Scotland’s national healthcare improvement organisation is recruiting volunteers
Do you want to help to improve the quality of care in Scotland? If so, Scotland’s national healthcare improvement organisation would like to hear from you! Continue reading Get involved in improving healthcare
And a wee local sheltie is Jewel in the crown!
Two local heroes from the Edinburgh area were crowned winners at the RBS – Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes awards ceremony on STV, hosted by Carol Smillie and screened last night. Continue reading Edinburgh’s Tom is a Real Hero
St Columba’s salutes ‘great team of volunteers’
St Columba’s Hospice has been celebrating its many volunteers with special long-service awards ceremonies. In total, the people who have been recognised for their long service have given a massive 560 years to the Hospice! Continue reading More than five centuries donated by St Columba’s volunteers
The UK’s body for championing participation in creative cultural activities, Voluntary Arts, has launched the Epic Awards
Thousands of people across the UK give up their time to share their passion for arts and creative activities. Leading groups of young and old, these people improve the lives of millions of people across the country.
The Epic Awards offer the opportunity to celebrate and reward these volunteers and groups and spread the word about the huge range of activities enriching our lives in all areas of Scotland.
https://youtu.be/Ncad5dgSv2U
Are you involved in an arts or crafts group that is doing something new and interesting? Have you struck up an interesting collaboration, inspired others or solved a problem in your home town?
From singing to knitting, amateur dramatics to painting, over 60,000 amateur arts groups across the UK and Republic of Ireland are making a difference to lives in their local areas. The Epic Awards shines a spotlight on their achievements.
You can nominate your group for an award by filling in the form on www.epicawards.co.uk and put them forward for national recognition and a range of prizes from financial support to advice, partnership and performance opportunities.
Winning groups have usually run initiatives or activities that involve interesting collaborations, or engage with their local community or beyond, undertake creative activity that inspires others or increases participation, or use new ideas in innovative ways.
Last year’s Scottish winner, Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail (below), is a volunteer-led arts trail which has grown to include over 100 venues filled with work created by over 200 participants attracting audiences from far and wide.
Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail’s Pauline Saul reflected on what winning the Epic Award meant for the group. She said: “We were delighted to be short listed for the Epic Award for Scotland. When the email came saying that we had won we were extremely proud of our achievement, wanting to run outside and tell everyone!
“The Epic Award has given the trail some good publicity through local papers and town folk have been really pleased both for us and for Kirkcudbright. Following the Epic Award we have grown in confidence, and become more forward thinking, planning a Christmas event and our theme for 2016.”
Last year’s runner-up in Scotland DD8 Music is a group run by volunteers in Kirriemuir, which provides free lessons, jams and recording equipment for young people. DD8 Music also picked up the UK wide award for exceptional work with young people.
The public have their chance to vote and award a prize to one of the shortlisted groups through The People’s Choice Award. Last year’s winners were Knitted Knockers UK, a group of over 650 people across the UK who co-ordinate online to create and send 100 per cent cotton breast prostheses to women who have had mastectomies.
Jemma Neville, director of Voluntary Arts Scotland, said: “The Epic Awards demonstrate the scale and diversity of self-led creative cultural activity in Scotland. From volunteer-led festivals to community radio stations, and poetry groups to choirs, there are creative people across the country with the passion and initiative to provide opportunities for people to take part in voluntary arts activity. I strongly encourage groups thinking of applying to do so.”
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “The Voluntary Arts Epic Awards showcase excellent examples of inclusive and local participation in the arts and the initiative and drive of many dedicated volunteers across the country who set up and run thousands of arts and cultural groups.
“Voluntary arts contribute much to Scotland’s rich and varied cultural life and Voluntary Arts Scotland’s support helps enable more people to get involved in creative activities.
“These awards demonstrate an ongoing commitment to ensuring that communities across Scotland are supported to create and participate so that all the hard work and imagination that contribute to the cultural life of our communities, often undertaken by volunteers, is recognised.
“I’m looking forward to hearing more about the exciting work taking place the length and breadth of Scotland in the run up to this year’s awards and encourage Scottish nominations to be put forward.”
The Epic Awards are supported by Spirit of 2012, an independent trust created to sustain the spirit and opportunities from London 2012, and are themselves supporting BBC Get Creative. Spirit has also helped to create two new categories of Epic Award as well as the Epic Places project. Voluntary Arts also acknowledges funding from Arts Council England, Arts Council Wales, Creative Scotland and Arts Council Northern Ireland.
Debbie Lye, chief executive of Spirit of 2012, said: “We at Spirit are delighted to be supporting the Epic Awards again in 2016. I was blown away by the sheer breadth of high-quality award nominations last year – it’s clear we’ve got a voluntary arts scene to be proud of.
“The Epic Awards really do showcase the cream of the UK and Ireland’s amateur artistic and cultural crop, and I am eager to see who’s in the running in 2016. Best of luck!”
Remember that closing date for nominations: Monday 7 December
Volunteer Edinburgh prepares to open new HQ – in Leith
Lord Provost Rt. Hon. Donald Wilson will officially open Volunteer Edinburgh’s new HQ on Leith Walk next week. The Lord Provost, who is also the city’s Volunteering Ambassador, will be joined by local councillors, trustees, funders, volunteers and members of the local community at Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting event. Continue reading Provost volunteers to open new HQ!
Scotland’s biggest volunteer recruitment fair takes place in Edinburgh tomorrow
For most people at this time of year thoughts are turning to pumpkins and fireworks, but for Volunteer Edinburgh there’s only one thing on our minds – and that’s the annual Volunteer Recruitment Fair at St Paul and St Georges Church!
As usual the hall will be filled with stalls from charities and volunteer involving organisations from across the city representing the wide range of volunteering opportunities Edinburgh has to offer.
There are environmental groups; arts organisations; opportunities to work with people from both ends of the age spectrum; charities who deal with poverty and exclusion both here and abroad; animal welfare groups as well as organisations campaigning to raise awareness and funding for a variety of health issues.
With over 50 diverse groups taking part the chances of finding something to get involved with are pretty good and the opportunity to speak to directly to volunteers and organisers helps develop a much greater understanding of the organisation’s work and passion and commitment involved.
As well as the stalls, volunteer advisors will be on hand to help you with any questions you might have about volunteering and, for those looking to volunteer as a step towards employment, there will be workshops to help improve employability skills, C.V. writing and job hunting techniques.
There will also be special workshops on equality rights, and volunteering opportunities for older people.
And If all this information gets too much there will, as always, be delicious food and (non-alcoholic) drink on hand in the café, so you can rest and digest!
So if you want a break from thinking about ghosts, bonfires and premature tinsel and you’re looking to give a present a little more substantial than a pair of socks, then here’s the perfect opportunity to give some very grateful organisations the gift of you!
For more about the Volunteer Recruitment Fair, visit the Volunteer Edinburgh’s website, orFacebook page. You may also want to have a look at the photos from last year’s Volunteer Recruitment Fair here.
The Social Bite, Edinburgh Uni’s Best Buddies and veteran fundraising champion Tom Gilzean among those up for awards
Today, a shortlist of Scottish heroes has been unveiled ahead of the third series of RBS: Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes on STV to recognise people who have dedicated their time to local communities across Scotland.
A judging panel including John Boyle, chairman of Hamilton Portfolio Ltd and Motherwell FC, Managing Director of Branch and Private Banking in Scotland at Royal Bank of Scotland, Chris Wilson and Michael Shanks, member of the 77th Disabled Scout group which took home the RBS Young Real Hero of the Year award last year, gathered to narrow down the nominations received for this year’s show.
Elizabeth Partyka, fellow judge and deputy director of channels at STV said: “The series is a great opportunity to shine a light on people working tirelessly in communities to help improve the lives of others. We have seen an overwhelming response to this year’s call for nominations across Scotland and there are some truly inspiring stories to be told.
“The shortlist of nominees will be visited by our celebrity reporters throughout the show and it will be over to STV viewers to vote for the nominees they believe most deserving of an award.”
The series, presented by Carol Smillie and sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland returns to STV later this year. This year’s shortlist includes deserving Scots from all across the country.
Categories including Community Project of the Year and Hero Animal of the Year will return again this year as well as two new additional award categories including Hero Mum or Dad and Fundraiser of the Year. The overall winners will be voted for by the public and will be announced at a glittering, star studded televised awards ceremony later in the year.
Chris Wilson, Managing Director of Branch and Private Banking in Scotland at Royal Bank of Scotlandsaid: “It is a real honour to be part of the judging panel again this year. It’s important to celebrate the people that make a real difference in our local communities – especially those who would otherwise go unrecognised – and I think that every person on the shortlist is a deserving winner. Everyone at The Royal Bank of Scotland is getting behind the series again this year and we are all looking forward to finding out more about the finalists when the series airs later this year.”
And the nominations are ….
RBS: FINDING SCOTLAND’S REAL HEROES SHORTLIST
Community Champion
Ashley McIIvenny (Include Me 2); Barrhead, Glasgow
John O’Byrne (The John O’Byrne Foundation); Bellahouston, Glasgow
Jessie Douglas (Richmond’s Hope); Niddrie, Edinburgh
Sporting Volunteer of the Year
Carol Jones (Kelvingrove Community Tennis Club); Kelvingrove, Glasgow
Gregor Gardner (Azami Falkirk Judo Club); Hallglen, Falkirk
Janice Millar (Kilmarnock Harriers); Darvel, Ayrshire
Hero Neighbour of the Year
John O’Hara; East Glasgow
Donna Fitzpatrick; Fullerton, Irvine
Margaret ‘Mum’ Miller; Springboig, Glasgow
Fundraiser of the Year
Liz Smillie; Prestwick
Tom Gilzean; Edinburgh
Linzi O’Neil; Fife
Community Project of the Year
Paragon Music; Glasgow
The Social Bite; Edinburgh
The Coming Home Centre; Glasgow
Hero Mum or Dad
Pappinder Singh, Leith
Susan Hunter, Penicuik
Vicky Walker, Nairn
Scotland’s Real Heroes Courage Award
Allison Barr, West Calder
Paul Surgeon, Kirkintilloch
Suzanne Davies, Stonehaven
Carer of the Year
Karen Anderson (Carers United); Evanton
David Forbes (Future Choices); Aberdeen
East Kilbride Dementia Carer’s Group; East Kilbride
Young Real Hero of the Year
Leah-Grace Kean; Baillieston, Glasgow
Lee Falconer; Maryhill, Glasgow
Best Buddies Edinburgh
Hero Animal of the Year
Damson the Dog (Canine Partners): Slateford, Edinburgh
Jewel the Pony (Ravelrig RDA): Ravelrig, Edinburgh
Spike the Dog (Hearing Dogs for Deaf People): Cupar, Fife
For more information, visit www.stv.tv/realheroes or get involved on Twitter #scotlandsrealheroes or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scotrealheroes.
Lord Provost says ‘thanks’ to city volunteers
Edinburgh’s magnificent volunteers will be recognised for their crucial contribution to local life at the Lord Provost’s Community Garden Party 2015 in the grounds of Lauriston Castle tomorrow.
Stockbridge-based LifeCare Edinburgh and Duddingston Kirk Lunch Club, two organisations which support the independence and wellbeing of older people in Edinburgh, will be presented with ‘Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service’ by the Lord Provost Donald Wilson at the event.
They will be joined by a guest list featuring dedicated workers from the city’s third sector, community council members, Edinburgh British Empire Medal recipients and local philanthropists in the castle grounds as a ‘thank you’ for their contribution to community life.
Sponsored by Virgin Money, more than 400 people are expected to attend the celebration to enjoy afternoon tea on the lawn, with live music from local Edinburgh choirs and pipe bands.
Members of the Lauriston Castle Living History Group, suitably costumed in Edwardian dress, will treat guests to tours of the visitor attraction which are open to the public throughout the year.
The Lord Provost, who is also the city’s Volunteering Champion, said: “I want this celebration to recognise and reward those who make a positive contribution to our great city – particularly the unsung heroes who give up their time tirelessly for others and for the good of their local community. I look forward to welcoming guests to the fantastic Lauriston Castle, and to presenting awards on behalf of the Queen to two of Edinburgh’s great volunteer organisations.
“I hope an event like this helps to promote this gem of a venue and that guests are encouraged to come back. I am extremely grateful to Jayne-Anne Gadhia and everyone at Virgin Money for the tremendous support and their ongoing commitment to the city.”
Su Millar, Chief Executive of LifeCare (Edinburgh) Limited, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be presented with an award from the Lord Provost on behalf of the Queen, and proud to be one of two organisations to receive this prestigious award.
“It is humbling to have the excellent work of our volunteers recognised in this way and we are all really looking forward to meeting with the Lord Provost and all of the other guests at the Community Garden Party at Lauriston Castle.”
The Lord Provost’s Community Garden is a bi-annual event first held in 2013. Broughton High School pupil Anna McLuckie entertained guests that day and the talented young harpuist went on to receive acclaim on BBC’s The Voice.
Investors in Young People award for ProjectScotland
ProjectScotland, the charity which helps young people to get on in life through volunteering, has been awarded the Investors in Young People accreditation, a new award created by Investors in People Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government.
The accolade recognises employers for their recruitment and retention of young people in the work place. With a quarter of ProjectScotland staff (above) under 25 the award further cements ProjectScotland’s ethos and commitment to developing young people.
Congratulating the charity on their award, Minister for Youth and Women’s Employment Annabelle Ewing said: “I would like to congratulate ProjectScotland on achieving the new Investors in Young People accreditation. ProjectScotland recognise the benefits of recruiting and developing young people and that it is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.
“Employers have a crucial role to play in supporting youth employment in Scotland and the new Investors in Young People framework and accolade offers help and recognition which will encourage more employers to do that.”
Paul Reddish, CEO of ProjectScotland, said: “We are very proud of our Investors in Young People award. As a charity we offer 16 – 30 year olds a three month volunteering opportunity, allowing them to learn new skills and gain valuable experience while giving back to society as we believe that young people have the talent to transform their lives and the communities around them. That’s why here at ProjectScotland young people are a big part of our work force and we aim for this to not only continue but grow.
“This award acknowledges that we are investing in young people and it’s great to see the Scottish Government and Investors in People recognising our achievements.”
People management specialists, Investors in People selected a sample of employees from ProjectScotland to discuss various aspects of their role, the organisation and training as well as reviewing how the charity attracts, recruits and retains young people.
Ewan Hunter, Investor in People Specialist said: “ProjectScotland has a great ethos and are very well connected to the whole ‘Young People’ agenda. They have a clear understanding of the importance of employing and developing young people and the enormous benefits to both the employer and the young person.
“I would like to commend them and congratulate them on their award and achievements. We look forward to working with ProjectScotland as they continue the excellent work they do in this vital part of Scotland’s economy.”
The clock’s ticking … get those nominations in!
The deadline for people to nominate community champions from Edinburgh for the new STV series of RBS – Finding Scotland’s Real Heroes is fast approaching – nominations close at MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!
The new series, presented by Carol Smillie and sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland, will air on STV this autumn with viewers across Scotland casting their vote. The overall winner will be announced at a star-studded awards ceremony shown later this year.
Carol Smillie said: “The wonderful thing about real heroes is that they don’t think they’re heroes at all, and they believe they’re just doing what anyone would do. What we need is for the public to come forward and nominate these incredible people so we can shine a light on the local heroes making a real difference within their community.”
The public can nominate online at stv.tv/realheroes, by phone and by post.
Elizabeth Partyka deputy director of channels at STV of said: “The response so far has been inspiring with nominations coming in from across Scotland. The deadline for nominations is fast approaching so we are calling viewers to let us know about their friends, colleagues, neighbours or local groups who have dedicated their time and effort to helping the lives of others.”
For more information, visit www.stv.tv/realheroes.
