Royston Wardieburn fundraiser to support earthquake victims
The Nepal Scotland Association has organised an evening of Nepalese food, music and dancing at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre from 5pm on Saturday 23 May.
Tickets are available from RWCC reception, or from community members (contact the numbers on the poster).
Show your support for our friends in Nepal!
MY Adventure director’s anxious wait for news of Nepali friends
Hello everyone,
As some of you may know, until recently I have been living with an amazing community in Nepal (writes James Howell). This community has just suffered the most horrific natural disaster they have ever experienced. Last week’s earthquake has claimed over 7000 lives in Nepal: I do not know how many of my friends are among that number. I have had seen three photographs of the village I lived in and it is barely recognisable.
You may not be able to help everyone effected, but you can help me help people I know.
I spent two years living in a ridge top village named Ghyampesal which lies in the Gorkha district in the foothills of the Himalaya, the epicentre of the earthquake. Our first aid truck bound for Ghyampesal left Kathmandu on Sunday (2 May) – and I can personally guarantee it will reach those it is intended for.
We intend to send as many trucks as we can but that is only possible with your help. If you cannot give any money don’t worry, pass this message onto someone who can. Please go to this website for the details. Every penny helps.
Thank you everyone for reading this: I attach a photo of my friend Didi (sister) (above) and Thakur’s family (top). We don’t know if they are OK but with your help we maybe able to find out.
Many thanks,
James
James Howell, Director MY Adventure
M: 07716 888 788 T: 0131 332 7132
Myadventure.org.uk
Marking one week since the devastating earthquake in Nepal, Edinburgh residents and visitors are being invited to show solidarity at a candlelit vigil outside the City Chambers tomorrow.
The Lord Provost Donald Wilson lodged an emergency motion at a meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council on Thursday to call on local support for the Mercy Corps Nepal Earthquake appeal.
He said: “When an event as devastating as this take place, I believe it is important for residents to feel they have an opportunity to express condolences and provide united support.
“I urge everyone in Edinburgh to do and give what they can, whether they join us for the candle lighting ceremony, make a donation to the Mercy Corps, pause for reflection or say a prayer for the lives lost.
“Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and is suffering one of the most horrific of disasters. The survivors of this terrible earthquake and all of the aid workers in Nepal urgently need sympathy and support from all corners of the world.”
Rajendra Bam, the Chair of the Nepal Scotland Association, added: “The effect on our country has been devastating. We represent about 800 Nepali people in Edinburgh and the Lothians and no one has been left untouched by this tragedy, everyone has a story. Our community is a very close one and what affects one affects another. We are working in cooperation with charities, such as Mercy Corps, towards the urgent relief programme. Anything that you can do to help us is much appreciated.”
Edinburgh-based international charity Mercy Corps has been working in Nepal since 2006. The humanitarian organisation has reacted with an emergency response in Nepal following the massive earthquake and their dedicated team has been working tirelessly, whilst dealing with their own tragedies, to evaluate conditions and deliver emergency supplies to desperate families.
Simon O’Connell, Executive Director, Mercy Corps Europe said: “Our teams have been working hard for the last week to meet emergency needs of survivors in Nepal and assess what is needed for the recovery of the country. We are distributing urgent relief to families in Kathmandu and in villages outside of the capital and working hard to get more emergency supplies in for families who are in desperate need. Time is of the essence and donations are critical to our ongoing relief effort.”
The City of Edinburgh Council is a partner of the Edinburgh Disaster Response Committee which is asking residents to help survivors during the aftermath of the disaster.
A fund has opened with the Edinburgh based humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps for urgent donations.
As aid flies out from the UK to Nepal, members of the public are being warned to be cautious about charity appeals …
On Saturday 25 April a massive earthquake struck Nepal. It severely shook the lives of at least 5.3m people and left many homeless. Nepal’s major cities, including the capital Kathmandu, have been badly damaged and rural areas near the epicentre have been completely cut off by avalanches.
The Charity Commission is encouraging people wishing to help those affected by the earthquake disaster in Nepal to donate only to established registered charities.
It says charities such as the members of the Disasters Emergency Committee, which has launched a dedicated appeal in response to the earthquake, are experienced in providing emergency help during humanitarian disasters.
The regulator says that most fundraising is genuine, but warns the public to guard against unscrupulous people who exploit the generosity of the public by fundraising fraudulently.
It is urging people not to attempt to send cash or aid out directly themselves and not to forget that there are other ways of supporting registered charities if they cannot afford to or do not want to donate. For example, people can take part in fundraising events and activities organised by a registered charity.
There are laws around collecting money for charity in public which are there to protect donors and make sure that the money raised goes to a genuine charitable cause. The commission says there are simple steps people can take to help ensure they give to genuine registered charities. The tips include:
Paula Sussex, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said: “The British public is incredibly generous and we want to encourage them to continue giving to people in the most desperate need, such as those affected by the earthquake disaster in Nepal.
Our advice is to give to registered charities that have experience in delivering aid in difficult circumstances in the aftermath of natural disasters. It only takes a few minutes to check whether a charity is registered with us – and if in doubt, ask the fundraiser questions about how your money will be used. Good charities will be more than happy to answer your questions.”
Top tips for checking whether an organisation appealing for donations is a genuine registered charity:
“By providing a place of sanctuary here in Scotland we can transform the lives of individuals who have seen their world destroyed through no fault of their own’ – John Wilkes, Scottish Refugee Council.
The UK should accept more refugees from the crisis in Syria and the Middle East, International Development Minister Humza Yousaf said yesterday.
In a letter to the Home Secretary Theresa May, Mr Yousaf has called on the UK Government to commit to offer more UK resettlement places for refugees affected by the crisis.
Mr Yousaf’s call comes on the eve of an international Global Resettlement Pledging Conference to be hosted in Geneva by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at which member nations including the UK will be invited to offer further support for refugees.
Mr Yousaf said: “Refugee integration in Scotland has enhanced our diversity and communities, with refugees making a valued contribution to our economy, society and culture.
“We have always made clear that Scotland is ready and willing to play its part in offering a safe and secure home to Syrian refugees, and we welcomed the introduction of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, as part of which refugees are already arriving in Scotland.
“But the number of refugees being supported through the VPR scheme remains small, at several hundred over three years with less than 100 arriving to date. This compares with pledges of 20,000 humanitarian admissions by Germany, 5,600 resettlement places by Australia and 1,500 by Austria.
“The crisis in Syria represents the biggest refugee crisis since the end of the Second World War. Scotland remains committed to offering support and protection to the victims of the crisis and the Scottish Government believes that, given the extreme gravity of the situation, the UK can and should be doing more to help alleviate the suffering and Scotland is ready to play her part.
“The Global Resettlement Pledging Conference represents an opportunity for the UK to pledge to do exactly that.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council John Wilkes said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to stand with the people of Syria and echo the minister’s call for the UK Government to provide sanctuary to greater numbers of Syrians in desperate need.
“We urge the UK Government to adopt the proposals contained in Oxfam’s recent report, A Fairer Deal for Syrians, and sign up to the target of resettling around 9,500 Syrian refugees in the UK.
“The scale and gravity of the crisis in Syria is immense, with nearly four million refugees expected by the end of the year, half of whom are children. These are people who have witnessed and survived unimaginable horrors and are desperately in need of safety and support.
“By providing a place of sanctuary here in Scotland we can transform the lives of individuals who have seen their world destroyed through no fault of their own.
“Scottish Refugee Council and many of our partners are ready to offer a welcome to these men, women, and children from Syria, and to make sure they have access to the services and support they will need to settle in to their new environment.”
“We hope this appeal will make a big difference to people who are living as refugees in tents in cold winter weather” – Edinburgh Direct Aid
Muirhouse Community Shop is to be a collection point for the latest Edinburgh Direct Aid appeal. The community shop on Pennywell Road recently worked with EDA when the shop assisted with the Toys for Gaza appeal and will now support an initiative to aid Syrian refugees.
The latest appeal is for winter goods, such as coats, boots, jackets etc and anyone can drop of their donation to the shop five days a week.
Lisa Anderson, EDA Secretary said: “Edinburgh Direct Aid has launched a new appeal to send a further container of aid to Syrian refugees. We have previously sent a container of winter clothing and another with a 4×4 ambulance and food supplies. We have a small warehouse in Granton, but we are delighted that TRIM have offered use of the community shop to make it easier for people to drop off donations for this latest appeal.
“We are hoping to collect winter coats, boots, wellies and toiletries over the next few weeks with the help of the volunteer staff at TRIM. We hope this appeal will make a big difference to people who are living as refugees in tents in cold winter weather.”
Community Shop manager Robert Pearson said: ” We were delighted when Lisa contacted us asking for our help. I believe that residents will feel as though they are making a difference by giving something small. At this time of year many of us will buy a new coat, jumper, etc. and we are asking for you to drop your old ones off at the shop. Shop volunteers will be on hand to advise any resident who may have questions. Muirhouse Community Shop will NOT be accepting any cash donations for this appeal – we are purely accepting goods on this occasion.”
Tenants & Residents In Muirhouse (TRIM)
Website – http://muirhouseresidents.co.uk
Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/trimgroup
Also on Twitter – http://twitter.com/MuirhouseTRIM
More than 30 NHS staff from across the UK departed for Sierra Leone yesterday to join Britain’s fight against Ebola – the first group of NHS volunteers to be deployed by the UK government.
The British team will now complete a week of training in Freetown before moving to British-built Ebola treatment centres across the country.
Following this training and acclimatisation, the group – which includes GPs, nurses, clinicians, psychiatrists and consultants in emergency medicine – will begin work setting up procedures, diagnosing and treating people who have contracted the deadly virus.
They will work in treatment centres built by British Army Royal Engineers and funded by the Department for International Development.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “Our fight against Ebola in West Africa is one of Britain’s biggest responses to a disease outbreak. Almost a thousand military personnel, scientists, healthcare and aid workers are already on the ground in Sierra Leone working to contain, control and defeat this terrible disease.
“But to beat Ebola we desperately need the experience and dedication of skilled doctors and nurses to care for the thousands of sick and dying patients who are not receiving the treatment they need.
“Every one of these NHS heroes will play a vital role in the fight against Ebola. It is only because of their combined efforts that we stand a chance of defeating this disease.”
United Nations chief Ban Ki-Moon has urged the world to do more to help the West African countries stricken by the Ebola virus outbreak. He has launched another urgent appeal for funds to help fight Ebola after a United Nations drive for donations fell far short of its target.
The UN chief said a $1bn trust fund he launched in September has received just $100,000 (£62,000) so far. Despite pledges, only Columbia has paid in full – although donors have given over £250 million to other UN and aid agencies.
Mr Ban said it was time for the countries “who really have capacity” to provide financial and other logistical support, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan told the BBC’s Newsnight he was “bitterly disappointed” with the international community’s response. “If the crisis had hit some other region it probably would have been handled very differently, ” he said. “In fact when you look at the evolution of the crisis, the international community really woke up when the disease got to America and Europe”.
Both UK and Scottish governments have supported financial appeals and they continue to closely monitor the situation.
The Prime Minister chaired a COBR meeting on Ebola yesterday to discuss the situation on the ground, the UK response and domestic preparedness. In a statement, a Downing Street spokesperson said:
The Prime Minister chaired a further COBR meeting on Ebola this afternoon (Thursday 16 October). The attendees included the Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Health Secretary, Transport Secretary, International Development Secretary and Armed Forces Minister.
The meeting covered the situation on the ground, the UK response and domestic preparedness for potential cases of ebola. The advice from the Chief Medical Officer is that the risk to the UK from the disease remained low.
The International Development Secretary updated the meeting on the UK aid response and how the UK is leading the international response in Sierra Leone. The package is focussed on improving facilities, training staff and supporting the Sierra Leone government. This included the building of 6 new Ebola Treatment Facilities, local community care units and specific training for health workers, all of which remain on track.
The Armed Forces Minister set out that the military deployment continued to move forward with speed. RFA ARGUS would depart Falmouth tomorrow, taking 3 Merlin helicopters, and would stop in Gibraltar to collect 39 DfID vehicles. It is expected to arrive off of Freetown at the end of the month. Today, just over 100 members of 22 Field Hospital had deployed to commence establishing an Ebola Viral Disease Treatment Unit in Kerrytown. A number of engineers on the same flight will commence development of the Ebola Training Academy, with the first course delivered by the end of October.
There was a discussion over the need for the international community to do much more to support the fight against the disease in the region. This included greater co-ordination of the international effort, an increase in the amount of spending and more support for international workers who were, or who were considering, working in the region. The Prime Minister set out that he wanted to make progress on these issues at the European Council next week.
There was a detailed update about plans for protecting the UK against Ebola. The Health Secretary set out that screening was up and running across all Heathrow terminals and would be in place at Gatwick and St Pancras during the next week. There was a discussion regarding screening across Europe and the Prime Minister made clear other countries needed to do more and introduce their own checks if we are to strengthen protection across the board.
The Health Secretary set out that the national exercise to test UK preparedness had gone well. The system had responded well to two separate test incidents taking place at the same time. Contingency planning would continue and further advice is now being distributed to GP surgeries and other NHS institutions to ensure staff were fully aware on what to do if they suspected a patient may have Ebola.
The Scottish Government Resilience Committee (SGoRR) met on Wednesday evening to discuss the latest developments in Scotland’s response to the Ebola outbreak in west Africa.
The meeting was attended by First Minister Alex Salmond, and Health Secretary Alex Neil, along with experts in infectious diseases from Health Protection Scotland and senior officials from the Scottish Government.
Ministers were updated on the latest situation in the three affected countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. They were also given updates on how Scotland’s health service is preparing for a possible case, and steps being taken by the oil industry to protect workers who are returning from west Africa.
The First Minister said: “The Scottish Government’s approach to Ebola is two-fold. First and foremost, we must make sure that Scotland is as prepared as possible to deal with the risk of an Ebola case appearing on our shores. Secondly, we must do all we can to help with the situation in west Africa to try and contain this infection and ultimately bring it under control. We have already donated £500,000 to help the World Health Organisation’s efforts to combat Ebola and we stand ready to provide further assistance as and when required.
“The risk of an Ebola case in Scotland remains low. However, we are far from complacent, and I am confident that Scotland’s health service is well prepared to deal with any suspected Ebola cases. We will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that all appropriate checks are in place to protect the people of Scotland.”
Mr Neil said: “Scotland has four infectious disease centres which are ready to deal with any suspected cases of Ebola-type diseases. We have ensured that guidance has been issued to health professionals to ensure that they are well equipped to know how to deal with any suspected cases, and we are well stocked with all the necessary protective equipment.
“Scotland has dealt with infectious diseases in the past, including swine flu and a case of viral haemorrhagic fever, similar to Ebola, in 2012. I am fully confident that we have the systems and expertise in place to cope well in this instance if required.”
The disease has killed around 4,500 people so far, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
UK Government will match first £2 million donated ‘pound for pound’
The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) launched their Gaza Crisis Appeal yesterday and Scotland’s Minister for External Affairs Humza Yousaf has encouraged Scots to donate what they can to help people affected by the conflict in the area.
The UK government also announced it will activate UK Aid Match for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal, matching the first £2 million donated pound for pound.
Over 400,000 people have fled their homes in Gaza and urgently need food, water, shelter and medical care.
The Scottish Government has already provided half a million pounds to help people in Gaza and given a commitment that Scottish hospitals will help treat those who need specialist care.
Mr Yousaf said: “The situation in Gaza is clearly causing a great deal of suffering for ordinary people in the area. People who have been forced to leave their homes urgently need daily essentials including food, water, shelter and medicine.
“Scots are well known for being a caring and generous nation and I’d urge people across the country to consider donating what they can afford to help those in Gaza. Every single donation, no matter how big or small, will help towards this international effort to provide supplies to those who are suffering and in need.
“The Scottish Government has already provided half a million pounds to help the humanitarian relief effort in Gaza and we are committed to ensuring people with injuries who need specialist treatment can access Scottish hospitals if that is best for them.
“Of course, what we need in Gaza is an immediate lasting end to the violence. Given the UN’s statement that there is a strong possibility international law has been violated, I once again encourage the UK Government to implement a complete suspension of arms sales to Israel until there has been an investigation into whether not UK arms have been used in any violation of international law.”
Donations to the DEC’s Gaza Crisis Appeal can be made at http://www.dec.org.uk/.
Further information on ways to donate is available from http://www.dec.org.uk/how-to-help/how-to-pay
The British government will activate UK Aid Match for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced yesterday.
The DEC will see the first £2 million of donations from members of the public aid matched, meaning that every £1 donated is matched by UK aid.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “Four weeks of violence have left people in Gaza in desperate need of food, shelter and medical supplies. The British people have shown immense generosity in situations like this and the UK Government will help that generosity go twice as far.
“For people wanting to help civilians in Gaza caught up in this crisis, giving now means every pound they donate will buy twice as many food parcels, provide twice as many blankets and help twice as many people to get through this crisis.”
The DEC appeal will provide immediate life-saving support to people affected by the crisis in Gaza.
The new £2 million commitment will take the UK government’s total support for the people of Gaza since the start of this crisis to £17 million. In addition to today’s announcement, since the beginning of the crisis Britain has released:
make donations at http://www.dec.org.uk/ or by texting the word DONATE to 70000
