The Wheatley Group – Scotland’s Leading Housing, Care and Property Group – is embarking on a ‘Week of Action’ across its neighbourhoods as part of environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful’s national Spring Clean campaign.
From 28 March – 2 April, the Wheatley Group will be organising litter-busting activities and events, including litter picks, in its communities throughout Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
A highlight of the week will be the launch of six new Clean Up hubs at Wheatley locations in Glasgow which will empower people to take action to improve their own communities.
Opening on 30 March, the new hubs join over 80 across Scotland, and will host litter picking equipment that will be available for Wheatley customers to borrow.
Keep Scotland Beautiful’s research has revealed that 88% of Scots agree that litter is a problem across Scotland – and 70% are concerned about litter in their area.
For those frustrated by litter in the community or the places they visit, the focused week of action as part of Spring Clean Scotland is the perfect opportunity to make a difference by picking up litter … Get involved and help make the places we care about cleaner and safer for people and animals.
Barry Fisher, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “We’ve been working with the Wheatley Group since 2017 to deliver environmental improvements through initiatives like environmental quality assessments of multi-storey flats and tenements based on the National Award for Environmental Excellence® framework, staff training and the creation of Tenant Improvement Panels.
“We’re delighted to be developing that partnership now by supporting the ‘Week of Action’ and the new Clean Up Hubs.”
Steven Gray, Wheatley’s Director of Environmental Services, said: “Our environmental week of action is about shining a spotlight on environmental services across the Group and engaging with the communities we work in.
“We are proud to work in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, along with local community groups and schools, and look forward to seeing many of those groups out supporting our efforts to deliver safe and tidy communities for our customers.”
There are Community Clean Up Hubs in 28 local authority areas across Scotland, to support community action.
If you’d like to get involved, find your nearest hub:
Two-hundred and fifty households are now in mid-market rent accommodation, thanks to the Council’s mid-market rent partnership, Edinburgh Living.
Edinburgh Living, the City of Edinburgh Council’s mid-market rent partnership, is celebrating hitting a key milestone with more than 250 families now in quality affordable homes thanks to the initiative, developed in partnership with infrastructure experts, Scottish Futures Trust.
Now in eight sites across the city, Edinburgh Living’s 250th tenant moved into their new home in Craigmillar last month.
Let and managed by Lowther Homes, part of Wheatley Group, Edinburgh Living has also launched its new website this week which will provide information about the initiative and help more individuals and families find their new home through links to what homes are available and what is coming soon.
Danielle Beatson, 42, who has recently moved into a three-bedroom home with her partner and three children, said: “We love our new home; it’s in the perfect area and is so spacious. The community is great; it’s a really family-friendly area, and my children are often outside playing with friends.
The home has made a big difference to Danielle’s life: “Our landlord was selling the home we were renting and we were struggling to find another suitable property at short notice. Mid-market rent was a fantastic, affordable option for us. The application process was simple, and we were able to move in quickly after applying.
“We feel so settled and secure now; my partner and I are really happy, and so are the kids, which is brilliant.”
Launched in Jan 2019, supported by the Scottish Government, the Council set up Edinburgh Living to address the lack of affordable housing available in Edinburgh by offering mid-market rent homes to households on low to middle incomes that were struggling to access property, either to purchase or rent, on the open market.
The initiative is also supporting homelessness prevention, working together with Council services and Lowther Homes to raise the profile of mid-market rent as an option for lower income households at risk of homelessness.
The Council and Scottish Futures Trust have strong ambitions to continue to grow Edinburgh Living, with an acquisition target of 500 homes by the end of 2022, and the long-term aim to provide 1,500 new mid-market rent and market rent homes over the next few years.
The Council is proactively identifying more homes to achieve this ambition, delivering well-built, well-managed and energy efficient new homes through its own housebuilding programme.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener said:“Hitting this big milestone and now having 250 family households in safe, warm and affordable homes, with more homes being identified to double that figure by the end of next year is just fantastic.
“Also hearing what a difference these bright and modern homes are making to people’s lives is the reason we started this programme in the first place.
“Making sure everyone has access to an affordable and energy efficient place to live has long been our priority. We have ambitious plans to grow the number of properties we own which we’ll do by purchasing homes, and by building homes through own housing development programme, delivering 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.
“As a Council we’re also committed to ending poverty, becoming more sustainable, while helping to foster greater wellbeing and inclusion, and so Edinburgh Living is just one of the ways we’re doing that for our residents and the city of Edinburgh.”
Councillor Mandy Watt, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Vice-Convener, added: “It’s a real joy to have families moving in and settling into their new homes through Edinburgh Living. And it’s great to see the new website provide more information about the partnership and signpost those looking for a mid-market rent home to what is currently available and under construction.
“We now have homes in eight locations which puts Edinburgh Living homes in three quarters of the city. These homes provide quality, stable accommodation to families, improving the diversity of communities and helping with the regeneration of parts of Edinburgh.”
Christa Reekie, director Development and Housing at the Scottish Futures Trust, said:“As infrastructure experts, we’re always looking for new and collaborative ways to maximise the delivery of affordable housing and boost the impact they have in communities right across Scotland.
“Edinburgh Living is a case in point – a joint venture that is working towards the delivery of 1,500 much-needed, affordable and market rent homes in Edinburgh. Today’s milestone marks a significant step in the programme that is now benefitting 250 families and is increasing the supply of high quality, energy efficient homes for many years to come.”
Heather Voisey, Lowther Homes Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to mark this important milestone in our partnership with Edinburgh Living.
“Mid-market rent flats offer much-needed affordable housing in sought-after locations, and it’s great to see the 250th tenant move in. We look forward to continuing to let and manage affordable Edinburgh Living homes across the city.”
Edinburgh Living has homes across eight locations in Edinburgh: Clermiston, Hailesland, Pennywell, Greendykes, North Sighthill, Royston, Dumbryden and Craigmillar.
More community food projects will receive funding to provide emergency free meals to those most in need during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Around £700,000 has been allocated from the £70 million Scottish Food Fund to 19 projects, including a £350,000 grant to the Wheatley Group to provide 8,500 emergency food deliveries to people most in need in 17 local authority areas as part of its own EatWell service over the next three months.
A further 18 schemes will share £400,000 to provide emergency food through a range of projects working with minority ethnic households, family support groups or mental health teams.
The Food Fund comprises £30 million for food deliveries for the ‘shielded’ groups at highest clinical risk, and a further £30 million to local authorities for free school meals and food support for older people, those with long-term health conditions and pregnant women.
The remaining £10 million is for critical third sector and community response organisations, which includes funding so far of £500,000 each for Social Bite, FareShare and Cash for Kids.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “As part of Scotland’s £70 million Food Fund, we’re making an initial £10 million available to help support community food projects, and these latest grants will help ensure people are not only fed but treated with dignity.
“I am very grateful to be working alongside the Trussell Trust, FareShare and other members of the Independent Food Network to provide people at risk in our communities with the basic essentials their families need. I’m particularly pleased that FareShare is now working closely with many councils to strengthen local responses.
“The existing close partnership working we already had with these leading food charities has significantly stepped up to ensure people who are in the greatest financial risk as a result of the impact of the pandemic have access to food and basic essentials.
“Uniquely among the countries of the UK, the ‘cash-first’ elements of approach mean that where people can safely get out to buy food, we make sure they have access to the cash to do so.
“This is the most dignified way we can provide food support and we will continue to do all we can to help people overcome any barriers in their way. I am pleased that these charities have welcomed this approach as the most dignified way of supporting people with food insecurity.”
Martin Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer of Wheatley Group, said: “We are delighted the Scottish Government has agreed to help fund our EatWell emergency food delivery service over the next three months.
“This support will be very much appreciated by the thousands of individuals and families in Wheatley homes across the country relying on this vital service. I am confident that by continuing to work well together, we will be able to tackle the considerable challenges posed by the coronavirus crisis.”
Emma Revie, CEO of the Trussell Trust, said: “We all deserve the dignity of having enough money to buy the essentials we need for ourselves and our families, so we welcome the cash-first approach from the Scottish Government that aims to get money to people who are financially vulnerable due to this crisis.
“Despite these efforts, we know that there will still be households across Scotland that will be unable to afford basics such as food.
“In response, we have been working closely with independent food banks, FareShare and the Scottish Government to overcome significant challenges in the supply chain and ensure food will be available to those most in need of help.”
Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator, Independent Food Network, said: “While supporting independent food bank teams working tirelessly to cope with increasing need across Scotland, the Independent Food Aid Network has appreciated being able to work collaboratively with the Scottish Government, FareShare and the Trussell Trust.
“However challenging it is to distribute emergency food parcels to people who cannot afford food, we are trying to keep one eye firmly on the future and our joint vision of a Scotland without the need for charitable food aid.
“We very much welcome the Scottish Government’s support of communities at this time and particularly its prioritisation of cash first solutions and investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund.”
Gillian Kynoch from FareShare said: “The Scottish Government has worked hard to ensure we are integrated into the Local Authority response in each area to coordinate support for the self-isolating, over 70’s, and those experiencing – and at risk of – food insecurity.
“Many community food organisations that normally provide cooked meals to support vulnerable or low income people, older people lunch clubs, after school clubs, community cafes, have had to close their doors.
“These same groups and many others have adapted quickly and swung into action providing food parcels and hot meals delivered to people at home. The scale of this challenge has been significant but our collective ramp-up has been helped by a big response to our call for volunteers. So many that we are now operating reserve lists – which is fantastic.”
