Outstanding Women of Scotland: ‘If you can see it, you can be it’

Annie Lennox, JK Rowling and Lesley Riddoch are among 2016 ‘Outstanding Women of Scotland’ inductees

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Ten Scottish women from the fields of the arts, culture, politics, activism, law and science were honoured and inducted into the esteemed Saltire Society ‘Outstanding Women of Scotland’ community at a special event in Glasgow yesterday. Continue reading Outstanding Women of Scotland: ‘If you can see it, you can be it’

Fair play: £300,000 fund for sporting equality

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A Sporting Equality Fund is to be set up with the aim of increasing women’s engagement in sport, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced yesterday.

The £300,000 fund will be used to find ways to close the gender gap that emerges in the early teenage years when 71% of boys compared to 51% of girls say they are active participants in sport. Continue reading Fair play: £300,000 fund for sporting equality

Women urged to take up smear test invitations

Tomorrow is D-Day for cervical screening changes 

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Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood has urged women to take up their invitation for cervical screening as changes to the programme come into force. From tomorrow, the age range for routine cervical screening will be changing to offer women aged 25 to 64 screening every three or five years. Continue reading Women urged to take up smear test invitations

Helping domestic abuse survivors into work

Scottish Women’s Aid to support women into employment

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Women who have suffered violence or abuse at the hands of a partner will benefit from an investment of £190,000 to help them back into work, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today. Continue reading Helping domestic abuse survivors into work

Get together, make a difference on International Women’s Day

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I am writing to  invite you to this year’s International Women’s Day event which takes place next Tuesday (8 March) in Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre, Pilton Drive North. We have decided to combine this year’s event with our third Getting Together Making a Difference event.

As you will see from the leaflet there will be films, poetry, music, stories, discussion and food – all the ingredients  for a nice  get together with friends and neighbours!   We have organised a  crèche for pre-school children to allow as many women as possible to take part.  Please book a crèche place in advance as the crèche is likely to be very busy  (tel 552 5700 or 551 1671).

Registration is at 10am  in the reception area and we will be starting at 10.15  in room F34 upstairs.  Lunch will be served at 1pm.

I would be grateful if you would  forward  the leaflet  to any local  women  you know who might be interested in joining us.

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Lynn McCabe (on behalf of the planning group)

Brock calls for support to scrap ‘appalling’ rape clause

Deidre Brock MP

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deirdre Brock is calling upon constituents to sign a petition which seeks to scrap the UK Government’s rape clause. Continue reading Brock calls for support to scrap ‘appalling’ rape clause

Green MSP turns pink!

Alison Johnstone will ‘wear it pink’ on Friday 

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Alison Johnstone, MSP for  Lothian, has shown her support for women with breast cancer by dressing up in pink and encouraging her constituents to take part in Breast Cancer Now’s flagship fundraiser, wear it pink, this Friday (23 October).

wear it pink, the UK’s biggest pink fundraiser, is calling on supporters across the country to ditch the day-to-day colours and pull on some pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving breast cancer research.

Alison joined fellow parliamentarians in wearing it pink in Holyrood to encourage people across Scotland to get involved. Now in its 14th year, wear it pink raises over £2 million each year for world-class research into breast cancer, and this year it is back and bigger, brighter and bolder than ever before.

Anyone can take part, whether in school, at work or at home. All you have to do is wear something pink and donate whatever you can.

Alison Johnstone said: “Breast cancer is at a tipping point. Every year around 4,600 women in Scotland are diagnosed with the disease, and sadly nearly 1,000 people still lose their lives.

“Due to incredible research by organisations like Breast Cancer Now, more people are surviving breast cancer than ever before. I’m proud to support this brilliant work by wearing it pink – it’s a fun way for people to get involved in the fight against cancer.

“Together, we can make a huge difference for women living with breast cancer. I hope everyone in my community will join me in wearing it pink on Friday 23 October and show their support for Breast Cancer Now.”

Launched in June 2015 with the ambition of ensuring that no one dies from the disease by 2050, Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, created by the merger of Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

This is a day when we stand out, stand together and stand for something: wear it pink on Friday 23 October to support Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving research.

For more information or to register for wear it pink visit

www.wearitpink.org