.
Beverley Francis has been involved the charity since 2018 and was appointed vice-chair a year ago. Elaine Aitken will take up the position as vice-chair having been with the charity since 2017.
She brings extensive public and third sector experience to the role. Bringing 16 years in key positions within Scottish Government, including in welfare reform and most recently in health improvement, Francis also has her own consultancy supporting the third sector.
She is currently in the role as Interim Director for ProjectScotland where she has supported the merger with Volunteering Matters and has previously supported mental health charities AdvoCard and Partners in Advocacy.
Ms Francis takes over as chair from Jock Miller who held the position for six years. Miller will remain on the board as a trustee.
A further four trustees have joined the board. Susan Mallinder, Christopher Paton, Jane Hogg and Momin Rasheed all joined the charity at the start of the year. The new trustees all bring varying backgrounds, experience and skills which will help to shape and drive the organisation’s continued success.
BeverleyFrancis said: “On behalf of everyone on the board, past and present, we would like to sincerely thank Jock for his leadership, dedication and sheer hard-work over the past 10 years.
“Through his direction we have successfully and quickly navigated the multiple challenges of COVID-19 and continued to provide essential care to over 500 older people through the crisis who simply could not survive without it.
“I feel absolutely honoured to take up the role of chair at such a vitally important time for us all.
“Older people have been disproportionately affected by this life-shattering crisis. We do not yet know the real impact this past year will have had on the people we care for within our communities. So, we need to be ready to adapt, redesign and deliver the bespoke care they will need in a compassionate and caring way. We need to make sure our older people can safely and confidently re-enter our communities, and they will need our support to do so.
“As LifeCare enters its 80th year as a charity, we are all thrilled to welcome four new trustees to the board who are all eager to get involved. I am excited to work more closely with the senior management team, alongside our new chief executive Damian McGowan. Once we are able, I very much look forward to getting out into the community to safely meet with the people we support, our hardworking staff and all of our dedicated volunteers.”
LifeCare Edinburgh is a registered charity and relies on the support of its funders. Key relationships include Barclays, The TOR Foundation, Foundation Scotland, Tesco Bank and all the many local people who take part in community fundraising events.
