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Samaritans: Here for you this Festive Season
Tag: support
Broughton High School Parent Council needs YOU!
We need you! In fact – YOU need you!
Parent Council works best with lots of people involved. So why not spare a few hours a month to join in and help on the committee?
You can get more involved in your child’s school, find out more about what they’re up to and contribute to how the school works.
You can decide how much time you want to spend on it.
We would love people to do anything, but in particular these jobs – which can all be shared:
- Vice chair(s)
- Minute taker
- Communications – website and social media
- ASN
- Parent reps from specialists – football / dance / music
So when you’re writing your New Year’s Resolutions, remember to add Parent Council!
Our first meeting of 2025 is online in January.
You can message us here or by email at intouch@broughtonhighpc.org
‘Game-changing’ funding for Scotland’s creative sector
Hundreds of individuals and organisations to benefit
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has said an additional £34 million in culture and arts spending next year will be “game-changing” for the sector.
Wednesday’s draft Scottish Budget 2025-26 will see culture and arts spending increase by £34 million, with £20 million of this being channelled through Creative Scotland for its competitive multi-year funding programme for artists and cultural organisations.
Speaking at the National Gallery of Scotland, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said significant levels of public investment in the culture and arts sector would be coupled with an examination of the structures around culture funding to ensure as much money as possible goes directly to artists and organisations.
He confirmed that the review of Creative Scotland’s remit and functions will begin early next year and will aim to publish its recommendations in summer 2025.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Scotland’s arts and culture are at the very soul of our nation. They speak to how we see the world, how we share ideas, and how our people can give expression to their hopes.
“Our draft budget could not be clearer in our steadfast support for Scotland’s arts and culture sector. We aim to provide an additional £34 million next year to bolster the sector. This is a game-changing increase.
“This will enable Creative Scotland to roll-out its multi-year funding programme – ensuring that the highest ever number of artists and organisations receive regular funding.
“We also plan to increase funding for Screen Scotland, give uplifts to our National Performing Companies, double our Festivals EXPO funding, provide above inflation increase to Sistema and the Youth Music Initiative, and restart the Culture Collective programme alongside with a range of other activity.
“This budget brings us half way to reaching our five-year commitment of a recurring £100 million increase for the sector in just two years. For 2026-27, subject to the normal budget processes, our aim is to deliver a further £20 million increase.”
The draft Scottish Budget 2025-26 was published on 4 December 2024. It commits an additional £34 million resource funding to arts and culture in Scotland.
Within this, a further £20 million will be provided to Creative Scotland for its multi-year funding programme in 2025-26. Funding will also increase by £4.5 million for Scotland’s National Collections and £1 million for the National Performing Companies.
The draft Scottish Budget 2025-26 also commits to an increase of £4 million funding for Scottish Festivals, doubling the EXPO Festival Fund to expand its reach beyond festivals in Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as providing funding for the Festivals Partnership. There will also be an additional £2 million for Screen Scotland to support work to attract international investment and large-scale productions to Scotland.
The Culture Collective programme will be restarted with £4 million to benefit Scottish communities, community organisations, individual artists and freelancers.
In addition, £270,000 has been allocated to enable the creation of a single digital library interface which directs people to Scotland’s public libraries, allowing the public to access information, online content and a national e-resources lending area to ensure equitable access to information and reading material across Scotland.
There will also be £4 million allocated for a new Scottish Culture & Heritage Capacity Fund. This fund recognises the significant challenges faced by heritage and culture organisations across Scotland.
Cramond Kirk Christmas Fair
SATURDAY 7th DECEMBER from 11am – 1pm
Social Security Bill passed
Legislation will protect people claiming benefits against inflation
Payments to people in receipt of benefits will be protected from inflation after the Scottish Parliament passed the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill yesterday.
The new Act places a legal obligation on Scottish Ministers to annually increase all benefits delivered under the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 in line with inflation. This action will help to protect the real terms value of payments such as the Best Start Grants and winter heating payments as prices rise in the economy.
The legislation will also enhance the rights of Social Security Scotland clients in a number of ways:
- A right to late re-determinations and appeals in exceptional circumstances
- The right to withdraw a request for redetermination
- The right to challenge a decision that someone is liable in a situation where an overpayment has been made
It will also continue to enhance the design of the system, maximising choice for those who use it while delivering good value for money.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This legislation will protect people in receipt of benefits at a time when many are feeling additional pressures due to the cost of living crisis.
“It is part of our commitment to continually improve the Scottish social security system in ways which put the needs of those who require assistance first.
“The law will help make the social security system more efficient and effective, contributing to our mission to tackle poverty and protect people from harm.
“The measures it contains advance equality and non-discrimination and ensure the system is efficient and delivers value for money.”
Developer boosts school library with a donation worth reading
PUPILS at a primary school north of Edinburgh will benefit from bookshelves filled with works by the biggest children’s authors, after a generous donation by developers.
Dalmeny Primary School has taken delivery of £750 worth of books from the nearby Craigiehall Meadows development, where 78 former army homes are undergoing a transformation.
To ensure the biggest possible benefit, pupils – some as young as four – helped to build the list of titles, which include works from David Walliams, Julia Donaldson and Enid Blyton.
Headteacher at Dalmeny Primary School, Gail Middlemiss said: “We’re always juggling tight budgets and so it is incredibly welcome to have been approached by the team at Craigiehall Meadows offering to support the school.
“Our pupils are over the moon, there’s something for everyone, from the little ones loving The Colour Monster to the older kids diving into the Wimpy Kid series.
“What made it extra special was that we had the opportunity to ask the pupils to choose the books themselves, so every title is something they really wanted. Seeing their excitement has been amazing—it’s a gift that will be treasured for a long time.”
Tzana Webster, Head of Estate Agency at Ralph Sayer, which manages the development, said: “I was fortunate enough to visit the school and was incredibly moved by the warm and enthusiastic response from both the children and staff after receiving the books.
“Their joy and excitement were absolutely contagious—it was a privilege to witness firsthand just how much this donation meant to them.
“The team and I are thrilled to know that these books have given the schools library a refresh and we hope it will enrich their learning and imagination for years to come.”
Nestled on the northwest edge of Edinburgh, Craigiehall Meadows brings new life to a community of homes, set amidst mature woodlands, rolling farmland, and serene nature trails.
The development, which has recently opened its first show homes, offers a rural feel while being just a short distance from prime neighbourhoods such as Barnton, Cramond and Cammo.
Surrounded by mature trees and adjacent to farmland, the development offers a peaceful, rural atmosphere while maintaining excellent connectivity to Edinburgh city centre, major motorways, and Edinburgh Airport.
Those interested in the development can register their interest here – https://www.craigiehall-meadows.co.uk/
Tesco grant helps Leith pupils start their day correctly with healthy boost
Pupils at Leith Academy have received a major boost, with Tesco donating £1,500 to ensure young people have access to a healthy breakfast before they start their school day.
The Leith Academy Breakfast Cafe project was established 12 years ago to make sure pupils attending school can set themselves up for the day ahead, providing healthy breakfast snacks such as cereals, yogurts, juices and slices of toast.
To bolster the service, the school applied to Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme, which awards funds to charities and community organisations that make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people.
The school’s application was successful, earning it the special £1,500 grant, and teacher Sheila Ralston said the money will go towards giving young people further support at the beginning of the day, allowing the school to provide food products and new kitchen equipment for the café sessions.
Sheila said: “When a child arrives at school, they sometimes haven’t been able to have access to a full, healthy breakfast, which makes focusing during school even more challenging for them.
“Our experience has shown that a breakfast club plays an integral role for pupils from all backgrounds, ensuring that every pupil has a positive start to their day.
“With a wide range of students from a variety of backgrounds, we strongly agree that no child should be hungry, so with our free breakfast café, we’re providing an opportunity for them to start the day right. Also, to prevent any food going to waste, any leftovers are also provided to our Community Fridge to provide support to further others in our community.
“With this Tesco funding, we can continue to purchase healthy food items such as cereals and yogurts to support more pupils looking to start the day in the right way. We’d like to thank everyone who voted for our school and helped us to receive this grant to further boost our breakfast café project.”
The Stronger Starts scheme, in partnership with the Groundwork charity, aims to support many community projects and good causes in the coming years, with thousands of pounds to give away. The scheme typically gives shoppers a chance on voting for local good causes to receive a £500, £1,000 or £1,500 grant.
Since Tesco launched its Community Grants programme in 2016, more than £100million has been given to more than 50,000 local schools and community groups.
Shoppers can support their local school and children’s groups by dropping the Tesco blue token they receive at checkout into the relevant voting box as they leave the store.
For further information please go to https://tescostrongerstarts.org.uk
Edinburgh primary pupils boosted by Amazon donation
Gilmerton Primary School on Moredun Dykes Road, has received a donation of £1,000 worth of equipment from Amazon in Edinburgh.
The donation from Amazon went towards updating the school’s library to promote reading to pupils. The donation included bookshelves, beanbags and technology, and followed a £500 donation of books made to the school by Amazon earlier in the year.
To mark the donation of equipment, the team from Amazon in Edinburgh visited staff at Gilmerton Primary School to donate the items.
Megan Malone from Amazon in Edinburgh said: “I’m so pleased Amazon is supporting pupils at Gilmerton Primary School with this donation.
“It was great to see how far the library has come along from being just an empty classroom and getting to meet members of staff at the school to help them develop this, and I hope this donation inspires pupils to read more and spend time in the library.”
Catriona Webster at Gilmerton Primary School, added: “Thank you to Megan and the team at Amazon for this donation.
“This equipment means a lot to our pupils and will have such a positive impact on their learning. We look forward to making use of our updated library!”
Community donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates.
Amazon co-founded The Big House Multibank in Fife with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support to families in need. The Multibank network has now donated more than 5 million surplus goods to over 500,000 families across Scotland, Wales, Greater Manchester, London, and Tees Valley.
Amazon has supported more than one million students across the UK with free STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer and helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good.
Amazon partners with Comic Relief and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose. Together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon has raised over £4.8 million to fund projects that support people across the UK, and around the world.
Enhanced support for people in emotional distress
Programme described as “world leading”
All 31 Health and Social Care Partnerships have now signed up to a programme which supports people experiencing distress.
The Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) service was first launched as a pilot seven years ago and provides support to people who present to emergency services or in primary care settings in a distressed state. Since then, more than 75,000 people have been helped.
The programme can offer people an initial call within 24 hours. They are then provided with up to two weeks of one-to-one support with a specially trained practitioner to help address issues which might be contributing to their distress, such as money worries and relationship problems.
Frontline staff in Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, Accident and Emergency Depts, Primary Care and NHS24 can refer people who present to them in emotional distress – and if assessed as appropriate – to third sector organisations which provide compassionate and personalised support.
People in distress who speak to a call handler at NHS24, Police Scotland or the Scottish Ambulance Service can also be referred for DBI support, from anywhere in Scotland.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “In developing our world leading DBI programme over 75,000 people across Scotland have received the right support at the right time and in the right place.
“This innovative referral pathway and collaborative approach has helped reduce pressures in the Scottish Ambulance Service, A&E and Police Scotland, allowing frontline staff to focus on other responsibilities.
“By investing £24 million in the programme since 2016, the Scottish Government has ensured a Scotland-wide approach has been taken to help people cope when they are in a distressed state. It is clear that this help provided to people is invaluable.”
Professor Rory O’Connor, Professor of Health Psychology at University of Glasgow, President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and co-lead for the intervention and training components of DBI, said: “DBI is an incredible achievement.
“Tens of thousands of people in distress have received immediate, compassionate support since its launch in 2017. DBI is a remarkable team effort by colleagues up and down the country, driven by the shared purpose of delivering compassionate, connected support to people when they need it.
“I am so proud to be involved in this world-leading mental health intervention.”
Kirstie McCulloch, who received support and now works for DBI said: “I was experiencing severe panic attacks, anxiety, and depression, due to the Covid lockdowns. NHS 24 helped me when I had a severe panic attack, and I came off the call feeling less distressed. I still needed some support, so I was referred to the DBI service, which in my local area is run by SAMH.
“I was a little unsure initially, but the support was invaluable. By the end of the two-week service, I felt I had a better perspective on how to move forward. I asked my practitioner how they came into the role, and I knew this was something I would like to do for others.
“In the 18 months I have worked here, I have delivered compassionate support and helped people get back on their feet. I get huge satisfaction from this role.
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: “Policing is often the first response when people need help. Our mission is to keep people safe and we’ll always respond to threat, harm and risk to ensure public safety.
“Our involvement in mental health incidents and supporting vulnerable people has a significant impact on this organisation and is beyond where policing should be. That’s not the best support for those who need help and it’s not delivering best value for the public.
“DBI enables trained officers to identify when someone needs support and signpost them to the right service, allowing them to redirect to tackling threat, harm and risk and preventing crime.”
Edinburgh Women’s Aid launch Christmas Appeal 2024
With your help we can support survivors this Christmas
We are collecting donations to provide vouchers to the women and children we support throughout the festive period. The provision of vouchers allows those we support to celebrate Christmas however they would like without the financial burden this time of year often brings.
£10 would contribute to the cost of a Christmas meal for a woman and her children living in refuge.
£25 would contribute to the cost of presents, activities, and trips over the holiday period to ensure that a child in refuge has a more enjoyable Christmas.
£50 would contribute to the cost of food, presents, and essentials for a woman and her children living in refuge over the Christmas holidays.
£75 would contribute to the cost of food and essentials over the holidays and beyond for women and children who have access to no other funds.
We have had extraordinary success in providing those we support with vouchers at Christmas for the past three years. The women who received these vouchers were thrilled that they were able to make choices about what gifts they and their children most needed or wanted.
Women told us:
‘Today I am going shopping and am excited to be able to choose presents for my children.
“I want to say a big thank you for your kindness, love, and the gift vouchers we received. I cannot express our joy and gratitude to you all.
“From our hearts we say a big thank you and know that we appreciate all your love and care so much.“
We’re also happy to support you in your own fundraising campaign for EWA. We’ve been so honoured by the heartfelt fundraisers our supporters have organised in the past.
For more information, please contact info@edinwomensaid.co.uk