A Kelso-based agricultural society is ready to re-open this year after overcoming the challenges of the past twelve months, thanks to support from Bank of Scotland.
The Border Union Agricultural Society (BUAS), formed in 1813, would typically hold four major events a year but saw them all cancelled thanks to the pandemic.
The Championship Dog Show qualifier for Crufts, the Border Union Agricultural Show in July and the BUAS’ annual Kelso Ram Sales, the biggest of its type in Europe, and the Borders Countryside Education day for all primary 5s in the Scottish Borders, were all cancelled in 2020.
The Society’s income was also hit by the cancellation of weddings, events and seminars that were frequently held in its main hall and the showground.
The BUAS received support from Bank of Scotland with a £210k Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme loan.
The funding has helped the business to pay ongoing business costs not covered by government support schemes and cancellation costs for events.
Now, the Society has become the site of an NHS vaccination clinic to support vaccination efforts in the Borders, and is hoping to hold some of their events this year.
Verity Mutch, administrator at the Border Union Agricultural Society, said: “After the first lockdown last March we saw all of our main events and hall hires for the year cancelled. This was extremely difficult for the Society as we missed out on our main sources of revenue for the entire year.
“Thankfully Bank of Scotland have been very supportive. We’ve been working with them since 1964 and knew they’d be on hand to help us through this difficult time.
“Over the coming months we are hoping to hold some of our events again – albeit in a scaled back capacity. While we took the difficult decision to cancel our agricultural show in January, we hope to hold our ram sales again in September and potentially our dog show in October.”
Julie McLaren, relationship manager at Bank of Scotland, said: “Despite the cancellation of its major annual events, BUAS has worked hard to keep operations running and is now in a position to welcome both members and visitors back once restrictions allow.
“At Bank of Scotland, we’ve supported the business through this challenging period and look forward to seeing the events back on our calendar as soon as possible.
“As with BUAS, we will remain by the side of business in Scotland as we support firms through the remaining months of the pandemic.”
SGN has partnered with crisis charity Hestia, their ‘UK Says No More’ campaign and Royal Mail Group to provide Online Safe Spaces for victims of domestic abuse to access specialist support and information through our website.
Online Safe Spaces is a portal that you can access via the logo in the footer of our website. By clicking on the Safe Spaces portal, you will access the Online Safe Space, which holds a directory of national domestic abuse helplines, a directory of local specialist domestic abuse services, and an assessment questionnaire. It also leaves no trace in the user’s browser history.
The portal is accessible in a variety of languages and has a quick exit button, taking the user back to the original page they were on, thereby providing a degree of safety to the user.
It comes at a crucial time for keeping people safe during the pandemic. Recent figures show that:
One in five offences recorded by police during and immediately after the first national lockdown in England and Wales involved domestic abuse.
In the year ending March 2020, 2.3m adults are estimated to have experienced domestic abuse over twelve months.
In Scotland, there were 30,718 charges reported in 2019-20 related to domestic abuse. It’s the highest since 2015-16, and is 5.7% higher than the year before.
Around 20 organisations have signed up including eBay, Royal Mail Group including the Post Office and Parcelforce, Ministry of Defence, and Thames Water. It’s estimated that in the last four months of 2020, there were nearly 4,000 visits to Online Safe Spaces every single day.
Claire Barnett, Executive Director of UN Women UK, said: “Covid-19 has led to increases in violence against women that threaten to roll back achievements in gender equality by decades.
“UN Women has been working with local partners to create safer public spaces for the past ten years, including through our project Safe Spaces Now. I am delighted to see the Online Safe Space initiative innovating by using existing platforms and partners to share critical information on women’s services.”
Maureen McIntosh, our Head of Customer Experience, added: “We regularly provide additional support and help to our customers who are living in vulnerable circumstances, and I’m pleased we’re going even further now by providing important information to also help people who are experiencing abuse.
“Sometimes people don’t know where to turn to for help, in what can be really difficult or dangerous situations, and I hope we can help people further and they are able to find the extra safety and security they need.”
Lyndsey Dearlove, Head of Domestic Abuse Prevention at Hestia said: “Businesses have a unique role to play in breaking the silence around domestic abuse and ensuring victims can access the help and support they need.
“Lockdown restrictions due to Covid-19 have provided an opportunity for businesses to step up their response to domestic abuse for their staff and customers through digital platforms. With the launch of Online Safe Spaces, we are delighted to work with SGN to provide their first online safe space to provide a vital lifeline to victims of domestic abuse.”
We’re proud to be the first energy network to launch the portal on our website.
Safety is at the heart of everything we do. We’re committed to doing all we can to keep our people and the communities we work in safe in as many ways as possible.
Supporting children during the pandemic and beyond, is the focus of a free online conference being held for people working with families in Edinburgh.
The virtual conference has been organised by Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland to mark the end of a year-long campaign launched to encourage families in the city to access support and advice.
Anyone who works with children or families in Edinburgh can sign up to the conference, which is being hosted on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, April 13th, between 2pm and 5pm.
Speakers will look at how the pandemic has impacted children, the ways in which organisations have adapted to help struggling families and what has been learned during the last year.
Attendees will hear about the All of Us campaign, which was launched to prevent child neglect by encouraging families to get help at an early stage and giving advice on how to support those who were struggling.
There will also be an opportunity for people to discuss how to better support children and families in Edinburgh in the future.
Carla Malseed, NSPCC Scotland local campaigns manager, said: “The pandemic has presented many hardships for families, including financial pressures, school closures, relationship strains, isolation and ill-health, and it has been more important than ever that people feel they can reach out for support and advice and get help.
“Organisations in Edinburgh have worked hard to find ways to adapt and support families while social distancing measures have been in place. This conference will give us the opportunity to look at what we have learned over the last year and how we can best support families in Edinburgh in the future.”
“Protecting young people and supporting families remains a priority for us and we want everyone across the city to be aware of where to turn for help if they or someone they know is struggling.
“It is crucial that we work together to find the best ways of supporting families across the city during this difficult time and beyond.”
Early last year, as part of the campaign, a number of community events were held across the city but further ones were cancelled because of Covid-19 and all activities were moved online, including workshops, seminars and a family fun-day.
In April, the partnership brought together information on its web page about organisations and contacts where families could go for help and support during lockdown.
This included information on support offered by public services, voluntary agencies and charities. Some examples were food banks, financial advice, crisis loans, mental health support, activities for children and support and advice on home learning.
The information was sent in food boxes to more than 300 families across the city and via email to parents through schools, and it was highlighted through social media campaigns. This resource has continued to be regularly updated throughout the pandemic.
The campaign raised awareness among communities and professionals about the early signs of child neglect and how to help families who were struggling through lunchtime learning sessions and webinars.
Gillespie Macandrew announces new charity partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity
Leading Scottish law firm Gillespie Macandrew has begun a three year charity partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC). Alzheimer Scotland provides support for those living with dementia and the ECHC supports children and their families in a variety of healthcare settings.
The new partnerships are a key part of the Firm’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which includes donating 1% of pre-tax profits each year to the nominated charities. The firm has an established and active CSR committee which includes representatives from all four of Gillespie Macandrew’s offices.
As well as financial support, staff are given a day off each year to take part in charitable activities and as a result of this commitment to the nominated charities, the Firm has donated a total of over £130,000 in the past five years.
Chief Executive Officer Robert Graham Campbell commented: “We have a long and proud history of supporting charitable causes, whether it is engagement though volunteering, providing funding and pro-bono legal advice or partnering to host training opportunities.
“We look forward to working with our two new charity partners to support the excellent and valuable work they do.”
Stakeholder Engagement Lead from Alzheimer Scotland, Caroline Miller said: “The incredible commitment from Gillespie Macandrew will help us provide a range of person-centred support for people living with dementia and their families, who have been devastated by the pandemic.
Money raised will also go towards our exciting project to build the UK’s first Virtual Dementia Resource Centre so we can offer support no matter where you are and what time of the day it is.”
ECHC’s Fundraiser Amy Ford added: “Gillespie Macandrew’s support over the next three years means that we can continue transforming the experiences of every child and young person in hospital and healthcare throughout the duration of the pandemic and beyond.
When the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People opens on Tuesday 23 March, ECHC will be there to support children, young people and families in many ways and we simply could not do this without the generosity and kindness of our charity partners like Gillespie Macandrew.”
Alzheimer Scotland and ECHC were nominated and voted for by staff and Gillespie Macandrew is pleased to be able to offer our support, particularly at a time of increased pressure on the services they provide.
The firm has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth and advises on all areas of land and rural business, private client, commercial real estate, energy, tax and disputes.
Women, families and children are among those who will benefit from separate funds worth a total of £18 million to improve drugs services.
Four schemes are planned for May with the funds coming from the additional £250 million announced by the First Minister to tackle the drug deaths emergency over the next five years.
The four projects will aim to develop consistent treatment standards around the country and ensure more people can get access to services that can reduce harm, provide treatment and ultimately save their lives.
The four funds are:
a £5 million Communities Fund to provide resources to community and third sector organisations to increase capacity
a £5 million Improvement Fund to support improvements to services for outreach, treatment, rehabilitation and aftercare, with dedicated support for women
a £3 million Families and Children Fund to support the families of those affected by drug misuse during treatment
a £5 million Recovery Fund for additional residential rehabilitation capacity
Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance said: “We have said a national mission is needed to tackle the drug deaths emergency and this coming year will see funding for alcohol and drugs support increasing to £140.7 million.
“This latest round of funding sees us build on the £1 million Communities Fund and £1 million Improvement Fund we launched in February. We want to make additional resources available to more community and third sector organisations so that we can support more people into treatment and offer support to their families.
“I am pleased we are also able to direct more funding to develop services specifically for women and children. We want to make it easier for women to access treatment by removing any barriers such as a lack of childcare.
“I have already committed to taking action on the recommendations from the Residential Rehabilitation Working Group and this will be backed by £100 million over the next five years.
“We recognise residential rehabilitation may not be for everyone which is why we are determined, as part of our national mission, to make sure that people can access whatever treatment is right for them in the right place at the right time.”
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs CEO Justina Murray said: “There is an urgent need to improve support for children, young people and adult family members – all of whom are harmed by others’ alcohol and drug use, and all of whom have faced even bigger harms during the COVID pandemic.
“We know most family members remain hidden due to the stigma, shame and secrecy of substance use in the family, along with the lack of visible, high quality family support across Scotland.
“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and with families to transform this situation, so that every family member in Scotland can reach the support they need, regardless of their situation or location.”
LifeCare Edinburgh has appointed Beverley Francis as its new chair and welcomes four new trustees to the board as the organisation celebrates its 80th year.
The renowned local charity offers registered care, outreach activities and help at home services for older people living across the North of the city. Established in 1941, the organisation supports over 800 elderly clients a year including those suffering with dementia, mobility issues, those experiencing isolation and loneliness, food poverty, mental health problems and support for carers.
Beverley Francis has been involved the charity since 2018 and was appointed vice-chair a year ago. Elaine Aitken will take up the position as vice-chair having been with the charity since 2017.
She brings extensive public and third sector experience to the role. Bringing 16 years in key positions within Scottish Government, including in welfare reform and most recently in health improvement, Francis also has her own consultancy supporting the third sector.
She is currently in the role as Interim Director for ProjectScotland where she has supported the merger with Volunteering Matters and has previously supported mental health charities AdvoCard and Partners in Advocacy.
Ms Francis takes over as chair from Jock Miller who held the position for six years. Miller will remain on the board as a trustee.
A further four trustees have joined the board. Susan Mallinder, Christopher Paton, Jane Hogg and Momin Rasheed all joined the charity at the start of the year. The new trustees all bring varying backgrounds, experience and skills which will help to shape and drive the organisation’s continued success.
BeverleyFrancis said: “On behalf of everyone on the board, past and present, we would like to sincerely thank Jock for his leadership, dedication and sheer hard-work over the past 10 years.
“Through his direction we have successfully and quickly navigated the multiple challenges of COVID-19 and continued to provide essential care to over 500 older people through the crisis who simply could not survive without it.
“I feel absolutely honoured to take up the role of chair at such a vitally important time for us all.
“Older people have been disproportionately affected by this life-shattering crisis. We do not yet know the real impact this past year will have had on the people we care for within our communities. So, we need to be ready to adapt, redesign and deliver the bespoke care they will need in a compassionate and caring way. We need to make sure our older people can safely and confidently re-enter our communities, and they will need our support to do so.
“As LifeCare enters its 80th year as a charity, we are all thrilled to welcome four new trustees to the board who are all eager to get involved. I am excited to work more closely with the senior management team, alongside our new chief executive Damian McGowan. Once we are able, I very much look forward to getting out into the community to safely meet with the people we support, our hardworking staff and all of our dedicated volunteers.”
LifeCare Edinburgh is a registered charity and relies on the support of its funders. Key relationships include Barclays, The TOR Foundation, Foundation Scotland, Tesco Bank and all the many local people who take part in community fundraising events.
Education, Children and Families Vice Convener Cllr Alison Dickie writes about support for children with disabilities:
Being everything you can be.
It’s a grand line, and actually one of the aims of our new children’s services plan. In true Council style though, there are more words: ‘It is important to promote and support every child’s aspirations to ensure they can become everything they can be, now and in the future.’
Yip, that all sounds hunky dory but I’m wondering … does that truly include children with disabilities, particularly those with the most complex needs?
Let’s put it this way. Have you ever watched a parent’s eyes well up as they plead for their young person to be given a purpose to get out of bed every morning? Or for recognition of their worth, and their ability to contribute to society in some way?
Or, as fears replace tears, hear them voice their deepest dread …what will happen to them when I am gone?
I have and it’s heart-breaking.
Despite the wide range of dedicated work going on across Edinburgh to deliver for children with disabilities and their families, parents have shared that it can sometimes feel that they’ve had to fight for the right of their child to be everything they can be.
I first questioned the message we send out to young people with disabilities whilst on a tour of St Crispin’s school in my ward. I was appalled at its condition, its failure to reflect the fantastic work of the staff and pupils within, and the story of our value of them. Thankfully, a new chapter has been written and they will, this year, move into their wonderful and much deserved new school at Burdiehouse.
How do you solve a ‘problem’ like … the holiday support programme?
I’m asked this every year, and the education committee discussed it just last week. In the past, it’s been cited as a non-statutory service, even a luxury not afforded by other Councils. But, listen to the stories of families at breaking point, who cry out for this need, and you’re convinced this is vital respite for the whole family and to help young people thrive.
So, whilst there are big issues to be addressed, such as safety and staffing, we aim to return to the pre-covid provision in the summer, and through engagement with parents, look to how we can further improve this service.
And what of those positive destinations…more so, the lack of them, for young adults with the most complex needs?
Here, communication about what is available, earlier and stronger transitional support, an understanding that one size doesn’t fit all, and a more flexible and collaborative approach are all being considered as we explore with parents how to grow these opportunities and give every young person a future.
Some of this will have budgetary implications, and some the need for more innovative thinking, but one thing’s for sure…every young person has strengths, interests and potential to use in their unique way.
Lockdown has been difficult for everyone, but it’s been particularly challenging for these children and their families. As part of the recovery process, let’s push for progress and help all young people to be what they can be.
This article first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News
Tenants and private sector landlords facing financial difficulties caused by the pandemic have more time to access support after two loan schemes were extended.
The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund and the Private Rent Sector Landlord (non-business) COVID-19 Loan Scheme, both of which offer interest-free loans, will continue to receive applications beyond the original deadline of 31 March 2021.
It comes after Housing Minister Kevin Stewart extended temporary regulations banning the enforcement of eviction orders in the private and social rented sectors, giving further safeguards to tenants during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Mr Stewart said: “Throughout this pandemic our focus has been on enabling people to stay safe in their homes while the lockdown restrictions needed to suppress the virus are in place.
“These loan schemes have provided vital support as part of our broader effort to help those facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. For the majority of tenants facing financial difficulties and arrears the best means of support continues to be regular non-repayable support, for example through Universal Credit and Discretionary Housing Payments.
“However, for those who may fall through the gap and are unable to claim such support, these funds offer a helping hand to manage any rent issues that have arisen in the last few months as a result of COVID-19.
“We have been clear that no landlord should evict a tenant because they have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic and that tenants in difficulty should engage with their landlord and seek advice on the options open to them.”
This Mother’s Day, school feeding charity Mary’s Meals would like to pay tribute to incredible women around the world.
From the mums in the UK whose food has nourished us throughout our childhoods, including those who volunteer and fundraise for Mary’s Meals, to the women who cook and serve our daily meals for children in some of the world’s poorest countries, we celebrate them all.
Mary’s Meals feeds more than 1.6 million hungry children in 19 countries every school day.
That’s why I am asking your readers to send a Mary’s Meals gift card to the special women in their lives this Mother’s Day. For just £15.90, it will feed a hungry child every day for an entire school year.
And because the childhood meals our mothers made often stay with us, reminding us of being nurtured and loved, we have included a favourite childhood recipe from TV presenter Lorraine Kelly with each gift card.
Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/mothersday to purchase your gift card or digital gift.
I know I’d love it if my three lovely children gave me this special present for Mother’s Day.
Gillian McMahon
Director of Supporter Engagement and Income, Mary’s Meals
Picture Copyright Chris Watt
Tel – 07887 554 193
info@chriswatt.com
www.chriswatt.com
New survey finds young people are some of the most anxious when thinking about their financial security and futures, as country begins to emerge from lockdown
Rapper Nova Scotia The Truth – who spent award win on Zoom rather than at annual celebration – fronts new campaign to encourage people to think about what they want from their future
Bank calls on the public to consider their financial situation as research shows more than half have parked a key ‘life moment’ during lockdown
New research from Royal Bank of Scotland has found that more than half (56%) of 18–34-year-olds in Scotland put a ‘life moment’ (e.g. wedding, graduation, buying their first home) on hold during the last 12 months.
Of those with life moments planned, almost a third (31%) said ‘financial insecurity’ caused by the pandemic had affected these plans, with one in ten (10%) citing a loss of employment and 8% affected by their lack of financial knowledge.
More than a fifth (22%) of all 18-34-year-olds said they feel anxious about money troubles in a post-Covid world compared with less than one in ten (9%) of those aged 55+.
As the country takes the first steps towards re-opening, Royal Bank has committed to improving the nation’s financial capabilities by offering every person a free Financial Health Check, to reduce money anxieties and help them achieve their goals.
To encourage signups for the service and urge young people to think about their future, the bank has enlisted the support of rapper and DJ, Shaheeda Sinckler aka Nova Scotia The Truth, who was crowned Scottish Album of the Year winner 2020.
The 25-year-old rap artist, who lives in Edinburgh but had plans to buy a new home in Glasgow, has seen her life put on pause with live gigs postponed, missed family moments and adjusting to a virtual existence with college, career planning and even collecting her SAY Award from behind the screen, rather than on-stage at Edinburgh’s Summerhall.
Shaheeda has been commissioned by the bank to write and produce an exclusive new track about the implications of 2020 and making future dreams happen – it’s due for release later this year.
Despite the increased financial anxieties among young people, almost 2/5ths (39%) do believe the pandemic has made them better at financial planning and when asked about the things they are looking forward to once restrictions allow it, key sources of excitement for 18-34-year-olds in Scotland include:
· Going on holiday (74%)
· Date nights (50%)
· Attending a live gig (48%)
· A return to education (22%)
· Buying a house (20%)
Shaheeda Sinckler, Nova Scotia The Truth, said: “At the start of 2020, I planned to move back to Glasgow and focus on gigging but because of the pandemic, I’ve had to stay at home with my family. It’s not been the easiest year but I’m lucky I’ve been able to focus on creative projects and do my college work virtually, I know not everyone has been so fortunate.
“The pandemic has given us time to reflect on our lives and the way we structure them and for me, that involved streamlining my finances to make sure I’m setting myself up well for when life goes back to normal. If you’ve got a plan in place now and the right support, you can achieve your goals quicker.”
Malcolm Buchanan, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “The impact of the pandemic on people’s plans – and their financial situation – has been immense.
“Directly or indirectly, everyone has been touched by it. Through our conversations with our younger customers and colleagues, a group who are normally working towards their future plans and goals, it is clear that many dreams and life moments have been paused. This is understandable given the climate.
“Shaheeda’s story has shown that it has impacted everyone, whether in the public eye or not.
“It has been challenging and there is a long way to go but we’ve seen that some people have reappraised what they want from life, whether it is a new life goal or even plans to set up their own business in the future.
“Regardless of how long it takes for people to get back on their feet, we want to help give everyone the support and skills they need to help them make their dreams a reality and help them plan for the future.”
Royal Bank is making financial management easier by providing the following:
· Financial Health Check – A free 20-minute conversation with a senior advisor who provides guidance to make banking simpler, and tips for everyday spending or achieving future goals. This could include setting savings targets, advice on tracking monthly spending and creating budgets. Customers can choose to chat in a branch or over the phone. personal.rbs.co.uk/personal/financial-health-check.html
· Royal Bank of Scotland app – Customers using Royal Bank of Scotland’s award-winning app will now be able to easily see where their money is going with the new ‘spending’ tab which will show them how much they’re spending each month, helping them stay in control of their money.
· MoneySense – MoneySense provides parents and teachers with the tools to give young people the confidence to use money responsibly on their own. MoneySense is fully digital and downloadable, it can be delivered by teachers in schools. It’s the longest-running bank-led financial education programme for young people in the UK.
