Scotland's communities respond to the pandemic
Time for virtual tea
Age Scotland is asking people across the country to hold a virtual tea party to raise vital funds to support older people in need during Covid-19 and beyond.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the charity's national helpline has received record numbers of calls from older people and their families looking for advice, information and friendship.
To help fund the service, the charity is inviting people across the country to host or take part in a virtual tea party with family, friends and colleagues.
Michelle Supple, Age Scotland director of charity services, said: “A friendly chat with one of our advisers can turn around a bad day for someone who was feeling low.
"Just £10 raised will pay for two friendship calls to older people and could make all the difference to someone's life.
"So why not get in touch with your group, set a date and maybe try a spot of lockdown homebaking? Then settle down with a cup of tea, have a chat and know that you are helping Age Scotland be there for older people at a time they need it most."
People can register to host an event at www.age.scot/teaparty
TikTok announces new fundraising stickers
TikTok has announced the launch of Donation Stickers, a new in-app donation feature that creators can include in their videos and livestreams to raise funds for the charities and causes they care most about.
The stickers are clickable donation buttons that can be embedded directly in videos and TikTok LIVEs. When a user clicks the Donation Sticker, they’ll be guided to a window where they can quickly and easily submit a donation without having to leave the app. Donation Stickers are enabled in-app by Tiltify, a well-established fundraising platform which will process and manage user donations securely.
Quiz heads online
This Thursday (30 April) the National AIDS Trust’s (NAT) annual Big Quiz will take place virtually due to the current Covid-19 pandemic.
The quiz is NAT’s way of bringing people together to have fun and quiz to help in the fight for HIV equality across the UK. Plans for this year’s event were put on hold due to the current lockdown in the UK but this week The Big Online Quiz will entertain the nation on Thursday.
The charity is thrilled to once again welcome Stephen Fry to The Big Online Quiz who has recorded a special HIV round. The usual pub quiz classics will also feature.
The quiz is open to all and can be played in (socially-distanced) teams or individually. Those who cannot join on the evening are invited to host their own quiz using the Big Quiz questions.
The quiz takes place at 7.15pm. For details and tickets visit www.thebigquiz.org
Lockdown is for the birds
As the number of vehicles on the roads decreases, it’s much easier to hear the birds sing.
Now a unique radio station has had the idea of inviting its listeners to share the sounds they can hear from their window, garden or outdoor space.
RNIB Connect Radio is a station with a difference. It is run by sight loss charity RNIB. Based in Glasgow, the multi-award-winning station broadcasts news and entertainment aimed at listeners who are blind and partially sighted across the UK.
"It's probably fair to say our audience is especially tuned to sound," said station manager Yvonne Milne. "Indeed, they can often be more aware of the possibilities and nuances of how sound can convey moods, emotions and information. But anyone can listen to RNIB Connect Radio.
"I think listening to the birds is a wonderful idea, and not just for ornithologists. It could be very relaxing and stress-relieving, especially at such a fraught time when people are house-bound. And it's a chance for many of us who live in towns and cities to appreciate a dimension of sound that has always been with us, just lost under the cacophony of everyday urban life."
RNIB Connect Radio is inviting people to share the sounds they are hearing, and is offering a few tips for recording on your phone: Hold your phone carefully, as movements can be picked up by the mic. Put your phone into ‘airplane’ mode and mute your notifications. Record a minute at most on the recorder on your phone and then email it to lynne.morgan@rnib.org.uk.
The station - a mix of news, chat, music, sport and audio-book readings - broadcasts in the Glasgow area on 101FM, and is available across the UK on Freeview 730 and online at www.rnibconnectradio.org.uk
