It is the 21 February and the days are getting longer but more importantly, the future is looking brighter (writes EVOC CEO BRUCE CRAWFORD).
EIJB Fund Cuts
On Thursday (yesterday) the City of Edinburgh Council held a full Council meeting. I was in attendance to make a deputation on behalf of the voluntary organisations impacted by the cuts by the EIJB grants programme for social care.
This followed months of work by colleagues from across the sector who have worked tirelessly for the affected organisations. The work was largely done by members of the Third Sector Reference Group that came into existence after the EIJB meeting on 1 November which led to a three month extension to June 2025.
The eventual outcome is that the £4.5m grants programme has been replaced for the next financial year, so services can continue to be delivered to many of the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Further work needs to be done in the coming weeks and months to help the officers to create the mechanism for disbursement of the funds.
I want to thank all the individuals who contributed to this success, it is evidence of the need to work together, focus on the needs of our communities and stand up for what is right. I hope that we can build on the experience to generate continued investment into the sector as this will not be the last challenge we face.
A key function of EVOC is advocacy and this includes responding to consultations on proposed legislation and strategies. A current example of this is the draft Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board’s strategy 2025-28.
We have published information on our work in this area on our website. It includes a presentation and a video that explains the draft strategy.
To inform our response we have asked a number of questions through an online survey. Despite our request for an extension, the deadline from the EIJB is this Sunday (23 Feb 2025) and there is still no easy read version available.
We encourage everyone who is interested in, or affected by this, to submit a response here.
Looking Forward
On 29 January I attended my first EVOC board meeting and found it to be useful and productive in equal measures. In the spirit of openness and transparency the directors unanimously agreed to my proposal to publish minutes of EVOC board meetings on the website. The minute of that meeting can be found here.
Following the challenges faced by EVOC in 2024 we created a recovery plan and are well on the way to developing a more robust and resilient organisation.
Some key changes are: improved policies and procedures, greater financial scrutiny and forecasting, better communication, along with a new risk management policy and risk register and a new strategic plan that focuses on the core purpose of the organisation to serve the needs of the sector.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the survey that we issued last month to inform our understanding of the needs of our members. We received a great deal of useful feedback and it will help our thinking as we develop the strategic plan for EVOC for 2025-2030.
Finally I am looking forward to our AGM on 26 February.
It is being held online to help make attendance as easy as possible. Details of how to register for the meeting are available here.
There’s still time to share your views on council plans to revitalise Princes Street, the Gardens and area around Waverley Station.
The survey closes at midnight TONIGHT – Friday (21 Feb). If you work, live, shop, enjoy visiting or just travel through the city centre, this survey is for you:
I have now been in post as CEO with EVOC for 25 days (on 22/1), though it sometimes feels like a lot longer! I have had a whirlwind of an introduction, and my feet have hardly touched the ground, which has made it exciting.
I have met a lot of great people from across the sector and our partner organisations, including the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government. I have been made to feel welcome and have learned a lot from a diverse mix of individuals.
I have heard of the challenges different organisations are facing right now, and these conversations are shaping my understanding and giving me insights that I will be distilling, with colleagues, into our future planning.
We are currently seeking the views of members and voluntary organisations in Edinburgh to tell us about their needs and the challenges that they are facing in 2025 and beyond. To increase the number of people who can contribute, we are using a survey that will be circulated to our members.
Please take a few minutes to complete it to ensure we consider the needs of more organisations in shaping how we work in future and what our priorities will be.
This month we are preparing for our Annual General Meeting at 4pm on Wednesday 26 February which will be held on Zoom. We will report on the year 2023/24 and give a flavour of our plans for the future.
We are looking for new individuals with business skills to be elected to the board of EVOC to join a committed group of volunteers who are interested in the development of EVOC as representatives to serve third sector organisations in Edinburgh. You can find how to apply to join the Board of Directors here.
Separately we are seeking a new Convener to chair the board and provide leadership to the organisation and directors. We’re looking for somebody with integrity good governance, leadership, finance and change management experience. If you are interested in this role, please see the details here.
We are spending a great deal of time currently in seeking ways to support those organisations affected by the impending cuts to the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) grants scheme which is a partnership between the NHS and the City of Edinburgh Council.
In recent months we have increased our engagement across the sector, so that we are better able to represent the views and interests of voluntary organisations in strategic forums such as the EIJB and the Edinburgh Partnership.
We are doing this as we strengthen our culture of service, to our members and to the sector.
With colder temperatures seemingly here to stay, many of us are thinking about our boilers more. Checking your boiler and central heating system are functioning properly and efficiently is crucial, as we rely on them to keep us warm over the winter.
But how confident and comfortable are you checking the health of your boiler and central heating system? This was just one of the questions British Gas asked 1,000 boiler owners across Britain to discover the nation’s levels of knowledge, confidence and understanding of boiler-related issues. Of those surveyed, more than half of Scots (51.9%) don’t know how to check the health of their boiler.
The full survey explored everything from how many cold showers people would endure before calling a gas engineer for help to how confident they would be bleeding their radiators.
British Gas also offers expert advice on how to check your boiler’s health, as well as how to maintain a healthy boiler throughout the year, which you can find below.
Key Findings:
More than half of Scots surveyed (52%) don’t know how to check the health of their boiler.
42% of Scots find boiler issues ‘stressful’ or ‘intimidating’.
Almost 3 in 10 of Scots ‘never think about their boiler’
46% of Scots would endure at least one cold shower before calling in a boiler expert.
More than half of Scots unsure how to check the health of their boiler
It is obvious from the survey that there are some confidence and knowledge gaps across the country when it comes to boilers. More than half (52%) of survey respondents admitted they don’t know how to check the health of their boiler.
Do you know how to check the health of your boiler?
Percentage of responses (Scotland)
No, I do not know how to check
51.9%
Yes, I check once per year
18.5%
Yes, I check it once per month
22.2%
Yes, but I never check it
7.4%
On top of this, more than two in five (42%) find boiler issues ‘stressful’ or ‘intimidating’, while over 28% of the Scottish public answered that they never think about boiler issues. That’s in comparison to only 30% that feel confident solving problems.
How do you feel about solving boiler-related issues
Percentage of responses (Scotland)
I find it stressful and intimidating
42.0%
I never think about it
28.4%
I feel confident
29.6%
How many cold showers would you endure before seeking emergency repair works?
To find out how long people are willing to ignore their malfunctioning boiler before calling for help, British Gas asked how many cold showers they would endure before seeking repair works.
Although the majority of Scots would not stand the thought of a single cold shower before picking up the phone to an engineer, there were some staggering findings to the contrary. 46% would endure at least one icy shower, with 1.2% answering they wouldn’t mind 10 or more before calling out for repairs.
How many cold showers would you endure before seeking emergency repair works?
Percentage of responses (Scotland)
Wouldn’t endure a single cold shower
54.3%
Would endure one or more cold showers
45.6%
Would endure two or more cold showers
14.7%
Would endure three or more cold showers.
6.1%
Would endure ten or more cold showers
1.2%
Expert commentary on boiler health from Joanna Flowers, a service and repair engineer at British Gas:
How can I check the health of my boiler?
With over 50% of people not understanding how to check their boiler’s health, it can feel puzzling sometimes. If you’re one of those people who aren’t too sure, you can do simple things like turning the heating on and checking radiators to ensure the system is working properly – especially if it hasn’t been turned on recently.
Bleeding your radiators is another simple task you could carry out to ensure your home heating system is functioning as it should. If your radiators are cold at the top and hot at the bottom, this could be something to try. To do this, turn off your heating, let your radiators go cold and then bleed them with a bleed key and cloth.
Remember that if your boiler does stop working, you can book a one-off emergency repair with British Gas before 11 am and they’ll be there the same day*
*Based on 2024 performance data, 80% of customers contacting by 11am received the same day service.
How often should I check my boiler?
While you don’t have to be an expert to check if your boiler’s working properly, there are lots of simple things you can do. Turn the heating on and feel the radiators to make sure the system is working properly – especially if it hasn’t been used in a while.
And when it comes to servicing, once a year is the right amount. We recommend that your boiler is serviced once a year, but if you want a more in-depth assessment by a professional who will make sure it’s all in working order, book a boiler service when you need it.
Whether you choose to do this in the summer, winter or at any time of year, annual servicing can prevent any unwanted breakages or faults before they happen.
What should I do if my boiler is making noise?
With over 12,000 searches a month across the UK for queries relating to boiler sounds, this is certainly something people worry about. While it can be a little concerning, don’t panic. Boilers make sounds, even when they’re switched on and being used. If you’re hearing a specific sound – banging, vibrating, whistling or any other noise – this may be a clue to what is going on inside your boiler.
Vibrating sounds coming from your boiler? With over 2,740 searches a month, steady and continuous noises can be common and may indicate loose brackets that need tightening or trapped air. If uncertain where it’s coming from, get an engineer to scan the source and diagnose any faults.
Mechanical sounds like banging, knocking and clunking are also a common concern, with over 2,200 searches a month. This can signal a faulty part inside a boiler or even a problem with the heat exchanger. It’s best to address these issues promptly so that you can put your mind to rest.
Since your boiler pumps a lot of water through the pipes in your house, hearing water and liquid sounds coming from the unit can be normal.
If you’re hearing something out of the blue or extremely loud, then it may be time to double-check that everything’s working okay. It’s important to remember that boilers will have automatic switches and safety mechanisms that turn the boiler off before it is dangerous. If this happens, get in a professional engineer to safely get your boiler working again.
Always book a gas safe engineer if you are not sure what’s wrong.
Most privately held Scottish firms (90%) feel confident about their growth prospects heading into next year
Easing cost pressures were cited as the main cause (46%) alongside access to finance (43%) – significantly above the UK average for both
Firms plan to diversify through new products and internationalisation
Nine in ten (90%) privately owned Scottish firms feel optimistic about their growth prospects as they head into 2025, according to KPMG UK’s Private Enterprise Barometer.
The new survey captured insights from 1,500 private business owners across the UK, including 125 from Scotland, spanning sectors such as professional services, finance, technology, industrial manufacturing and retail.
Easing cost pressures emerged as the primary driver of this positive outlook, cited by nearly half (46%) of respondents, alongside improved access to finance (43%) – both results significantly exceeding the UK average of 32% and 31% respectively.
Looking ahead, Scottish firms are charting ambitious growth strategies. Seven in ten (70%) are setting their sights on international expansion and over a third (35%) plan to diversify through new products or services within the next five years.
When it comes to financing these ambitions, nearly half (49%) plan to use their own cash stocks as their primary funding source. Additionally, private equity and capital markets were ranked as the most popular sources for external diversification funding, outpacing traditional bank debt, which is of note given only 17% reported difficulties in accessing finance.
Technology is central to the growth plans of Scottish businesses, with over half (52%) citing it as critical to their future success. Notably, seven in ten (70%) expect to invest in artificial intelligence, and three in five (60%) plan to use this investment to enhance the employee experience – a higher proportion than any other UK region.
Skilled workers will be crucial to delivering this investment though, with more than half (55%) confident of recruiting people with the right qualifications and experience to support their business. However, with the battle for talent a competitive one, the same amount (55%) cited that they are evolving their employee value proposition to help with recruitment and retention – well ahead of the national average (37%).
Vishal Chopra, Scotland Office Senior Partner at KPMG UK, said:“These findings underscore the resilience and forward-thinking nature of Scotland’s private business community, driven by a strong culture of innovation.
“With 90% of respondents feeling optimistic about their prospects going into next year, and 70% planning to expand into new markets – the second-highest percentage of any UK region – it’s clear that businesses are confident and firmly committed to their ambitious growth strategies.
“What’s especially promising is the emphasis firms are placing on enriching the employee experience, alongside strategic investments in technology to support and sustain these efforts.”
National outlook
92% of Britain’s private business owners are confident of growth in 2025.
Those businesses with lower degrees of confidence highlighted challenges such as increased competition and access to funding as limiting factors.
When it comes to areas of planned investment over the next 12 months, technology was ranked as the highest priority (63%), followed by skills and workforce (49%). Of those looking at future tech investment, almost three quarters (73%) plan to invest in AI to improve the customer experience.
Euan West, Head of KPMG Private Enterprise in the UK and EMA, said:“2024 has been a turbulent year, so it’s pleasing to see that private businesses are showing resilience and casting a very positive outlook for growth and investment in 2025 and beyond.
“Going into 2025 buoyed by this optimism will help these firms drive results in what will likely be another tough year. Investment in areas like technology and talent will be essential for firms to realise their growth ambitions and make a significant impact on the UK’s economic health.”
Before reading about all the exciting things that are happening this month at The Heart, please take a few minutes to do our survey.
In August 2022 Heart of Newhaven Community secured the purchase of Victoria Primary School.
In January 2023 we opened the buildings, now known as The Heart, for community uses in support of our vision- an Intergenerational Community Hub where everyone is better connected, less socially isolated and more actively engaged with their community.
In our first year of operation we focused on the buildings and their spaces and this year we undertook essential repairs to the fabric of the building.
We’ve also begun to develop community projects including the Dementia Meeting Centre, an intergenerational heritage project, a community lunch with Cyrenians and our ‘open4 coffee’/knit and natter/ IT support with AceIt, Newhaven Friendship Group.
We now need to know, from you, how we are doing? Are we meeting your needs? What are we missing?
Please do our survey and share as widely as possible The closing date is November 30th Thank you!
The Knitted Christmas Tree News
Firstly a massive thank you to everyone who donated green squares, beautiful decorations, knitted articles,the amazing tree trunk and the time you have given us to help raise money for easier access to The Heart for everyone.
We are almost there, the trunk is ready, the knitting is prepared and the Newhaven Fishwife has arrived. The next thing is to erect The Tallest Knitted Christmas Tree in the atrium of the Heart, ready for the Grand Opening on 30th November.
The official opening is at 11am. The craft fair will be open from 10am-4pm and there will be a raffle, tombola, children’s raffle and bottle stall. There will be the chance to choose the Fishwife’s name, guess the number of leaves on the tree and the number of decorations on the tree. Any contributions and donations to our stalls would be very well received.
On Sunday 1st December from 2.30-5.30 there will be a craft afternoon with the chance to make a Christmas Wreath, a Christmas Ornament and other crafts. Tickets for these activities will be on sale on the Saturday and Sunday.
On both days there will be refreshments including mulled wine.
Come along and see the Tallest Knitted Christmas, meet the creators, support a good cause and start the Christmas season at the Heart of Newhaven.
The Tree can be seen every day from 30th November until 22nd December. Call in to meet us and find out what the Heart can offer you.
Leith Creative Trail
The Leith Creative Trail running from 30th November – 8th December is an initiative designed to encourage people to explore their local creative community, art studios, organisations and services.
Follow the MAP and drop in on 19 different venues across North East Edinburgh including The Heart.
We’re open Saturday 30th Nov & Saturday 7th Dec 10am to 4pm with open studio visits, handmade artisan gifts and artwork for sale, craft demonstration, mulled wine, festive nibbles and cheer.
Meeting Centre Update October/November
Members of the Heart Dementia Meeting Centre have been enjoying our Wednesday morning meetings, working on creative projects with Tortoise in a Nutshell Theatre Company and continuing our intergenerational School Days sessions with students from Victoria Primary School. We celebrated Halloween with spooky bread making and enjoyed some home-made tattie scones.
Meeting Centre Manager Jan Brown also organised ‘Start from the Heart’ two dementia inclusive walks around Newhaven with local poet Ken Cockburn, piloting the idea of celebrating local heritage through poetry and song with a gentle health-walk. Feeback on these Monday afternoon walks was very positive, and we hope to start a series of monthly walks in the Spring.
Jan recently ran a Dementia Awareness session for volunteers at The Heart of Newhaven, if you or a family member is interested in becoming a member of the Heart Dementia Meeting Centre or volunteering with us, please contact:
The Heritage Lottery Funded, Schooldays Project is underway, featuring intergenerational workshops with local primary school students from Victoria, Trinity, Wardie, and Holy Cross.
The students are collaborating with groups that regularly meet in our building, including the Dementia Meeting Centre, the Knit and Natter Group, the Newhaven Friendship Group, as well as new groups such as Feniks.
We’re thrilled about the creative workshops happening and being led by resident and local artists and look forward to sharing these experiences with our groups in the coming months.
Stay tuned for regular updates in future newsletters!
The British Dental Association Scotland has stressed that there can be no complacency over the future of NHS dentistry, following the first evidence from frontline dentists since the Scottish Government’s reforms rolled out in November last year.
A new poll of high street dentists shows:
While two thirds (66%) of respondents say the new system represents an improvement on the previous model, 9 in 10 (88%) say this cannot be the final destination for NHS dentistry.
Only 22% say the new system enables a move to a preventive model of dentistry. Only 7% believe it will enhance access for NHS patients, and just 5% say it will support a reduction in oral health inequality.
26% feel changes have made their practices more financially sustainable. 31% disagree. Nearly half have not formed an opinion.
34% agreed reforms met the Scottish Government’s goal of increasing clinical freedom, while 38% disagreed. On reducing bureaucracy, respondents were tied for and against on 38%.
Just over a year ago the BDA’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee and the Scottish Government entered formal negotiations on the new fee structure and Payment Reform. This moved at pace within a challenging fiscal environment. The previous funding model was unsustainable, as surging costs had left dental practices delivering some NHS care at a financial loss.
In an open letter to the Scottish Government the BDA stress the Scottish Government must show it is willing to build on these reforms, and to double down on policies to ease the workforce crisis in the NHS.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee, said:“Given the critical place dental services were at this verdict is welcome news, but there is absolutely no room for complacency.
“Dentists have seen improvements, but have told us reform falls short on access, inequalities and prevention. Changes might make some practices more sustainable today, but they do not provide the foundations for a 21st century service.
“The Scottish Government has set goals on improving access and sustainability. These promises must be kept.
“Scotland cannot have NHS dentistry without NHS dentists – and this service must be a place which can recruit and retain talent.”
Online survey of Scottish General Dental Practitioners, February-April 2024, 229 respondents:
Please indicate your agreement or disagreement to following statements
1. The new system means the practice I work in is better able to remain financially sustainable
Strongly agree 3%
Agree 23%
Neither agree nor disagree 27%
Disagree 21%
Strongly disagree 10%
Don’t know/not applicable 15%
Net Agree 26%
Net disagree 31%
2. The new system represents an improvement on the previous payment model
