Scottish Government – Page 349 – The NEN

£100 million to tackle fuel poverty

New loans/grants scheme to improve energy efficiency

Scotland’s most vulnerable households will receive help to make their homes warmer and cheaper to heat thanks to a £103 million investment to tackle fuel poverty.

This funding includes a new £14 million loans scheme which will offer homeowners interest-free loans of up to £10,000 for energy efficiency measures.

The Scottish Government will also launch the next phase of its Cashback scheme which will see £10 million made available to homeowners and private tenants, and £5 million for social landlords.

Through the scheme private sector households will be able to claim up to £5,800 for installations recommended by an energy advice report, and households in remote areas will be entitled to greater amounts to cover the increased costs they face. In 2014/15 1,700 social landlord tenants benefitted from the Cashback scheme while it delivered 4,000 energy efficiency measures to 3,400 households in the private sector.

These measures, combined with £65 million for area based fuel poverty schemes and funding for support and advice to householders, takes the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency in 2015/16 to £103 million.

Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced the investment on a visit to meet residents from Irvine Housing Association.

She said: “It is unacceptable that anyone should experience fuel poverty in Scotland which is why we are investing more than £103 million to tackle this issue head on.

“Our new loan scheme will give homeowners the opportunity to apply for interest-free loans which will make it easier for them to take action and install energy efficiency measures in their properties. The loan can be used alongside the Cashback voucher.

“I’d encourage anyone with fuel poverty concerns to seek free and impartial advice on how they can reduce their energy costs or how to receive support for home insulation, boilers or central heating, by contacting Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282.

“Since 2009 we have allocated over half a billion pounds to make Scotland’s homes more energy efficient with over 700,000 households benefitting from measures like new boilers or insulation.

“The Scottish Government is determined to tackle the inequalities that exist in our society, and making sure everyone has access to a home where they can be safe and warm, is an essential part of this.”

Funding from the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes Scotland (HEEPS) over the past two years has given Irvine Housing Association the opportunity to install solid wall insulation in residents’ homes.

Nicola Thom, Managing Director of Irvine Housing Association said: “In the last two years we have brought £4 million of external investment funding to our Ayrshire communities. This year we were successful in securing £1.8 million of Scottish Government funding to carry out energy efficiency works to owners’ properties in our communities and we are delighted to show the Minister the transformation.

“Whilst the visual impact transforms the look of the estate, ultimately these works were to improve the energy efficiency of the properties and reduce fuel costs for the residents.

“Each household stands to save an average of £200 per year and our Affordable Warmth Officer will be assisting residents to maximise on the savings and make best use of their new installations.”

Neil Marshall , Chief Executive of the National Insulation Association which represents the insulation industry in Scotland said: “We welcome and congratulate the Scottish Government on this new package of support which will enable thousands of households to receive insulation measures to combat fuel poverty whilst stimulating work for Scottish businesses.

“The Scottish Government is showing leadership and innovation in its approach to tackling fuel poverty and stimulating demand for energy efficiency amongst Scottish householders through the design of the new schemes, targeting hard to treat properties and the new interest free loans.

“What’s more, the fact that it includes another phase of the Cashback also provides much needed support to housing associations and councils in tackling their least efficient housing stock as they strive to work towards the recently announced EESSH standards

Cash to tackle inequalities in Edinburgh

Dunedin Canmore and Port of Leith Housing Associations among projects t0 receive People and Communities Fund awards

Projects which promote healthy eating, IT skills and household budgeting will receive more than £690,000 funding to tackle poverty and inequalities in Edinburgh, it was announced this morning.

Fourteen projects from across the city have secured a share of the Scottish Government’s People and Communities Fund (PCF) to change disadvantaged communities by providing advice, training or voluntary opportunities.

These include Port of Leith Housing Association’s Canny Budgeting which will receive £35,000 to offer advice to residents on tackling fuel poverty, more than £10,000 for Dunedin Canmore Housing Ltd’s Digital Skills for All for IT workshops and £23,000 for Broomhouse Health Strategy’s healthy eating classes.

The 20 More project, will receive £37,000 through PCF to empower local people and help households save £20 a week, through training opportunities which will allow them to gain skills and qualifications in community development, and benefits and energy advice, at the project’s community shop.

Speaking on a visit to the 20 More Community Shop and Serenity Café which is also operated by Comas, Community Empowerment Minister Marco Biagi said: “Every community in Scotland has different challenges and aspirations and there is no one-size fits all approach to tackling poverty.

“That’s why our People and Communities Fund is giving communities in Edinburgh the power and confidence to shape their own futures.

“With household budgets under pressure, it’s great to see a project like 20 More looking for ways to save 600 of the area’s most vulnerable families at least £20 a week and helping to ease some of the stress of paying their bills.”

Ruth Campbell, Chief Executive of Comas said: “We are so pleased that the Scottish Government is focusing on empowering communities, as sustainable change must be community-led and start from the grassroots. This grant enables us to put local people in the driving seat and builds their capacity for community-led action.

“Training local people in benefits advice and energy saving will directly impact on wellbeing in this community. It will also help some residents gain employment in these growing sectors, so the grant will have a strong ripple effect.”

See below for the full list of projects to receive PCF awards:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/community/pcf/awards

Scotland leads the world with lifesaving strategy

Strategy aims to save 1,000 lives from cardiac arrest by 2020

A new strategy has been launched which aims to save 1,000 lives from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) over the next five years. Scotland’s Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy is the first such comprehensive document produced on a national scale anywhere in the world.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, introduced the strategy at the Scottish Cardiac Arrest Symposium, an international gathering of leading experts, in Edinburgh yesterday. She also confirmed that £100,000 of health consequential spending resulting from last week’s budget will be used to support delivery of the strategy and improve access to defibrillators.

The strategy sets a goal of increasing survival rates from OHCA by 10 per cent at the end of the five year strategy. This would mean around 1,000 lives being saved by 2020.

Some of the aims include:

• Equipping a further 500,000 people with CPR skills by 2020
• Improved mapping of defibrillators so that emergency call handlers can quickly direct members of the public to them
• Ensure that patients are always taken to a place with appropriate post cardiac arrest care
• To provide better support to survivors and their families and ensure that any any bystanders and others impacted by OHCA are given support after the event
• To reduce inequalities in survival
• To increase people’s confidence to attempt CPR if they witness a cardiac arrest

When a person goes into cardiac arrest their heart and breathing stops, meaning they will die in minutes. Prompt resuscitation, by CPR or if needed, a defibrillator, is essential to improve chances of survival. CPR delivered quickly can increase chances of survival threefold.

The strategy has been jointly produced by a range of stakeholders including the Scottish Government, British Heart Foundation, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland

A key element of the strategy is for all these stakeholders to work together to improve the crucial ‘chain of survival’ from the moment of cardiac arrest, through to hospital admission and into aftercare.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “Currently around one in 20 people survive cardiac arrest. We want to greatly increase that number, and that is what this strategy is all about.

“The best way to ensure that more people survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is to increase the number of people who have CPR skills, and crucially, to make sure they are confident enough to attempt resuscitation if the need arises.

“If we succeed in our aims, there will be 1,000 lives saved by 2020. That is an ambitious target, but it is one that we believe is achievable and well worth aiming for. I am also pleased to be able to confirm that a further £100,000 of investment to support this strategy.”

Simon Gillespie, British Heart Foundation Chief Executive, said: “Scotland has already embraced the concept of creating a nation of lifesavers, and we’re now supporting around three quarters of secondary schools in teaching their pupils vital CPR skills.

“And today, we’re delighted to see the launch of the Scottish Government’s Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest strategy. This is a real commitment to ensuring Scotland leads the way in creating a nation of lifesavers, and improving outcomes for people who suffer a cardiac arrest.”

Jim Ward, Medical Director, Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “Ambulance staff play a pivotal role in saving lives and the focus on continuously developing and improving resuscitation efforts is key to this.

“Our 3RU initiative that specifically targets cardiac arrests with the most appropriate paramedic response has increased survival rates. Our ambulance teams provide bystander CPR advice and our community resilience teams deliver a wide range of initiatives around the country, including First Responder programmes, community CPR training and provision of public access defibrillators.

“The Scottish Ambulance Service will continue to develop partnerships with allied organisations and communities, saving lives across Scotland.”

Wendy Armitage, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Cardiac Manager, said: “We know that there is much more to be done for people who survive cardiac arrest. Survivors often have specific needs such as social and psychological, however these needs are not being identified and addressed. Family and peer support is crucial for these patients, so the charity supports a network of affiliated heart groups across Scotland where people can speak to other people in similar circumstances.”

Fred Lippet, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Chief Executive of the Ambulance Service in Denmark, and one of the world’s leading experts in OHCA, said: “This is a fantastic strategy and, although it is stretching, I believe Scotland will achieve its goals due to the commitments made in the strategy.”

Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Strategy for Scotland can be found here:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/03/7484

Scottish government moves to tackle violence against women

Scottish Government to consult on domestic abuse and sexual offences

Proposals to help victims of Domestic Abuse and Sexual offences have been announced in a consultation by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Speaking at the Scottish Women’s Aid conference in Edinburgh yesterday, the First Minister confirmed that the consultation would seek views on how legislation can be used to better support victims of Domestic Abuse and Sexual offences.

In her address, the First Minister outlined that the consultation would look at five key areas, among them would be whether a specific offence of Domestic Abuse is required and if legislation to tackle the problem of so-called “revenge porn” – the posting, usually by ex-partners, of private, intimate images without consent is needed to provide further protection.

The First Minister told the delegates that the Scottish Government was committed to tackling all forms of violence against women and to the realization of women’s equality in our society. She said: ““Violence against women is both a symptom and a cause of wider gender inequality across our society. And so ending violence against women has to be part of a broader strategy – we also need to achieve true gender equality in society as a whole.

“And of course, that’s exactly what this Government is trying to do. Appointing a gender balanced cabinet; campaigning for gender equality in the boardroom; expanding childcare; and addressing gender stereotypes. We’re working to create an economy and a society where discrimination has no place. There is still a great deal to do, but this government is determined to take a lead.

Urging the delegates to take part in the consultation the First Minister said: “We are launching a far reaching consultation today on whether the current law on domestic abuse and sexual offences should be clarified and strengthened. I strongly encourage you to respond; the deadline is the 19th of June.

“Domestic abuse in law can be challenging therefore we need to ensure that our legislation commands wide support, anticipates possible pitfalls, and allows us to prosecute the people who perpetrate these crimes.

“If there is a consensus on what we need to do, we will legislate in this Parliament. But if we need to do further work with stakeholders to ensure we get this absolutely right, we will do so.

“Either way, we will make clear that on-going coercive and controlling behaviour is unacceptable; and that those who commit such crimes will face justice. We know that changing the law isn’t enough on its own – but it can play an important part in the wider social and cultural changes we want to bring about.”

Lily Greenan, Scottish Womens Aid, Chief Executive, said: “It is twenty years since the Beijing Platform for Action laid out the work that should be undertaken globally to improve and protect women’s human rights. The Platform for Action identified violence against women as one of the critical areas of concern. We are delighted that the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women is able to join us in reviewing the progress we have made in Scotland since 1995 to tackle violence against women.

“Equal participation of women and men in decision making was also one of the goals of the Beijing declaration. It’s a particular pleasure therefore to welcome First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to the conference.

“Ms Sturgeon’s appointment demonstrates that some progress has been made on gender equality in the last twenty years. The conference will hear from frontline Women’s Aid workers how far this progress is reflected in the experiences of the women and children they support.”

More funding for mental health services

A new £15 million fund for mental health will help to fund innovation and improve services over the next three years.

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health announced details of the scheme in parliament yesterday. The funding will be spread out over the next three years and will be made up of four key elements:

• An allocation to NHS boards to support increased access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and to develop new and innovative approaches to treatment
• Funding to NHS Education Scotland to further develop the quality of CAMHS through improved training
• Work with partners and boards to develop better ways of helping people in distress – including those who are at risk of self harm or suicide
• Money to work with boards and partners to develop new ways of working with people with mental health problems in primary care settings

The £15 million innovation fund was first announced in November last year and the details have now been confirmed.

Mr Hepburn announced the details during a parliamentary debate of the Mental Health Bill. This bill, which successfully passed its stage one process yesterday, looks to amend legislation so that is works as well as possible for service users. It also introduces a Victim Notification Scheme for victims of mentally disordered offenders in a way that respects the rights of both victims and vulnerable offenders.

Jamie Hepburn said: “Expenditure on mental health is around £896 million in Scotland, but this additional funding will allow us to do more. It will enable us to find more creative and innovative ways to help people with mental health problems, whether they are going to their GP for the first time, or experiencing severe distress.

“I am particularly pleased to be able to announce that some of this funding will be used to improve access to child and adolescent mental health services, and to improve training in this area.

“We’ve made significant progress in this area in recent years, with a substantial improvement in waiting times and a record number of people working in the field. But there is an increasing number of referalls as more young people feel able to ask for help. That is a good thing, but also brings challenges. Through the innovation fund we will be able to find better ways of helping these vulnerable young people.”

Edinburgh leads the world on family nurse partnership

Edinburgh has become the first city in the world to offer the family nurse partnership programme to all eligible women after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that the service will continue on a sustained basis.

Speaking at a reception to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the scheme for first-time mothers, the First Minister said since its launch the programme had provided support and advice to 660 young women across NHS Lothian, with an average take-up rate of 81 per cent among the eligible group.

Addressing the event at Edinburgh Castle, the First Minister – who launched the pilot programme in NHS Lothian in 2010 – confirmed that the resources and staffing were now in place for every eligible young mother in the city to be offered a place on the programme.

Ms Sturgeon said the positive experience in NHS Lothian was now being replicated across Scotland with teams already in place across eight health board areas – Lothian, Tayside, Fife, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Forth Valley and Lanarkshire – and plans for expansion into Borders and Grampian later this year.

The First Minister said: “It’s now five years since the Family Nurse Partnership pilot project was established in Lothian. In that time it has been such a success that it now operates in seven other health board areas across the country. It will be established in two more – Grampian and Borders – over the course of the summer.

“In total, more than 2,000 mothers have already benefited from the programme – more than 600 of them here in Lothian.

“It’s one of the best investments we can make as a society – we give young mothers the support they need, we help children to get the best possible start in life, and we reduce public spending further down the line, because we have better health, education and employment outcomes.

“That’s why I’m delighted to announce today that Edinburgh has become the first city anywhere in the world, to offer the family nurse partnership to every first-time mother aged 19 and under. That will make a huge difference to mothers and children across the city, and it’s a testament to the success of the partnership so far.”

Kate Billingham, Senior Adviser at Nurse Family Partnership International said:
“On behalf of the programme’s founder, Prof David Olds I congratulate Scotland and all they have achieved for young parents and their children.

“To have the first city in the world to reach 100 per cent coverage for teenage mums – along with high levels of quality – is an amazing achievement. Today we are recognising the leadership in Scotland, the skilled and dedicated nurses and the parents who have worked hard for their children and their own futures.”

Melanie Johnson, Executive Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, said: “We are particularly pleased and proud in NHS Lothian that Edinburgh has become the first city in the world to be able to offer care to every client who requires it under the Family Nurse Partnership.

“The service first began as a pilot project in January 2010 in Edinburgh and since then it has gone from strength to strength. It has also made a real and lasting impact after it was rolled out across the rest of Lothian and also Scotland.

“We are honoured that the First Minister attended our event because she was at the first launch event in 2010 and was able to meet some of the original parents, who were the first to graduate from the service, and their children, most of whom will start school in the summer.”

Edinburgh Western MSP Colin Keir has welcomed the news that the pioneering family nurse partnership is to be continued and replicated across Scotland.

Mr Keir said: ‘This is great news for first-time mums in NHS Lothian, giving them the support they need and helping to give children the best possible start in life. I’m delighted that Edinburgh has become the first city in the world to offer this service to every first-time mum aged 19 and under. I welcome the news that this pioneering initiative has been such a success that it is being replicated and rolled out across Scotland.’

Scotland’s Adoption Register – new website launched

Families found for vulnerable children

Vulnerable children are finding adoptive families faster thanks to an improved system for matching prospective parents with youngsters from across Scotland. The new improved website for Scotland’s Adoption Register was launched yesterday.

Innovations to the site – which is run by the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government – will help to involve prospective adopters and social workers more directly in the process of finding families for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.

The website will build on the progress the register has already had in matching children and prospective adopters. The number of referrals to the register is continuing to grow – and more importantly the number of confirmed matches is increasing at an accelerating pace.

The milestone of 150 matches made was passed in January.

By sharing information more effectively the website will make an important contribution to the process of quickly finding the right match for the children who need adoptive families.

Robin Duncan, Scotland’s Adoption Register Manager said: “There are frustrations about how long the adoption process can take and of how difficult it can be to find families for all the children who need them, but we are very excited by the opportunities the re-launched website brings and the innovations to the Scottish Register will help speed up the matching process to find families for all the children who need them.”

Fiona McLeod, Acting Minister for Children, said: “These improvements to the new website reflect the growing success Scotland’s Adoption Register has had in finding secure, stable and loving homes for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.

“The website will arm prospective parents with the information and advice they need to go forward. It is also a great practical resource for social workers who are key in helping to make placements between children who are suitable for adoption and prospective adopters in Scotland.

“When you are dealing with something as deeply personal and life-changing, it is so vitally important to have the necessary information available and in a format as straight forward as possible. This website will enable this to happen as well as assist social workers to provide all the necessary support required.”

Not in front of the children: Minister urges ad ban

Ads for alcohol and fatty foods should be adult viewing only

Alcohol and junk food advertising should be prohibited before the 9pm watershed in order to protect children, Public Health Minister Maureen Watt said yesterday.

Ms Watt has written to UK Government ministers arguing that the move would protect children from exposure to powerful marketing messages and branding. Control over broadcast advertising is currently reserved to Westminster.

Adverts for alcohol and high fat, salt and sugar foods are not permitted during children’s programming. But they are allowed during early evening shows that are watched by large numbers of young people.

Stronger restrictions are supported by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the British Medical Association (BMA) and Alcohol Focus Scotland.

The latest piece of research commissioned by the British Heart Foundation shows that many parents believe that broadcast advertising for high fat, salt and sugar foods remains a significant barrier which makes it more difficult for their children to adopt a healthy diet. According to their research that figure is highest in Scotland at 43 per cent. Extra restrictions on advertising for these types of food are also supported by Which?.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “In recent years the rate of obesity has been relatively stable, but still unaccepbtably high, and there have been some reductions in alcohol-related harm. But we still, in general, have diets that are far too high in fat, sugar and salt, and levels of alcohol-related harm which are significantly higher than they were just a few decades ago.

“If we are to tackle the significant public health problems we face, we need bold solutions. We need a culture change in the way we think about alcohol and food high in fat, salt and sugar. There is a wealth of research which shows that children seeing these adverts while they are watching their favourite family programmes respond positively towards them and they affect their behaviour. That’s something that needs to be addressed.”

Dr Peter Bennie, Chairman of the BMA Scotland, said: “The regulation of alcohol and junk food advertising in this country is far too weak, largely because these industries have been allowed to regulate themselves. Despite the serious health harms associated with excessive alcohol consumption and obesity in the UK, these industries use marketing to promote consumption of their products.

“The cost of alcohol to our society is significant and inevitably, the NHS picks up the pieces. Obesity rates too are worryingly high, driven by the promotion and availability of unhealthy foods. Obesity brings with it increased risk of a wide range of serious life threatening and chronic diseases. While doctors have a role to play in supporting overweight patients, there is a limit to what they can do.

“The UK Government could take decisive action to change the culture of excess that the junk food and alcohol industry promotes, and tougher regulation of advertising would be a positive first step.”

Barbara O’Donnell, Deputy Chief Executive at Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “Existing advertising codes fail to prevent under 18s from being exposed to alcohol advertising. Although current rules prohibit alcohol advertising around children’s programmes, alcohol adverts are allowed during early evening family viewing when the largest number of children watch television. As a result, 10 to 15 year olds in the UK see more alcohol adverts on television, per hour of television watched, than adults. Indeed, a survey just published by Alcohol Focus Scotland found that 10 and 11 year olds were more familiar with alcohol brands than leading brands of biscuits, crisps and ice cream.

“The bottom line is that we are failing to protect children and young people from alcohol harm. More effective controls are urgently needed to ensure alcohol marketing messages only reach adult audiences.”

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive at the BHF, said: “Regulations for TV and online advertising in the UK are too weak, allowing companies to exploit loopholes in the system at the expense of our children’s health. Every day millions of children are being bombarded with sophisticated marketing techniques encouraging unhealthy eating habits.

“Evidence shows that junk food adverts can influence children’s food preferences and consumption hampering parents’ efforts to get their children to eat healthily. In the UK over 30 per cent of children are overweight or obese and dietary surveys show that children are eating too much salt, sugar and saturated fat.

“The Government must act now to ban junk food marketing before the 9pm watershed to help give children a stronger chance of preventing future heart disease.”

Edinburgh flies the flag to mark Commonwealth Day

Capital to celebrate Games legacy

The Lord Provost Donald Wilson will convey a message from Her Majesty, The Queen before raising the Commonwealth Flag at the City Chambers on Commonwealth Day tomorrow (Monday).

It is expected that 730 flags will be raised on Monday by 53 Commonwealth countries. In Edinburgh, the flag-raising will also be an opportunity for the City of Edinburgh Council to celebrate the start of Legacy Week (9-15 March).

Legacy Week is a Scotland-wide Government initiative celebrating last summer’s Commonwealth Games. In Edinburgh, events spanning athletics, swimming, paralympics, walking and cycling will take place showcasing the variety of sporting opportunities that take place in the Capital.

Lord Provost Donald Wilson will say: “Organisations from all 53 Commonwealth countries are joining to raise more than 730 Commonwealth Flags in a shared celebration of this remarkable family of nations.

“The Commonwealth is made up of two billion citizens drawn from all faiths, cultures and ethnicities. Commonwealth countries come together voluntarily in a spirit of co-operation, partnership and understanding. It is for that reason we are here today to raise the Commonwealth Flag in unity with those throughout all the participating countries of the world.

“We also welcome the Commonwealth Day theme for 2015 which honours the future generation: A Young Commonwealth and commits to advancing opportunities for the development and growth our youth.”

Events to celebrate benefits of the Glasgow 2014 Games

Events will take place all over the country next week as partners come together to highlight the positive impact of the Commonwealth Games.

The third national Legacy Week (March 9 – 15) will put the spotlight on how the Games has helped to boost communities in Glasgow’s east end and beyond.

On the eve of the Week, a Legacy Cycle Ride takes place in the brand new Aberfoyle Bike Park, Stirlingshire, which has received funding from the Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund. Riders will take on a 40 km course to celebrate the positive influence the Games is having to encourage more people to take up physical activity.

On Monday, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, Jamie Hepburn will visit the new Dalmarnock Legacy Hub in the east end of Glasgow. Construction of the Hub is now nearing completion and the new modern community centre next to the Emirates Arena will provide health services, a nursery, leisure facilities and training and employment for local people.

Mr Hepburn will also visit Active East, a Glasgow scheme to inspire young people from deprived backgrounds to take advantage of the training opportunities connected to the Games, and on Thursday he will see some of the infrastructure projects being led by Clyde Gateway.

The legacy of the Games covers opportunities across community development, sport, education, culture, business, tourism, and many more areas of life and the Scottish Government will be supporting a number of events, projects and programmes across the Week.

Other events include a Legacy 2014 Equality and Human Rights Conference at Hampden Park; the opening of a national touring exhibition of artefacts showing the history of the Commonwealth Games Hosts and Champions in association with the Commonwealth Games Scotland Archive;, and activities taking place across Scotland involving community groups, local authorities and national partners involved in delivering the legacy of the Games including Young Scot, University of the West of Scotland, Cycling Scotland and Transport Scotland.

Mr Hepburn said: “The thing that made Glasgow 2014 such a success was the people. It was the spectators, volunteers and competitors who truly made them the best Games ever. It’s no surprise to see that the Games’ legacy is being driven by communities across the country, whether that’s through small local projects or big national programmes.

“Legacy Week is a chance to celebrate the contribution that people are making to ensure that the memory of the Commonwealth Games doesn’t fade.

“Whether that’s a bowls player taking a coaching qualification, or a young person working to build the Legacy Hub in Dalmarnock. All of them are just as much a part of the success story of the Games as the Team Scotland stars who did us proud last summer.”

Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council and Executive Member for Commonwealth Games, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “Hosting the Games provided us with an excellent opportunity to make our city healthier, greener and more prosperous; before, during and after the sporting event. For the council and our partners, legacy is a long term commitment and this week is a chance for all of us including individuals, organisations and communities to celebrate and showcase their achievements so far and what they have planned for the future.

“Yes, 2014 was a fantastic year for our city and it cemented our reputation for hosting high profile events and being a great place to live and visit, but now we have to keep the momentum of legacy going. We are continuing to lead on, provide the means for and support a range of projects and organisations that will help us to continue the momentum.”

During Legacy Week people can also enjoy the Games experience by also visiting the two legacy exhibitions currently running in Glasgow’s museums. Launched last week Blood, Sweat and Gears at the Riverside Museum showcases some of the Scottish athletes’ journeys and challenges faced in getting to the Games, while at the People’s Palace the Host City Volunteer exhibition ‘Our Games‘ highlights the experiences of the many different volunteers who delivered the best ever Commonwealth Games.

The show must go on!

Government commits over £2m to Edinburgh’s festivals

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, has confirmed £2.25m in funding to support Edinburgh’s festivals.

The latest round of the Scottish Government Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund will support twelve projects and the work of strategic umbrella organisation Festivals Edinburgh in 2015/2016.

The Expo Fund provides Edinburgh Festivals with £2.25 million to promote themselves to overseas audiences and invest in the work of talented Scottish artists and performers. Running since 2008, this year’s allocation brings the total invested close to £16m.

The focus of the 2015/16 Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund is new creative works by Scottish artists, international collaboration and the promotion of Edinburgh as the best festival city in the world.

Ms Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government Expo Fund is direct investment in the future of Edinburgh’s Festivals. The fund has given the festivals scope to deliver world class pieces and performances that have caught the imagination of international audiences. Thanks to the Expo Fund festivals are working more closely together boosting tourism and Scotland’s cultural ambitions.

“The investment in Edinburgh’s Festival is about creating long term benefits for Scottish artists, the economy and our country’s’ international reputation. The Edinburgh festivals contribute more than £250m in additional tourism revenue to Scotland’s economy but just as important is their international profile.

“Edinburgh’s Festivals have been defining and promoting Scotland’s identity as a confident, creative, welcoming nation for over 65 years. We are supporting their work through the Expo Fund to fund innovation, collaboration and artist development, all vital for future success of our festivals.”

Faith Liddell, Director at Festivals Edinburgh, said: ‘The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund provides an incredibly powerful platform for Scotland and its artists, thinkers and companies to be showcased to the world at Edinburgh’s Festivals.

“As a direct result, not only have hundreds of performances and events of the best Scottish work been presented as highlights in our prestigious Festival programmes; many have also been taken to other venues and festivals around the world and new networks and opportunities have been delivered for Scotland’s artists and thinkers.”

All twelve of Festival Edinburgh’s members benefit from the Expo Fund. The funded projects develop the creative industries at home and showcase Scottish talent abroad. The projects included in this round of funding are:

‘A Bollywood Love Story’, a collaboration between the Edinburgh Mela and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. A forty-minute, full length show in the Bollywood tradition will be created for the Mela Festival. Key aspects of the show will also be presented as part of this year’s Edinburgh Tattoo in August.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival Short Film Challenge will profile new Scottish filmmakers from across the country and the EIFF Talent Lab and Animation Lab will work with emerging feature film writers, directors and producers during the 2015 Festival.
The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival will use the funding to create new works by Scottish musicians and opportunities for them to perform internationally.
The Edinburgh International Festival will premiere a new stage adaptation of a classic Scottish novel with a leading Scottish theatre in 2015.
Expo Funding supports Edinburgh Art Festival’s commitment to opening up new and unexpected places across the city through its annual, city-wide commissions programme, providing a platform for leading and emerging Scottish artists to make ambitious publicly-sited work.
How a multilingual society influences literature in Scotland and elsewhere and how language and identity shapes the writers that Scotland produces will be examined in a dedicated strand for Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The Mela World Dance Feste continues this year as a platform for diverse arts within Scotland and will work alongside ‘A Bollywood Love Story’
Expo Funding makes the Made in Scotland Showcase, part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, possible.
The fund has already supported Scot_Lands during the 2015 Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations earlier this year.
Expo Funding will support, live and digital works as part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival will bring some of Scotland’s oldest cultural resource to international audiences with explorations of global issues.
In celebration of Scotland’s year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in 2016, the Edinburgh International Science Festival will launch a major new programme that will combine a cutting-edge technology showcase with an innovative series of associated events for teenagers.
Imaginate Platforms will be a celebration and showcase of Scottish-based artists who consistently create work of a world class standard for children and young people.

Festivals Edinburgh receives £250,000 to continue to promote and position Edinburgh as the world’s leading festival city.

Since 2008 the Scottish Government Expo Fund has provided a legacy of important new work. This includes writing by Don Paterson, Ali Smith and James Robertson to installations by artists Callum Innes and Martin Creed at Regent Bridge and the Scotsman Steps as well as science installations and ambitious new performing arts commissions that have gone on to tour around the world.

That funding in full:

Funding (2015/16)

Edinburgh Art Festival	£150,000
Edinburgh International Book Festival	£110,000
Edinburgh International Film Festival	£115,000
Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Made in Scotland	£590,000
Imaginate	£89,700
Edinburgh International Festival (EIF)	£200,000
Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival	£110,000
Edinburgh Mela	£80,000
Edinburgh International Science Festival	£100,000
Scottish Storytelling Festival	£95,300
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo & Edinburgh Mela	£160,000
Hogmanay Festival	£200,000
TOTAL	£2,000,000

Money well spent? Is the government right to support arts and culture to this extent when so many public services are under severe pressure? Or do you think our festivals are a key element in Edinburgh’s quality of life and deserve to be supported?

Let us know!