support – Page 37 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Landmarks in Scotland go green in support of the NSPCC and Childline this Christmas

Landmarks across Scotland shone green on the longest night of the year in support of the NSPCC and its Childline counselling service, which will be there for children across the country this Christmas.

Buildings and landmarks lit up on Friday, December 22, for the charity, including the Falkirk Wheel, Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura as a reminder that the Childline offers a beacon of light to young people in their darkest hours.

Other sites in Scotland that lit up for the NSPCC include Dalkeith Country Park, West Lothian Civic Centre, Dundee Science Centre, Marischal College, Aberdeen and the Titan Crane in Clydebank.

Also, on December 22, people across the country took part in the NSPCC’s Walk for Children – a 5k fundraiser.

Caroline Renton, NPSCC Scotland Fundraising Manager, said: “Our Childline service is expecting a child to contact them every 45 seconds this Christmas.

“For children facing abuse, the winter nights are dark, long and lonely, and we want all children to know that Childline is here for them, even on the darkest nights.

“We’re grateful to everyone who raised funds through walking and all those who helped with lighting up these landmarks and buildings as a reminder that Childline is here throughout the Christmas period.”

Childline counsellors are on hand around the clock to talk to young people throughout the festive period, including Christmas Day.

With schools closing their doors and children having reduced contact with wider support networks over the festive season, many vulnerable children face increased risks at home.

For those children and young people for whom Christmas means abuse, Childline is a lifeline.

Childline delivered 240 counselling sessions to children in Scotland during the 12 days of Christmas last year¹.

During this period, Childline delivered more than 1,000 high-risk counselling sessions across the UK, with 64% of high-risk calls and web chats during that period coming in after dark. Childline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even over Christmas.

Last year, hundreds of people walked 5k on the longest night of the year and raised over £100,000 to help fund vital NSPCC services, like Childline.

Social Bite and itison celebrate 10 years of festive fundraising

Annual Christmas campaign kicks off to support people experiencing homelessness

Two of Scotland’s best known brands, Social Bite and itison, have joined forces for the 10^th year to launch their annual festive fundraising campaign. Asking the public to donate just £5 to buy Christmas dinner for someone who is homeless, the campaign has raised more than £3million over the past decade with 700,000 donations made.

This year, the campaign, which launches across itison channels today (Wednesday 6 December), will offer generous donors three options; contribute £5 to buy Christmas dinner for someone who is homeless, provide gifts for children who might not have a present to open on Christmas Day or make a donation to help build the first ever Social Bite Villages in Glasgow and Dundee, and give someone the gift of home.

Josh Littlejohn MBE, founder of Social Bite was joined by Oli Norman, founder and CEO of itison at the Social Bite Coffee Shop on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow on launch day.

Josh said: “Over the past 10 years, itison customers have been some of our most loyal donors and we’re extremely grateful to them for their on-going support. Their donations have made a true difference to people experiencing homelessness.

“This year, is even more important as we ask for support for our planned Social Bite Villages in Dundee and just outside Glasgow, which will transform the lives of many.”

Oli Norman, founder and CEO of itison said: “When we first launched our partnership with Social Bite back in 2014, our goal was to help raise enough to provide 800 dinners for people who were experiencing homelessness.

“We sold 800 vouchers in the first hour and it’s quite phenomenal that we are now in our tenth year having donated over 750,000 meals so far.

“As the temperatures plummet outside, this is one the hardest and loneliest times of the year for people facing homelessness and we are calling on our members to dig deep to donate and help us spread the word of the vital work Social Bite provides at this time of the year.”

Once again, Social Bite coffee shops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee will be opening their doors on Christmas Day to provide people who need it most with a Christmas meal plus support, warmth and a sense of safety and belonging.

The money raised from the itison appeal will go, not only to providing Christmas dinner with all the trimmings that day, but also on providing meals in 2024.

Christmas opening hours across the charity’s coffee shops will be Aberdeen, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 11am-4pm and Edinburgh and Glasgow Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 12pm – 4pm.

Donations can be made at itison’s website by visiting itison.com/donate.

Karen Henderson Legacy Fund for Make 2nds Count: £66,900 raised over just two years of support

Make 2nds Count, a pioneering charity focusing on secondary breast cancer is thrilled to announce that The Karen Henderson Legacy Fund has surpassed a monumental fundraising milestone on their behalf, accumulating an impressive total of £66,900 over the course of two years.

The fund was established by Make 2nds Count and Karen’s family in honour of Karen Henderson, who tragically passed away from Secondary Breast Cancer. This incredible fundraising endeavour not only commemorates Karen’s legacy but also serves as a beacon of hope for Secondary Breast Cancer patients across the UK.

Alistair Henderson, Karen’s husband expressed his gratitude, saying, “It is fantastic to think that through The Karen Henderson Legacy Fund, Karen continues to inspire so many people to help make life just that little bit better and happier for Secondary Breast Cancer patients across the UK.

“Karen was a great fundraiser for Make 2nds Count, and we are sure she would be delighted that her great fundraising work continues on in this way. Particularly when we see the lovely feedback from the recipients of our funded initiatives.”

The funds were raised through various activities organised by the Karen Henderson Legacy Fund itself or by friends and supporters, including multiple groups taking on the Edinburgh Kiltwalk, fashion shows at Restoration Yard in Dalkeith Country Park featuring luxury raffles, a successful ladies’ night event at the Sun Inn in Dalkeith, marathon and half marathons ran, charity sales, concerts and notably, the 500 miles challenge, all of which contributed significantly to this achievement.

This money has played a pivotal role in funding vital support services provided by Make 2nds Count, such as the Tea and a Chat program in Edinburgh, Birdsong yoga, and providing meaningful gifts for retreats aimed at supporting patients.

Alistair Henderson continued: “To reach and exceed the £60,000 figure in funds raised in just over 2 years is a fantastic achievement and very much adds to Karen’s lasting legacy.

“Karen’s Legacy Fund greatly appreciates the efforts of everyone who has contributed to making this happen, and we very much hope that we can continue the good work of Karen’s Legacy Fund as we move into 2024. Thank You.”

Make 2nds Count extends its heartfelt gratitude to The Karen Henderson Legacy Fund and all contributors for their unwavering support in making a profound difference in the lives of those affected by Secondary Breast Cancer.

For more information about Make 2nds Count and The Karen Henderson Legacy Fund, please visit https://make2ndscount.co.uk/get-involved/khlf/

Helping Ukrainians into longer term housing

Steps to provide displaced people with accommodation stability

Ukrainian people seeking refuge from the war will be supported to access longer term housing, under plans to further reduce the number of displaced people in Scotland living in temporary welcome accommodation.

From Thursday 7 December, Ukrainians arriving in Scotland for the first time through the Super Sponsor scheme and entering welcome accommodation will be supported by local authorities to identify two longer term accommodation options. Temporary welcome accommodation will be available for a maximum of six months, but may be extended in certain circumstances.

Ukrainians who are already in welcome accommodation will also be supported to find two longer term accommodation options. Where a displaced person chooses to make their own accommodation arrangements after six months and has declined offers, a maximum of 60 additional days in welcome accommodation will be permitted to allow them to safely move on.

From January, displaced people who have previously stayed in welcome accommodation and have left for an extended period will not be able to return in most cases, but will be offered help and advice to identify alternative housing options.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Over 26,000 people from Ukraine have arrived in the UK with a Scottish sponsor, more than 20,500 of them through our Super Sponsor scheme.

“Our welcome accommodation ensures that we can offer everyone who needs it an initial safe place to stay. However, we do not want people to spend longer than necessary without a settled place to call home.

“Thanks to our close working with local authorities and the third sector, the number of Ukrainians living in welcome accommodation has more than halved over the past year. These next steps will help us support even more people to find safe, settled accommodation for the longer term. This will provide much-needed stability, helping them set down roots and make the most of local opportunities.

“We will work with local authorities and COSLA to help meet the needs of individuals and families – helping those who need additional support and considering affordability, employment and education. Many Ukrainians choose to make their own accommodation arrangements and the resettlement and housing teams in our local authorities can also support this.”

COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Councillor Maureen Chalmers said: “Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Scottish Local Government has worked in strong partnership with Scottish Government, third sector colleagues and the Ukrainian community to support displaced people seek refuge and safety in Scotland.

“Throughout this period, we have seen an exceptional level of public support. This has included thousands of people offering rooms in their homes to support hosting arrangements; a flourishing network of community and third sector activity to welcome Ukrainian households into local neighbourhoods; and support from colleagues across public services to ensure that guests have access to vital services which support resettlement and integration.

“This announcement is the next step in ensuring Ukrainian households who have arrived in Scotland have access to a home which meets their needs. Prolonged stays in welcome accommodation are unable to support the long-term integration needs of displaced people.

“Local Government is committed to supporting displaced households settle into longer term accommodation and integrate into local communities to ensure they benefit from the enhanced wellbeing that this brings.”

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Support 61,000 jobs in Scotland with a Christmas pint

Scots raising a Christmas pint in pubs and at home should enjoy the taste of supporting 61,000 local jobs, which pay almost £1 billion in wages and contribute £1.7 billion to the economy, data from the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) shows.
The brewing and pubs industry is one of the UK’s biggest employers, supporting almost one million jobs across the regions.
Pubs have an equally vital social contribution. Across Scotland, 78% of people say pubs are important in bringing people together, while 60% think pubs help combat loneliness and isolation.
The Long Live the Local campaign invites pubgoers who can afford it to buy an extra round to support the brewers, delivery drivers, farmers and thousands of people behind the pint.

Scots raising a Christmas pint should enjoy the taste of supporting 61,000 local jobs in breweries, bars and supply chains which pay almost £1 billion in wages and contribute £1.7 billion to the economy, data from the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) reveals.

The SBPA’s Long Live the Local campaign is shining a light on the nearly one million people behind the pint who make the festive season merry.

As Scottish pubgoers raise a local brew, they support hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country: including farmers growing hops, brewers developing new recipes, scientists working on quality control and logistics teams managing deliveries.

‘The local’ is often the heart of community life and a major source of local employment and economic growth. Its social value is most apparent at Christmas, bringing people together and combatting loneliness during the festive season. Recent YouGov polling in Scotland found:

69% of people feel pubs have a positive effect in communities
78% say pubs are important in bringing people together
60% think pubs help combat loneliness in their local area

Pubs and brewers have faced major increases to their costs over the last few years while struggling to limit price rises. The Autumn Statement provided vital support with an extension to business rates relief and the freeze on beer duty, but the next budget must provide surer footing for brewers and pubs by:

Cutting tax on beer in the next Budget and pledging to bring beer duty down to the European average over the course of the next Parliament. The EU average duty on a pint of beer is currently 20p, whereas in the UK it is 54p for draught beer and 59p for packaged beer- nearly triple the European average and 12 times more than Germany.
Reforming business rates so pubs and brewers can invest in the future, with the 75% relief maintained and a cap to the planned increase in the 2024 business rates multiplier until this is implemented
Lowering VAT rate to 12.5% for pubs to help publicans and customers with cost of living increases

The Long Live the Local campaign invites Scots to buy an extra round this Christmas to support the people behind the pint and join the campaign to secure the future of their local.

Craig Macleod, owner of Innes Bar in Inverness, says: “There aren’t too many places where 18 and 80-year-olds come together to share a pint and connect. I love creating experiences that bring people together and we pride ourselves on being a hub for the community.

“We do a lot for charity as well. Right now we’re preparing for our annual Santa’s Grotto, which raised £1,200 pounds for the local food bank last year.

“As a business, we’ve weathered a lot of storms over the past few years with the energy price rises and the cost of living hitting people’s pockets. We’re very lucky to still be here and going strong when so many other venues have had to close their doors. That would be a real loss for the community, as there’s nowhere else people can go to experience that sense of togetherness.”

Emma McClarkin, CEO of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, says: “So many of life’s milestones are marked by sharing a beer, whether in commiseration or joy. Behind the glass, there are nearly a million people across the cities and regions who make this possible: including brewers, technicians, delivery drivers, farmers and the pub staff at the counter.

“The great British pint is woven into the fabric of our communities, economies and regional identities. Local pubs are some of our most beloved tourist attractions, while our breweries produce some of the finest beers in the world.

“But the industry needs our support to survive. Scotland remains one of the most expensive places in the world to have a pint, with beer duty more than double the average across Europe.

“The next Parliament must make bringing beer duty in line with Europe a priority – taking at least 34 pence off the price of a pint – as well as reforming business rates so that brewers and pubs can continue investing in the future, providing quality jobs and training for people across the country.”

Dogs Trust delivers Christmas hope to people experiencing homelessness across Scotland

The Christmas elves at Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, are busy getting ready to spread Christmas cheer across Scotland by delivering gifts to the canine companions of people experiencing homelessness.

Every Christmas, through its Together Through Homelessness scheme, Dogs Trust brings festive cheer to the dogs of people experiencing homelessness by delivering canine hampers of collars, leads, coats, treats and toys to dogs and their owners.

Dogs Trust has been running the unique service for over 30 years and as well as Christmas gifts, provides free veterinary treatment to dogs whose owners are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness.

 In recent months* Together Through Homelessness have seen an 82% rise in phone enquiries, as Crisis Homelessness Monitor 2023 shows that homelessness is on the rise in the UK.

This year, Together Through Homelessness will deliver almost 2,000 Christmas parcels to dogs and their owners at over 215 homelessness services across the UK. Services in Scotland that benefited from the scheme include Scottish Veterans Residences, Simon Community, All4Paws, The Salvation Army, Big Issue and Right There.

Richard Kerr of Streetwork at Simon Community Scotland, says: “The hampers from Dogs Trust benefit the people we are working with massively. It is a great idea and gives our clients and their dogs an experience that they might otherwise not have.

“The people we work with are generally very attached to their animals and create very strong bonds with their companions as in some cases they don’t have anyone in their lives that they can rely on for companionship. I know this support means a lot to our clients.”

Megan Evans, Together Through Homelessness Team Leader at Dogs Trust, explains:  “Everyone knows that the bond between a dog and its owner is a strong one but for people experiencing homelessness, the bond is often unbreakable. Christmas can be an especially difficult and lonely time for people in housing crisis, but the company of a canine friend can often help to ease some of this loneliness.”

“However, thanks to the generosity of Dogs Trust supporters, this year we’ll spread a little bit of Christmas cheer and help almost 2,000 dogs celebrate Christmas with their best friends. Not only that, but we will be able to continue to support them into the New Year and beyond so that more dogs can stay with their owners, regardless of their housing situation”.

As well as distributing Christmas hampers and offering free veterinary treatments Together Through Homelessness supports homelessness services to accept clients with dogs and helps them put in place practical guidelines.

To support Dogs Trust Together Through Homelessness and help dogs and their owners who are experiencing homelessness, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/how-we-help/hope-project/donate

Social Security Scotland: Support for people facing bereavement

Having to pay for a funeral can cause extra strain for people at what can be a difficult time.

That’s why, during National Grief Awareness week, we want to highlight the services and benefits available from Social Security Scotland, which may help to ease financial worry and reduce paperwork for people.

Through our Bereavement Service specially trained experienced and compassionate expert client advisers provide help to people who need to update us about benefit payments after a death.

With just one phone call, people can report the death of a family member, friend or loved one directly to one of our advisers. At that point, our adviser will take the necessary information for all payments that need to be cancelled.

Our Bereavement Service is also connected to the UK-wide ‘Tell Us Once’ scheme, which lets most government departments and local authorities know when someone dies. The system allows us to automatically follow up with any actions without the need for people to send information separately. This helps take away some of the worry people have about more administrative tasks at this upsetting time.

Our client advisers are helping make a difference to our clients at a time when they may be feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed. A client adviser from our Bereavement Service, said: “Clients are grateful for being made aware of services like Tell Us Once which they can use to report the death once and all relevant departments will be notified.

“We make the caller aware of further assistance that may be available to them such as Funeral Support Payment or Bereavement care.

“Sometimes the caller may just want to talk about their experience of losing a loved one and we will lend a listening ear.”

Our client advisers can also signpost and help eligible people to apply for Funeral Support Payment, which helps pay towards funeral costs for people on low incomes getting certain benefits.

It can be paid either to parents and families or the funeral director who is helping to plan the funeral. In Scotland, local authorities cover the burial or cremation costs for a baby, child or young person aged 17 or under.

Since launching Funeral Support Payment in September 2019, we have approved over 32,600 applications, providing more than £37.8 million of support for people and families.

People can apply for Funeral Support Payment online, via a paper application form or by calling us free on 0800 182 2222 and asking to speak to the specially trained bereavement team.

To find out more information, people can visit mygov.scot/funeralsupportpayment

Food Access and Sharing Points across North Edinburgh this winter

COMMUNITY FOOD SUPPORT AS WINTER ARRIVES

PILTON Community Health Project have updated their Food Access & Sharing Points document.

Trying to get by on whatever income we have can be incredibly challenging for many of us, particularly in the winter months.

Take a look on here to find our where you can get a meal, hot drink or groceries.

If you’d like a hard copy of this to take home, please pop in and ask. Also, please share with any neighbours or local friends to make sure everyone knows about these.

TONIGHT: M Club Xmas Night In!

PILTON COMMUNITY HEALTH PROJECT from 6 – 9pm

At M Club tonight we’ll be meeting at Pilton Community Health Project for some snacks, hot drinks, Christmas crafts and good chat.

Join us and SHE Scotland CIC from 6pm.

The lone voice of older victims highlighted during Safer Ageing Week

Hourglass (Safer Ageing) announces fourth Safer Ageing Week – starting on 01/12/23 highlighting the lone voices of older victim survivors and how Hourglass is helping to challenge this.

Safer Ageing Week, launched by Hourglass in 2020, is an opportunity to raise awareness of the abuse of older people and shine a light on older victim-survivors and the relative taboo nature of this unspoken issue.

The theme this year is ALONE VOICE – focusing on the unique lone voice of Hourglass in dealing with the abuse of older people and the often-forgotten voice of an older victim survivor.

Currently not all abuse types, victims or perpetrators are treated equitably in the UK. The Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy has been a one useful development. But Hourglass is partly using this Safer Ageing Week to call for a unique strategy and specialist support for older people and therefore removing the additional barriers this group face.

Older people, as Hourglass states, should not be the last in line for support.

During this week the charity will also launch the Safer Ageing Index for Wales and, later in the week, the Safer Ageing Index for London, in partnership with the Hallmark Foundation.

These studies assess and compare how well local areas perform in helping people grow old safely. In 2022 the charity launched the first-ever Safer Ageing Index for Northern Ireland and by early 2024 the organisation plans to unveil a Safer Ageing Index for every part of the UK.

2023 also marks the 30th anniversary of Hourglass and during this week the charity will be looking at the advances made over the last three decades and what progression is needed in coming years.

The week of events, supported by a range of like-minded charities and organisations, will also see the launch of Hourglass’s Economic Abuse Hub in Wales. This unique provision will deliver vital specialist support to older people – as Financial or Economic abuse numbers and instances have steadily grown to be the majority of Hourglass casework.

Throughout the week we will be releasing messages from policy makers and thought leaders on how we can add our voices in support of older victim-survivors who too often are ALONE VOICE.

Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass, said: “This will be the fourth Safer Ageing Week. This year we will focus on the lone voices in our community who speak out against abuse and neglect of older victim-survivors.

“It’s our collective duty to create environments where older people can thrive free from abuse, fear, and neglect.

“For Safer Ageing Week 2023, we hope more people will add their voices to our calls for a strategy to tackle abuse and neglect of older people.”

Baroness Margaret Ritchie, Hourglass Patron, said: “Safer Ageing Week plays a vital role in amplifying the voices of older victim-survivors of abuse and neglect.

“Let’s build communities where every older person feels cherished, valued, and secure – where age is celebrated, and safety is assured. And most of all, where the voices of older victim survivors are heard and believed”

Hourglass operates in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. It runs the only 24/7 helpline for older people suffering abuse or neglect.

The helpline, instant message service, SMS and chatbot provides unique support and advice – as well as Europe’s only Knowledge Bank on the abuse and neglect of older people. The team can be reached on 0808 808 8141.

The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to make a donation by visiting www.wearehourglass.org.uk/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10. Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS.

If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.