‘shocked to the extreme to hear that Scotland’s homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time’
In response to the closure of frontline services and businesses for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II yesterday, Homeless Project Scotland opened an emergency Soup Kitchen which served warm food and other provisions from 8pm on Argyle Street under the ‘heilanman’s umbrella’.
This provision was in addition to the charity’s 24/7 free helpline for those at risk of homelessness or are homeless.
Raja Rani in Bearsden and Tantrum Donuts were among the local businesses to support the project’s initiative.
Speaking on the eve of the state funeral, a spokesperson for Homeless Project Scotland said: “We appreciate that tomorrow will be an emotional day for our country, however we also must recognise that tomorrow will bring challenges for those who are vulnerable and homeless in being able to source and access warm and nutritious food, in addition to support given tomorrow’s closures of food banks and other homeless charities closing their doors at this time.
“It is disappointing and we are shocked to the extreme to hear that throughout Scotland homeless charities and other key providers are closing their doors at this time. It must be recognised however that Homelessness does not stop tomorrow, and as such we must uphold our principles at this difficult time and ensure that nobody goes to bed with an empty stomach .
“This is particularly going to be felt in Glasgow especially given that those who are homeless and in the city’s hotels used for accommodating the homeless will only be able to provide breakfast, consisting of a cereal bar, due to the removal of evening meals from all hotel based accommodation since May this year.
“This service will not affectour normal Soup kitchen operations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.“
Following the news about The Queen’s death children and young people have turned to Childline counsellors for support. They have discussed a range of different things, including:
Sadness for the loss of The Queen
Past bereavements that this has reminded them of (family members or friends passing away)
Issues around mourning in public and school’s announcements/assemblies
Feeling overwhelmed with all the news at the moment – with The Queen’s passing being one more sign of “how the world is getting worse”
The monarchy’s legacy
What the new King will do
Advice – for parents and carers
Following a huge and public loss like that of Queen Elizabeth II, it is normal for children and young people to feel the impact of the grief in their communities.
This may have raised questions for them about loss or remind them of their own experiences of bereavement.
There are a number of ways that adults can support children at this time:
Let them know that you’re there to listen to them and remind them that sharing how they feel can really help. Equally, give them space if they wish to be alone to process how they are feeling
Remind them that there are lots of small ways to let their feelings out. This could include expressing their feelings by doing something creative such as writing a letter to that person or keeping a diary of how they’re feeling
If they are upset about someone who has died, encourage them to think of the happy times they had with the person who died and share this with you so you can talk about them together
Remind them that it can take a long time to feel better if they have experienced a bereavement and that this is normal
If they are finding it hard to talk to you, let them know they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk
Shaun Friel, Childline Director, said:“It is not surprising that the death of Her Majesty The Queen has brought up different feelings for children and young people. When big world events take place such as this, we often see them being raised by children in Childline counselling sessions.
“Those that have turned to our counsellors have talked about a range of things including sadness about her death, questions about loss and grief, and for some young people, The Queen’s death has reminded them about a bereavement they have experienced in their own lives which will feel very difficult for them.
“Others have highlighted that it feels like another piece of very overwhelming news at the moment.
“Death is a very natural and inevitable part of life, but its also a very overwhelming topic for children to process and understand. It is important that children know there is someone they can talk to if they are feeling worried or upset. Remind them that there are trusted adults who can listen to them and that they can always contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice.”
Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of NSPCC, said: “Everyone at the NSPCC is devastated by the death of Her Majesty The Queen. She was our Royal patron for more than 60 years, which was just one of the countless ways she made a huge difference to the lives of children in the UK. Our thoughts go out to her family, including our current patron the Countess of Wessex.
“Her Majesty The Queen supported the NSPCC in a number of ways, including attending our centenary thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1984, visiting our national training centre in 1989 and hosting a reception at St James Palace in 2007 to mark the end of our FULL STOP appeal. The NSPCC’s Royal patron is currently the Countess of Wessex.
“We know that during this moment of national shock and mourning, many children will be feeling anxious. Support is available for children struggling with anxiety at Childline: Worries about the world | Childline”
Local Aerospace Engineering company chooses LifeCare Edinburgh as its new charity partner
Leonardo employees raising vital funds for isolated older people
Leonardo’s Edinburgh employees have voted to make LifeCare Edinburgh the focus of their charitable fundraising for the next two years.
The renowned charity, which turned 80 last year, supports over 1,000 local older people every year through positive and practical care including registered outreach and day centres, help at home and meals on wheels, carers support and companionship activities.
Through its relationship-based approach the charity supports issues including living with dementia, isolation, reduced mobilities, mental health concerns and those struggling on low-incomes. Services enable local older people to live well and independently in their own homes for longer.
The support from Leonardo will enable LifeCare to continue to deliver these core services at a critical time. The charity recently reported unprecedented levels of referrals across all their care services post-pandemic, with the charity’s Help at Home service experiencing a 250% increase in enquiries. This comes at a time when the cost of running all services is growing significantly.
James Wells, LifeCare’s Chief Executive said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen by Leonardo employees as their charity partner across the next two years.
“Sadly, older people have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Their health and wellbeing have suffered significantly and we are struggling to cope with demand for care and the rising costs of service delivery. None of our services are fully funded and we rely on our fundraising to support our life-affirming services.
“We look forward to working with the team at Leonardo to help them to raise funds for our positive and practical support that older people need to live their lives with extra zest. Also we can help the staff learn more about living with dementia and how then can actively support their affected family members.
“Over 85% of the people we help across the city live alone and without LifeCare, many older people would be left critically isolated. Our services provide the earlier help people need to keep them well in body and mind; helping when things are getting more difficult to manage, centred on the unique needs of each individual.
“We are extremely grateful for every pound raised.”
Mark Stead, SVP, Radar and Advanced Targeting for Leonardo in Edinburgh said: “The relationship-based approach taken by LifeCare to offer holistic support to older people is so vital.
“Our employees will be proud to support their efforts, which deal so attentively not only with each individual’s practical needs, but also with their sense of confidence, independence and quality of life.
“So many factors are affecting older people and their families in today’s challenging post pandemic climate and we will be striving to raise as much as we can for this important charity.”
LifeCare is a registered charity and relies on the support of its generous funders. In addition to Leonardo’s support, LifeCare receives funding from The Bank of Scotland Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation and The Stafford Trust.
LifeCare also runs a busy community hub and café on Cheyne Street in Stockbridge with all proceeds going towards the organisation’s core services.
Popular Edinburgh hockey club boosted by sponsorship backing from legal firm
A RENOWNED Scottish law firm is sponsoring Edinburgh University Men’s Hockey Club (EUMHC) following one of the most successful seasons in the club’s 120-year history.
Gibson Kerr’s sponsorship of EUMHC will help the club with general admin and running costs that are crucial to its continued success.
With a commitment to the development of its players and the aim of encouraging more students to play sport, long-established Gibson Kerr was keen to support the growing club which is now the biggest men’s university sports club in the UK.
Current Sponsorship Secretary of the EUMHC, Ben Wilson, said: “The whole team feel really privileged to receive Gibson Kerr’s sponsorship.
“As a club, we have considerable expenses. We now have four teams training a night and we require good equipment. Last year, we spent a lot of money on balls, bibs, cones and other kit that is crucial for the club and we expect that this year, that outgoing might be even more.
“In addition, we have umpires to pay, goal keeping kit to invest in, more bibs to purchase and with the introduction of our 8th team this year, another training session to fund.
“As you might imagine, we’re absolutely thrilled with the sponsorship from Gibson Kerr. The money will go a long way in helping us pay a massive chunk of our expenses and it will really help take the weight off and provide much needed security.”
The newly Gibson Kerr branded kit made its first appearance at the hockey club’s first game this season at Peffermill Playing Fields on the 11th September following one of its most successful seasons to date.
The club added to its list of growing accolades last year which now includes becoming two-time Scottish League and Scottish Cup champions and four-time British Universities and College Sport champions.
The club was also the first Scottish men’s side to gain promotion to the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Premier National since the formation of BUCS in 2008.
Ben added: “After such a strong last season, we are hoping to build upon this success next year. At the moment we have 190 members and we are looking forward to another great year ahead as we continue to nurture some of Scotland’s future hockey stars.”
The legal firm has also been invited to meet the club members and present to the teams, sharing some information on Gibson Kerr and the work that they do, as well as joining them for a spot of hockey.
Donald Towsey, solicitor in Gibson Kerr’s property team and keen hockey player, said: “The club plays a huge part of the university’s sporting community and Gibson Kerr are delighted to support it.
“We are also hoping we might be able to inspire some budding lawyers in the team by telling them about the work we do.”
Gibson Kerr dates back more than 100 years and was acquired by Partners Scott and Fiona Rasmusen in 2005. Fiona is Head of Family Law, Partner Lindsay Maclean, who joined the firm in 2007, is Head of Personal Law, and the Property team is headed by Beverley Cottrell.
International school feeding charity shares devastating update from Tigray
School feeding charity Mary’s Meals is urging people to take notice of the atrocities unfolding in Ethiopia and to become the voice for those living there in terror and deprivation.
A recent update from the charity’s long-standing partner in Tigray outlining unimaginable horrors – including the murder of children and rape as a weapon of war – has led Mary’s Meals’ founder, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, to appeal to the world on their behalf.
Magnus says: “The relative peace of recent months was both a breath of fresh air and an answer to prayer and we are shocked and saddened by this recent letter detailing yet more horror and suffering as violence has once again broken out.
“Since November 2020, updates from our partner in Tigray have been characterised by gut-wrenching stories of inconceivable brutality and suffering, along with assurances that our colleagues there are trying their best, under horrendous circumstances, to bring relief to the most vulnerable.
“The resumption of fighting is making it almost impossible for our partner to get aid to those in need, but we must not make the mistake of thinking there is nothing we can do. We have a voice, and we must speak up for the people of Ethiopia now.”
Mary’s Meals has been serving meals in Tigray since 2017 and before the war, was feeding 24,320 children every school day. When the conflict flared up in Ethiopia in November 2020, schools closed and access to some areas proved impossible.
Working with its local partner, the charity began providing food and support to help thousands of displaced families driven out of their rural towns and villages who were seeking sheltering in the capital Mekelle in hastily constructed refugee camps.
Fighting erupted again in northern Ethiopia again last week, shattering a four-month ceasefire.
Mary’s Meals has received a devastating update from the charity’s partner which outlines the diabolical situation the people of Tigray now find themselves in which says: “Since the dawn of 24 August, dark clouds loom over Tigray because war has broken out once again.
“As you know, there had been countless reports of atrocious violations on human rights after the war that broke out since 3rd November 2020. In silence, months have passed with each day bringing new horrors, forever marking the minds of innocent civilians who got caught up in the tide of such a hate-filled attack.”
In the message from its partner, who can’t be named for security reasons, Magnus was told: “In silence, months have passed with each day bringing new horrors, forever marking the minds of innocent civilians who got caught up in the tide of such a hate-filled attack.
“It was not enough that some of the most vulnerable communities had been starving for months on end, it was not enough that the children born and raised with so much love and hope had been murdered with their bodies left to the elements, and it was not enough that families saw the bright vitality of their daughters and wives dim and be replaced with sheer terror laying witness to the horrors they endured.
“Now, war seems to have been ignited once again, undoubtedly rearing to claim the lives of many young souls who could have contributed for the betterment of humanity.”
Magnus continues: “I hope we do not look back in years to come with a heavy feeling of shame and regret because we failed to stand up for our brothers and sisters in their time of need. We cannot look away while this continues.
“I cannot ignore the pleas from our colleagues to pray for them, speak up for them, and advocate on their behalf and I am asking that you please join me. If you pray, pray about Ethiopia. And, importantly, make Ethiopia and the situation in Tigray a topic of conversation. Make sure people know what is going on because it cannot be allowed to continue. And tell anyone with the power to influence exactly what our partner is telling us; we must show how humanity can prevail over injustice and cruelty.”
Mary’s Meals normally provides a nutritious daily meal in school to 2,279,941 children every school day, working in 20 countries around the world, including Ethiopia, Haiti and South Sudan.
HMRC recently confirmed that HMRC’s first Cost of Living Payment to 1.1 million claimant families receiving tax credits will be made between 2 and 7 September 2022. The first HMRC payments will total around £360 million.
We are now letting you know that we have started to issue these payments.
If tax credits customers believe they are eligible but have not received a £326 payment between the published payment dates, they should wait until 16 September to contact HMRC. This is to allow time for their bank, building society or credit union to process the payment.
The UK Government is offering help for households. Customers should check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support they could be eligible for.
Background:
Details of HMRC’s first Cost of Living Payment to tax credit-only customers, with quotes and scam warning advice, can be found here:
Cost of Living payments were announced in May 2022. Details of DWP and HMRC payments were also publicised in June,JulyandAugust 2022. The latest payment schedule information is available here.
As well as the Cost of Living Payment, other government support includes:
£400 discount from the UK Government to help with the cost of energy bills from October onwards
£300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment that will be paid alongside Winter Fuel Payments
£150 Disability Cost of Living Payment from 20 September for those receiving an eligible UK disability benefit.
This is in addition to changes to the Universal Credit taper rate and work allowances worth £1,000 a year on average for 1.7 million working claimants; a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour; and a tax cut for around 30 million workers through a rise in National Insurance contribution thresholds.
Preparations under way as vessel arrives to host displaced people
The second cruise ship chartered to offer displaced people safe accommodation has arrived in Glasgow.
The M/S Ambition has been chartered for six months and will be located at King George V docks on the River Clyde. The ship has capacity to host up to 1,750 people in 714 cabins, and, as with the arrangements for the M/S Victoria I at Leith, families will be accommodated according to their needs.
People on board the vessel will have access to restaurants, child play facilities, shops, cleaning and communal spaces. They will be free to come and go from the ship, as with any other temporary accommodation.
Partners will now work to put in place measures around safeguarding, health and safety, public protection and waste management to ensure that the ship is ready to welcome people. This will also include work to provide guests on board with access to appropriate support services, including healthcare and benefits support.
Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government is providing accommodation that is safe and sustainable while people are waiting to be matched to suitable longer term accommodation.
“The arrival of the M/S Ambition in Glasgow is a key part of that provision which means we are providing sanctuary to more displaced people per head of population than any other part of the UK.
“We are working closely with the council and other local partners to finalise plans for how the ship will be used, with safeguarding of the people on board being the absolute priority.
“Now that the M/S Ambition has arrived, this work will begin at pace and people will move on board once the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council are satisfied that the necessary preparations, including health and safety checks, have been satisfied.
“We do not want people spending more time in temporary accommodation, such as the cruise ships, for any longer than is absolutely necessary. We continue to take significant action to increase our temporary accommodation capacity as well as boosting our matching system to maximise the number of people who can be placed with volunteer hosts who have completed the necessary safeguarding checks.”
The latest published data on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, including the Scottish Government’s super sponsor scheme, shows that on 30 August there were:
15,757 total arrivals with a sponsor located in Scotland (18% of all UK arrivals), of which 12,390 have come under the super sponsor scheme
35,931 applications under the super sponsor scheme
29,992 visas issued under the super sponsor scheme
The specialist running retailer in Edinburgh has teamed up with well-known running sock brand, Balega to donate socks to the local homeless charity, Streetwork at Simon Community Scotland.
Throughout September, for every pair of socks sold by Up & Running, Balega will donate a pair to Streetwork, in a bid to provide warmth and comfort to those forced to sleep on the streets.
This is the fourth year that Up & Running and Balega have joined forces, which has seen the campaign donate a substantial number of socks to help homeless charities throughout the UK. The campaign also aims to raise awareness of homelessness and the fantastic work the charities do ahead of World Homeless Day on October 10th.
Talking about the campaign, Co-Managing Director for Up & Running, George Cunningham said, “We are happy to once again be supporting local homeless shelters and projects, and are grateful to customers, staff and Balega for the contributions to the sock donation.
“The issue of homelessness is heart-breaking and serious, and affects all communities. We hope that the sock donation will help in a small way to bring some comfort and dignity to those in need.”
Jon Dennis, UK Balega representative said: “We are pleased to be partnering with Up & Running again to deliver our homeless support campaign.
“Balega has a long tradition of supporting communities and charities and our partnership with Up & Running continues this tradition.”
If you would like to support the campaign please head down to Up & Running Edinburgh and purchase a pair of socks or visit www.upandrunning.co.uk
Community retailer aiming to raise £250,000 for new charity partner
A leadingScottish community retailer is hoping to get tongues – and tails – wagging today (Thursday 1st September) with the announcement of its ‘pawsome’ new charity partnership.
Scotmid has taken the lead and chosen Guide Dogs as its barkingly brilliant charity companion, with plans to raise £250,000 over the course of the year long partnership.
The funding will enable Guide Dogs to train three new Habilitation Specialists, as well as two Guide Dog Mobility Specialists, who will help and support hundreds more people in Scotland who are living with sight loss.
Guide Dog’s Habilitation Specialists support children and young people with a vision impairment, providing them with the skills they need to live an independent and active life and helping them reach their full potential.
Habilitation involves mobility, orientation and independent living skills. From supporting physical development in the early years, to navigating streets safely, preparing food, handling money and using technology as they grow older.
Funds will also be allocated to training two Guide Dog Mobility Specialists who partner life-changing guide dogs to people with sight loss. When guide dogs are partnered with a person with sight loss, the partnership boosts general mobility as well as increasing confidence and independence to go out into the community; expanding opportunities to socialise and reducing isolation.
Kyla McVicar, Business Development Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said: “Guide Dogs offers a range of services for adults and children affected by a vision impairment, as well as their families. We have expanded our services in recent years so that we can help thousands of people with different needs lead confident, independent and fulfilling lives.
“We are really excited to be working with Scotmid and would like to say a huge thank you for their incredible support, which will enable us to train crucial new staff members and reach even more people affected by sight loss.
“The new roles include guide dog mobility specialists, who train our dogs and partner them with people with sight loss and habilitation specialists, who work with children and young people to help them develop vital life-long orientation and independence skills.
“This means that Scotmid will make a significant and lasting difference for families affected by sight loss across the local communities it has a presence in.”
John Brodie, Chief Executive at Scotmid, said:“Our core purpose is to serve our communities and to improve people’s everyday lives, so Guide Dogs is an excellent fit for us.
“Over the coming year, we are looking forward to raising much needed funds and awareness of this very worthy cause. We want to play our part in supporting those who are affected by sight loss, helping them to live more independent and fuller lives.”
Colleagues, customers and members across Scotmid’s stores will take part in various fundraising and engagement activities throughout the year, including ‘Name the Puppy’ competitions, Kiltwalks and in-store activities to support the partnership.
Adult Disability Payment is now open for new applications across Scotland. The national rollout follows successful pilots in 13 local authority areas, which began in March.
It is the twelfth and most complex benefit to be delivered by the Scottish Government. It replaces the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment.
The benefit provides financial support to people aged between 16 and state pension age who are disabled, have a long-term health condition or have a terminal illness.
People already receiving the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance do not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment.
These existing awards will transfer automatically from the DWP to Social Security Scotland. Cases will transfer in stages starting from this summer and this process is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “The national launch of Adult Disability Payment is a significant milestone in the development of our new social security system, that will treat everyone with dignity, fairness and respect.
“This is the twelfth and most complex devolved benefit to be introduced and, once all the awards have transferred from the DWP, this new payment will be supporting more than 300,000 people.
“We are offering a range of ways to make an application, including online, by post, over the phone or face-to-face. Social Security Scotland local delivery teams are also available to provide assistance in communities across the country.
“In creating our new system, we have worked extensively and collaboratively with people who will use this service. Their input, and their direct experience of the DWP system, has significantly informed our policy development and resulted in the number of improvements that we are making to the way in which we are delivering our new service.
“The Scottish Government is focused on providing a positive and compassionate experience for people applying for and receiving our Adult Disability Payment.
“In our Scottish system no one will be subject to DWP style assessments or degrading functional examinations, and we will never use the private sector to carry out health examinations.
“People will only be invited to a consultation on occasions when we require more information so we can make a decision. This will be a conversation with a health and social care professional to understand how a person’s disability or health condition impacts them.
“Social security is a shared investment in building a fairer Scotland. It is a human right and we encourage those who may be eligible for support to apply.”
Moira Tasker, Chief Executive of Inclusion Scotland said: “Inclusion Scotland warmly welcomes today’s launch of the Adult Disability Payment. Many disabled people are being disproportionately hard hit by the UK economic crisis and are deeply worried about just surviving this winter.
“The Adult Disability Payment will offer much needed support to eligible disabled people. It ushers in further progress towards upholding the values of dignity and respect in Scottish society, which were entirely lacking in the Department of Work and Pensions approach to disability benefits.
“We are proud of the part that disabled people, our members and Inclusion Scotland played in engaging with the Scottish Government to make a new system for Scottish disability benefits fair and accessible.
“The Adult Disability Payment is a leap forward. It has the potential to enable disabled people and Scots with long-term health conditions to participate in their communities and wider Scottish society – whether that is through work, education, family life, or simply a life lived without fear of phone calls or letters demanding repeated assessments and sanctions.”
You can apply if you are between 16 years old and state pension age, need help with the extra costs of being disabled or having a long term health condition.
