Tag: research

Children offer to donate pocket money to help pay for Christmas

ONE IN SIX WORKING PARENTS SURVEYED IN SCOTLAND WORRY THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD ANY PRESENTS

  • New Action for Children research finds one in five children of working parents (22%) surveyed in Scotland will offer to donate their gift or pocket money to help their parents cover costs of festive season.
  • One sixth (15%) of working parents polled in Scotland worry they won’t be able to afford any Christmas presents.
  • Almost all (98%) working parents in Scotland said they had worried about money in past six months, more than half (52%) having worried often – resulting in trouble sleeping, worse mental health, getting upset and losing temper with kids.
  • One mum said: ‘“There are some days we won’t put the fire on and just have blankets around us. I don’t eat much anyway but some days I just have some beans on toast once or twice a day so my kids can have a proper meal.”

New Action for Children research released today uncovers the cost-of-living turmoil facing millions of working families in the run-up to Christmas.

To launch its annual Secret Santa campaign to help the country’s most vulnerable children, the charity commissioned a unique Savanta ComRes poll of 2,700 UK working parents and their children (nearly 5,500 in total), as well as a nationwide survey of its frontline staff. The research shows how the financial burden families are facing is taking an emotional toll on relationships, mental health and Christmas celebrations.

With the highest inflation rate in over 40 years, nearly all (98%) working parents the charity surveyed in Scotland said they have worried about money over the past six months, with more than half (52%) of those having worried often. Of those:

  • Almost six in 10(59%) have had trouble sleeping
  • more than two-fifths (44%) have tried to hide their money worries
  • more than two-fifths (44%) have noticed their mental health worsen
  • almost a quarter (22%) have become upset or stressed in front of their children, and
  • Just under a fifth (19%) have lost their temper with their children. 

The research also shows one in six (15%) of working parents surveyed in Scotland worry they won’t be able to afford any presents this Christmas. And despite their money worries, more than two in five (41%) said they will put on a brave face and try to act happy, with many children also thinking their mum and dad will be faking their festive cheer (37%).

The polling also recognises the severity of the situation and emotional pressures felt by the children and teenagers of the parents surveyed with:

  • Over a quarter (28%) of those who’d seen their parents worry in the last six months had also seen their parents become upset or stressed in front of them due to money worries and under a quarter (24%) experienced their parents losing their temper with them.
  • Almost a third (32%) thinking their parents will be worried about not having enough money to pay the bills over the festive period, and
  • One in five (22%) saying they will offer their pocket or gift money to help their parents cover costs this Christmas.

As a charity that delivers children’s services, Action for Children is instead increasingly having to provide emergency relief to families as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.

In a nationwide survey of nearly 200 of its frontline staff during November, it found over two-thirds of those surveyed (69%) are currently supporting a child, young person or family that is experiencing poverty or extreme financial hardship.

Nearly half (45%) reported they were extremely worried about the health and wellbeing of the children, young people and families they support due to their financial situation, and one in ten (10%) had even donated their own household items or clothing to families, such is the urgent need.

Three quarters (75%) of children in poverty are in working families¹ with rates expected to worsen² as the cost-of-living crisis continues.

Some of the issues highlighted by the charity’s frontline workers included:

  • a family having to pawn all their electricals to buy food for their children
  • a child who sleeps on a pile of blankets as its parents can’t afford a bed, and
  • a single parent to several children with additional needs working seven days a week trying to balance support for their children and earning enough money to make ends meet.

One worker asked a young girl if there was anything she would like from Santa this year, to which she replied: ‘I’m not asking for anything and I’m not writing it down on paper (then nodded towards her mum) because she would get too sad.’

Paul Carberry, National Director for Scotland at Action for Children, said: “For most of us the festive season is a happy time, yet as our shocking research shows there will be children across Scotland who face a very different Christmas this year.

“Instead of enjoying a safe and happy time, many children will wake up on Christmas morning to no presents, food or warmth. Every day our frontline workers are helping families keep their heads above water, making sure they have the basics like hot meals and proper winter clothes, as well as offering emergency support to keep homes warm and help families pay the bills.

“In yet another year when children and families have been pushed deeper into crisis, supporting them is more important than ever.

“Poverty is not inevitable, it is about political choices. The Scottish government has made a big step in the journey to end child poverty via their Scottish Child Payment, which we supported and called for, but families now require urgent giant leaps from both the UK and Scottish Government to make child poverty consigned to the past.

“Until every family can keep their child warm and well fed, we’ll be there to help them – that’s why we’re asking people to donate to help us make a life-changing difference to vulnerable children this Christmas and beyond. With your help we can be a vital lifeline for even more children across Scotland.”

Case study: 

Tina Buchan, 43, lives in Inverness and has five children with her partner Moni Buchan, 52. Tina works full-time as a Deputy Store Manager B&M store and her husband is a chef. He has struggled to find work near home and is currently working in London, leaving him apart from his family. Like so many families in Scotland, they are struggling to make ends meet this Christmas.

Tina was already struggling to make ends meet before household bills increased and, despite a recent promotion in work, is still being forced to take drastic measures to feed her children.

“There are some days we won’t put the fire on and just have blankets around us,” said Tina. “I don’t eat much anyway but some days I just have some beans on toast once or twice a day so my kids can have a proper meal.

“I’m pay as you go for my electric and I’m paying around £50 more a month just now. For heating, we have a coal fire and the price of coal has gone up a lot. The coal used to be £10 per bag and now it’s gone up to £15 a bag so it’s having a big impact on our budget.

“I’m good at budgeting which is a godsend because if I wasn’t the stress would overwhelm me. I’m on a salary so my pay is the same each month which helps me know what I’m working with. Once I’ve paid my bills and bought some food for the house I’m hardly left with anything.

With five children, Christmas is a particularly difficult period for Tina. Her children are aware of the family’s financial struggles and do not have any expectations for Christmas presents.

“I’m lucky in that my kids don’t expect much and don’t ask for a lot because they know how expensive things can be,” she said. “They’re quite happy to have things like socks, pyjamas, and maybe a couple of wee toys. I speak to them properly about it. The youngest still believes in Santa Clause so he gets a couple of extra things but the others all know roughly what I’ll be giving them.

“I’m not one to ask for help, I’m too proud but last Christmas our support worker from Action for Children, Sarah Sproul, brought food hampers and some presents for all the kids. Having five kids is expensive so that made a big difference.”

The pressure of making ends meet is not only affecting Tina but the children as well. Her 16-year-old son Aiden has suffered from anxiety which led the family to initially coming into contact with Action for Children for support around two years ago.

Thankfully Aiden has come a long way since then and has “come out of his shell completely to the point that he’s a completely different person now”, according to his mother.

Unfortunately, Tina is now seeing her 10-year-old son Amir’s mental health impacted by the stress of the cost of living crisis and is arranging for him to receive support from Action for Children.

“I told the school two years ago that he was struggling to deal with his anxiety and I was told by the doctors that there’s nothing they could do at the moment because the children’s mental health waiting lists are so long.

“I’ve spoken to Sarah and she’s going to make sure Amir receives the support he needs through Action for Children. She has been amazing for this family and I can’t possibly thank her enough for everything she’s done to help us all. If it wasn’t for Action for Children, I don’t know where we’d be.”

To become a Secret Santa for Action for Children visit iamsanta.org.uk

Top of the League: Rashford is most influential member of England squad

  • Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is the most influential member of the England squad, earning up to £37,950 per sponsored Instagram post
  • Team captain, Harry Kane is the second most influential member of the squad whilst Raheem Sterling is the third most influential.
  • Midfielder Conor Gallagher has the most dedicated fanbase, with the highest engagement rate on Instagram among the team at 18.92%

A new study has revealed the most influential members of the England squad for the Qatar World Cup, with Marcus Rashford taking the top spot.

The research, conducted by online casino comparison experts KingCasinoBonus.uk, analysed marketing tools and the social media profiles of the England team to determine which England player is the most influential.

Marcus Rashford took first place earning up to a whopping £37,950 per sponsored Instagram post. This is thanks to his follower count of almost 13 million and an engagement rate of 3.28%. The Manchester United forward has been praised on social media for his work around providing free school meals for children across the UK, creating a dedicated fanbase ahead of the World Cup.

The England captain, Harry Kane, is the second most influential member of the England team. Kane, who boasts 13.3 million followers, can charge up to £36,997 per sponsored Instagram post. Interestingly, Kane has the lowest engagement rate of any member in the England squad at just 0.36%.

The third most influential member of the England team is Raheem Sterling. The Chelsea forward can charge up to £27,661 for a single post on social media. Sterling has 10 million followers on Instagram and an engagement rate of 1.27%.

Trent Alexander Arnold is the fourth most influential player in the England team, earning £22,308 per sponsored post on social media, whilst Phil Foden is the fifth most influential player, earning £15,565 per Instagram sponsored post.

Jack Grealish ranks sixth thanks to his follower count of 5.4 million and an engagement rate of 4.69%. Grealish can charge up to £14,971 per sponsored post on Instagram.

Midfielder Conor Gallagher has the highest engagement rate with fans at 18.92% whilst Jude Bellingham receives the most average likes per Instagram post at 481,008 likes.

Those who play up front also top the leader board with forwards occupying five of the top ten spots – Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish. Manchester United produces the most influential players with three of the top ten coming from the club – Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire.

England’s most influential players
RankPlayerInstagram UsernameFollower countPotential Instagram earningsEngagement rateAverage likes per post
1Marcus Rashfordmarcusrashford12,975,093£37,9503.28%422,632
2Harry Kaneharrykane13,306,943£36,9970.36%47,879
3Raheem Sterlingsterling710,030,643£27,6611.27%126,421
4Trent Alexander Arnoldtrentarnold668,148,889£22,3084.19%334,731
5Phil Fodenphilfoden5,765,258£15,5657.17%400,271
6Jack Grealishjackgrealish5,405,916£14,9714.69%251,745
7Mason Mountmasonmount5,215,031£14,5147.17%372,925
8Jordan Hendersonjhenderson5,104,144£14,1722.09%105,905
9Luke Shawlukeshaw234,308,064£11,9784.89%209,536
10Harry Maguireharrymaguire933,889,842£10,3802.58%99,737

Commenting on the study, a spokesperson from KingCasinoBonus.uk said: “The past success of the England team at the 2018 World Cup and the Euros last year brought the country together and catapulted many of the players to a bigger level of stardom.

“It will be interesting to see who gains the most followers throughout the World Cup tournament, particularly if England go on to do well.”

Charity launches Christmas campaign in memory of those lost to sepsis

Scotland-based charity Sepsis Research FEAT has launched a new Christmas campaign featuring the stories of families impacted by sepsis in order to help raise awareness of the deadly condition.

Sepsis takes the lives of approximately five people every hour in the UK. It occurs when the body’s response to an infection spirals rapidly out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs which can result in multiple organ failure and death.

Sepsis Research FEAT’s new campaign pays tribute to the many lives that have been lost to sepsis. It includes a Christmas video featuring singer Natalie Rushdie, who herself had sepsis in 2021.

In the video she performs Auld Lang Syne alongside images of people aged between 9.5 months to 92 years whose lives were tragically taken by sepsis. The Christmas campaign also features stories being shared by supporters from across the UK who were fortunate to have survived sepsis, some of whom have faced long-term and life-changing effects. 

The charity is highlighting the devastating impact sepsis can have on individuals and families so that more people will become aware of the symptoms and why it is vital to seek urgent medical attention if you spot them in yourself or a loved one.

As the UK’s only charity dedicated to funding research into sepsis while working to raise awareness, Sepsis Research FEAT works tirelessly to increase everyone’s knowledge about the condition. If people are able to recognise the symptoms of sepsis, they can act fast and seek medical help which improves their chances of recovery. 

The 5 key symptoms of sepsis everyone should know are:

  • Confusion 
  • Not passing as much urine as normal
  • Very high or low temperature 
  • Uncontrolled shivering
  • Cold or blotchy arms and legs 

Sepsis can be hard to recognise and diagnose because, in its early stages, it can have similar symptoms to common winter conditions like the flu and chest infections. However, if someone has any of the key symptoms becoming noticeably worse, this could indicate sepsis and urgent medical attention should be sought.

It can also be hard for people with sepsis to spot the signs in themselves as their health may deteriorate rapidly and they could become confused. Sepsis Research FEAT is urging people to look out for others this Christmas and seek medical attention on their behalf.

Colin Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Sepsis Research FEAT, said: “Christmas is a time for celebration but it is also a time to remember those we have lost and to consider how things could be so different. Too many lives are tragically taken by sepsis every year.

“We want our Christmas campaign to pay tribute to those people and also their families who are living with the devastating impact of sepsis. Our charity and supporters fight on in their name by continuing to raise awareness and fund vital research. We are incredibly grateful to those supporters who are sharing their stories this Christmas to help others learn about sepsis and how to spot it.

“Sepsis is an indiscriminate, deadly condition that can kill a previously healthy adult or child in a matter of hours. It is vital that everyone knows the symptoms so they can seek medical treatment in time. Cases of sepsis could be mistaken for the flu because the early symptoms are sometimes similar, particularly around Christmas time and the winter months when flu is more common.

“The difference is that these symptoms worsen rapidly when sepsis is the cause. The most important thing is to react fast and seek medical attention because this can improve chances of survival.

“Please support our campaign this Christmas to help spread the word about sepsis and how to recognise the symptoms. If you have personal experience of the condition then please consider sharing your story online using #StopSepsisNow. You can also take part in fundraising to support us to continue our work raising awareness of sepsis and funding ground-breaking research to help save lives.”

For more information about Sepsis Research FEAT and the charity’s Christmas campaign, visit https://sepsisresearch.org.uk

Day-to-day living spirals down for families with disabled children

As winter approaches, families with disabled or seriously ill children face dauntingly grave financial challenges, according to latest research findings.

In its latest poll, national charity Family Fund shows how prospects for the families it supports continue to worsen, as they grapple with the ever-rising cost of living for day-to-day needs. 

As the UK’s largest grant-making charity for families raising disabled and seriously ill children, on the lowest incomes, Family Fund provides essential goods and services to families including kitchen appliances, clothing, bedding, play and sensory equipment and much-needed family breaks.

Last year, it delivered over 170,919 grants and services, worth over £37 million, to families on low incomes across the UK.  

The charity’s Cost of Caring report, published last month for the first time, showed deteriorating conditions for families with disabled and seriously ill children. The report covered four quarterly polls in the year that followed the pandemic.

However, the latest quarterly poll, from September this year, shows an ever worsening picture, with families facing hunger and spiralling debts as they struggle to meet the needs of their children.

Families face a triple whammy of sky-high costs on top of severely reduced incomes, due to intense caring responsibilities and three-times-higher costs to look after a disabled child.

Over 70% of parents and carers report not being able to work at all, or as much as they want to, because of the care their children need, a post-pandemic reduction in support services for children, and parents being furloughed and living on reduced benefits.

Cheryl Ward, Family Fund’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our latest figures show that families with disabled and seriously ill children continue to face daunting financial challenges, which are worsening as winter approaches. 

“The majority of families who have been supported by Family Fund have shared with us how they are struggling to cover mounting debts and worry constantly about how they are going to clothe and feed their children, fund transport for medical appointments and heat their homes.  . 

“We are doing everything we can to support families whose costs are already three times higher to care for, and raise, their disabled children than costs for other children. We urge families who need support with urgent and essential items this winter to go to our website (Family Fund) to see if we can help them.”

Key findings from latest quarterly poll with UK families raising a disabled child or young person:

Impact on households:

  • average household income for families has fallen by over £660 in the last 12 months;
  • almost 60% of families (59%) report an increase in household bills of more than £100 a month;
  • 9 in ten families report they are struggling or falling behind on household bills (92%);
  • one in five families (21%) say their debt levels have risen by more than £1,000 in the last 12 months;
  • nearly 80 per cent of families (78%) have no savings to fall back on;
  • 75% of families say they would not be able to save £10 a month;
  • 58% have cut or skipped meals;
  • 40% have gone hungry because there was not enough money for food;
  • 48% are cutting back on energy;
  • over one third (35%) of families are cutting back on transport costs;
  • over one third (31%) of households said they have gone without carpets because they can’t afford them;
  • 11% have gone without a cooker or fridge;
  • 23% have gone without curtains;
  • 20% have gone without beds;
  • 27% have used a food bank;

Impact on disabled children:

  • 63% of families have cut back on play and recreational activities with their disabled child;
  • 31% are cutting back on toys or sensory toys for their disabled child;
  • 16% said they would like fresh fruit or vegetables every day for their disabled child;
  • 10 % said they would like a warm winter coat for their disabled child;
  • 76 % said their disabled child’s health and wellbeing had declined in some way over the last 12 months.

‘It’s Hard Work Being Poor’

A new report has found shocking evidence that women in Scotland are suffering increasing hardship, destitution, and food insecurity due to lack of support during the cost-of-living crisis.

In research conducted in partnership, the Poverty Alliance and the Scottish Women’s Budget Group (SWBG) found that women are experiencing increasing financial hardship and are at risk of falling into further debt as a consequence of the cost-of-living crisis. Women in low-paid work reported often missing out on social security support or cost-of-living payments, or free school meals, because they earn just above income thresholds.

The research was funded by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and included women from diverse backgrounds across Scotland. Women told researchers they are worried whether they will be able to afford their energy bills in winter and parents and carers are struggling to afford food and essential items like baby wipes, incontinence pads, and toilet roll.

The report contains 15 recommendations on how to better support women through this crisis and beyond. Key priorities include:

  • Ensuring adequate incomes for all through a “caring social security system”;
  • Investing in preventative public services and in support and advice services to help people manage debt;
  • Improving community amenities and services, ensuring that support provided is free from stigma;
  • For the UK government to uplift social security in line with inflation;
  • For the Scottish government to expand eligibility to sources of emergency support for women experiencing in-work hardship.

Download the report from here.

SWBG co-ordinator Sara Cowan said: “The costs crisis is affecting the vast majority of us, but this powerful research highlights again the unjust way that poverty especially affects women in our society.

“Women are more likely to be poor, have lower levels of savings and wealth, and are less able to find suitable work or increase their hours if they’re in work often due to caring responsibilities that fall disproportionately on women.

“The women in this research talked about the impossible decisions they had to make to prioritise feeding their children, and whether or not to turn the heating on. Or not being able to buy things like baby wipes, incontinence pads, or toilet roll.

“The Scottish and UK Governments can help by increasing and extending the emergency support available to people, and working to put justice and compassion at the heart of social security and our public services.”

Vivienne Jackson, Programme Manager at abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, said: “This important research shines a light on the real experiences of women in Scotland. It’s not right that people are struggling to afford to feed their families, or having to live in freezing cold houses because they can’t afford to put their heating on.

“We hope this research will add to the growing body of evidence that households need much more help from government during this crisis, and that we need to make financial fairness an urgent government priority.”

Fiona McHardy, Research and Information Manager at the Poverty Alliance, said: “This research shows that women are at risk of being pushed into destitution. The financial support that has been made available so far by both UK and Scottish Governments to help with the cost-of-living crisis is clearly not sufficient for many of the women in our study.

“It is vital that the UK Government increases the value of social security benefits in line with inflation. Any cut to UK benefits will led to unacceptable hardship for more women.

“In Scotland, we must find ways to expand eligibility for people who are in employment, are in need, but miss out on support. Too many women in Scotland are in urgent need of support – Scottish Ministers must leave no stone unturned in finding resources to support them during this crisis.”

SWBG_PA_Cost_of_Living_Report_FinalDownload

Women’s Realities (case studies)

The diary entries and interviews document women’s increasing desperation and despair as costs kept rising and incomes stayed where they are.

Stella

Stella, a Black lone-parent mother living with her children. Due to illness and subsequently losing employment, she had to apply for Universal Credit two years ago.

Even before the cost-of-living crisis, she noted how Universal Credit was an ‘insufficient means of livelihood even under normal circumstances as a single parent’. Now, due to increased utility bills, Stella supplements income with credit cards, which are accruing debt, and asking to ‘borrow money from family and…friends for financial help’. Stella was concerned about her energy bills, so now she only uses the washing machine once a week for her family.

Stella’s children were conscious of rising costs: ‘even as a child [her son] realises how much food bills have increased, and it impacts him greatly’. On top of the impact this is having for her child, she shared that she is having to consider ‘significant changes in [their household’s] diet’.

Stella was becoming increasingly socially isolated because of the high cost and unreliability of public transport. Consequently, she is unable to ‘attend church every Sunday. This impacts me spiritually and deprives me of much needed interaction and social isolation’.

Her September entries were mainly focused on how price rises were impacting every aspect of her family’s life. Food was costing over £20 more each shop, and when thinking about the future, she noted: ‘it will be too much and [she] will not be able to afford it’.

Stella wrote: “This cost-of-living crisis have brought untold pain and suffering on women especially single parents and children because of the way it impacts our lives on a daily basis. Not being able to afford the essentials of life can be very stressful and robs women of their dignity and self-worth.”

Sue

Sue is a white lone parent mother who has long-term health issues. She works part-time and recently stopped accessing Employment and Support Allowance by taking on a second low-income job.

To manage increased costs of living on her low income, Sue made a list of ideas including getting another part-time job, asking for more hours in her current employment, asking for a mortgage holiday, skipping meals and selling jewellery and things in the house. She wrote: “Sad one this for me, sold jewellery, mine and my gran’s wedding rings…but it is to help in a crisis that our household is facing and needs action fast so it had to be done”.

Idia

Idia, a lone mother, reflected on the challenges of being able to afford food and going hungry in almost all her diary entries. On the small amount she receives as an asylum seeker for her family, she wondered how she is expected to be able to buy food with costs rising week by week. She shared the damaging impacts on her mental health. She also shared: “the most frustrating part of the week for me was not being able to afford to get my kids snacks”.

“I spoke to my friend who told me she has been starving and only eats at night,” Idia said. “I have started doing that though it didn’t go well with me the first day, but I will get used to it.”

Sarah

Sarah is a parent and works full-time in a role providing advice and support to people in the community. In October, she was concerned about managing her existing debts and rising energy costs, particularly as she lives in an old house with poor insulation. She is no longer able to afford to go out places and see family or friends. Her interview highlighted the challenges for people in low-paid work during the crisis. She is not entitled to benefits or support with the cost of living.

Sarah said: “And I was thinking, ‘How can I… how can I keep my daughter, how can I keep warm? What if I have to go to work and then come home and freeze my ass off every night. And I was, I honestly got to the point where I was thinking, ‘What’s the point of living?’ You were going into shops, the prices were going up so much, and it was like, ‘Well I work so God damn hard, I get no help. I’m helping people get help, do you know what I mean? But yet I can’t access any help myself?’.”

Pioneering sports official graduates mark the final whistle of their Edinburgh Napier studies

Christina Barrow and Clare Daniels are the first to complete the world-leading Masters degree for referees and umpires

Edinburgh Napier University is celebrating the achievements of two trailblazing sports officiating graduates.

Christina Barrow and Clare Daniels are the first to be shown the red scroll after completing the world’s first taught Masters degree of its kind – designed specifically for referees and umpires.

Christina took on the three-year programme with ENU alongside her work as International Officiating Manager at World Netball, a role she has achieved after only getting involved in the sport at the age of 30.

Clare undertook her studies while working as a Performance Reviewer and coach for match officials in rugby union’s Professional Group of Match Officials Team, following a successful refereeing career on the pitch.

Both carried out pioneering research as well as completing the bespoke modules on skills including decision making and communication. They have been presented with their degrees during a graduation ceremony at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh today [Wednesday 26 October].

As part of her research into the challenges faced by female match officials, Somerset-born Clare compared the world of sport with sectors like the fire service and STEM industries.

She said: “Many of the challenges female referees deal with are very similar to those women face in industry and the corporate world. I found there are a lot of things we can learn and share from other sectors.

“Before I looked at academia and thought it was nothing to do with me, but when you dip your toe in the water you see there’s a wealth of knowledge that can help make us better. I think it’s hugely underused.

“When I left college I went straight into work, but I felt that at this stage in my life I have a much more curious attitude and a desire to learn. My mindset was right.

“I’ve become more curious in how we could do things differently, asking more questions and not just accepting the way things are done. It brings a fresh perspective.”

Christina, from Chorley in Lancashire, whose research looked at wellbeing support for officials, said: “The course seemed like a perfect fit. It’s allowed me to find out things that will help other officials in netball.

“It’s been challenging – you have to dedicate yourself – but what you gain is definitely worth it. Personally, you achieve great things.

“To be an umpire, or a referee, you have to be resilient. Netball officials are managing themselves well, but the support they get could be improved. My research found that help was often unstructured.

“It’s given me a platform to understand the problem so I can solve it and represent our officials better. I think it’s also a springboard to maybe expand into other sports and see what we can learn from each other.

“I see research as a jigsaw puzzle – you’re just looking to add more pieces. Sometimes you don’t find the pieces you want, or you need to shuffle them around, but it all helps add to the picture.”

Dr Duncan Mascarenhas, Associate Professor and Programme Leader for MSc Performance Enhancement in Sports Officiating at Edinburgh Napier University said: “It’s so exciting, I’m so pleased for them. They’ve put in the hard yards. It’s a big statement for the university that we’re able to upskill these high-profile experts in their fields.

“These two students are pioneering the programme in very different contexts – Christina as an administrator and leader in netball and Clare as a former referee and now a referee coach for rugby.

“They’re trailblazers and great role models for others coming through.

“All the modules in the programme are tailored to the students’ needs. It means we’re dealing with areas of sport which have never really been tested.

“Officiating research is relatively young. It effectively began in the eighties but only really started growing in the late nineties. There’s so much that’s still unexplored and it’s an exciting area to be involved in.”

Researchers develop 3D treatment that could revolutionise diabetes treatment

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have designed a new bandage treatment, known as a scaffold, to treat diabetic foot ulcers, which is cost-effective while improving patient outcomes. Produced by 3D bioprinting, the scaffolds slowly release antibiotics over a four-week period to effectively treat the wound.  

Diabetes, a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high, is among the top ten causes of deaths worldwide.  

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), is a serious complication of diabetes, affecting approximately 25% of diabetic patients. When identified, over 50% are already infected and over 70% of cases result in lower limb amputation. 

The treatment strategy required for the effective healing of DFU is a complex process that requires several combined therapeutic approaches. As a result, there is a significant clinical and economic burden associated in treating DFU. These treatments are often unsuccessful, which leads to lower-limb amputation. 

This new research demonstrates outcomes with significant implications for patient quality of life, as well as decreasing the costs and clinical burden in treating DFU. 

Recent research has focused on drug-loaded scaffolds to treat DFU. The scaffold structure is a novel carrier for cell and drug delivery that enhances wound healing.  

The research, published in Springer Link, will be presented by Professor Lamprou at the Controlled Release Society (CRS) Workshop Italy (7 – 9 October).  

Professor Dimitrios Lamprou, a Professor of Biofabrication and Advanced Manufacturing at Queen’s School of Pharmacy and corresponding author, explains: “These scaffolds are like windows that enable doctors to monitor the healing constantly. This avoids needing to remove them constantly, which can provoke infection and delay the healing process. 

“The ‘frame’ has an antibiotic that helps to ‘kill’ the bacteria infection, and the ‘glass’ that can be prepared by collagen/sodium alginate can contain a growth factor to encourage cell growth. The scaffold has two molecular layers that both play an important role in healing the wound.” 

Lead author Ms Katie Glover, from the Queen’s School of Pharmacy, concludes: “Using bioprinting technology, we have developed a scaffold with suitable mechanical properties to treat the wound, which can be easily modified to the size of the wound.

“This provides a low-cost alternative to current DFU treatments, which could revolutionise DFU treatment, improving patient outcomes while reducing the economic burden caused by rapidly increasing patient demand as the number of people with diabetes continues to increase every year.” 

Older Victims of abuse are ‘invisible’ and ‘last in line’ for Government support, says elder abuse charity

Marking International Day for Older Persons, Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is calling on the government to urgently support older victims of abuse as they are currently last in line for funding support, as shown in recent research undertaken by the charity.

The charity, which has the only UK-wide 24/7 elder abuse helpline and casework service, is seeing a marked increase in calls and is hitting crisis point due to the lack of government and statutory funding.

During the last financial year, Hourglass received £326,619 in Government grants. In the same year, fellow inspirational charities like the NSPCC (child abuse) received a government grant of £14.7 million, The Safelives Trust (domestic abuse services) £2.1 million, the Kaleidoscope Diversity Trust (Freedom, Safety and Equality for LGBT+ People) over £1 million and the Dogs Trust (life-changing services for dogs in need) over £5 million.

Hourglass pays tribute to the fantastic work of these life-changing charities but is calling on the government to level the playfield for victims of all ages and across the spectrum of abuse services.

The charity has seen a significant increase in helpline calls, answering 96% more calls in August 2022 than the same month last year, it is also reporting a waiting list for casework services.

At the same time the charity faces significant financial uncertainty with funding for this unique service being put out for commercial tender and £16,000 ‘bridging funding’ from the Home Office nowhere near sufficient to maintain the helpline’s 24/7 operation.

Commenting on this Research, Hourglass CEO Richard Robinson said,
“Our Helpline is receiving more calls than ever before dealing with horrendous and complex cases of abuse against older people, who otherwise feel invisible and under-supported.

“We cannot continue to be last in line for financial support. Charities across the entire spectrum of abuse undertake phenomenal work and deserve all of the support they get, but it is telling that the only charity that supports older victims of abuse receive only a fraction of the support. It is truly unacceptable.

“We are coming to a crunch point. If the Hourglass helpline does not receive adequate funding soon, we will have no choice but to downsize. This is disgraceful given the growing number of older people who need our support. We now need urgent action and dialogue.”

Responding to this research, charity patron Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick said: “We have an ageing population and more vulnerable older people – services like the Hourglass helpline play a vital role in ensuring safer ageing.

“The Government must ensure that funding is made available so that the Hourglass helpline can not only maintain but expand its important service to older people.”

Breakthrough in how diabetes causes vision loss

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have uncovered a key process that contributes to vision loss and blindness in people with diabetes. The findings could lead to new treatments that can be used before any irreversible vision loss has occurred. 

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes and occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the cells at the back of the eye, known as the retina. There are no current treatments that prevent the advancement of diabetic retinopathy from its early to late stages, beyond the careful management of diabetes itself. As a result, a significant proportion of people with diabetes still progress to the vision-threatening complications of the disease. 

As the number of people with diabetes continues to increase globally, there is an urgent need for new treatment strategies, particularly those that target the early stages of the disease to prevent vision loss. 

The retina demands a high oxygen and nutrient supply to function properly. This is met by an elaborate network of blood vessels that maintain a constant flow of blood even during daily fluctuations in blood and eye pressure. The ability of the blood vessels to maintain blood flow at a steady level is called blood flow autoregulation. The disruption of this process is one of the earliest effects of diabetes in the retina. 

The breakthrough made by researchers at Queen’s University Belfast pinpoints the cause of these early changes to the retina.

The study, published in the US journal JCI Insight, has discovered that the loss of blood flow autoregulation during diabetes is caused by the disruption of a protein called TRPV2. Furthermore, they show that disruption of blood flow autoregulation even in the absence of diabetes causes damage closely resembling that seen in diabetic retinopathy. 

The research team are hopeful that these findings will be used to inform the development of new treatments that preserve vision in people with diabetes. 

Professor Tim Curtis, Deputy Director at the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s and corresponding author, explains: “We are excited about the new insights that this study provides, which explain how the retina is damaged during the early stages of diabetes. 

“By identifying TRPV2 as a key protein involved in diabetes-related vision loss, we have a new target and opportunity to develop treatments that halt the advancement of diabetic retinopathy.” 

The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Department for the Economy Postgraduate Studentship scheme.