News

Last month, Scottish Parliament voted in favour of the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Bill, and it is anticipated that the Bill will receive royal assent later this year. This Act of Parliament aims to strengthen and update the current Scottish charity law.

The next Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament (SRIP) – a grassroots democratic assembly – will take place in the autumn, Wednesday 1st November – Friday 3rd November, online and in-person at the Nevis Centre, An Aird, Fort William, PH33 6AN. This year’s free event theme will be “Village Halls and Community Spaces”, with registration opening in August.

McGill’s Midland Bluebird is carrying out a market research exercise to find out if there would be demand for a fast direct coach service, operating 24/7 and linking Stirling, Falkirk, Edinburgh Airport, Livingston Designer Outlet and Centre, and Forth Valley Hospital, to Glasgow Airport. They have created a short survey to gather people’s views. The closing date for responses is Friday 11th August.

The Scottish Recovery Network’s new Peer Connects event will take place online, 11am – 12:30pm on Thursday 16th November.

Scottish Government’s Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) Programme has launched a new e-learning module, Recognising and Responding to Distress (RR2D), designed to empower practitioners who are responding directly to people in distress, to do so compassionately and effectively.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has launched their new “STI Safer Sex” Campaign, which runs until the end of September 2023. The new prevention campaign has been developed in collaboration with NHS Health Boards, NHS24 and third sector partners, and will use social media in particular to raise awareness, using the hashtag #SafeIsSexy.

Suicide Prevention Scotland has published their summer newsletter, which features a brand new look and format. The newsletter has been designed as a way of keeping the suicide prevention network up to date with progress on implementation of the new national suicide prevention strategy, and any other relevant information.

Kinneil Band and Kinneil Youth Band are holding a free concert at the Bo’ness Town Hall Bandstand. The concert will take place on Sunday 20th August from 2pm, with both bands playing a selection of movie music from throughout the years. There is no booking or tickets required.

Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre will be restarting their Professionals Information Afternoons next month, with the next session taking place 2pm – 4:30pm on Wednesday 16th August. Sessions are held via Zoom and in-person at the Carers Centre, 1A Bank Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NB, giving attendees the choice to attend virtually or not.

Playlist for Life is working to build partnerships with local community groups and organisations who provide support to people affected by dementia, through the Falkirk Help Point network. Playlist for Life has organised an online information session, via Zoom, on Wednesday 9th August from 11am, for existing contacts and people interested in becoming part of the network.