Protestors want green recovery
Young people across Scotland are protesting to demand a plan that delivers a just and green recovery from coronavirus.
Yesterday evening (23 July), banners appeared in key locations across Scotland calling for a radical response to Scotland’s recovery from Covid-19 that puts people and environment before profit.
The banners in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Oban, kick off a week of action demanding the government do more to address youth employment, tackle inequality, protect public services including vital mental health support and commit to the necessary climate action.
Daisy (24), a waitress from Glasgow, said: “Young people are most likely to be the ones working in the hardest hit sectors of retail, hospitality and leisure. We are also more likely to be working on zero-hours contracts, which are precarious positions, and often have to have multiple part-time jobs to make up one income.
“Even if these sectors reopen, our hours are likely to have been cut, and with social distancing, there will be less customers so there is less money from tips which workers in hospitality rely heavily upon to boost wages. We need a plan for a just recovery which can address these issues and provide decent work and decent incomes for all.”
Meals milestone
A Leith-based community organisation has, to date, provided over 100,000 fresh, healthy meals to people in Edinburgh.
Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts aims to secure safe access to healthy food for local residents who would otherwise go without.
The community interest company was founded in April as a direct response to the coronavirus crisis which subsequently plunged many millions more into food insecurity.
The organisation is run entirely by over 200 volunteers, including more than 30 out-of-work chefs, and takes surplus foods which would otherwise to go waste to create packs to feed someone three hot meals for a day.
To date, over 28 tonnes of food has been saved from waste and turned into healthy meals for those who need them through the tireless efforts of Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts.
As well as daily meal packs including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts run two daily hot food services dubbed Lunchtime on Leith and Teatime at the Theatre- from their new home at the iconic Leith Theatre.
Free face masks for charities
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) has manufactured 10,000 certified face visors to donate to charities and companies across Scotland to help them operate safely as the country emerges from lockdown.
So far, the team has distributed almost 9,500 visors to local and national charitable organisations and companies including care homes, hospices, counselling centres, youth groups, social enterprises and the Scottish SPCA.
To help reach smaller charities, the NMIS team worked with Third Sector Interfaces, including Engage Renfrewshire, to distribute a further 1,800 visors.
Still time to take part in survey
Disabled people and their carers still have time to take part in a survey looking at the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on social care.
The survey, for Inclusion Scotland, has been launched in response to reports of many disabled people losing support during lockdown.
Respondents are being asked to provide information on what has happened to their social care support since the start of the crisis, their involvement in any decisions about changes made, and whether or not they are continuing to pay for support that has been cut.
The short survey can be completed online via Survey Monkey. Easy read and plain text documents can also be downloaded from Inclusion Scotland’s website. Responses will be accepted until midday on Monday (27 July).
