support – Page 56 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

“We want you to stay”

DEADLINE for the EU settlement scheme is 30 June 2021

The UK Government is jeopardising EU citizens’ right to stay in Scotland by failing to extend the deadline for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) the First Minister has said.

The deadline for applications is currently 30 June, but the Scottish Government has argued for this to be extended to give those who have not yet applied more time.

A backlog of almost 350,000 applications by EU citizens who wish to stay in the UK is also still waiting to be addressed by the Home Office.

The First Minister reiterated calls to reform the EU Settlement Scheme after hearing from EU citizens in Edinburgh who received help with their applications to the scheme from two charities, and urged anyone who has not submitted their application to do so as soon as possible before the deadline.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1405593607353081864

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Five years ago the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU but today we find ourselves subject to a damaging, hard Brexit.

“This will have been a particularly difficult time for EU citizens who have made Scotland their home but who have been forced by the UK Government to apply to stay here.

“They have friends, families, careers and communities that are dear to them and that they are dear to. I can barely begin to imagine the anxiety and stress they have suffered – indeed many continue to suffer – as they wait to be told whether or not their right to all of that will be removed.

“The UK Government’s refusal to listen to our call to extend the deadline is unacceptable and means all EU citizens must urgently apply for settled status if they have not already done so.

“I am hugely grateful to those providing free support to EU citizens with the application process, here at St Margaret’s House and across Scotland. To all EU citizens my message is this – ‘Scotland is a better country because you are here. You are part of us and we badly want you to stay’.”

While at St Margaret’s House, the First Minister met Virginia Zamojski and Bernadeta Żynda who have been helped by Feniks and Citizens’ Rights Project with their applications for Settled Status.

Virginia, an NHS worker, has lived in Scotland for 27 years yet her application for Settled Status is still outstanding.

She said: “I came to Feniks for help, because I need to apply for my settled status through a special form for people without a valid form of ID. Filling it in made me very nervous.

“I have lived in the UK since I was three. I am now an NHS key worker, and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic I was needed at work and could not travel to renew my passport. The German embassy was also overwhelmed.

“Now my application for Settled Status is ongoing and I really hope everything will be sorted out in time as Scotland is my true home – I have no one in Germany.”

Bernadeta, who has lived in the UK for over 10 years and successfully applied for Settled Status with the help of Feniks, said: “I moved to the UK over 10 years ago to join my family and look after my grandchildren upon my retirement in Poland.

“As I never worked in the UK, I had to provide additional proof of my residency, which was difficult as I needed to obtain official letters from the bank or other institutions and I didn’t feel confident enough to contact them as my English was not good enough.

“Dorota from Feniks showed a lot of patience and understanding and helped me gather additional evidence, which meant I successfully received my Settled Status.”

The deadline for the EU settlement scheme is 30 June 2021.

Get support to apply now at http://mygov.scot/stayinscotland.

#StayInScotland

#WeAreScotland

Edinburgh Food Project: Foodbanks to re-open next week

Our Foodbanks are re-opening w/c 28th June 2021

We have created a reminder of all our addresses and opening times for guidance.

We look forward to welcoming out clients back to the centre after almost 15 months of delivery!

If you require a food bank referral please contact Granton Information Centre on 0131 551 2459/0131 552 0458 or info@gic.org.uk

Capital clubs combine to show Covid the red card

Mobile testing units for people without Covid symptoms are running at both Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian Football Clubs as cases continue to rise in the Capital.

The community testing centres are aimed at breaking the chain of transmission in areas where case numbers remain stubbornly high by tracing cases which haven’t produced any symptoms but could still be infectious.

Council Leaders today praised both football clubs for their role in helping stop the spread of the virus in their communities.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “Just yesterday the First Minister advised that the aim is to move all parts of Scotland into Level Zero by 19 July, which is very positive news.

“We want to do everything we can to get case numbers down in Edinburgh as quickly as possible so that we can achieve that goal and enjoy fewer restrictions on our daily lives, so it’s crucial we find out where cases are – and isolate them.

“I’m delighted that both Hibs and Hearts are working closely with us and the Scottish Ambulance Service on community testing and I’d like to thank both clubs for their support and dedication to their communities’ wellbeing.”

Depute Council Leader Cammy Day said: “As things continue to open up, it’s vital we all test ourselves regularly to check we’re not carrying the virus and unwittingly putting our loved ones and community at risk.

“It’s important to remember you can still get infected even if you’re double-vaccinated, and about 1 in 3 cases won’t show any symptoms. Well done and thank you to both our much-loved clubs for teaming up with us to show Covid the red card in Edinburgh.

The drive through testing centre at the rear of the East Stand at Easter Road opened on Tuesday 22 June.

Greg McEwan, Head of Marketing and Brand Partnerships at Hibernian Football Club, said: “Hibernian are pleased to be able to partner up with the City of Edinburgh Council in their efforts to curb the virus with a pop-up testing site at the Stadium.

“Easter Road Stadium is a prominent venue within the community and indeed Edinburgh so it’s a pleasure to offer our facilities.”

Meanwhile, a mobile testing unit has been operating beside the Wheatfield Stand at Tynecastle since last week.

Ann Park, Director for Communities and Partnershipes at Heart of Midlothian Football Club, said: “Heart of Midlothian encourage everyone to take up the offer of regular community testing and are delighted to help the continued fight against COVID-19 by hosting the mobile testing centre at Tynecastle.

“If we all get tested regularly we are able to then take the necessary action to stop the spread of the virus. If you live in the local area please drop in and do your bit to help stop the spread.”

Mobile testing units offering free PCR tests are currently available at:

Walk up mobile testing unit, Heart of Midlothian Football Club, Wheatfield Stand accessed via Wheatfield Street/Place, from Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 June, 10am to 6pm
Drive though mobile testing unit at Hibernian Football Club, in the car park behind the East Stand accessed off Albion Place/Hawkhill Place from Tuesday 22 June to Monday 28 June, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Walk up mobile testing unit, North West Locality office, 8 West Pilton Gardens until Sunday 27 June, 10am to 6pm – test pick-up available

Free Covid tests are also available without appointments at the following libraries:

McDonald Road Library from Monday 14 June to Saturday 3 July (closed Sunday 27 June) 9am to 6pm – test pick-up available
Gilmerton Library from Monday 21 June to Saturday 3 July 9am to 6pm – test pick-up available
Wester Hailes Library from Monday 21 June to Saturday 3 July 9am to 6pm – test pick-up available

New learning resource to support young people’s mental health

The Scottish Government has unveiled a new online learning resource to help school staff support young people’s mental health.

Staff can learn more about factors influencing mental health and wellbeing; prevention-based approaches in schools and tips on how to end mental health stigma and discrimination.

The Mental Health Foundation, Children in Scotland and training provider Digital Bricks developed the resource that is open to all school staff in primary, secondary and special schools.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing is of vital importance and this resource is a significant addition to the suite of resources that school staff can access. It will provide essential learning and knowledge on mental health and wellbeing that schools can adopt and embed across all aspects of the school environment.

“Although aimed primarily at school staff, it can also be accessed and used by anyone who wants to learn more about mental health and how to support children and young people.”

Councillor Stephen McCabe, COSLA spokesperson for Children and Young People, said: “The mental health and wellbeing of our children and young people must be a priority as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

“Ensuring those working with young people, in all capacities, have access to resources that develop their understanding of, and equip them to appropriately support mental health would be crucial; I welcome this comprehensive resource providing training and information for all school staff.”

Letters: Children need our support, says NSPCC Scotland

Dear Editor,

Since April last year, our trained Childline counsellors have delivered more than 73,000 counselling sessions with young people who were struggling with their mental and emotional health. And more than 5,000 of these counselling sessions were with children aged 11 or under, an increase of nearly a third when compared to the year before.

However, as a charity that receives 90% of our income from the public, we know this is something we have not achieved alone, and we are hugely grateful for the dedication and commitment of our supporters, which allow us to continue this work.

One way that the public can support us is through the People’s Postcode Lottery, and since 2018, players have provided crucial funding to the sum of almost £6 million to the NSPCC to help the charity keep children safe and well.

The funds have been used to support our vital services across Scotland. This includes our schools service programme, helping primary school children speak out and stay safe from abuse, and our service centre in Govan, Glasgow, providing therapeutic services to families. And, of course, Childline, which provides free and confidential counselling to children and young people in need of support.

Childline is a lifeline for many children and over the past year thousands of young people have needed it more than ever due to the challenges they have faced during the pandemic. Local lockdowns, school closures, isolation and the impact of being separated from family and friends led many children to get in touch with the service over the phone or online.

The money raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery has been invaluable in helping our frontline staff be here for children during their darkest hours.

Moving forward, as lockdown restrictions continue to ease, it remains vital that children and young people know where they can access help and support.

We can only make a difference for children together, and we simply couldn’t continue to run services like Childline without the public’s support.

To find out more about how you could help us be there for children through fundraising, get in touch at ScotlandFundraisingTeam@nspcc.org.uk

Paul Cockram,

Head of Fundraising for NSPCC Scotland

Age Scotland: Could lockdown have a long-term impact on our strength and mobility?

It’s something many of us have noticed over the past year. We’ve been getting our shopping delivered, the weekly Keep Fit class is on hold, and phone calls have replaced a cuppa with friends.

We’ve had to postpone regular activities, whether that’s a game of bowls or playing with grandchildren. And while many have tried to keep up that daily walk, the Covid-19 pandemic has kept others confined to home.

“Stay at home” has been the safest advice – with many older people either shielding or significantly cutting down their social interactions.

But now that the vaccine rollout is well underway and restrictions are starting to lift, what impact has this had on our longer-term health?

Age Scotland’s new research confirms the impact that lockdown has had on our daily life – almost two thirds of over-50s say they have been less active over the past year.

Around half are worried that spending so much time at home has led to a loss of strength and mobility.

This had led to concerns that the restrictions could have a serious impact on our health over the next few years. Tens of thousands of older people could be experiencing “deconditioning” – declining physical fitness caused by lack of activity and spending long periods of time sitting.

This can lead to a loss of muscle strength, balance, flexibility and overall mobility, which can leave people more vulnerable to falls and likely to require social care support in the years to come.

It can even lead to health problems resulting in higher mortality from cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

One way to combat this is through an innovative app called LifeCurve, developed by researchers at Strathclyde University, It’s based on research that found that we lose the ability to do things in a particular order as we age.

Early on the curve, we might be able to go for a brisk walk, while as we get older we might start to struggle with housework, bathing or cutting toenails.

The good news is this is not set in stone at a particular age. We can improve our position on the LifeCurve by staying physically active and keeping up with regular daily tasks. This can slow the ageing process and help us to live a healthy, independent life for longer.

We can all try to build more physical activity into our lives, whatever our fitness and ability level. Age Scotland has developed its Around the House in 80 Days series of videos to help people of all ages stay fit safely at home.

For many people, the issue is a lack of confidence after around 15 months at home. It’s often tempting to offer to help an older relative or neighbour by doing the shopping or cooking a meal. But it might be more helpful to encourage them to do more independently.

Perhaps you could offer to walk with someone to the shops or try a gentle exercise class (in person or online) together?

Many Age Scotland groups, such as Men’s Sheds and walking clubs, are now re-opening safely, giving further opportunities for physical and social activity.

It might start with a small step, but it could go a long way to ensuring a healthier later life.

£3 million fund to help tourism industry rebuild

Tourism organisations will be able to apply for funding to promote key visitor destinations in a responsible and sustainable way, helping the sector to recover from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Administered by VisitScotland, the £3 million Destination and Sector Marketing Fund will support eligible groups develop strong visitor marketing campaigns that position Scotland as a year-round destination to the UK and Irish markets.

The fund opens for applications on 1 June and will be split into three tiers, focusing on city, regional and national tourism groups. It is part of the £25 million investment in the tourism sector and will help deliver the post-Covid recovery programme developed by the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG) and the Scottish Tourism Recovery Task Force.

Tourism Minister Ivan McKee said: “It’s been an incredibly difficult year for our tourism and hospitality sectors but, as we begin to reopen the economy and domestic travel resumes, this new fund will help to promote some of Scotland’s most scenic beauty spots to our closest markets.

“The fund stems from the work of the Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce and demonstrates our commitment to getting the sector firmly back on its feet again – a commitment backed by £25 million investment. Scotland is one of the world’s most iconic destinations and we must work together to deliver a sustainable recovery.”

Director of Industry & Destination Development at Visit Scotland and Chair of STERG Riddell Graham, said: “The Destination and Sector Marketing Fund has been designed to help accelerate the recovery of Scottish tourism in the immediate to medium term by focusing on the domestic market.

“By using the latest insights, groups across Scotland will develop and promote visitor experiences both sustainably and responsibly to help stimulate demand in the domestic market all year-round.

“VisitScotland is focused on the recovery of the industry, building a destination and visitor experience which allows tourism and events to flourish now and in the future. We’ll continue to work with, and support, businesses to ensure we rebuild this vital part of Scotland’s economy.”

Destination and Sector Marketing Fund guidance

The Fund will be split into three tiers: City Region Award Programme (with awards on offer between £50k and £100k); Regional Destination Organisations and Pan Scotland Sector Groups (with awards between £40k and £80k); and Local Destination Organisations, Marketing Groups and non-Pan Scotland Sector Groups (with awards between £10k and £20k).

Cyrenians Fareshare depot delivers equivalent of over 4.2 million meals to charities and community groups

In the past year, Cyrenians’ FareShare depot based in Leith has distributed 1,800 tonnes of food to charities and community groups across Central and South East Scotland – the equivalent of creating over 4.2 million meals, and a three-fold increase on previous year.

Cyrenians tackles the causes and consequences of homelessness. Building community through food and tackling food poverty is a large part of their work – through their FareShare depot in Leith, the charity redistributes surplus food from the supply chain to charities and community groups across Central and South East Scotland.

Cyrenians FareShare Depot Operations Supervisor Craig Buchan said, “Ever since the start of covid-19 we have seen an increased demand for access to food in a quick, dignified manner. At the height of the pandemic, we were supporting over 200 Community Food Members – all of whom are organisations in their own right, delivering valuable services in their community.

“Our model is two-fold; we prevent unnecessary food waste by working with large supermarkets and food networks to prevent surplus food being sent to waste, whilst helping organisations like Empty Kitchens Full Hearts and Eildon Housing Association and many others to redirect funds into essential frontline work by providing nutritious food at low costs.”

Director of Commercial and Trading Services Mike Hartley added: “With the communities we serve still facing increasing pressure, and charities and community groups providing a real lifeline in these difficult times, it’s clear that this service has never been more needed.

“Alongside supporting other groups across Central and South East Scotland, the depot team have helped to deliver valuable services right here in Edinburgh too.

“With the help of our community partners and amazing volunteers, we have been able to continue running a range of community pantries across Edinburgh – offering dignified access to high quality affordable food. This enabled us to provide over 2,500 bags of food for pantry members.

“None of this could be possible without a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, alongside the financial support of individuals and businesses far and wide.

“On behalf of everyone at Cyrenians, I offer our sincere gratitude.”

To find out more, visit www.cyrenians.scot

Business accelerator supports young Scottish entrepreneurs by offering £250,000 in startup grants

A business accelerator that supports budding entrepreneurs is offering £250,000 to young people across Scotland who want to grow a digital business.

The sought-after scheme from TwinklHive provides grants and mentorship to individuals aged 18 to 24 and enables young people to commit and pursue entrepreneurship as a full-time career path and make their business dreams a reality.

The combination of funding and dedicated support on offer has been designed to provide a unique educational experience and equip successful applicants with the knowledge and skills to grow successful and sustainable businesses.

To apply, the young entrepreneurs must have a validated concept for a technology-enabled business and a clear vision. Their idea should also be focused on solving a real problem for their customers, as the scholarship is looking to develop the next mission driven founders and cultivate startups that will make a real difference to society.

Each successful applicant will receive a grant of up to £40,000. The scholarship is a full-time position that is set to run for six months, with the opportunity to apply for follow-on investment from the TwinklHive accelerator at the end of this period.

The applicants are not required to pay back the grant, which also covers the founding team’s salaries of up to £20,000 for the six month period.

Set up in 2019, TwinklHive was created by the entrepreneur Jonathan Seaton, who is the Co-Founder and CEO of the global educational publisher Twinkl. Jonathan started Twinkl with his wife Susie Seaton in their spare bedroom over ten years ago. The business now operates in over 200 countries and regions and has over 790 team members based at its offices in Sheffield and around the world.

Since its launch, TwinklHive has supported a variety of mission-led founders from startups in the tech sector, including EdTech, FinTech and HealthTech. The accelerator is working to continually extend its support to the startup ecosystem more widely, including assisting and supporting young and aspiring entrepreneurs with their scholarship scheme.

Alongside the non-repayable grant, candidates will receive mentorship and support from Jonathan and the current startup founders from within the Hive. Candidates will also gain access to the accelerator’s expansive business network. All support and mentorship can be accessed virtually to suit candidate’s locations.

Jonathan Seaton, Co-Founder and CEO at Twinkl and TwinklHive, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to now be in a position to offer support and mentorship to young individuals in Scotland.”

“We have all been living in unprecedented circumstances due to the pandemic. Covid has undoubtedly impacted the job market, and people are looking to find new opportunities and explore new directions as a result.

“For young people who are looking for a new direction or to pursue their business ideas, it can be an exciting yet daunting time. Through the TwinklHive scholarship we endeavor to support young entrepreneurs looking to take that leap and pursue and grow a business of their own.

“When my wife, Susie and I founded Twinkl, we experienced first hand the difficulties young entrepreneurs face when trying to get a business venture up and running. It can be difficult to get investment and having advice from people with experience is invaluable. We hope that we can provide the same kind of advice that helped us all those years ago and give people the opportunity to make a difference to their own lives and to others. ”

Amber Jardine, Hive Manager at Twinkl, said: “The scholarship was created to support young people who are passionate about building a sustainable business. I am so pleased that this year we are able to open this opportunity nationwide and I am looking forward to the prospect of working alongside mission-driven entrepreneurs with innovative solutions.”

The scholarship is open to people across the UK and applications are open now. If you or someone you know would like to apply, please email hive@twinkl.co.uk where further information will be provided.

The closing date for applications is Friday 11th June.

For more information about the scholarship and to find the application form visit the TwinklHive blog.

For more information about TwinklHive visit: www.twinkl.co.uk/hive