A selection of stories from communities and voluntary organisations across Scotland
Party leaders back Christmas Jumper Day
Scottish party leaders – Nicola Sturgeon, Jackson Carlaw, Patrick Harvie and Richard Leonard joined presiding officer Ken Macintosh and MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton to celebrate Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day. Ditching their day to day dress in favour of their wonderful woollies, the festive fundraiser urges Scots to make the world better with a Christmas sweater and donate just £2 to christmasjumperday.org, giving children around the world hope for a better future. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I’m delighted to support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day again this year. It’s a great way for people to raise money for extremely important causes not only at home but around the world, while of course also having a bit of fun!”
Voice star Saskia Eng supports NSPCC Scotland
The Voice star Saskia Eng supported NSPCC Scotland by helping to deliver one of the leading children’s charity’s ground-breaking Speak Out Stay Safe assemblies at an Edinburgh primary school Saskia, 17, from Edinburgh, joined NSPCC volunteers at St Johns RC Primary School in Portobello in Edinburgh to support the charity in its work to keep children safe from abuse and neglect. The singer also brought some Christmas spirit by debuting her new single We Can Hear You to the primary school children. The Speak Out Stay Safe assemblies, which the NSPCC runs in primary schools, help children to recognise different types of abuse and to feel confident about speaking out to a trusted adult. Research from the leading children’s charity shows that on average at least two children in every primary school classroom across the UK will have suffered some form of abuse or neglect.
Coalfields Regeneration Trust welcomes Cabinet Secretary Aileen Campbell MSP
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) hosted Aileen Campbell MSP, cabinet secretary for communities, at its training hub which opened in Kincardine earlier this year. CRT, funded by the Scottish Government to support local initiatives to improve health and employment prospects for residents of coalfield areas, invited Ms Campbell to the Coalfields Training and Enterprise Hub to launch its 2018/2019 programme being delivered with its £750,000 budget.
Royal Blind School visit puts specialist education on agenda for MSPs
Members of the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee visited the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh as MSPs consider the current provision of specialist education for children with vision impairment in Scotland’s schools. The visit followed a recent Education Scotland inspection report which rated the Royal Blind School as Excellent in learning, teaching and assessment. As well as providing specialist school education for blind and partially sighted pupils, the Royal Blind School works with pupils in mainstream education.
Big Hearts hold Festive Memories Event at Tynecastle
Tynecastle Stadium offered good food and company to olderpeople at risk of social isolation, with a festive experience based on the warm memories of the beautiful game. The event was hosted by Big Hearts Community Trust, the official charity of Heart of Midlothian FC. A recent survey stated that two in five older people have TV as their main form of company. This event, which welcomed participants and volunteers from across Big Hearts’ Football and Edinburgh Memories projects, is the first of its scale since the charity announced a three year strategy to support those affected by social isolation.
