Latest news with #ScottishGovernment-funded
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Funding support for Ayrshire girl guide group after 'devastating' blaze
An Ayrshire Guide unit is being supported by a Scottish Government-funded programme after their meeting venue suffered a fire. Hurlford Church, where 1st Hulford Guides met weekly, caught fire on Friday, April 4. Four Scottish Fire and Rescue units were sent to tackle the fire affecting the roof of the venue. Scottish Fire and Rescue confirmed that there were no reported casualties. It was considered a "safe space" for the girls to meet, learn new skills and be themselves. The unit now meet at a different church, however it's much more expensive. Since the fire, the unit has been receiving support from Generation CashBack, a Scottish Government-funded scheme which aims to offer opportunities for disadvantaged young people. CashBack is delivered in partnership with Girlguiding Scotland, Boys' Brigade Scotland, Scouts Scotland and Youth Scotland. Unit leader Louise Crichton said: "Our venue has recently caught fire and we're unable to use it. We've been unable to go in and get our resources and we've not been able to meet in our meeting place. "The hall no longer has a roof, electricity or water, and we won't have the option of returning until at least next year. "Hurlford and Kilmarnock have a pretty severe antisocial behaviour problem. There have been situations with buses and the police are involved regularly, including maintaining a presence in Hurlford in the evening. "We can't meet outdoors due to antisocial behaviour, and during outdoor guiding we had to call the police to the park. Last year we went down to the local river and got rocks thrown at us. "The girls have grown up in the area so have grown to expect it. "[Guiding] is a safe place where they can be themselves and not have to deal with the antisocial kids. We have a few girls from different secondary schools so they're meeting friends outside of their immediate area. "They're also making friends of different ages which is making it easier for them to move up to high school." The unit has also made strides to become more girl-led, with Guides able to deliver their own meetings and choose the activities they do. Louise added: "This is an outcome from the last time we did Generation CashBack. "In the evaluation there was a question about 'would you like to improve your leadership skills' and almost all the girls ticked yes." Girlguiding Scotland's CashBack development officer Anna commented: "The CashBack project at Girlguiding Scotland aims to give girls safe spaces where they can do new things and have fun with friends. "The loss of their safe space will have been really scary for some of the girls in the unit, and we're pleased to be helping the unit to replace their lost belongings and keep a sense of consistency for the girls. It's amazing how quickly the volunteers have found a new meeting place and kept guiding going!" If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering with Girlguiding Scotland, visit here.
Daily Record
16-06-2025
- Daily Record
Hamilton Guides enjoy special adventures thanks to Generation Cashback funding
The 17th Hamilton members tackled a climbing wall, took to the water and visited New Lanark, Garrion Bridges and Girlguiding South Lanarkshire's residential site. Guides from Hamilton enjoyed a host of new adventures thanks to a funding boost – allowing them to try out new opportunities ranging from taking to the water to scaling a climbing wall. Members of the 17th Hamilton unit had a busy programme of activities arranged by their volunteer leaders thanks to the support of the Generation Cashback project, a Scottish Government-funded programme aiming to increase opportunities for young people living in areas of deprivation. The 'lifechanging' experiences for the Guides, aged 10 to 14, included hitting the heights as they reached the top of a climbing wall plus boarding a boat for the first time – as well as enjoying a camping weekend at Gowanpark, Girlguiding South Lanarkshire's residential activity centre near Crossford. During their residential, they visited New Lanark World Heritage Centre and enjoyed afternoon tea at Garrion Bridges – another first which none of the Guides had ever done before, and with the funding helping to ensure all members had the chance to participate. Unit leader Margaret Mitchell said: 'We're proud of giving girls different experiences that they can't get at home. We take them on adventures that they would never get to go on and we get so much out of seeing them do new things. 'Anything we get we use to enhance the girls' experience of Girlguiding and life. We want them to have memories for life.' The Hamilton unit was supported to undertake their adventure through the Generation CashBack project delivered by partners Girlguiding Scotland, Boys' Brigade Scotland, Scouts Scotland and Youth Scotland. Girlguiding Scotland Cashback development officer Anna Hannen Thomas said: 'The volunteers in this unit have shown how much they value the young people by creating a brilliant programme of activities for their weekend away. 'We're proud that Cashback was able to support this to happen and continues to support this unit to be a safe space for young people to push themselves and do amazing new things.' Visit for more details on volunteering with Girlguiding's units across Lanarkshire. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Daily Record
12-06-2025
- Daily Record
Ayr MSP urges open conversations to combat ‘sextortion'
Ayr SNP MSP Siobhian Brown has urged young people to reach out to a trusted adult or report the crime directly to the police. Ayr SNP MSP Siobhian Brown is urging parents, guardians and teachers to talk to young people about sextortion, as cases continue to rise across Scotland. Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where criminals manipulate individuals into sharing explicit images, then they threaten to leak them. It can leave victims feeling isolated, ashamed, and unsure where to turn for help. This comes after Ms Brown met with youngsters in the Northeast, to talk about online safety, in her role as Victims and Community Safety Minister. The visit coincided with Fearless, the youth service of Crimestoppers, introducing a new sextortion education resource designed to equip young people with the knowledge they need to stay safe online. It aims to build on this progress by increasing awareness and encouraging young people to seek help if they feel at risk. This new resource builds on the success of the Scottish Government-funded 'sextortion' campaign, launched last November. The campaign achieved 15 million impressions, making it the most successful Crimestoppers initiative across the UK in 2024. Ms Brown said: "Sextortion can have devastating consequences for young people as we have seen. Many victims feel trapped and afraid to speak out, that's why it's important to build trust and have open and honest conversations. "By ensuring children and teenagers feel safe discussing their online experiences, we can teach them to recognise risks, protect themselves, and seek help if the need it. "The timing of this initiative is crucial. With summer holidays approaching, young people will be spending more time online. This resource, shaped by young people themselves, is designed to help them understand sextortion, recognise warning signs, and know where to turn for support. "It is important young people know they are not alone and help is out there. "The advice remains the same. I would advise young people not to panic, not to comply with demands, and to reach out to a trusted adult or report the crime directly to the police." Parents, caregivers, and teachers can play a vital role by starting conversations early and teaching online safety before children begin using social media. It is also advised to keep discussions ongoing, including regular check-ins about online interactions. It is important to create a judgment-free environment, reassuring young people they won't be blamed for mistakes and to provide clear guidance by educating children on privacy settings, suspicious behaviours, and reporting threats. The campaign was initially launched earlier in the year following the heartbreaking story of Ros and Mark Dowey, whose 16-year-old son Murray tragically took his own life after becoming a victim of sextortion.
Glasgow Times
02-06-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow Guides mentor young girls to grow in confidence
The 282nd Glasgow Guides are encouraging Rainbows and Brownies from their local community to move up to Guides by sharing their own experiences and helping them see that the next step in their guiding journey is fun. The unit is supported by Generation CashBack, a Scottish Government-funded scheme. The initiative seeks to ensure young people from deprived areas can benefit from youth work opportunities. Carly, a Guide member with the unit in Glasgow, is one such volunteer who helps out with the Brownies and assists with games, writing, and drawing. She said: "I wanted to start helping because I felt like it was really interesting, because then I get to know about them and what they do. 'The hardest part is when we're setting up a game and none of them can decide who's going to be it. "The best part is helping them set up games, learning all of their names and seeing them run about and have fun.' Anna, CashBack development officer for Girlguiding Scotland, said: "Almost all the Guides in the unit help at Rainbows or Brownies, with some helping at more than one unit. 'This started when one girl was nervous about leaving Brownies (she is autistic and struggles with change), so leaders suggested she helped with Brownies to make the move smoother. "It meant that she could still see her Brownie leaders and have the familiarity whilst dipping her toe into being a Guide. "Three years later, she's still at Guides. "The other girls became interested in this, so also started helping. 'We've seen the girls grow in confidence since they've started volunteering and it helps foster a good sense of community.' Like Carly, Mia, who helps out with both Rainbows and Brownies, said: "I really like working with kids. "I enjoy watching Rainbows learn new things and make friends and watching Brownies have fun. "I'd like to be a leader in the future."
Press and Journal
24-05-2025
- Health
- Press and Journal
Free meals for three months: Aberdeen University can make it happen - as long as you're willing to eat LOTS OF FISH
Would you like to have free fish-based meals for three months? With the help of Aberdeen University, you can. The university is hoping to underline the benefit of eating more of our local catch as part of a new project. Lucky participants will have a 14-week menu selected for them by the Rowett Institute's dieticians with regular monitoring of the relative changes to their health. The £750,000 project, which is being called the FAMOUS study, is funded by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. They say it is codenamed FAM-OUS because it compares fish and meat-based diets. The latest project comes shortly after the Rowett published Scottish Government-funded research showing many vital nutrients are 'lost' because the UK exports so much of the fish caught by our fleets. That report concluded fresh efforts are urgently needed to increase the quantity of fish we eat as a country, which falls significantly short of the recommended intake. The project is specifically aimed at providing strong scientific backing for the heart health benefits of eating fish. The team is looking for healthy, overweight (BMI 25-29.9) 30–65-year-old meat eaters. These people should have elevated blood lipids, sugar, or blood pressure but not be on medication or have any history of heart disease or other inflammatory diseases. They should also not be on medication for cholesterol or lipaemia or taking any dietary supplements. Taking part will involve following different diet plans over set periods and having heart health and gut microbiome changes monitored and assessed. Participants will get a free health check and dietary advice as well as having all their food provided for 14 weeks and expenses covered. It is a menu designed by expert dietitians and nutritionists at the renowned Rowett Institute. Rowett Institute director and one of the FAMOUS study lead researchers, Jules Griffin, said he was 'delighted' with some of the dishes set to be served up to volunteers. They include curries and fish cakes. 'This region produces some of the best fish and seafood in the world and yet many of us eat a rather limited range, perhaps just fish and chips on a Friday,' he said. 'We missing out on some great tasting food. 'But fish is also an important source of vitamin D and polyunsaturated fats. 'They protect us from serious diseases, including cardiovascular disease.' To apply to take part, or find out more, please contact Frank Thies ( or Morven Cruikshank ( Alternatively, visit the Rowett website.
