support – Page 27 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Calls to do more to support young drivers as learner costs hit £2.5K

Learners are now paying 215% more for driving lessons than they did thirty years ago, with more young people being excluded from getting behind the wheel due to financial pressures.*

Now car insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk are calling for more regulation for the cost of learning to drive.

This comes after many simply cannot afford the expense as young people are estimated to pay over £2500 to get their licence.

Credit – Shutterstock

Quotezone.co.uk has researched the average amount of money a learner today will end up paying from start to finish.

Before even getting behind the wheel, learners in the UK must apply for a provisional driving licence, costing them £34 to apply online or £43 by post.

Next, the biggest expense, is finding a driving instructor suitable and getting enough practice in to take the test.

The Government’s ‘Ready to Pass’ campaign claims that the average learner will take 45 hours of lessons with their instructor plus 22 hours of private practice.**

Taking into account that the average 1 hour lesson costs £30, learners are expected to fork out £1,350 to pay instructors.***

Paying to actually take the driving test is another expense learners cannot avoid – pupils must pass both the theory test (£23) and the practical test (£62 for weekday tests rising to £75 on the weekend).****

Additional fees at the test-taking stage include paid-for apps to practise theory test questions, and many driving instructors will also require payment for learners to use the car when taking their test.

Overall, learners are now paying £2707 to learn to drive, not including the cost of more driving lessons and more tests if they are unsuccessful after the first try.

Every year around 1.6 million nervous Brits buckle up to sit their practical driving test, and the pass rate as a whole falls just shy of 50% – dropping to 46% on average for female drivers.

Comparatively, reports show that learners in the 1980s and 90s paid an average of just £10 an hour – meaning lessons alone are costing pupils today £900 more.

Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk said: “Learning to drive is a rite of passage and the worry is young people aren’t getting the option to learn, as the rising costs are making it unaffordable.

“More regulation on the cost of driving lessons and other mandatory fees would help young people get out on the roads and also help ensure they don’t cut corners.

“Having a more affordable pathway to learn to drive will also encourage pupils to take their time before booking a test and in turn help reduce the growing driving test backlog seen across the country.”

Learners also have to tax and insure the vehicle and indeed the vehicle cost itself if they don’t have access to a family car, it’s beginning to make driving unattainable for young drivers.

As a price comparison site, Quotezone.co.uk is designed to help young drivers find competitive costs by comparing products and exploring alternative options such as black box or telematics products.

For all types of competitive car insurance including temporary learner drivers and provisional drivers insurance, Quotezone.co.uk can help.

Driving Essentials for Learners	Estimated Cost
Provisional driving licence	£34 to apply online (or £43 by post)
Driving lessons	£1,350 (£30 per hour x 45 hours)
Driving theory test	£23
Driving practical test	£62 for weekday tests (rising to £75 on the weekend)
Revision materials	Revision app £5
Instructors car for the test	£60 (£30 per hour x 2 at lesson fee rate)
Vehicle Tax	£145 (although tbc on vehicle specifics)
Average Insurance Estimate17-24 year olds	£1028 (tbc on driver/vehicle specifics)
Estimated Total	£2707

Not including the cost of the vehicle itself, assuming most learners have access to a family vehicle initially

*https://www.nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk/car-leasing/young-drivers/guides/uk-driving-test-report

**https://readytopass.campaign.gov.uk/helping-learner-driver/

***https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence

****https://www.gov.uk/driving-test-cost

Urgent support needed to avoid a pet crisis across Edinburgh the Lothians

“Following my recent visit to Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (EDCH) in Seafield, I attended their parliamentary drop-in session yesterday supported by animal campaigner and TV Presenter Kirsty Gallacher at the Scottish Parliament (writes FOYSOL CHOUDHURY MSP).

“CEO Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine and her Team at EDCH have been doing tremendous work to alleviate pet poverty across the Lothian region and beyond, ensuring pet owners are not separated from their families.

“Many pet owners across Scotland have been struggling to keep their much beloved pets at home as they can no longer pay for food, heat and vet bills particularly with the cost of living crisis which has exasperating the situation post-Covid.

“This has been very traumatic for cat and dog owners whose pets are part of the family, providing them with joy, comfort and security.

“Edinburgh Dog and Cat home Pet Food Bank launched in 2019, provides pet food, jackets, blankets, leads, collars, bowls and bedding to those who can no longer afford their pets’ needs or care for them properly due to financial difficulties, an illness, homelessness or other social issues.

“It is important that we raise awareness that these Pet Food banks do exist and are there to support pet owners when needed. To guarantee pet supplies are available, EDCH has partnered up with 88 human food banks and has been supporting over 3,800 pets each month across the Lothians, Fife, Falkirk and The Borders.

“However, The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has been struggling with the rising costs-of-living. CEO Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine reached out to me at the end of last year to make me aware of the significant challenges the Pet Home has been going through due the rising costs.

“In November last year, the Home was hit with a huge increase in annual electricity and gas costs– equating to £130K of unanticipated funding that Lindsay has been desperate to find. This is an addition to £200K needed to cover increased supplier costs.

“These increases are just unsustainable in addition to coping with the increase of pet owners having to give up their cats and dogs. Lindsay informed me that the phone calls are increasing 7 days a week, with calls up 55% from December to January.

“The energy and cost increases are just exasperating an already struggling pet home, and animal charities like EDCH do not have the option to turn the lights and heating off. They have pets who need their care and rehabilitation as well as staff who need them to care for them while they carry out their mission both on the Home’s site and right across East and Central Scotland.

“EDCH has been working to exhaustion point to avoid a major pet crisis, keeping our communities together, making sure our pets are cared for and assuring owners can keep their pets to avoid the trauma of losing their beloved pet. We all know how our pets play a central part within our family lives, they give many who would find themselves completely lonely and isolated company and a reason to live for.

“In the past months, I have raised questions to the Scottish Government regarding the impacts of the cost crisis on pet ownership and I will continue to put pressure on them to ensure our pet homes avoid the prospect of closing.

“Our local animal shelters like EDCH need our support and we need to see practical action beyond donations to ensure the survival of this 140-year old animal shelter to keep our animals safe and sheltered, and avoid painful separation from their owners.”

“If you are able to donate, donations can be made on Donate – Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home (edch.org.uk)”.

Pilton Youth & Children’s Project: New programme starts next week

New Term Programme

Our new term starts next week! Clubs are back on as normal and we’re excited to see all our children and young people every week until Summer!!

If you are new to us, please pop in for a consent form and make sure it’s signed by your legal guardian!

#YouthWorkMatters

#YouthWorkWorks

Improving the cancer journey in Lothian

CANCER SUPPORT SERVICE FOR EDINBURGH AND LOTHIAN

Virtual reality helping victims to understand courtroom process

Victims and witnesses are set to use virtual reality headsets to familiarise themselves with giving evidence in court as part of a pioneering Scottish Government initiative to allay fears or discomfort around the process.

Ahead of giving evidence in court, the world-leading £500,000 virtual court project will allow victims to ‘walk through’ a 3-dimensional world, comprising actual videos of the court building where their case will be held. The system uses cutting-edge software to allow victims and witnesses to interact in a virtual environment that includes depictions of the people and objects they can expect to encounter when they go to court.

The project will enable victims and witnesses to be supported at all times by Victim Support Scotland (VSS) volunteers as they experience the virtual court environment. This will remove the need to travel to court prior to their hearing date, while allowing people to familiarise themselves with what can be an unfamiliar, daunting and often retraumatising environment.

The project – a partnership between VSS, tech provider Immersonal and CivTech, the world’s first successful public-sector-focused innovation accelerator – has delivered a working prototype for Glasgow Sheriff Court and the High Court in Glasgow with wider development and roll out over the next year.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance said: “We continue to put victims at the heart of the criminal justice system, their needs are an absolute priority.

“However victims and witnesses can naturally find giving evidence a daunting prospect. This unique project, using innovative technology to support and prepare victims for attending court, could prove transformative.

“It has the potential to reduce anxiety and additional trauma, and also reduces the need to travel often long distances for victims to familiarise themselves with a new environment before experiencing it ‘in real life’.

“We hope that this will reduce retraumatisation and anxiety, supporting victims to give the highest quality evidence.

“This project is part of the Scottish Government‘s wider work that has seen more than £93 million invested through the justice budget over the past five years to prioritise victims’ rights and needs. Our Victim Centred Approach Fund continues this important commitment, making £48 million available to victims’ organisations.”

Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland Kate Wallace said: “Victims and witnesses often tell us of the retraumatising effects caused by giving evidence in court and that it can cause as much anxiety as the crime itself.

“Victim Support Scotland strongly advocates for victims being able to give evidence remotely and in trauma-informed environments.

“This virtual reality experience will provide just that and can be accessed through a headset available with the help of volunteers from Victim Support Scotland, as well as through laptops, smart phones and tablets thereby offering more choice and access about how to prepare for court at a time and place that suits the victim.”

New campaign promoting disability benefits launched

Financial support for disabled people

Disabled people are being urged to find out if they are eligible for Scottish Government disability benefits as part of a new campaign to increase benefit take-up.

The nationwide campaign aims to raise awareness about financial support available to help with the extra costs that disabled children and adults may face.

Child Disability Payment provides financial support to help families and carers with the extra costs of caring for a disabled child or young person or a child or young person with a long-term health condition. Adult Disability Payment is available to people aged between 16 and state pension age who are disabled, have a long-term health condition or a terminal illness.

These benefits are administered by Social Security Scotland and replace the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Children, DLA and Personal Independence Payment.

People already getting disability benefits from DWP will see their award transfer automatically and they do not need to apply separately.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Being disabled or having a long-term health condition can come with a variety of extra costs, such as paying more for accessible transport. We want to make sure that disabled children and adults get all the extra financial support they are entitled to, to ease the impact of those costs.

“This campaign is not just about raising awareness but also has an important role to play in helping to remove any stigma that people may be worried about when applying for social security. We believe social security is a human right. It is here for any of us should we need it and we want to make sure people are accessing what they are due.

“This is the first time that we are proactively promoting disability benefits as part of a national advertising campaign, including adverts on TV. We are not aware of the UK Government running a campaign on the equivalent UK benefits for over 30-years. I want to actively encourage people to check if they are eligible for Child and Adult Disability Payments and make sure they get extra financial support to help them live full and independent lives.”

The campaign features Piper, 9, who has Down’s Syndrome. Her mum Caroline Milburn, says disability benefits have helped cover extra costs as well as give Piper opportunities she’d never have had without them.

Caroline, from Edinburgh, said: “Piper is such a unique character. When she was born we were told she wouldn’t walk until she was around six, but she was walking at two. She’s so determined and knows her own mind. If she wants to do something she’ll do it.

“Disability benefit allowed me to buy her a sensory swing and a tablet that gives her access to games that help her learn. She just thinks she’s having fun but the games have taught her so much. She plays them with her five-year-old brother sitting beside her and he learns with her.

“Child Disability Payment helps cover the costs of buying Piper new clothes and duvets as she is always chewing holes in them It also allows me to send her to holiday clubs. She loves them and they’re really good for her, but they cost about £40 a week.

“Piper is such an amazing girl and she makes everyone’s lives better. Without disability benefits we’d not have been able to give her all the experiences and opportunities she’s had to learn and connect with the world.”

50 awards announced from the £100k Keep it Fringe fund

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced the recipients of the ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund, a new initiative to support Fringe artists, led by Fringe Society President Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

The fund, supported by the Fleabag for Charity fund and donations to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society through individual donors and our partnership with Edinburgh Gin, is distributing bursaries of £2,000 to 50 artists and companies bringing work to the Fringe in 2023.

As part of the Fringe Society’s work to build a better and more accessible Fringe, the fund is intended to level the playing field for artists, providing the opportunity to reap the rewards of all the Fringe has to offer.

Since its announcement on Tuesday 07 March, 677 artists and companies have applied to the fund, and submissions were assessed by a diverse group of external assessors.

Each application was reviewed by two assessors, who were on the lookout for shows that capture the defiant spirit of the Fringe and can take advantage of the festival as a unique platform to tell untold stories at all stages of their career.

The successful award recipients represent the great breadth of variety and diversity that makes up the Fringe. Their work covers a range of subjects, from Climate Action and OCD to parenthood and migration; from love to death, and the realities of rural life.

There’s sketch comedy, musicals, stand-up, spoken word for children, plays, ventriloquist horror, immersive theatre for one audience-member at a time; drag, performance art, variety, solo work and pole dancing. These artists and companies will share 50 stories which talk to the very essence and spirit of the Fringe. We’ll be sharing more information on this eclectic range of recipients in the weeks to come.

From emerging artists and those presenting at the Fringe for the first time to more established acts returning to the festival, recipients reflect performers at every stage of their career. It was clear to the assessors that there were a diverse range of applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds looking to bring their work to the Fringe in 2023. Nearly one in two of those selected are disabled or have a health condition, with one in three coming from a working-class background.

Funding will be used to cover a variety of expenses, including childcare, transportation, media and PR support, help to meet living wage pay; supporting access costs for artists, and the production costs associated with performing. The successful recipients will present work across a range of spaces in Edinburgh and will offer a mix of paid-for and free shows.

In addition to the £2,000 financial grant support, the 50 Keep it Fringe recipients will receive an additional package of support to help them perform at this year’s festival. The leading destination for short-form video, TikTok, will also continue their support of Fringe artists and are kindly donating £50,000 worth of advertising credits to the Keep it Fringe fund recipients.

These credits can be used by artists to boost their account content and raise their profile in-app in the run up to, and during the Fringe.

Supporting the Fringe’s climate action development goals, electric rail provider sustainable rail network Lumo are generously donating 50 return tickets from any of their UK hubs, for travel to and from Edinburgh, for recipients of the fund.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘The number of applications received for the Keep it Fringe fund reflects the current economic climate, and a need for significant support for artists coming to the Fringe.

“The festival continues to be one of the most important cultural events in the world, and a platform for artists to gather, network and meet with industry partners as they explore future career possibilities.

“Our team continue to advocate for those across the Fringe ecology, and as we move at speed to this year’s Fringe, we encourage individuals and companies to reach out to our Artist Services team to see how we can provide further support.

“We are immensely grateful for Phoebe’s generous donation to this new fund, and would welcome conversations with partners, donors and organisations who would be open to supporting the development of this important initiative in the future.

“Our thanks to all the assessors who took the time to review hundreds of applications, and to TikTok and Lumo for their kind support package for the recipients.’

THE 50 SUCCESSFUL RECIPIENTS OF THE KEEP IT FRINGE FUND:

Full detail on the artists, companies, venues, and the shows themselves will be shared in the coming weeks as some shows are not yet on sale:

Abby Vicky-Russell

Alex Gibbon

Alistair Hall

BBD Productions

Ben Macpherson

Ben Target

Best in Class CIC

Brigitte Aphrodite

Bristol Performance Movement

c21 Theatre Company Limited

Cerys Bradley

Clementine Bogg-Hargroves

Down the Lens

Edith Alibec

Elisabeth Gunawan / Saksi Bisou

Ella Lovelady

Emerge Production House

Fiona Ridgewell

Flat &the Curves

Gara in association with Jess Donn

Hey Thanks! Theatre Company

Jaimee Aislyn de Witt

Joe Leather

Journey to the East Productions

KlangHaus

Lachlan Werner

Lee Kyle

MarianaMalena Theatre Company

Martin Mor Comedy

Matt Hutchinson

Max Percy + Friends

Moon Loaf

Mr Brake Down

Mwansa Phiri/Visual Sauce

Olly Gully

Peyvand Sadeghian

Prentice Productions with Kit Sinclair

Rachel E. Thorn

Ready Cett Productions

Riss Obolensky and Eloise Poulton

RoguePlay Theatre

Sian Davies

Simona Vrabcova

Slade Wolfe Enterprises Limited

Social Convention

StammerMouth

Stephen John Catling

Suhaila Suhaimi

The Thelmas WMC

Tom Mayhew

The Keep it Fringe fund is a pilot, and part of the Fringe Society’s wider fundraising campaign. The ambition is to provide direct financial support for Fringe artists every year, with widening eligibility where possible. The Fringe Society recognises that these funds won’t make or break a show but should provide a little bit of financial help to those who want to take part in the Fringe.

If you or your organisation can help contribute to the Keep it Fringe, or widen its reach, please contact support.us@edfringe.com.

Blooming Good News: Land Fund success for Granton Gardeners

A community garden in Granton, the arts agency in Wester Hailes and a village shop in West Linton are all set to benefit from the Scottish Land Fund

Granton Community Gardeners has received £89,902 to acquire land in Granton where GCG will continue to host various community activities related to the growing and sharing of food to around 700 visitors per month.

Across the city WHALE Arts Agency in Edinburgh has been given £157,483 to bring their entire project into community ownership by buying the land that the current WHALE building sits on.

Community ownership of the land will secure the future of this well-used amenity from which WHALE Arts have delivered services and activities to the community for 30 years.

And West Linton Enterprise Group has received £97,600 to purchase a building in West Linton, Scottish Borders. The group currently uses this asset and will continue to use the building as a volunteer-run community thrift shop and local art gallery called The Knot.

The projects are amongst 16 across the country that have received grants totalling £1,972,701 from the Scottish Land Fund.

Tom Kirby, Development Manager, Granton Community Gardeners, said: “We’re excited to be able to move forward with ownership of our Community Garden, which has been created through the hard work, skills, and dedication of our local community.

“This is now secured for the long term, opening up more possibilities to improve it, and for more people of all ages to enjoy the space; and to grow, cook, share and eat more food together.”

Dr Andrew McNiven, Chair, WHALE Arts Board, said: “WHALE Arts is delighted to have been granted this funding which will support us in our Community Asset Transfer. T

“his ensures community ownership of the WHALE Arts site for the people of Wester Hailes. We’re grateful for the support of the Scottish Land Fund in this important step for WHALE and the community of Wester Hailes.”

And Allison Glasse, Co-Chair, West Linton Enterprise Group, said: “We are so pleased to have been awarded this grant, which will enable us to take our small retail outlet into community ownership.

“We are excited by the future possibilities of making The Knot into a real local asset, run by community, for the community and raising money for local organisations and projects.”

Cara Gillespie, Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair said: “Every one of these grants allows for the provision of assets and services that individual groups have identified as being essential to their areas.

“This localised approach helps to strengthen both urban and rural communities.”

Sandra Holmes, Head of Community assets at HIE, added: “The successful projects announced today across Scotland are all great examples of people taking control of local resources for the long-term benefit of their communities.

“For example, the Coigach Community Development Company, through the purchase of the land at the former hydroponicum site, will now be in a position to build much-needed affordable community housing. The new homes are vitally important to create a sustainable future for the area.

“All these projects announced today will help retain the population, attract visitors and create jobs. Ownership will give the community groups greater control over important assets that will reap rewards for people now and for generations to come. We wish all the successful groups the very best in their new ventures.”

Other groups receiving funding are:

Alyth Development Trust

Award – £76,774

Alyth Development Trust will purchase the Milhaugh site in Alyth, Perth and Kinross. The group intends to develop the site in order to provide a broad range of outdoor community activities.

Coigach Community Development Company

Award – £304,700

Coigach Community Development Company will purchase the former Hydroponicum site in Achiltibuie, Highland. They will develop affordable housing and an amenity space on the site, to strengthen the community’s long-term viability.

Concrete Garden

Award – £140,287

Concrete Garden, Glasgow, will acquire two sites, one currently used by the group and another vacant site nearby. Concrete Garden will continue to deliver community growing and creative play activities for the community and expand their outdoor services onto a new site.

Dunoon Community Shed

Award – £153,000

Dunoon Community Shed will acquire the former ceramics factory in Dunoon. DCS will continue to offer multiple activities to the local community to build skills, reduce isolation and provide a community gathering space.

The Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation

Award – £136,192

Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation will purchase Argyll Beaver Centre at Knapdale, Argyll. They will continue to provide educational and volunteering opportunities from the centre, alongside their conservation work.

Inspire Inverary

Award – £121,374

Inspire Inverary will acquire and restore Inverary Pier in Argyll. This will provide safe access for leisure, water sports and fishing activities, increased use by yachts and cruisers and offer opportunities for investment in moorings, pontoons and slipways.

Nether Lochaber Community Association

Award – £45,186

Nether Lochaber Community Association, Highlands, will take ownership of the Inchree Barn. The group plans to repair the building to address isolation in the community by providing a community hub for people and groups to meet.

Netherthird Initiative for Community Empowerment

Award £111,268

Netherthird Initiative for Community Empowerment will purchase Netherthird Community Centre in Netherthird, East Ayrshire, and continue to offer various community and wellbeing services from the building, including a community cafe.

Staffin Community Trust

Award – £116,064

Staffin Community Trust will purchase a slipway protected by a breakwater, plus onshore hard standing, a derelict boathouse and a parcel of land in Staffin, Skye. The Trust will continue to redevelop and improve the local harbour to serve a range of different users and meet the demand for onshore facilities.

Scenic Sandbank

Award – £119,890

Scenic Sandbank will acquire land in Sandbank, near Dunoon, Argyll, for the purpose of creating a community garden to develop the group’s horticultural activities and to provide an attractive green space for residents of Sandbank and the wider area.

Dornie and District Community Trust

Award – £66,316

Dornie and District Community Trust will acquire the former Dornie Store building in Dornie, Highlands. The group will renovate the building and reopen the shop and post office, establish a cafe and offer the flat above as an affordable rental opportunity.

Take A Bow Development Trust

Award – £65,650

Take A Bow Development Trust will purchase the Take A Bow Community Centre in New Farm Loch, East Ayrshire. TABDT will continue to run the site as a community centre offering a range of community-focused events and classes.

Tiree Community Development Trust

Award – £73,415

Tiree Community Development Trust will acquire land in Crossapol, Tiree and construct four light commercial business units, which will be leased to local businesses at affordable rates.

Forces employment charity launches new initiative to celebrate Month of the Military Child

The Forces Employment Charity will be marking the Month of the Military Child this April, with a brand new set of resources to help young people of those who Serve and have Served with their next career step.

The charity, which was founded in 1885, originally helped veterans find civilian employment and has since expanded its services to offer support to Military families. This has recently extended to offering employment support to Young people from military families, both serving and veteran within the M3 area, owing to its unique EM3 Armed Forces Veterans and Families Programme.

The team working in the EM3 Armed Forces Veterans and Families come from military families themselves and therefore understand the importance of supporting young people who face an ever-changing situation, from frequent moves, education gaps and separation from parents’ and social networks.

Through extra support in education, training and expanding the pool of employment choices and a caseworker, the programmes supports young people to plan a clearer future.

The charity also works with many young people from across the UK through its long-standing programme, Future Horizons. This programme helps early Service Leavers with the next stage of their civilian career, which often includes younger veterans aged between 16-25.

Resources created for the Month of the Military Child will be specifically tailored to help those with little to no work experience of the civilian world, including a starter 101 series which will cover all the basics job seekers may need to get started, such as:

How to write a CV
How and where to look for jobs
How to write a cover letter
How to manage your first interview

The charity is also planning a social media takeover, which will include insights from people who grew up in Military families, speaking about their experiences, how they have shaped their careers, plus any advice they have to offer others from a similar background.

Joanne McLeod, EM3 Armed Forces and Families Programme Manager at Forces Employment Charity, says: “As a Military spouse, I understand the unique challenges that affect Forces families. From frequent house moves, to needing to fit in and make friends quickly, there can be a lot to manage.

“This can be particularly challenging for service children, who are moving schools, skipping parts of the curriculum and leaving behind their social networks. However, living in such unique circumstances also equips the Military community with an incredible skill set that can set them apart from other job seekers.”

Dame Joanna Lumley is supporting the initiative. Speaking about the impact being a Military child has had on her own career, she says: “Like many Military children, I went away to boarding school at a very young age.

“It meant I had to be able to find my feet pretty quickly and find ways to be able to relate to lots of different types of people. I never realised at the time how much those experiences would come to help me in my career!”

Joanne McLeod adds, “Our role at the Forces Employment Charity is to help people recognise those skills and find the best possible way to present themselves to employers, to maximise their chances of success.

“This is especially important for those just starting out, such as Military young people and/ or Early Service Leavers. I am delighted that we are able to offer a new and specialist set of resources to support this group in celebration of the Month of the Military Child.”

The Forces Employment Charity provides life-long, life-changing support, job opportunities, and training to Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.

Its team of dedicated Advisors can help job seekers develop their employability to present candidates to employers in the best possible way. That can involve advice on what to apply for, how to find work and develop a good CV, interview skills, training, etc.

For more information visit: www.forcesemployment.org.uk