Granton Community Gardeners to feature on STV appeal programme

GRANTON COMMUNITY GARDENERS: CHANGING LIVES!

STV Children’s Appeal – Changing Lives, Friday 17 March at 8pm on STV

In 2016, the STV Children’s Appeal raised an incredible £2,568,369 for Scotland’s children, thanks to the fundraising efforts of individuals, communities, businesses and celebrities across the country.

In a special programme presented by Andrea Brymer, STV presenters Sean Batty, David Farrell, Chris Harvey and Lucy Whyte visit some of the many projects that benefit from Appeal funding, including Granton Community Gardeners in Edinburgh, to find out how the money is having a real impact in communities across Scotland.

Viewers will also get a chance to catch up with some of the young people and families who featured in STV’s Appeal programming in 2016. STV Children’s Appeal – Changing Lives will air on Friday 17th March at 8pm.

The half hour programme shines a light on the fantastic work taking place across Scotland to help children and young people affected by poverty, focusing on four projects; Granton Community Gardeners in Edinburgh, Home-Start in Aberdeen, Bridging the Gap in Glasgow and One Parent Families Scotland in Falkirk.

Granton Community Gardeners was set up by a group of neighbours to cultivate a piece of wasteland in one of the poorest areas of the city. The £1,000 grant from the STV Children’s Appeal is now helping the project offer children’s gardening clubs as well as regular community meals to help combat isolation and provide healthy food at very little cost for local families living in poverty. STV News presenter Lucy Whyte joins local school children at the project as they learn how to grow and eat fresh and healthy food.

STV News presenter Chris Harvey visits charity Home-Start in Aberdeen, which is one of several local Home-Start charities in Scotland to benefit from over £81,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal, to find out how the funding is making a difference. The grant will help deliver Big Hopes Big Future, a project that works with children before they start school to ensure they have the necessary skills and behaviors in place to participate fully and benefit from their early years in education.

Live at Five’s David Farrell visits Bridging the Gap, an inspirational community project based in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, to discover how the community is joining together to help families in the local area. The project has received £2,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal to support its community services, which range from parenting support to weekly community meals to help reduce isolation among new residents, whether they are from other parts of Glasgow or other parts of the world.

STV’s weatherman and long term supporter of STV Children’s Appeal, Sean Batty pays a visit to Falkirk charity One Parent Families Scotland to learn more about the work of the Braes Family Centre, which has received £46,471 from the Appeal.

Based in the Upper Braes area of Falkirk, the family centre offers child care and outreach work in schools, including anger management training for teenagers who have been or are at risk of being excluded from school. The project is now hoping to launch a community hub offering a food scheme, a community garden, regular meals and a platform for local people to build relationships and break down barriers in the community.

Presenter Andrea Brymer said: “We are so incredibly lucky to have the support of the Scottish people who continually raise amazing amounts of money for the STV Children’s Appeal. Handing out the cheques and seeing the real difference the money can make is what makes every part of it worthwhile. We supported so many fantastic projects across Scotland in 2016 and we’re looking forward to sharing some of their stories in this programme.”

Elizabeth Partyka of the STV Children’s Appeal said: “We are extremely grateful to everyone that fundraised and donated to the STV Children’s Appeal in 2016. In this programme we highlight four of the many incredible projects that we’ve been able to support to show that every donation, big or small, helps make a difference in the lives of children and young people affected by poverty in Scotland.

“We are now in the midst of planning another fantastic line-up of fundraising events and programming for 2017 and with the continued support of communities across Scotland we hope to make this our best year yet.”

Since launching in 2011, the STV Children’s Appeal has raised over £13.7 million, with 722 big and small grants distributed to projects across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, providing much needed support to over 62,000 children. The money raised is distributed to provide practical help like food and warm clothes; create opportunities for training and employability; and enable social and emotional support for those who need it most.

If you’re an individual or group that would like to help raise funds for children and young people living in poverty in Scotland with the STV Children’s Appeal, please get in touch with Natalie Wright at natalie.wright@stv.tv.

STV Appeal support for Youth Vision’s Back on Track

Community project, Back on Track, by charity Youth Vision in Edinburgh, has received £1,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal, boosting support for the local project.

Youth Vision works with children and young people from South West Edinburgh, offering a range of nature based informal education services that aim to develop confidence and self-esteem to support a healthy transition to adulthood. Back on Track is a support and learning programme for young people aged 14-16 who are not attaining in school, attending education, or engaged in employment. The programme provides a range of nature based activities and life skills that aim to support the personal and social development of young people and improve their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. The programme also includes an element of family support and community days meaning parents or carers are directly involved with the programme.

Claudia Goncalves, co-founder and chairperson of Youth Vision, said: “On behalf of the young people who benefit from our services I would like to thank the STV Children’s Appeal. The £1,000 we received will support young people aged 14 to 16 who really need our charity’s guidance and support to get back on track.”

Rob Woodward, STV CEO and trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “The STV Children’s Appeal was established to help improve the quality of life of vulnerable children and young people across Scotland. We are extremely grateful to everyone that has fundraised and donated to this year’s STV Children’s Appeal. All proceeds remain in Scotland which means we can support vital projects such as Back on Track in our efforts to improve the lives of children across the community. A special thanks to everyone for their ongoing support and acts of generosity for such an important cause.”

Sir Tom Hunter, trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “It’s charities like Youth Vision that can make the world of a difference to those young people most in need. From the bottom of my heart I thank everyone who raised money for the STV Children’s Appeal and can again confirm to every last one of you that every pound you gave is being invested in charities like Youth Vision to the benefit of Scotland’s young people. You raise a pound we give a pound, simple.”

Sir Ian Wood, trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “It remains deeply concerning that child poverty continues to impact so many lives across our country with over 200,000 children and young people in Scotland now affected. As a consequence the work carried out by the STV Children’s Appeal in providing support, help and opportunities for those who most need it has become even more significant. Such a divide between the have and have-nots on our own doorstep is totally unacceptable. However I am always heartened by the support and generosity of the people across Scotland who enable The STV Children’s Appeal to carry out such vital work. We all must play our part, no matter how large or small, in reducing these shocking statistics.”

Lorraine Kelly, presenter and STV Children’s Appeal trustee, has announced the STV Children’s Appeal 2016 has raised £2,568,369 for children and young people living in poverty in Scotland, with an exciting line-up of fundraising activities planned for 2017.

STV Appeal support for Butterfly Trust

Edinburgh’s Butterfly Trust has received £1,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal, boosting support for the local project. Continue reading STV Appeal support for Butterfly Trust

Who Cares? STV Children’s Appeal viewers do!

STV’s fantastic line-up of programmes to highlight the work carried out by the STV Children’s Appeal and local fundraisers across the country to raise money and awareness about children and young people living in poverty in Scotland continues tonight with Who Cares? at 8pm. Continue reading Who Cares? STV Children’s Appeal viewers do!

Lorraine puts on her walking shoes to support STV Children’s Appeal

TV favourite Lorraine Kelly is putting on her walking shoes in aid of the STV Children’s Appeal as she takes on the Kiltwalk event in Edinburgh on 18 September.

Lorraine, who is a trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal and has taken on many fundraising challenges for the charity in the past, will put on her tartan to join in Kiltwalk’s ‘Big Stroll’, a stunning 12 mile trek across the city, to raise money for children and young people affected by poverty in Scotland.

Lorraine’s challenge will be sponsored by Scotch Lamb PGI and ties in with an ongoing campaign by Quality Meat Scotland to raise the profile of how quick and easy it is to cook a tasty lamb meal.

Lorraine said: “The STV Children’s Appeal is very close to my heart and I’m always up for a challenge to raise funds for such a deserving cause. This year I will dig out my walking boots, along with some tartan of course, for Kiltwalk, which will help the fight against child poverty in Scotland. A big thanks to Scotch Lamb for supporting my challenge and the fantastic work of the STV Children’s Appeal.”

“We are proud to be supporting Lorraine and the STV Children’s Appeal,” said Carol McLaren, Head of Communications with Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). “The timing of the Kiltwalk coincides with our campaign to highlight how easy and quick Scotch Lamb is to cook – a perfect, nutritious meal to rustle up for the family meal after the Kiltwalk!

“We wish Lorraine and all those taking part the best of luck for a great day and our Scotch Lamb mascot will be at the event to help raise the spirits of the footsore!”

Joining Lorraine on the walk is the Scotch Lamb mascot as well as STV weatherman Sean Batty and presenter Peter Martin. Live at Five’s Hayley Matthews and her partner and son will enjoy some family fun on the Wee Wander route.

Last year, Lorraine took to the dance floor in a 24 hour ceilidh extravaganza in aid of the STV Children’s Appeal, and in 2014 the presenter danced her way across the country in Lorraine’s ‘Shimmy across Scotland’, a challenge that saw her take part in as many dance and exercise classes as she could during an intense 24 hours.

Elizabeth Partyka of the STV Children’s Appeal said: “We are thrilled that Lorraine, one of our biggest supporters since we launched the Appeal five years ago, is taking on another fundraising challenge this year, and we hope that people and communities in the Edinburgh area will join in too. Whether you’re taking part in Kiltwalk or simply support by donating, you can help make a real difference to the lives of children affected by poverty right here in Scotland.”

STV Appeal support for Saheliya

Leith charity Saheliya has received £5,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal, helping the project to reach even more women who need their support. Continue reading STV Appeal support for Saheliya

PYCP receives £2000 from STV Children’s Appeal

Pilton Youth and Children’s Project (PYCP) has received £2,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal to boost financial support for the local project. Continue reading PYCP receives £2000 from STV Children’s Appeal

Bright outlook: STV’s Sean to visit local fundraisers

Sean’s stepping out for STV Children’s Appeal

STV’s popular weather man Sean Batty is to pull on his walking boots for a major fundraising challenge in aid of the STV Children’s Appeal – and is asking people in Edinburgh to join in. Continue reading Bright outlook: STV’s Sean to visit local fundraisers

STV Appeal supports Safe Families for Children

Bethany Christian Trust in Edinburgh has received £150,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal to boost financial support for Safe Families for Children, a community project running in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Continue reading STV Appeal supports Safe Families for Children

STV Appeal support for Edinburgh’s young carers

‘a hand up, not a hand out’

Edinburgh’s Young Carers project has received £2,000 from the STV Children’s Appeal.

The charity supports over 250 young carers every year, helping them maintain a balance between their responsibilities as a carer and their need for time and space for their own development throughout childhood and adolescence.

The donation from the STV Children’s Appeal will be used to support young carers aged 9 -13 years. Carers in this age group experience one of the highest burdens of caring and require specific support in order to meet the challenges they face, including moving from primary to secondary school and preparing for their first exams. One of the most significant and lasting impacts on young carers is poor educational attainment. Edinburgh’s Young Carers works with schools to raise awareness of the challenges faced by young carers and to help teachers identify and support young carers so that they are able to maintain their education.

Margaret Murphy, CEO of Edinburgh’s Young Carers, said: “Young carers may live in poorer families, have poorer physical and mental health and leave school with poor exam results compared with their peers. Being a young carer can benefit young people in a number of ways, including developing their maturity, life skills and independence. However, without access to appropriate support young carers can be very vulnerable and at risk of many challenges that can damage their development and long term life chances.”

Jack (13), an Edinburgh Young Carer, said: “I dreaded going to school as I found it hard. I just wanted to fall asleep in class and couldn’t concentrate as I was always worrying whether mum would be okay. Karen from EYCP met my teacher and I get extra help with my school work and I can phone home at break time. I feel a lot better about going to school and I am getting better marks – B instead of D!”

Since launch in 2011, the STV Children’s Appeal has raised over £11.1 million with 424 big and small grants distributed to projects across all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, providing much needed support to over 59,000 children. The money raised is distributed to provide practical help like food and warm clothes; create opportunities for training and employability; and enable social and emotional support for those who need it most.

Rob Woodward, STV CEO and trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “All the money donated to the STV Children’s Appeal remains in Scotland and will help bring about positive changes to the lives of vulnerable children and young people on our doorstep. With the help of the extraordinary fundraising efforts taking place in communities across the country we are able to support projects like Edinburgh’s Young Carers that help improve the lives of children in Scotland. We are extremely grateful to everyone who supports the STV Children’s Appeal.”

Sir Tom Hunter, trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “Through the Appeal our singular ambition is to deliver sustainable solutions to end child poverty. It is simply unacceptable in modern Scotland to still have young people debilitated by poverty through no fault of their own. Thanks to this project and many more, the people of Scotland are doing their level best to combat poverty.

“This is about communities coming together and, with a hand up not a hand out, from the STV Appeal, helping themselves deliver sustainable solutions to end child poverty.”

Sir Ian Wood, trustee of the STV Children’s Appeal, said: “The generosity of the people in Scotland who provide such great support to the STV Children’s Appeal is always incredibly encouraging and heart-warming. It is deeply concerning that there continues to be a significant requirement across Scotland for this financial support.

However, I do believe that the £2.9million raised this year will make a significant contribution to eradicating the issue of child poverty in Scotland. Throughout my working life I travelled a lot seeing an obvious divide between the haves and the have-nots around the world, and to know that this is also happening on our doorstep is deeply concerning. Everyone has a role to play in reducing the alarming child poverty statistics.”

If you’re an individual or group that would like to get involved with the STV Children’s Appeal and help raise funds for children and young people affected by poverty in Scotland, please get in touch with Natalie Wright at natalie.wright@stv.tv.