Tag: support

Sight Loss Councils: Ellen aims to inspire a future focused on accessibility

​Ellen Doherty, 47, from Glasgow, who has macular degeneration due to Stargardt’s disease, became one of Scotland’s first Sight Loss Council volunteers earlier this year and is determined to inspire others to make accessibility a priority.​

Ellen, who spoke at a fringeeEvent on street accessibility at the weekend as part of the SNP Conference, is a highly independent person but she still faces daily challenges including poor street accessibility. Navigating streets can be difficult and stressful due to the lack of visual cues, unexpected obstacles, and inconsistent designs.​

A trained mental health professional and mindfulness tutor at Strathclyde University, Ellen explains that sight loss is one of the most traumatic experiences a person can face, with constant reminders every time they open their eyes.

Simply leaving the house or visiting places requires extensive planning, and confidence can be easily shaken. This is why it’s crucial to involve people with vision impairments in planning for street accessibility and to use their lived experiences to guide informed decisions.​

Ellen comments on her sight loss: “When I was seventeen, I was struggling to see the blackboard at school, so I went to the opticians with my parents to see if I needed glasses.

“I was told I had Stargardt’s disease and that I would lose my eyesight prematurely. This was obviously a huge shock, but I just got on with my life and tried not to think about it. I wasn’t given any real information about what was happening, or offered any help or support, so I just pushed it down and tried to pretend everything was normal. I was 17 years old, it really meant nothing to me.​

“So I finished school and went to university, and then in my final year, when I was twenty-one, I lost my central vision almost overnight. It was very overwhelming and traumatic. I drove myself to the eye hospital where I was given my CVI certificate, and then I had to get the bus home.

Again I tried to supress my feelings and tried to pretend it wasn’t happening. I finished my pharmacology degree at university and got a 2.1; but I now couldn’t use it as you can’t do benchtop science with vision impairment.

So, I went back to university to do a master’s in psychology, but I hadn’t really thought about the impact my sight loss would have on this. Eventually, I had to put this on hold for a year as I wasn’t prepared to cope with my new reality, I didn’t even have a magnifier to help me read.​

“For years I struggled to come to terms with my sight loss, so I didn’t want to talk about it, I didn’t want to ask for help, I just tried to ignore it. My approach has always been to keep my head down and just get through it.

My vision impairment isn’t obvious and for a long time I didn’t want to over enclose, I didn’t want to talk about it and felt like it wasn’t anyone else’s business. At 30 I also developed MS which impacted my sight loss further. MS can be brought on by a traumatic event so it could have been my sight loss which caused this.​

“I have always been hesitant to engage with sight loss groups. Since losing my sight was not something I wanted in the first place and it already occupies so much of my life, I didn’t want it to take up any more space.

However, I now realise the importance of talking and sharing, both for myself and others, and that I have a lot to offer through my lived experiences and work experiences. There needs to be more general education about vision impairment and improved awareness-raising, as vision impairment can mean so many different things.”​

Ellen’s experience with sight loss, much like many others, has been deeply traumatic. She now aims to help others through her work as a mindfulness and wellbeing tutor and volunteer for the Sight Loss Councils.​

“This is one of the main reasons why I am so happy to join the Sight Loss Councils. My skillset centres around helping people, and there’s a significant need to enhance the help and support provided to blind and partially sighted individuals.

” From my own perspective, it was so difficult to lose my eyesight rapidly, I desperately needed help and guidance so I could come to terms with what was happening. I felt like my eyesight had been snatched away and I just didn’t know what to do, or to whom to turn. I now know this shouldn’t have happened and that I should have been given far more help and support.​

Ellen adds: “When someone experiences sight loss, they need help to stay on the right path, including psychological therapy, mobility and accessibility assistance, and help with employment. No one should be left to navigate sight loss alone.

“It is one of the most traumatic experiences a person can endure, with constant reminders every time they open their eyes. Escaping from it is impossible. For those who haven’t experienced it, it is very difficult to understand. This is why it is so important that we use lived experience to raise awareness and ultimately make changes.”​

Sight Loss Councils are delivered in Scotland by Sight Scotland, Sight Scotland Veterans and Visibility Scotland and funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust.

For more information please visit sightscotland.org.uk

Children living with muscle wasting conditions rally together at charity sport event

On Saturday 24 August 2024 Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport hosted a free sporting event.

The leading charity for more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions hosted the free event for children aged under 18 living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.

Children came together from different parts of Scotland and had the opportunity to try different sporting activities, such as curling, powerchair football, boccia and swimming. The day was a success as they learnt new skills and could meet other children living with a muscle wasting and weakening condition.

Joe Moan, from Forth Valley, attended the charity event with his son who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Joe said: “It’s great to meet up with parents you haven’t seen since the last event.

“These events are confidence building for kids – they get to try new sports that they haven’t tried before. It’s great to watch my son interact with peers and children with a similar range of movement and shared experiences. I would recommend.” 

Participants at Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport event 2024 Copyright @MuscularDystrophyUK © Julie Broadfoot 

Jacqueline Munro, Head of Regional Support, Outreach, and Information, who attended on the day said: “We believe in the power of community and inspire collaboration across our whole muscle wasting and weakening community.

“Events like this are a brilliant way of bringing people together, from the children taking part in the activities to their parents or carers watching from the side lines. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and to Scottish Disability Sport for partnering with us.”

Scottish Disability Sport is the Scottish governing and co-coordinating body of all sports for people of all ages and abilities with a physical, sensory or learning disability.

Joshua Thomson, Events Manager for Scottish Disability Sport said: “The event was a brilliant opportunity to provide sport and physical activity to young people with muscle wasting conditions, allowing them to grow and develop a community.

“Seeing the development of friendships and the joy on the participants’ faces throughout the day has demonstrated the value that events like this can have.

“There were some fantastic skills on show throughout the boccia, curling and swimming sessions.

“Thank you to Muscular Dystrophy UK and to everyone who attended, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and hope to see these children back at more events in the future.”

Participants at Muscular Dystrophy UK and Scottish Disability Sport event 2024 Copyright @MuscularDystrophyUK © Julie Broadfoot 

Special thanks to Scottish Boccia, Scottish Curling and representatives from the Scottish Swimming for their support on the day.

Find out more about Muscular Dystrophy UK and how the charity can provide support   musculardystrophyuk.org/support

 Another Tory MSP endorses Tom Tugendhat MP for Leader

Liz Smith CBE MSP endorses Tom Tugendhat MP for Conservative Leader and his vision for public services

  • Shadow Finance Secretary Liz Smith CBE MSP endorses Tom Tugendhat for Leader of the UK Conservative Party after he outlined his vision for public services
  • She argues Scotland deserves better than 17 years of SNP failure on public services and prioritising constitutional reform over delivery
  • Joining 11 other MSPs, she recognises Tom is the only person who understands the challenges Scotland is facing and will deliver a true, conservative approach to public services 

Scotland’s Shadow Finance Secretary Liz Smith CBE MSP joins eleven of her Conservative Colleagues in Holyrood and endorses Shadow Security Minister Tom Tugendhat for UK Conservative Party Leader. 

Echoing her Conservative colleagues, Liz is clear that she wants to see the end of 17 years of SNP failure, which have left Scotland’s public services crumbling. She argues the Scottish people deserve a government which will deliver on their priorities – securing jobs and economic growth and improving schools and health care – rather than being obsessed with constitutional reform.

Liz says she wants a Conservative Party Leader in Westminster who will deliver for Scotland – someone who believes that unionism is indivisible from conservatism and who will fight to protect the Union. 

She knows that Tom is the only person who can do this and that he is the only candidate who has taken the time, over many years, to get to know Scotland whilst on regular visits and also whilst meeting members and local associations. 

Following his public services speech in London today, she commends him for having a conservative vision which will benefit every nation in the United Kingdom. Tom called for a bold new approach to public services that empowers professionals to innovate and boost productivity, rather than be stifled by centralisation and bureaucracy. Liz strongly supports this and the need to prioritise individuals and choice – qualities the SNP has stripped from Scottish public services.

It is very clear from the most recent analysis from both the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the Fraser of Allander Institute that the SNP has to bear most of the responsibility for the financial pressures facing Scotland. As a result, Scots now face emergency cuts to SNP spending and the prospect of public services falling further behind those in the rest of the UK.

Liz argues Tom is the only one who can stand up for her conservatism, just as he has done in Parliament. Whether it was voting against Covid vaccine passports or not supporting the National Insurance rise.

Tom has always kept his promise to deliver for the people of Britain, which Liz highlights as a reason for her endorsement. Before Parliament, he served in military operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan to keep the Union safe. Tom also was the first to warn of the threats from Russian, China and Iran. And, as Security Minister, he introduced the National Security Act which oversaw the arrest and charging of more Russian and Chinese spies than in the previous decade.

As someone with a clear vision on how to fix public services and unite the Party, Liz believes Tom as Leader will be an electoral asset for the Scottish Conservatives at the next 2026 Holyrood elections. Scotland deserves better and Tom will take the Scottish Conservatives and Scotland into a new era. 

Responding to Tom Tugendhat’s speech, Liz Smith CBE MSP said: ““After 17 years, the SNPs obsession with unnecessary constitutional debates has resulted in a record of failure that keeps growing.

“Because of their mismanagement Scotland is lagging behind the rest of the UK when it comes to economic growth and we have plummeted down international educational rankings and our healthcare system is struggling.

“On top of this record of failure, hard working Scots now pay more income tax than in any other part of the United Kingdom. They now face the prospect of deep spending cuts and more tax rises after the Scottish Fiscal Commission said the SNP bears most of the responsibility for the financial pressures Scotland now faces.

“Now is the time to provide strong, united leadership based on truly conservative principles of lower taxes and public service which puts the public first.

“Tom knows what it will take to transform public services – by offering a new approach that prioritises individuals and choice. This is exactly what Scotland and our Union needs – public services focussed on delivering for individuals and their families rather than on unnecessary centralisation and bureaucracy.”

Welcoming Liz Smith CBE MSP’s support, Tom Tugendhat said: “Liz is right – we need a new approach to public services throughout the Union. And it is a privilege to have her endorsement to be the next Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party. 

“It is an honour to now have over a third of the Conservative Scottish Party endorsing me. 

“I fought for all nations in this Union in Afghanistan and Iraq and in Parliament, this has never and will never change.

“A key part of why I am a Conservative is that I know unionism is indivisible from conservatism. As the Conservative Leader, I promise to always fight for the Union and deliver on the priorities of the Scottish people.”

Mental Health Foundation: Look after your mental health using mindfulness

Feeling overwhelmed?

Pause. Breathe. Be mindful.

Mindfulness can work wonders for your mental health. Whether it’s a deep breath, a mindful walk, or a moment of meditation, the key is being present.

Find more tips on mindfulness here:

https://bit.ly/3T8SeWx

How-to-mindfulnessDownload

Five years supporting families in Scotland

£90.6 million paid in benefits supporting school and food costs

Two benefits providing extra money to families with the cost of healthy food and starting school, are turning five years old.

Best Start Grant School Age Payment supports families with a one-off payment of £314.45 to help cover the cost of starting primary school, and has provided £33.5 million to over 100,000 parents and carers.

Best Start Foods worth up to £42.40 every four weeks to help families purchase healthy foods and has given £57.1 million to over 86,000 parents and carers.

Since launching in 2019, a number of improvements have been introduced to ensure more people have access to the support they need.

Best Start Grant School Age Payment is now paid automatically to eligible people getting Scottish Child Payment without the need to apply. According to latest statistics, 42,535 automatic awards were made for School Age Payment between Dec 2022 and June 2024, meaning less paperwork for tens of thousands of families.

The removal of income limits for Best Start Foods has increased access to vital financial support to help more families afford healthy foods for their children.

On the anniversary of these payments Social Security Scotland are urging families to check if they are eligible and spend money available on their Best Start Food card.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty is the most important priority for our government, and we are committed to making sure every child in Scotland has the best start in life.

“We have built a different social security system, one grounded in dignity, fairness, and respect. Part of this is making it as straightforward as possible for people to access the financial support that people are entitled to.

“The introduction of automatic payments and removal of income limits for Best Start Foods means we’re getting more money to families when they need it most.

“As families continue dealing with the cost-of-living crisis, I am urging everyone to check if they are eligible and make sure they are getting the money they need to help cover the costs of starting school and buying healthy food.”

Chief Executive, One Parent Families Scotland Satwat Rehman said: “ We are delighted to recognise the 5-year anniversary of the excellent Best Start Foods and Best Start Grant programmes.

“These initiatives have been instrumental in supporting families across Scotland, helping to ensure that every child has access to nutritious food and essential early years support.

“We look forward to the Scottish Government continuing this vital work and making a positive difference in the lives of many more families.”

A parent in receipt of Best Start Early Payment Grant said: “The grant made all the difference when she was starting nursery as I was really worried about how I was going to afford things for her.

“She loved her new clothes and bag. It was so good being able to get things for her and not be worried about how I was going to pay for them. “

Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods: high level statistics to 30 June 2024 Social Security Scotland – Over £25 million paid to Scottish carers in June

Social Security Scotland: Make sure you’re getting all the help you need

To be eligible for some of our payments you need to already be getting a qualifying tax credit or benefit.

Use one of these handy independent benefit calculators to check all the financial support that may be available to you:

http://bit.ly/BenefitCalculators

People Know How partners with BT to raise awareness of the switch to digital landlines

People Know How has partnered with BT Group to provide people with the information they need to prepare for the upcoming switch to digital landlines.

Their Digital Support Helpline, which is free and open to anyone in Scotland who needs help with computers, laptops, tablets, social media, exploring the web and more, is now also taking calls about the switch to digital landlines.

Call free Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm for advice and information about the switch. Alongside this, People Know How is facilitating 50 events in rural areas of Scotland to ensure that everyone can access this information.

Contact the free Digital Support Helpline at 0800 0590 690 or read more at: 

https://peopleknowhow.org/news/people-know-how-partners-with-bt

Are YOU losing out on Pension Credit?

SUPPORT and ADVICE from GRANTON INFORMATION CENTRE

THE Scottish Government has confirmed it will no longer provide Winter Fuel Payments to all pensioners in Scotland. Replicating the recent decision announced by the UK Government, Winter Fuel Payments will now be means-tested, which means only individuals in receipt of Pension Credit and certain other benefits will receive it.

Because Pension Credit is a ‘gateway benefit’, which opens up access to other support including Winter Fuel Payments, it is now more crucial than ever that individuals claim Pension Credit so that they don’t miss out on additional money they are entitled to.

If you’ve reached State Pension age, you can claim Pension Credit if your weekly income is less than:

£218.15 if you’re single

£332.95 if you’re a couple.

Even if your weekly income is higher than these thresholds, you could still claim Guarantee Credit if you meet one of the following criteria:

*you’re a carer

*you have a severe disability

*you have certain housing costs, such as service charges

*you’re responsible for a child or young person who usually lives with you.

If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit. If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.

MANY, MANY, ELIGIBLE PENSIONERS ARE MISSING OUT ON PENSION CREDIT!

To claim Pension Credit, you can either:

*claim online on GOV.UK (if you already claim State Pension and there aren’t any children or young people included in your claim)

*call the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234 and they can fill in the application for you over the phone (lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm).

To discuss your benefit entitlements and to find out what you can claim, get in touch with us at Granton Information Centre.

Our Welfare Rights Advisers are here to help!

Call 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk

UK steps up support to tackle mpox outbreak on visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Africa Minister Lord Collins has announced new funding to tackle the outbreak of mpox cases in the DRC

  • UK support announced for ongoing mpox and cholera outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to improve access to clean water. 
  •  Lord Collins made the announcement during a visit to the DRC where he also discussed how the two countries can deepen their collaboration across a range of sectors.
  •  He welcomed the recent ceasefire in eastern DRC and commitments to bring an enduring peace to the region.

The UK has announced new funding to work with DRC to bolster the regional African response to outbreaks of mpox and cholera in the country. 

During a visit to the Institute National de Recherche Biomedical (National Institute of Biomedical Research) in the DRC, Lord Collins announced £3.1m of UK funding for a new partnership with UNICEF that will benefit over 4.4 million people in affected communities as well as help preventing the further spread of mpox to neighbouring countries.

This funding announcement follows a declaration from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the upsurge of mpox in the DRC and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). 

 The Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury said: “Working together, with our partners and using the expertise and dedication of Congolese scientists, including those at the world-leading research centre I have visited in DRC, our support will play an important role in ensuring global health security for all.

“By protecting the health and well-being of communities across DRC, and by helping contain these outbreaks, we reduce the risk of diseases spreading further afield. This will ultimately benefit us all.”

The UK remains in regular contact with the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on developments of the outbreak and is supporting the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa to respond to this health emergency.

The UK Health Security Agency is closely monitoring the situation, working with international partners including the World Health Organisation, European, US and Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and national public health agencies.

As the largest flexible donor to the WHO globally the UK is also helping it to allocate resources where most needed through vaccines and treatments.  As the second biggest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – providing £1.65bn over the 2020-2025 period – the UK is also working closely with them on ensuring access to mpox vaccines for low and middle income countries.

Professor Christian Ngandu, Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator at DRC’s National Public Health Institute said: “The UK’s support to the DRC, in partnership with UNICEF, on the mpox response, will contributed to saving the lives of affected populations by aligning with the DRC’s national mpox preparedness and response plan.”

The announcement came as Lord Collins visited DRC this week to bolster bilateral ties between the UK and DRC and drive forward the bilateral relationship in key areas, including climate and trade and investment. 

The Minister announced £6m of new UK funding to provide clean drinking water and sanitation to some 200,000 displaced in partnership with UNICEF and SAFER, helping improve access to clean water for all.

In meetings with key government ministers including the President, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, Lord Collins welcomed the UK and DRC’s strong partnership and underlined the UK’s commitment to strengthening collaboration in areas such trade, investment, climate and combatting sexual violence in conflict.

Following the successful UK-DRC Trade and Investment Mission in April, the Minister met with UK-linked businesses to discuss how the UK can play a constructive role in supporting improved supply chains of critical minerals in DRC and assist British businesses entering the DRC market.

The Minister also welcomed an announcement by British International Investment this week to invest up to $35 million (£27 million) into the development of Banana Port, a $300-400m project led by Emirati company DP World, that will help transform DRC’s economy.

In addition, he welcomed the UK’s new £90m Congo Basin Forest Action programme which will look to improve economic livelihoods whilst preserving forests and nature. 

Lord Collins also discussed the UK and DRC’s long-standing collaboration to combat Conflict Related Sexual Violence, meeting with government ministers and civil society to understand more about this issue.

On the conflict in eastern DRC, Lord Collins welcomed the ceasefire agreement between DRC and Rwanda, recognising the important role played by Angola.

He expressed UK support for President Tshisekedi’s commitment to bring an enduring regional peace to the east and underlined the UK’s condemnation of the actions of all illegal armed groups in eastern DRC, including the UN-sanctioned M23.

The UK is delivering a three-year humanitarian programme in the east of DRC, providing life-saving emergency assistance and increasing the resilience of crisis-affected communities affected by the conflict.

Third of Scottish Tory MSPs endorse Tom Tugendhat to be party Leader

NEW SCOTS TORY MP ALSO BACKS THE FORMER-SOLDIER

Eight Members of the Scottish Parliament, a third of all eligible Conservative MSPs, have announced that they are backing Shadow Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat MP to be the next Leader of the Conservative Party.

The MSPs include Douglas Lumsden, Tim Eagle, Roz McCall, Stephen Kerr, Tess White, Maurice Golden, Finlay Carson and Sandesh Gulhane. 

Endorsing Tom for Leader, they said that he is the only candidate who has spent the time needed to understand the challenges facing Scotland, including those surrounding energy security, fisheries, farming and rural communities.

Likewise, he is the only candidate who has taken the time to meet with Scottish Conservative Party members, regularly campaign in the country and attend Scottish Conservative Party Conference multiple times. 

Proud champions of the union, the MSPs explained they wanted someone who would not only protect and fight for the union, but understood that if Scotland failed, everyone across the United Kingdom would feel the consequences. With Tugendhat as Leader, they argue they would always  have a champion for the Union – and the priorities of Scotland – at the helm in Westminster.

As a soldier, Tugendhat spent over 10 years keeping the entire United Kingdom safe before entering Parliament. He was one of the first MPs to warn about the threat of Russia and China.

As Security Minister, he was responsible for the National Security Act, which resulted in Britain arresting and charging more Russian and Chinese spies in his time as Minister than in the previous decade.

The MSPs said they were supporting Tom as they know he will deliver for the Scottish people, ensuring energy security and economic rejuvenation, and support rural communities, including Scotland’s cherished farming and fishing industries. 

Tom recognises that the Conservative Party has been undermined by infighting and factionalism in Westminster, which led to a failure to deliver and a breakdown in trust with the public.

He has made it clear that this leadership election is about choice. A choice between drawing a line under the infighting and a future focused on uniting the Party and rebuilding it around core Conservative values.

He argues that people across the United Kingdom deserve better and as Leader of the Conservative Party, he promised to rebuild our party, regain trust and beat Labour at the next election.

The MSPs outlined that they want a leader who will end the infighting in Westminster and return the Party to traditional conservative values, something Tugendhat has always fought for, including when he voted against Covid vaccine passports and did not support the National Insurance rise.

At the general election, the MSPs believe the Scottish people rejected the SNP in a sign they want to move on from the independence debate and want their government to focus on delivery.

As a man who delivers on his promises and can unite the party, the MSPs are backing Tom as they believe he will be an electoral asset for the Scottish Conservatives at the next 2026 Holyrood elections. They believe Scotland deserves better and that Tugendhat will take the Scottish Conservatives and Scotland into a new era. 

In a joint statement, the MSPs said:

“We are backing Tom Tugendhat to be our next UK Party Leader. We believe – indeed we know – that he is the best person for the job.

“A Leader to create a united party for our United Kingdom. A man of principle, service and duty. 

“Someone who says what he will do, then gets it done. Someone who gets Scotland, is a friend of Scotland, and is an asset to the Party in Scotland.

“We need a UK Leader who will be a help, not a hindrance, to the Scottish Conservatives in the battles ahead – Holyrood 2026 and the local elections the year after.

“We do not need a caretaker leader of the opposition, but someone capable and hungry to be the next Prime Minister for all of the UK.

“That Leader is Tom Tugendhat.“

ALSO supporting Mr Tugenhadt is new MP for Gordan and Buchan, Harriet Cross, who commented: “I am delighted to endorse Tom Tugendhat MP for Leader of our Great Party. As a newly elected MP for the Conservative and Unionist Party, it is my duty to support a Leader who will protect and fight for our Union. With Tom at the helm of the Conservative Party, the Union will always have a champion. 

“This is because Tom gets Scotland. He has taken the time to attend multiple Scottish Conservative Conferences, and meet local associations and members. He is someone who cherishes the union and wants all its nations to succeed.

“As part of the new generation of Conservatives, I want a Leader who will take forward traditional conservative values for the Party to unite around, and promise we deliver for all nations. I know that Tom Tugendhat is a man of his word. When he promises something, he delivers. And in ensuring our Party rebuilds trust with the voters of Scotland on a Conservative platform, Tom Tugendhat is the best hope for our Party.”

Welcoming the support, Tom Tugendhat said: “It is an absolute privilege to have so many of my Scottish Conservative colleagues backing me to be the next Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party today.

“I am thrilled to have their support. Unionism is indivisible from Conservatism and as leader, I promise to always fight for the Union and deliver on the priorities of the Scottish people.”